So, waiting on some taps and fasteners etc. so yesterday afternoon went for a long walk in a Chinook at +8 degC - it was hot in the sun with a Carhartt jacket on. As I write this next morning, it's -19 degC and threatening snow. I wish it would make up it's mind what season it wants to be . . .
There were rows of these beautiful trees all over Avignon this fall - some pollarded into tall tall columns and some left to grow to their spreading grandeur. Absolutely magnificent arches over courtyards and cafe restaurants. You're lucky to have these beauty's as a playground ! Cheers
There's a geologist named Shawn Willsey from Wash State that runs a YouTube geology channel and he keeps track of both Icelandic and Hawaian vulcanology and earthquakes. Shawn shows amazing drone footage from Iceland from time to time. He also has amazing footage of this latest eruption in...
The ACMG test I referred to above were drop belay tests on dynamic ropes - at that time it would have been something like Edelrid 11's or something. That was before the modern day 8's or 9's (which a lot of us old guys still look askance at, at least for alpine/ ice). Stay safe.
I was Circ'n away this fall and came to wonder if an inventive fellow couldn't come up with a little bread-tie/ knot jammer and a string thingy to put on the Cric's cam release string and knot (Arbsession 3D printing prototype lab??) - for when the Cric gets out of reach a bit. Then pull on...
"Forget who first introduced use of the archery trigger,"
I think I first saw an archery trigger some years ago on ClimbingArborist when Dan was showing off his rig.
SS won't wear so fast I suppose but I really do think wear on any mechanical can also depend on how clean one keeps their ropes, aside from just sap and pitch "slicks". We had a really, really dry summer here and I'm just cleaning/ washing before putting gear away for winter (ski season for me)...
I've written about this before - big thing with my winter climbing is - I always use a nice big flat topped biner on my leg loop (Ceros?) and run the rope thru a Munter before a rope on descent will reach any hitch or mechanical. This is to strip any glop off the rope before it hits my friction...
Spent a couple days this fall working away on some folks pollarded trees - whole yard full. New one for me where I am, but fun climbing. The pile of 4' - 5' sticks were enormous and it left me wondering if they couldn't be used for something like fencing or privacy screening. I remember hearing...
I found the same thing with the "latch wings" on my AK2 - I ended up putting a bit of removable thread locker just under the wing by the screw/ bolt and it's stiffened/ goo'd up the opening enough so they don't float outta position so much. I wonder why this wasn't designed to hinge the other...
The StatX feels heavier and stiffer like a rope that'll cable, but on couple of days up in the trees now (both SRT and MRS on a pulley saver), it didn't. It definitely has a different feel tho. Sterling nailed it I think with Scion - same "full" kinda feel but way more flexible/ better hand. AK2...
We too, have been having bunnies everywhere - really gross late last fall - was minding my own business on an elm prune when I rounded a corner onto a nice wide branch union and found it was a "bunny buffet", for some cat named Bob probably. There were bits of Uncle Benny Bunny and Cousin Clem...
Been playing with 11.5's - Squir yup, but am now really liking StatX from Drayer and Scion, all in the AK2. I think all three are really nice ropes. I find 11's hard on my hands.
A discussion of Oil Mist exposure limits if you want to get more into it. Ontario has health standards for oil mist too. If a worry, or an asthmatic, just use an N95 mask I suppose. And most saws, you can turn down/up the amount of bar oil you're using. Chain oils have an additive to enhance...
Squirrels have chewed thru our ground level deck (PT 2X6 or 2X8's) from the top and the sides to store spruce cones between the gravel and the decking (a 3-4" space). Must now be thousands of spruce cones protected from rain by a membrane covered main floor upper deck. Been using a HavaHart trap...