Breaking News thread!

Alex Honnold climbed El Capitan without a rope.

Even though many knew this day would come, it's still a very big deal in rock climbing. Which is to say, it's not a big deal. Unless you think something like Ed Hillary summiting Everest is a big deal. It's on that level. Way, way out there.

 

Consequences!
Courage + Confidence = Capturing Capitan
I am hoping this does not start a trend, but I guess it's perfectly Darwinistic if it does become one.

 

That is both crazy and extremely impressive. That dude is an animal.

 

Yep.

Climbers have been going cordless forever; intentionally or not we all do it now and again. A fraction gravitate to free soloing. Ironically (?) there are more ropeless climbers cratering off 5.9 and 5.10 than harder climbs. Alex's route, Freerider, is 5.13, including some insecure sequences at nearly that. Maybe it's because so few free solo near that level. And there are hordes of 5.11 climbers that feel okay without gear with a grade or two padding on the difficulty. Among the elite climbers, I can say with certainty that more perish doing BASE and wing suit than free solo climbing.

Someone mused that it's like heroin; it's all fine until it's not. I say Alex had the hard sections wired from numerous rehearsals, and used tick marks on key holds. Conversely, you have no real idea what's in the dope. He has climbed harder pitches free solo, but pulling hard moves up high after three-plus hours and no hang-out time at belays is a different form of commitment. Putting together the physical and mental aspects of the project was an absolute coup that will stand as a benchmark in climbing for a long time.

 

Amazing read...

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/a...solo-climb-yosemite-national-park-el-capitan/

 

Yes, an amazing feat. It'll be even more amazing if he's still alive in five years.

 

That's what a few people said over five years ago when he started turning heads. (That's what some people say about every free soloist who pushes grades or climbs consistently hard solos.)

History shows these athletes simply don't fall off their hard projects. BASE/proxy flying, suicide, auto wrecks and random accidents is how they die. I can't think of a single high-level free soloist that has died pushing grades. The two most high-profile soloists who died falling off were: Derek Hersey, slipped on wet 5.9 rock; John Bachar, had a nerve issue that caused sudden palsy in his arm(s), lost it on a 5.10. The ground breakers like Croft, Braun, Kauk, Cashner, Edlinger, Alain et al are in their 50s-60s now, and not pushing it anymore. They all have wild stories of survival, but they all lived through decades of soloing by being focused, disciplined and knowing when to walk away.

 

Venerable big wall shooter Tom Evans got some great shots of Alex from the valley floor: http://elcapreport.com/content/elcap-report-6317-special-edition-honnold-free-solo-elcap


If you want to see what the crux of the route looks like, go to 3:08 on this vid:

 

Adam West dead at 88.

Batman '66 is my only Batman.

 

Sad news

 

He was the only Batman I ever watched.

 

Bike thief caught by tattoo artist. The artist and his buddy tattooed (I am a thief and a looser) right on the dorks forehead. This was in Portugal. Tattoo guy arrested.

 

I have seen this story and photo several times recently. First it was a tattoo shop robber in Brazil. Next was a bike thief in Venezuela. And now, Portugal.
I wonder how this plays out on Snopes?

 

Nice to see Kevin Durant get a ring!

Congrats to the Golden State Warriors.

 

A little too close to home.

https://www.google.com/amp/www.lati...sco-shooting-downtown-20170614-story,amp.html

 

What kind of a jerk would want to kill Brown Santa?!

Duh, he brings boxed goods!!!....

 

Yeah, really... :-(

 

I hope you and your co-workers stand strong through this, @UPSed.

It seems like this kind of thing has become more frequent. A sad and terrible trend, if so.

 

I am so saddened to read this, Today seemed like a day of gun violence (and avocado violence) across the nation. Horrible. I am sensing more anger, isolation and fear.

Thoughts and prayers to victims of the shootings today and their families.

 

WHERE IS THE FIRE???!

I SEE A BIG SMOKE COLUMN OUT TOWARD SIMI/NORTHWEST SFV/SANTA CLARITA.

Edit: a friend says Placerita Canyon. Hopefully the boyz can keep it small.

 

I ordered a imtbtrails trail jersey today!

 

POSER

 

I'm late to the party! The photos were taken down.

 

I'm still going with, ummm, yeah.....NO!!!!

 

After multiple bouts with So Cal poison oak this year, I finally became somewhat immune.

Enter the lovely Central Coast poison oak... I rubbed all over it this past weekend and it got me good!

I was hoping that my "immunity" would carry over, but nope.

So beware: Poison oak from one region to another is not all the same.

 

I feel your pain. First time for me in probably 40 years. It was worse than I remember it as a kid!

3 bottles of Caladryl later, and I'm good as new... well, newish.

 

Did you take a non-drowsy antihistimine like Dr. SnakeCharmer suggested?

 

Claritin seemed to help a lot... And it's only 1 pill per day.

 

Hah, it was limited-time offer! Shooter Tom got reeled in by the NatGeo contract he signed. They made him remove his shots. Welcome to the shark tank, Tom . Sorry ya missed em!

 

I'm curious...
As an experienced mountain biker, you have figured out what PO looks like........... right?
I have had @rossage trudge @Voodoo Tom and I through some outrageous trails of PO and not get PO. Yes, I felt like we were doing the multi directional limbo and grazed its clutches many times, but non of us has got it, yet.

Tell me you are not riding naked and jumping in to lush patches of it and rolling around. no pictures please...