cyberhobo

Month: September 2003

  • Freeway Wall, Joshua Tree

    I keep thinking of this climb I want to do called Cast Up a Highway that is shady in the morning, but I’m feeling a little slow on the draw from the beer consumption last night. Ann is waiting for our email friend Karen to show up, and Ted wants to climb, so I suggest…

  • Chimney Rock, Joshua Tree

    More hungry for rock than dinner, we head over to Chimney Rock to go up The Flue ( 5.8 ). I’ve backed off the start of this one on lead before, and I do it again now. The bottom 25 feet are not really protectable, on not very positive 5.8 moves. Watching Ted do it…

  • The Blob, Joshua Tree

    After a blissful lunch and siesta at the Hidden Valley Campground, I spot a nice looking face nearby in the shade. A flip through the guide reveals a well-protected 5.10b route called Papa Woolsey. Ted took one look at it and said, “so ya gonna lead it?” I felt like giving it a try. It…

  • Saddle Rocks, Joshua Tree

    Ted & I get up early, ready to get on some rock at Joshua Tree. I chew a piece of bread, pack up, and we head out. The main road is under construction, and we stop following the “follow me” truck, duck into a dirt pullout, and tromp off to get onto a popular route,…

  • Wagon Wheel

    Once again we had a good turnout of social climbers. Ann & me, Clare & Dennis, Walter, Randy, and Greg all popped up at Wagon Wheel in the front. Randy took a pretty good whack at the Trade Route right off, then Ann & I played on the crack on the other side. Ann took…

  • Movie: The Harmonists

    This is a german movie about the fate of a hugely popular singing group started in 1927 called the Comedian Harmonists. Half of the members were Jewish, and the group was eventually split as Hitler came into power. The movie does a really good job of telling the story of the singers without focusing too…

  • Alabama Hills

    It must be the fall climbing season, because seven people showed up at Casa Java at 7 am to go to Alabama Hills! Me, Ann, Ted, Roy Boswell, Bud Gates, Clare Hupp, and Charlie Raff headed north to clip some bolts. Ann & I started off on a 150-foot 5.8 on The Loaf called Ranger…

  • Wagon Wheel

    Clouds built up in the East while Ann, Mike, Barry, and I were bouldering, giving us a nice show when it got dark.

  • Movie: El Abuelo (The Grandfather)

    At first I thought this movie was going be a bunch of droll intellectual dialog between stuffy characters, but it grew on me as everyone was introduced and established, especially the proud but penniless old Count of Albrit. Most of the action takes place outside Madrid in the late 19th century, and there are wonderful…

  • The Old Woman, Joshua Tree

    Double Cross made me sweat for every inch. It’s a sweet hand crack with an overhanging bulge in the middle. With the added effort of protecting it, I had my hands full. It’s another “easy” redpoint that I feel proud of. Everybody else enjoyed it too, and I was proud of Ann for working the…