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Thursday, June 24, 2010

The Rock Tit

So last night Tacoma and I went again to the crag in Ophir canyon to see what kind of damage we could do. My ribs have started feeling better as has my lower back that has been killing me but most of all I could just sit around and do nothing anymore. it was driving me nuts. Once at the rock we decided to climb a route that is right on the nose called the Rock Tit, it is a bit shorter than Poopy pants but is supposedly a 5.9. I red-pointed the route on the first ascent and Tacoma Pink-pointed. This climb seemed just as easy as Poopy pants so either our confidence has raised or it is rated wrong (I want to think it is a confidence thing). Anyhow I made 2 ascents and Tacoma made but one and then the sun was going down and we were out of light. My ribs hurt like a mother during the climb but such is life. Here are some pics

Saturday, June 12, 2010

Vagas - Second Honey moon and freedom from the twits

So on Sunday the 6th my wife and I headed to the Airport to try to catch a flight with Jet Blue on our free standby tickets that I had gotten from my friend Tacoma’s wife Tara. We were told when we signed in that it would basically be a cold day in hell if we got on in the next 3 days as they had been rolling standby passengers over for 4 days. Well we waited for our flight and didn’t get on so we rolled over to the flight later in the day.  To kill time we went up to the Blue Plate Diner and had a nice breakfast and then to Tanner Park for a short hike. We still had hours left to kill so off to REI to spend our dividend on some nice sandals for Michelle then to Memory grove to read and lay in the grass. All this time I am nursing my ribs BAH. Soon we were back at the Airport to find that we are #28 on the standby list on a flight that is overbooked- At this point we decided to just drive down.

The drive was uneventful and we arrived in Vegas at 1AM and set out to find a room for the night. After trying a few different places on Fremont Street we found a room at the Stratosphere – we ended up with a upgraded room due to them selling us a room they didn’t have but I still have to say the room was small but more than adequate.

Day 2
Monday morning rolled around and we had some overpriced coffee from the Starbucks in the casino and planned to use our free entry (part of having a room) to visit the observation deck but it was not open yet. On our way back to the room we got caught by one of what we would find later to be the many people trying to get suckers to go to Timeshare presentations with the lure of free stuff. We were lured in with tickets to a show, a free dinner, and tickets to the Observation deck (about a $150 value for a couple of hours that we had to kill anyhow).  We went to the observation deck with our free entry from having a room and watched a couple of people take the jump from the deck to the ground (I still wish I could blow $100 to do that jump – maybe next time). Then we headed down to do the presentation that was rather painful to sit through but worth $150.

We checked into my sister in laws timeshare around 4 after hitting up wally world to get some food and then hung out at the pool until we crashed.

Day 3
We basically did NOTHING but sit by the pool and drink. When I say basically that ignores the fact that we got suckered into another timeshare presentation at the timeshare we were staying at on the auspice that it would get my sister in law another 1000 points and us a $75 gift card.

Day 4Wednesday – my birthday we woke up and laid around at the pool and then went out for our planned night on the town. First we used a gift certificate we had to Applebee’s to have a nice lunch and then went and walked the strip. We checked out most of the strip with honorable mentions for the M&M shop, Excalibur (I still want to know how many larpers a year get kicked out), MGM and the lions, The flamingo and the flamingos, Bellagio and the gardens, and tons of people trying to give us handouts for “girls right to your room”. We then used our free dinner at the Diner in the Stratosphere (adequate but I wouldn’t pay to eat there), Checked out the observation deck again but this time at night to see the city lights then went to see a erotic vampire show BITE. All and all a good day.

Day 5
We again did nothing but lay by the pool

Day 6
We got up early and headed home –

Here are pictures 

 

RC cars are cheaper and quicker to fix than ribs

 it all started about 2 weeks ago when my wife started telling me that I was not allowed to get hurt prior to our week long trip to Vegas.. thus I went rock climbing for the first time in 10 years (led a 5.7 without a single fall). Then Saturday took my wife climbing the same route for her first climb ever.. and still no injuries.. Then we went to my in-laws and played with RC cars for a bit.. Well I ended up on the course where my brother in law was driving his RC and almost stepped on his car but instead decided to jump out of the way.. I did a beautifully controlled dive (as my wife and mother in law said) only to land in the most improper manner on my side with my fist between my ribs and the ground. Needless to say I heard a few pops and knew that something was wrong.. We left for Vagas on Sunday and I made sure to pack my 2 year old bottle of Hydrocodone and spent the week in sin city :).. came home and saw the doc yesterday.--2 cracked ribs and had 10 dislocated ribs--. needless to say I am mostly annoyed that I can't go running, climbing, hiking right now!

Saturday, June 5, 2010

Rock Climbing - back at it

On Wednesday the 2nd for the first time in over 10 years I went rock climbing with my friend Tacoma - who you may remember from last years death hike 09. He also hadn't been climbing for at least 10 years as well so basically it was 2 old guys trying to relive the glory days HEHE. We went down to Ophir canyon just to the south of Tooele and climbed a route called 'poopy pants' a nice slabby 5.7 climb. Needless to say we both lead the route with very few problems and no falls. - hey after 10 years I think we did rather well.
On Saturday the 5th I was able to take my wife and little girls down and climb the same route. Michelle did a great job belaying for the first time while I lead the route. She then top roped the route for her first climb ever. She did a great job and I think she is even willing to go again YAY. After we both climbed a bit we put the girls on rope and let them climb up to almost the second bolt on the wall :) Well here are some pics from that day.. they suck as the sun was in the wrong position for good pics but something is better than nothing right :)