Monday, August 20, 2007
I did ride the Monster again!
I took it out, and it was a completely different beast! No longer the clutch-monster, that terrifies me with it's barely leashed power. Ross changed the setting on the adjustable clutch lever, and it made all the difference. It's kind of cold-blooded, but once it got warmed up it purred, and it handled so magnificently. It is rock solid, so planted in the ground. It gave me great confidence in curves... more so than the CB-1, I have to say. Which shocks me. But then again it is over 10 years newer. It has a wonderful engine note, and I've always loved the looks. Ah, I'm so happy.
Always something new in climbing
Weekend before last, Taylor's Falls with Shawn. We climbed several things and ended up at the Wisconsin strip. Set two ropes, one between Batman and Walking on Air, the other on Deutschler's Corner. A couple from Chicago was just leading up Lloyd's Lament. They asked if there were any good 5.7s to lead, and we discussed the lamentable absence of 5.7s at Taylor's Falls. Recommended the 5.6 slab route as a good option. Shawn said they should feel free to climb on our ropes, too.
Shawn and I cruised Batman and Walking on Air, exploring the pitiful gear placements on Batman in preparation for some mythical future lead attempt. It's not that we're not perfectly capable of climbing it; it's just that the two gear placement options come right after the two cruxes of the route, so if you fell at the top crux you'd fall at least twenty feet.
Nope. Not me.
Then, Deutschler's Corner. It starts with this horrendous position, in which you're standing at the top of a steep slope with the vertical wall on your left, and you have to put a toe on a non-existent foothold, your left hand on a nothing of a crimp, and just jump up to a sharp-edged ledge for your right hand, while your right foot slides desperately across the rock to keep you from twisting off. I had tried it before and utterly failed to make that opening move. The first time on this occasion I flailed on it but gradually came close to getting it; I actually latched the sharp hold with my fingertips but couldn't hold on.
Second time on the rope, I just visualized, toed up, and did it. Latched it, stopped the swing. Then proceeded to climb the whole thing clean! 5.10d is mine.
Shawn and I cruised Batman and Walking on Air, exploring the pitiful gear placements on Batman in preparation for some mythical future lead attempt. It's not that we're not perfectly capable of climbing it; it's just that the two gear placement options come right after the two cruxes of the route, so if you fell at the top crux you'd fall at least twenty feet.
Nope. Not me.
Then, Deutschler's Corner. It starts with this horrendous position, in which you're standing at the top of a steep slope with the vertical wall on your left, and you have to put a toe on a non-existent foothold, your left hand on a nothing of a crimp, and just jump up to a sharp-edged ledge for your right hand, while your right foot slides desperately across the rock to keep you from twisting off. I had tried it before and utterly failed to make that opening move. The first time on this occasion I flailed on it but gradually came close to getting it; I actually latched the sharp hold with my fingertips but couldn't hold on.
Second time on the rope, I just visualized, toed up, and did it. Latched it, stopped the swing. Then proceeded to climb the whole thing clean! 5.10d is mine.
The visceral experience of being part of the pit crew at the vintage races
Clancy reflected in the headlight bezel of the Sprite.
Scott preparing to go out Friday morning.
View from a Sprite; I got to ride along on the way from town back to the track.
The replacement of the transmission; a quiet moment of cooperation.
Paul looking up through the empty engine bay as he engages in the endless task of wiping oil off of the Sprite.
Too many hands can spoil the...? The replacement of the transmission and engine.
Out on the track, but not for long.
An evening of street cars at Elkhart Lake
The vibe at the street car gathering was kinda different from the race car gathering. It was more of a "rich guys showing off their rides" rather than the purposeful racing machines of the evening before.
Below, a big American car.
I was kneeling, taking a picture of this Aston Martin DB 5, when a guy behind me said, "Do you want your picture in it?"
I said, "No way!" and he was confused for a moment before I added an enthusiastic yes, I'd love it.
But my camera was zoomed in and he didn't know how to use it, so here's me and the DB 5 steering wheel.
This is some kind of custom-bodied corvette which was incredibly hot.
Another big American car. They have a certain allure.
Below, a big American car.
I was kneeling, taking a picture of this Aston Martin DB 5, when a guy behind me said, "Do you want your picture in it?"I said, "No way!" and he was confused for a moment before I added an enthusiastic yes, I'd love it.
But my camera was zoomed in and he didn't know how to use it, so here's me and the DB 5 steering wheel.
This is some kind of custom-bodied corvette which was incredibly hot.
Another big American car. They have a certain allure.
Vintage cars at Elkhart Lake - a visceral experience
At the vintage racing weekend there are two concours d'elegans - beauty competitions for cars. On Friday night are the race cars, and on Saturday night, the street cars. The following pics are from the race car night, and a beautiful night it was. Lean and voluptuous racing beasts filled the streets, and the cars weren't too bad, either.
Below, a hot, open-wheeled racer.
Ah, velocity stacks! My favorite!
Racing MGA! Cool!
A Crossle. Some crazy British thing, I think. Ross would know.
Sinister racing corvette.
Racing Jaguar! With rivets!
Another of the odd-ball makes that show up in vintage racing; a Porsche-powered Elva. Or is it an Elva-bodied Porsche?
This is a helicopter turbine engine. In a race car! It sounds fantastically bizarre!
The picture says it all.
Clancy's Sprite, with a McLaren in the background. The extremes of vintage racing.
Below, a hot, open-wheeled racer.
Ah, velocity stacks! My favorite!
Racing MGA! Cool!
A Crossle. Some crazy British thing, I think. Ross would know.
Sinister racing corvette.
Racing Jaguar! With rivets!
Another of the odd-ball makes that show up in vintage racing; a Porsche-powered Elva. Or is it an Elva-bodied Porsche?
This is a helicopter turbine engine. In a race car! It sounds fantastically bizarre!
The picture says it all.
Clancy's Sprite, with a McLaren in the background. The extremes of vintage racing.
The garden in August
Peering across the dwarf spirea (truly a wonderful plant) at the variegated thyme.
Asilbe chinensis in the sunlight.
Cardinal climber. A couple of summers ago I grew this and it flowered profusely, and hummingbirds fed from it. This year it has flowered only sporadically. I don't know what to do. Miracle Gro?
Looking across the makeshift trellises (trellisi?) toward the house.
Tithonia - Mexican sunflower. Nice, but not as profusely flowering as I hoped.
Saturday, August 04, 2007
Vintage auto racing at Elkhart Lake
We headed off for Elkhart on a Thursday morning, cruised across Wisconsin and arrived in time to share a beer with Clancy, Scott, Paul, Mike, Cindy and the girls, Allison and Kate. (No beer for the girls). Clancy had his Austin-Healey Sprite race car there, with his son Scott driving. The rest of us were pit crew and hangers-on... or sometimes just pure spectators.
Why I climb
Climbing is my therapy, physical and otherwise. Although one might make the case that some of my aches and pains are actually caused by climbing, everything works better when I climb. If I have to go for a couple of weeks without climbing I get twinges. My forearm tendons hurt, my neck aches, my rotator cuff twinges.
Climbing clears out my mental cobwebs. I can head out for a day of climbing with doubts and tensions, but I inevitably end with clarity and peace, and a pleasant physical glow of exhaustion.
Climbing has introduced me to some of my dearest friends. Climbers tend toward the intellectual; the quiet sort who craves competition with the self rather than the crowd. Deep waters.
Climbing is my yoga, my meditation. Climbing is a mental and physical training, a way of stretching the limits of both, of learning new things about yourself and how much you are really capable of.
I need climbing.
Climbing clears out my mental cobwebs. I can head out for a day of climbing with doubts and tensions, but I inevitably end with clarity and peace, and a pleasant physical glow of exhaustion.
Climbing has introduced me to some of my dearest friends. Climbers tend toward the intellectual; the quiet sort who craves competition with the self rather than the crowd. Deep waters.
Climbing is my yoga, my meditation. Climbing is a mental and physical training, a way of stretching the limits of both, of learning new things about yourself and how much you are really capable of.
I need climbing.
Awesome day at Red Wing
Gotta get caught up!
This awesome day was actually the Sunday after the Bearded Lady Motorcycle Show. Shawn, Katie and I went to Red Wing. Katie did her first outdoor lead. I climbed several things I had not climbed before, specifically two 5.11 routes. I fell and had to hang on Crank-n-gogo, but did Quick Draw Moves to Hollywood clean. I must return and lead that one. I was hesitant to lead because my back was still sore from the muscle spasm, but it actually got better with climbing.
This awesome day was actually the Sunday after the Bearded Lady Motorcycle Show. Shawn, Katie and I went to Red Wing. Katie did her first outdoor lead. I climbed several things I had not climbed before, specifically two 5.11 routes. I fell and had to hang on Crank-n-gogo, but did Quick Draw Moves to Hollywood clean. I must return and lead that one. I was hesitant to lead because my back was still sore from the muscle spasm, but it actually got better with climbing.
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