Climbing Rant

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I invited a friend to come climb at the boulder I found in my town, just 5 minutes away from my house (or less.) He replied that he would, but he was already planning to go climbing at a boulder some where else, in the town over from mine. He said it was a new boulder, but couldn’t invite me because the guys who found it wanted to keep it a secret. I’m not gonna lie, I was put off by this at first… but later shrugged it off, since there’s no benefit from dwelling on it. However, it did make me think of a rant that I wanted to share. So I guess I’ll vent it out here.

In my honest opinion, there’s only 2 valid reasons to keep a new crag or boulder a secret; #1 The access to the new climbing area is threatened, or #2 Jessica Alba is at the bottom of the boulder or wall giving out free blow jobs. If it is neither #1 nor #2, then you’re just rock blocking, and that’s just plain rude, and quite frankly, selfish.

With that said, I feel better now. I’m still planning to invite those guys out to the Granite Falls boulder, whether they share with me where this new boulder is or not.

Food For Thought

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Recently, I noticed a few posts on facebook about Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) that reminded me of an old episode of one of my all time favorite TV Shows, “Penn & Teller’s: Bullshit!”

I posted the parts of the episode that was relevant to the topic, stating that perhaps not everything we think know about GMOs is entirely true; simply put, I posted it as just ‘food for thought.’

A few friends commented on my post regarding the video. One was very reasonable, stating:

“I’m not against GMO as a concept, I’m just against GMOs that use chemicals and processes that haven’t been proven safe for human consumption (and from what I gather, there’s definitely evidence that show they are not completely safe).”

This response was reasonable, and to me, possessed legitimate logic. Had I not seen the P&T episode before, I too would have had thought the same on the topic. However, because I had seen it before, I am still skeptical about the truth of GMOs and their effects on people. Other friends however, were not as reasonable nor accepting of my post, so this was the reasoning I had gave.

“I honestly don’t know if I’ve ever consumed anything that was genetically modified or engineered (last I heard, GMO products are not required to have labels,) I’ve never paid it any attention. However, I can honestly say I feel great. I recently went to the doctor for a check up about a month ago or so, and I am 100% healthy other than the slight lack of vitamin D that is quite common up here as you all know, haha. And I’m gonna go off on a tangent here for a sec; shampoo and soap is unnatural, yet we use them whenever we shower (I don’t shampoo every time though). In fact, using soap can potentially be harmful to your skin, and has been known to cause eczema in children when the soap’s detergent properties dry out the skin and stop it from producing the necessary oils your skin needs to stay healthy (This happened to me, on my back). But back to GMOs, I’m not defending GMOs, please don’t misconstrue my words as I mean no harm. I’m just saying that this leads me to believe that one or more of the following is true:

- I am immune to the effects of GMOs
- I have never consumed GMOs
- GMOs are rare in Japan, the Philippines, and the USA (all areas of which I have consumed produce that is or could be the product of Genetic Modification)
- I happen to be very, VERY lucky and by chance have never consumed food that is a product of Genetic Modification
- I have consumed many GMOs in my life time, but have not been effected in anyway because they are not harmful to my body
- I have consumed many GMOs in my life time, but have not had enough to have any effect on me in anyway
- I have consumed many GMOs in my life time, but the effects happen slowly over time and I will not experience any of the symptoms until I am 30 years old
- When I fart, and it smells EXACTLY like McDonald’s french fries (even though I hadn’t had any,) it is because I have recently consumed GMOs

I guess the point I’m trying to make is that I haven’t chosen a side, but rather, have chosen to remain unbiased until there is truly solid evidence. That is, an experiment I could scientifically test to confirm the same results (not that I have the resources to do so, but that is not the point.) Though there may be some cases that this is true, there are still entirely too many variables to come up with any truly substantial evidence/answers.”

Now I know that this is a little bit off-topic, being a blog on a climbing media website, but I felt compelled to write more about my views on the topic somewhere else. Perhaps it’s because I think that someone that might run across this blog may have a similar opinion on the topic. I mean, am I wrong in thinking the way I am about it? I feel it’s rather logical and reasonable. Maybe it’s the other comments in reply to my own that made me feel compelled to write it somewhere else in hopes that someone would agree with me or see things from my perspective. After all, I was able to understand where they were coming from, why couldn’t we at least agree to disagree? Instead, I was told I was a know-it-all and I need to “open my mind or just go blind.” I’m a peaceful person by nature, and when arguments or conflicts arise, I get a little bit of anxiety. I’m sure though that we could agree on other topics such as natural resource over-consumption, out of control capitalism, living simply without the need for materialistic things. I feel like it’s things like this; intolerance, and greed, that are the seeds of which larger conflicts, wars, and global-scale problems grow.

Anyway, what are your thoughts? Feel free to comment on this post (you gotta be registered though, I get entirely too much SPAM about Fake Louie Vuitton purses and other stupid crap like that.)

Climbing at Index, WA tomorrow!!!

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The beginning of each new year in Washington has always seemed to be rather, schizophrenic. In January, we got a few really nice weekends and I was able to go climb in Index in sunny, cold/crisp weather with some friends. Then the rain came back in February and we were stuck indoors yet again. Just a few weeks ago, mother nature decided to surprise us all with some late-season snow. Now that the snow has all melted away, the sun is back out and shining bright as ever; Spring has finally arrived, fashionably late. We’re experiencing an awesomely comfortable 55 degrees, and I can finally climb comfortably in a t-shirt! And on days where the sun is bearing down hard on the south-facing crags of Index, it’s not uncommon to see climbers at the lower walls on climbing without a shirt on… the conditions are phenomenal. It’s times like these that remind us why  we put up with all the rain and overcast that the Pacific Northwest is commonly known for.

I haven’t updated this blog in a long time, but I’ve been staying psyched. I’ve been having to juggle between focusing on school, work, and play. Now that I’m done with the Winter quarter, I’m taking the Spring quarter and Summer off as somewhat of a vacation for myself. It’s a relieving feeling, to say the least.

Lately, I’ve been chasing the dry weather whenever I have a free weekend, to climb outdoors. The weekend weather has been taking me to Leavenworth the past few times, and it’s been a blast! I’m getting stronger, I’m sending projects, and overall having more of an adventure every time I go out it seems. I love it!

Placing a nut in a tight spot. This crack was a 10a, but the first few moves were so weird for me, I made it harder than it should have been -Careno Crag

Past the early crux, painful leavenworth cruiser jamming the rest of the way up. I should have taped up…-Careno Crag

Ryan and I waiting for the other party to lower off the next pitch. -Castle Rock

Ryan & Alex cheezin’ -Castle Rock

Me, cruising through easy slab. -Castle Rock

Brought the Scarpas for the descent. -Castle Rock

Givin’ Ryan an onsight belay on Damnation Crack -Castle Rock

Damnation Crack (Old school 5.9) aka burly as fuck. Props to Ryan for leading that one. Starts up with perfect hands, then to fists, then arm bar off-width style or laybacking w/ some dihedral stemming where possible with some heel-toe’ing, to more dihedral face climbing to some slots to finger jam in order to transition out of the awkward dihedral/off-width climbing, then to a run-out chimney that gets your calves super pumped… I can’t believe they gave this route 2 stars, it was the best burly climb I’ve done ever so far! -Castle Rock

Alex rappin’ down. Early-season weather as you can see! -Castle Rock

Anyway, I’m off to Index to climb tomorrow, and I am PSYCHED!!!! Here’s the plan.

Ticklist:
1)Godzilla/City Park/Slow Children.
2)Rattletale 3 pitch link-up.
3)SS Ultrabrutal/Tunnel Vision link-up.
4)Climax Control redpoint.
5)Davis-Holland/Lovin’ Arms.

I hope we do at least 2 of those tomorrow (would be SO SICK to do them all in a day,) depends on time and route/crag traffic. Eatin’ a big dinner tonight and getting plenty of sleep. Pretty psyched. Gotta train for Red Rocks! Gotta practice being fast for The Warrior/Cactus Connection link-up!! Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that…

I’ll be in Red Rocks, NV April 4th through the 8th, climbing some multi-pitch stuff. The real deal, man… I can’t wait to be 2000′ up summiting the top of the various climbs we’re doing!!! Red Rock Rendezvous happens to be on the 5th-7th, but I hope we don’t get much traffic on our routes… regardless though…

I can’t wait for pitch 3, it won’t be my lead, but DAMN that rock looks beautiful, fucking amazing.

\(>_<)/ I’M SO PSYCHED!

A Message To Our Favorite Local Photographer

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Climbing photos of Split-Rock taken by Chad Goettel; what happens to them?

Alas, it is a question that has pondered the minds of climbers all over the Pacific Northwest region of the United States as well as parts of British Columbia, Canada. For months, there have been several different theories formulated, however, the following tales from the magical realms of which our scientists of today do not yet fully understand, somehow remains the most prominent.

First, the CMOS Imaging Sensors inside of Chad Goettel’s DSLR camera are exposed to sunlight reflecting off of various objects which then is imprinted onto the sensor itself. From there the sensor then must forged into an easily transportable element of which that cannot be accurately described to those from a non-magical realm such as our own. Next, they must be carried off by foot by the elves of EEPROMdolin to the hobbit-dwelling Tunnels of Fowler-Nordheim-Shire.

But first, there are several trials and tribulations the elves of EEPROMdolin must overcome. If triumphant, the element is then forged into an extraordinary ring, the Ring of Imagery.

Once the hobbits of Fowler-Nordheim-Shire have acquired the forged Ring of Imagery, it must be transported across the Sea of Bonded-Wireion and through the Dark Forrests of Electrond to the Land of Solid-State Memorador.

However…

Many scholars and philosophers maintain that the few that have endeavoured on this grievous quest have become lost in a labyrinth neighboring the infamous Caves of Apathetigroth, never to be seen again. But this remains only a belief, because no one has ever returned to tell the true tale of their journey.

Will the Ring of Imagery ever make it to Memorador, where it can be transformed into digital photographs for all to see? Or will the ring remain lost for all of time?

Perhaps we will never know.

Legend has it, if you listen closely with your ear tightly pressed against a DSLR camera’s memory port, one can hear the faint echoes of the Split Rock photos EXIF-data crying out, forever trapped in the abyss of endless nothingness.

THE END.

No really though, DUDE… upload those damn photos already!!! lol

- James