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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…
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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…
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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.
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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…
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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…
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Cyclops & Rock Garden, Joshua Tree
In the morning we took Dana to The Eye (1), thinking it would be a great beginner’s route. It turned out to be a sandbag, I thought, and she didn’t make it up. We promised to take her to a climb she can do someday. In the afternoon we went out with Matt and Sophie,…
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Hemingway Buttress, Joshua Tree
For me, returning to Joshua Tree on the labor day weekend brought back echoes of my trip with Ted a year ago. That trip felt like my coming-of-age as a climber, with my first onsight 5.10 slab lead, and schooling on some of JT’s classic cracks. This year I came feeling stronger but less ambitious,…
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More Wedding Pictures In
Tom and Annette DeMay gave us their set of pictures, including the first of the ceremony. Nathan posted the first gallery of his color photos also, which will soon be duplicated along with many more on our wedding page.
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Wagon Wheel
Ann, Ted, and I met near the Big Loaf for some bouldering last night. There are lots of high problems around there. I did some of the easier ones, including a couple I hadn’t tried before. It felt good. Ted played on a couple of the evil little overhanging crimp problems that he likes, and…
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Movie: Requiem for a Dream
The definitive movie about addiction in modern life. Very artfully done, so much so that it’s almost as hard to face this movie as it is to face our own addictions. Ann & I found some recovery time necessary afterwards, with some quiet time outside and soothing music (all but the men in white coats).