For two years now I have been envisioning getting on what is widely held as the best pitch of 5.10 climbing on the Mac Wall, Graveyard Shift. It is the only route on the wall I have never even touched, and I wanted to save it until such time that I could give it a serious onsight attempt. Finally, I'm climbing routes with really cool and scary names! That day came last Saturday. I had been feeling good, climbing routes at my limit with strenuous gear placements, and feeling good about climbing above my gear with a pump. So we went out early in the morning last Saturday to onsight one of the last triple star 5.10's in the Trapps that I haven't been on.

When I hit the first crux bulge with the black seam I started to struggle. Fishing that small wire in the seam took eons and eons, locked off on a bent arm, I knew I was quickly frying my reserves. I was about to downclimb and try to save the onsight for another day when I found the right size in the right place. I tugged the small brassy straight down a few times, and clipped it, then quickly downclimbed to the good rest below. Beautifully technical climbing ensues through the next 15 or 20 feet, with small gear placed at less then optimum stances, and I felt good committing to the moves above them. In a few minutes I found myself at the stance in the corner.

I was feeling good about the gear I found here, and sussed out the moves on the face to the left. Thin and intricate, once again I committed to the moves knowing full well I had left the last rest I would get before the end of the route. I knew the crux overlap was supposed to be followed by some hard runout climbing, and it weighed heavily on me as I stepped up to the crux. I fiddled with gear in the awkward slot, placing one cam, then replacing it with another. Pulling and tugging on them in different directions, I did not like the way they sat. I looked back down and remembered the awkward little crack 4 feet below me, and flicked a nut in it for a backup. The gear would have to do.

Chalking up and taking a few deep breaths I pulled into the crux. As my body rose higher, I reached up and right for what looked like a good hand. When I hit it, I immediately realized I had been duped into committing to a sucker hold. I couldn't grab anything on it, and I felt gravity tug on me. I was off. The top cam popped out with that sound that leaders despise, and I found myself falling further than my brain had calculated. The last minute nut held, and prevented a monstrosity of a whipper.

I have long since given up being pissed at myself for falling, for not onsighting. For me, this game is about having fun, climbing cool lines, and getting the rope to the tope without hurting myself. Still, it would have been nice to be able to say, "yeah, I onsighted Graveyard Shift"...with a smirk Oh well. I got back up to the crux and immediately found the placement I should have had. With that confidence, I worked through the brilliant series of moves above, and clipped into the Star Action Chains.

On Wednesday morning I went back to try the redpoint. The gear was memorized, and I was confident. I floated through the bulge, and skipped across the face with ease. I Plugged in the crux gear and didn't even hesitate to shake out. While pulling up through the crux sequence I leaned in and looked down at my feet, then I felt resistance at my head. I leaned in too far, knocking my helmet on the overlap just hard enough to cause my non exisitent foot smear to fail, and I was off again. Oh well, I will get it this coming Tuesday, for sure.

Tuesday morning I found myself at the crux, deftly sliding the crux piece in. I chalked up, and pulled into the crux. Up over the overlap with ease, I wanted the redpoint badly enough that I started rushing to the exit hold. Haphazardly I threw my foot up on the crux foothold and leaned into it, standing up to reach the big jug at the end. I was rushing though, and I didn't place my foot correctly and it came off. We all know when we come off unexpectedly how badly our falling form can be. I found myself spinning out and rotating mid flight. My hand reached back and braced my impact against the rock, but not without a distinct crack being heard.
At first, I thought it was the gear shifting in the slot. within two or three seconds though I knew it wasn't. The pinpoint feeling of pain started to emerge in my ankle. I hung there, slowly working my ankle in circles trying to will the pain away, but it was still there. Without too much thought process I reached back into the rock, stepped on and yelled down to Dave that I was climbing again. Back at the foothold, I placed it properly, and I stayed suspended in that position, deciding whether or not to trust myself to climb higher above my gear and through thre rest of the crux. I crossed my left hand over, pinched the pebble....skipped my feet across the wall, and was latching the big exit jug.

Climbing the final 15' to the anchor it was obvious, I messed up my left ankle. I got lowerd off the chains, dropped my gear, and grabbed a beer out of the cooler, eager to dull the ever growing sensation of badness. I laid on the ground, content for the moment having gotten the rope up the route, and watching Dave lead Men At Arms, all the while the pain and stiffness set in. I watched Parker work the crux sequence of Star Action, and clear the crux, then hobbled myself down to the carraige road.

I sat at home the rest of that brilliant afternoon, watching my ankle become mnore and more disabled. Still, I was in that state of denial. "Don't make a big deal out of this. A few days and it will go away" I told myself. My wife convinced me otherwise and we went to Firstcare in New Paltz where the Doc promptly told me I had broken it.

Thus I sit here typing these words. The meat of the climbing season in full swing, and I am done. I still don't know what my ankle hit on the way down to cause it to break. There is literally nothing for it to hit. Still, I am not that bitter. I managed to get on a pretty cool route three times. I always told myself that I want to be able to lead routes with cool and scary names, so at least I can say that I broke my ankle falling off Graveyard Shift, and not a route called Fluffy Rabbit Tails! have a good November folks, and send some routes for me!!!

RR

Aw man, that sucks! Good write-up on the climb though.

In a perverted way, I hope (for your sake) that we get a couple months of useless wet soggy weather so at least you don't miss too much more good sending weather. And of course, here's hoping it heals up in time for ice season.

M.

Sorry for the bad break. Strange that you can't figure what it caught to snap, though.

Man, that sucks Rob. You can break your ankle just from swinging back into the wall, without catching anything.

I'm not much for beta, and I don't know whether you did this or not, but it is possible to get a small wire in a pocket up over the ceiling, a placement that can be made strenuously but before you commit to pulling over. I've seen a lot of people do it without that high gear, but I sure felt better about everything with it in. It is probably somewhere around shin level when you reach the good holds, or maybe at worst at foot level. Never fell on it, so can't say whether it will hold, but my memory is that you are dropping something in a pocket and it falls down behind the tapered part, making it inextractible by a fall although possibly subject to breaking the small wire.

Can't help chuckling a little about the dodgy cams lower down; in the pre-cam days we used to slot a small hex down there, sliding it in from the side. Very unobvious, but a good stong-appearing placement.

Hope everything heals up well and you'll be out on the ice, which I know you love.

I'm sorry to hear this Rob. Your story is sadly familiar to me! I hope you don't need surgery but if you do I can recommend a great surgeon in the city.

Do everything right, heal up, and you can still enjoy the ice season. Sounds like you are approaching this with a good attitude.

Thanks very much for the well written, thorough report.

It doesn't remotely compare, but I injured my middle finger in the middle of June on a climb I had no business on and ignored the pain while climbing easy stuff for the next two weeks. Then, I re-injured it on July 3rd. I haven't climbed since. The doc said it would take 12 weeks to 12 months depending on how much care I'd put into its recovery. I did all my exercises, icing, rests, OT twice a week for the summer, hoping it would be fine comes fall, my favorite climbing season of all. Thankfully, I really got into trail running, which saved my sanity for the duration of the climbing season.

My finger still was hurting in September, so I waited. Then, I sprained my ankle in September during the Pfaltz Challenge trail run... So now, I couldn't climb or run...

Thank god I got a bow in August... having the time of my life now.

Hopefully, you can turn this recovery into an opportunity, whatever it may be for you, (drinking beer doesn't count :-)

Definitively work on your venison recipes!

Good luck on your recovery (and get Netflix if you don't have it already!)

heal fast Rob!

I think Graveyard Shift should be renamed Fluffy Rabbit Tails!

Here's to a speedy recovery.

curmudgeon

I've long felt that Graveyard Shift is the sandbag 10 + everyone claims for Coex. It's a long way in every way from that day on Le Teton, Rob. And you sure ain't any younger.

Maybe you can console yourself working the deer problem from the rocker on that back porch.

nice work dude. but fuck. bummer. heal fast.

Rob:

We've never met but I enjoy your posts. Heal up quick, and best of luck!

Steve

Funny enough, I am more pissed that I can't split those beautiful rounds of chestnut oak I have piled in my backyard. There is something comforting and warming about splitting wood in a crisp, sunny, fall day, with leaves gently floating down. Anyone want to come split while I supervise with a beer in my hand? You would, of course, be offered a beer as well.

Bummer about the ankle, Rob. Good story, though. Heal well!

I am also a fan of spltting wood, Rob. Soon enough. Now you have a great story! Those ice boots are pretty good support but once you put crampons on them they become ankle tweekers. A good time to work on your single finger pull-ups. Heal fast.

Man, I can totally empathize with you. For me, it snowed pretty heavily on Saturday and Sunday afternoon I was headed out to a conference in San Fran (TCT). I got to the climbing gym since the local areas were still wet, about an hour before I needed to get to the airport. I was bouldering a route I had done many times before. I did a high right foot and as I rocked onto it, it slipped off the smuggy hold. As I fell my foot hit another hold just below the one my foot came off of, flipping me backwards. Instead of landing on my toes with bent knees, it was straight onto my right heal with a straight leg. Broke the calcaneous. Didn't see a doctor until San Fran, and man was it fun hobbling through the airports on a broken foot. Atleast no pins.....

Rob, good luck with the ankle..... And you didn't ask the doc if he could put a hard toe on your cast with a bump on the heal to accomadate your crampons. I asked, but my doc didn't think it was funny (but the nurse was laughing hysterically).

Good job getting after it, but bummer about the ankle.

Heal up fast.

GO

Heal up amigo - we got a trip to train for... I took Cam up fat city last week and highly motivated not to fall by the thought of missing a few months of hard training.

Rob, so sorry to hear it. Glad the rope caught you, tho!

Where's the break? Tib/fib? Sounds like you're hardware-free, which is good (if you do end up needing the knife: Asprinio / Grose @ Westchester. My surgeon here knew them and called them "ninjas").

I have an extra one of these at home (which is awesome)
http://www.amazon.com/Duro-Med-Adult-Short-Protector-Clear/dp/B000FHDV68/ref=pd_bxgy_hpc_img_b
and I -think- I'm done with my shower chair. Happy to send them along.

Chas, welcome to the calcaneous club ;-)

Nah, totally simple crack in the inside of the head of the tibia. I would eb seriously shocked if the ortho Doc made a big deal out of it. Chas, welcome to the Bum Ankle Club. Chris....no worries man, I will be on the ice by January, we'll be climbing that SW ridge in May!

Rob,

Very sorry to hear of the injury. Been there, done that and it sucks. Good job at getting after it and at finishing it up despite the ding. Glad to hear the injury isn't as nasty as it could have been. Jake and I would be proud to come down and belay you on the redpoint in the Spring. Coming off awkwardly really sucks. Popped off a layback at Cathedral earlier this season and took somewhat of a horizontal backwards swan dive. Got lucky and incurred relatively minor damage and was back at it the next weekend. Best wishes for a speedy and complete recovery. Excellent write up by the way!

Bill

Great end to a season - if it had to happen like that.

Heal up!

Rob, was good to see you on Tuesday, but bummer to hear it was broken. It was a great winning streak of perfect weather though, wasn't it?

Jannette

Wow, sorry to hear about the ankle Rob, that sucks! Hoping (for you) it will be a slow start to the ice season, heal up fast!
CFrac

Get well soon!

Rob,

Really sorry to learn you're dinged up. Here's hoping your healing is fast and straightforward.

Like you, my attitude about falling has changed over the years. For me that change seems to have coincided with transitioning into Gunks 10's. That seems to be a level where the endurance requirement of dealing with technical moves routinely gets combined with the need to place pro while hanging out in tenuous and fatiguing situations. (Not whining about that; those are simply the parameters of the game and we willingly play it.) I don't know how often you fall – maybe this climb was an anomaly – but I do so with enough frequency that when I analyze what happened, and I do, I find some common behaviors and themes.

The description of your repeated efforts at Graveyard (would "trip" report be too lousy a pun?) does a nice job of illustrating the different conditions leading to each fall. All the work you put in placing gear on your first try suggests that endurance may have been an issue when you got to the top crux. Anyway, that's what it sounded like. You ended up going for a lousy hold and then didn't recover and reposition your hand. Maybe you were tired, maybe out of balance, maybe a little of both. I know it's been like that with me. Of course, if waning endurance was to blame for this air time, it's noteworthy that you went back up and finished the climb cleanly. Perhaps that speaks to the power of adrenaline.

What do you think about your second day's fall? You glanced at your feet and ended up leaning in and bumping your head. Did you feel unsteady?

I've got to believe you're frustrated about what happened in round three. I'm not referring to jobbing your ankle, although that's truly unfortunate. But having a foot slip, ouch. Double ouch for having it slide off after you'd made the moves you were so intent on completing. I've had a similar experience, where I'll admit to prematurely celebrating with a mental, "Got it!" only to have "it" slip away as I let my attention shift to the future instead of staying completely in the present.

So I don't know what reaction you expected from any of us who've read your account. You gave a good description of the progression of events and falls. I guess I'm asking if you'd be interested in expanding on the psychological side of these events. How much do you think endurance played a role? Or focus? Or any other factor? Treat it as an idea for what you might do while you're hanging around the shack.

P.S. Want to bet a route goes up in the next few weeks named Fluffy Rabbit Tails?

I would like to name the next horror show, Pretty Pink Poodles...

Its funny but my attitude about falling has changed through the years also. I figure as long as their isn't obvious objective dangers, corners, ledges, why not go for it. Yes, on any fall there is a risk of getting hurt, but if you are afraid of getting hurt you should stick to bouldering.... Hold it, that's how I dinked myself up, how about watching sat, sun afternoon football. There is always going to be finite risk, and when you end up on the wrong side, it is what it is...

Chas with watching football there is the imminent risk of long term cardiac hurt brought on my too many sedentary days of potato chip eating. Nothing is without risk.

Now are you talking Kettle Chips or just the cheapo stuff. If you are going to go, atleast doing with taste (that or the Snyders Honey Mustard Pretzls,....hmmmmmm....)

So the real question is are you still watching the Tutors or I did I convince you that The Walking Dead is a far superior tv series?

Just saw this. Bummer, dude. Great report. Let it heal and you'll be ready when the ice is in. Personally I prefer it cubed.

The Tudors is done man....keep up! I watched all of The Walking dead yesterday. I have to agree, pretty engaging and gross. I'm kind of hoping they continue it.

I've done a lot of thinking about falling, and onsighting, and redpointing the past year or so. As I mentioned before I long since gave up getting pissed off at myself when I don't onsight something. It's not worh the aggravation, or the stress I used to put on myself. Sure, it's nice to bag an onsight, but the more important thing to me is finding intriguing lines I want to climb, and pushing through those barriers that have been set upon me in the preceeding 16 years of my climbing.

As any of my climbing parners can attest, I log more flight time than most Delta pilots. It's just something I have gotten used to. I'll be the first to admit though that I am not the best faller. Too often, especially this year, I have found myself above gear in awkward positions where a slip will mean a fall where I am twisting in the air somehow. I don't like that, and it is something I need to work on. But I am happy with myself in being able to pull through cruxes above my gear that are pretty much at my toprope level. Hmm..maybe that means I should start training to get better. Nah, that's something that adds to stress instead of taking it away. That is, the need to have to train to improve my recreational activity level. Sorry, not my thing. I'll be happy to follow harder climbers on harder routes and get stronger that way.

My climbing style is well known. I make a 5.6 look like a 5.10, and I make 5.10 seem death defying to those around me. I know this about myself. I pretty much climb for the level. If it is 5.8, I will make it desperate somehow and scare the bejesus out of myself. So why not just do that on really rad 5.10's that are plentiful around here.

The other thing that has changed in my climbing approach in the last year or two is that nagging incessant feeling of NEEDING TO lead a certain route just because everyone says it's a great route. I would much rather find routes that appeal to me and climb them. I hate Never Never Land. everyone says it's such a great 5.10, yet the two times I followed it I thought it was terrible, so why would I force myself to lead it just because it is on everyone else's ticklist? I have never come up with a good answer, so I have decided to say "to hell with routes that don't speak to me"

Anyway, those are the rambling thoughts of a bored climber who is tired of watching Netflix already.

Rob,

Totally agree with what you are saying. If a specific route psych's you then god, it needs to be done. If a line leaves you saying blah, why bother....

I have to say for me, its all about the process of going from seeing something as a possibility to actually knowing its going to be done, and the very act of getting it cleanly is actually a disappointment. I sort of describe what I mean here ( http://www.summitpost.org/failing-learning-believing-and-knowing/581709 ). I actually like it if my first time up, I get so shut down that it humiliates me....

Heal fast, drink a few, watch some video's and next time you are hunting around the desert you should drop me a line.

Rob,
I'm curious about the belay. How far did you fall? Do you think you would have benefited from a more dynamic belay or perhaps a longer fall?
Godspeed to you,
Rob T

Having witnessed the fall I can say with great certainty a longer fall would have had some serious repercussions.

This is exactly how I feel about bouldering. Although I know it would make me a better climber, it feels too much like training, or at least a type of training I don't enjoy.

I'm enjoying your introspection, it's making me think.

Good lord Chris, don't think! That's dangerous. Hey, that bottle of Tomatin is tasting mighty fine these days.

Thinking? Who needs to worry about it here. Most of us are guys....

RangerRob has politely not responded to RobT's query about the belay.

DL

HA! well, the belay was first rate. This was pilot error, not air traffic controller error. Right Lucifer?

Sure hope so, I've been using my "survivor's guilt" to drink myself into oblivion. I might even have to go on disability for a few years.

eparker_s, how far do you estimate the fall to be? Would Rob have hit a ledge if he had fallen farther? I'm guessing Rob did not hit a ledge. Did the belayer take air?

I'm not trying to say that this was in any way caused by belayer error. I am a believer in dynamic belaying wherever/whenever possible. I also recognize that it can be complicated to determine where/when dynamic belaying is not possible.

A related trivia question...
What is Ed Leeper's second claim to fame?
Again,
Godspeed to you Rob.
Rob T

Yea, it gets a little slabby lower down. Couple foot shelves. He was falling with his body horizontally, maybe 10-15 ft fall. Dave has got to have a few pounds on Rob, no offense Dave! But yea probably a pretty static belay. Not as static as that awesome gri gri snap I felt that day.

By the way Mike, Rob. I had a hard time pulling away from walking dead to go climbing the other day. So glad that Tudor thing is done!

RR

sorry to hear it bud. It's not like the weather has been very good of late anyway. Heal up and see you for the longer days of ice season. I guess this gives you more time to post here and go for the total post/words title.

be well

The weather has not been very good?? I do hope that was an attempt at facetiousness.

Yes Rob, listen to your friends, the weather has been horrible! This is for your own good! On another note I think you should rent a wood splutter.

weather sucks dude. i risked skin damage by climbing sans shirt yesterday!

My lips are still sun-burned from Saturday. Totally sucks ;-)

Got some seroius tip-burn myself,bogus

Rob sorry to hear about your mishap. Graveyard is one of my favorite climbs and leading it was my goal for this season after coming back from my reconstructive surgery in february for a ruptured biceps tendon. Thankfully everything is healed up and I feel great. Unfortunately life has gotten in the way a bit not to mention Hurrican Irene and the freak snow storm. Graveyard will have to wait for a warm winter day or the spring.

Where you slipped over the crux is completely understandable as the feet out right are really slick and it very easy to slip off of them if you don't take care to set you feet, not to mention that you get there pretty tired and bit pumped. Fortunately you can get bomber gear at the crux, I double up a green alien and pink tricam which would hold an engine block. Heal up fast and get back after it in the spring. And by the way take my firewood, please. Since the snow storm I have cut and stacked at least two chords with plenty to go.

Damn Skippy.
How much tequila you get through?

Bum deal about the injury RangerDanger, hats off to you for looking to push past limits. Don't sit and get mushy, ice is coming!

I've been canking off so many pull ups on my ice tools in the living room that my huge latissimus Dorsi muscles are now getting in the way of the crutches.

Copper....were those two chords a G and an and A minor?

Evan...the Petron sits happily where we left it, It calls to me to be drank, but my strong will has so far overcome my tendency towards alcoholism, and I have resisted.

I believe that they were Husq and Varna with a chorus of Stihl

Ahh,the soothing sounds of a two stroke engine

As much as I my time is dedicated to self powered sports, the sound of a two stroke conjurs thoughts of things far more fun -even if it is my sons! There are boots on the deck and pants on on our front railing. Someone was out yesterday while I was hiking. Occasionally I join him.

He does mix things up - self powered cycling today.

Gee ... I am inspired. However when I do it, my goal will never be to onsite it. My goal has always been to place one piece of gear and lower down to the rest. I can't think about both. Often I just take one or two pieces with me. Making it your goal to onsite is more like soling I think. Too confusing, I can't do it. For me it is either one or the other. Thanks for the story, sorry to hear about your ankle. Bummer.

Don, has John been yelling at you lately?

Why? Are you supposing that I am the guy Talus speaks of : " had this discussion come up with someone i climbed with awhile ago. Climber was leading and got to a point where they couldn't figure out the move. So they moved left to check it out then ended up putting a piece of marginal gear in. After a few minutes climber said i can't do it you have to lower me. i was terrified to lower the climber and suggested to try down climbing and test your gear first before weighting it. But i was yelling this not just telling."

If that's your question, no ... that was not me up there; I cannot be everywhere at once doing the wrong things. But like I said, I like to go up and down to put in gear or solo, or top-rope but flashing is out of the question. I even go down a lot and take gear out to eliminate rope drag because I like to lead with one rope. If I make it without falling or not to me it is the same style because placing good gear is tedious. You have to decide in advance if you want to solo or lead. And if you are leading, well then that involves gear not climbing so much in my opinion. You will just end up soloing if your gear popes out. Then in that case you might as well have been soloing anyway instead of wasting your time pretending your leading. But you never will know unless you can really check it out, how are you going to do that at your limit and on sight something, right? So if I fall while placing gear it is expected. And if I fall on a crappy nut OR if my partner falls on a crappy nut I have them go back up and make sure it is not going to pop before I lower them. If it is going to pop it may be better to jump off from there. So as far as the argument about yelling goes, no need to yell, just don't lower them. And if they got nothing below that that is any good, well then you should not have given them any slack to get up there to begin with, that

So when do you have your follow-up x-ray?

I have mine this afternoon.

Well, as it turns out, I did need surgery. I wound up shearing off my Medial Malleolus, which needed two screws to hold together. Had it done on the 23rd, and will get the cast off on the 8th and get a walking boot. Hope yours goes better than mine did.

Ouch Dude. Sorry to hear that. Hope it heals well. Thank goodness we gave you a bottle of "pain relief" on your birthday. Just don't drink it all in one sitting.

Had my x-ray yesterday. Get my cast off on the 19th....

Sorry, Rob.

I'm not done yet -- my posterior peroneal tendon (which goes just outside the medial malleolus) is subluxating, or flipping over the MM, because apparently the tissue that should hold it in place behind the MM was blown apart and we didn't know it until now. Plus which, my tibial nerve just inside my foot is super pissed off still, though better than before.

So I have 1 or more surgeries yet to go. Which I'm putting off until March.

Hope your soft tissue is ok!

Dude, that's EXACTLY the injury I had.



I hope yours heals up as well as mine did. Two years on, the injury doesn't bother me at all. Climbing & cycling put absolutely no stress on that part of the ankle. (Running is another story, but lucky for me I've always hated running. I hope you do too.) Good luck, man. Ultimately I was glad I had surgery and the screws-- it made everything heal up perfectly.

P.S. And good luck Julie and Chas!!

Sorry to hear, Julie, that there are still some soft tissue issues. I am not surprized. The nerve will likely continue to improve over time but sometimes a surgical release is near immediate relief. Seems like our lives eventually become a cycle of injury and recovery if you push yourself enough. It is certainly better to wear out than to rust out!

Seth that's a good break. Mine wasn't as displaced as yours, and it was vertically oriented as pooposed to yours, which looks like it was more horizontal. we should all form the Messed Up Ankle Club. We could meet in some cool climbing venue for 4 or 5 days every year and climb like gimps. Anyone up for that?

Alex, that "pain relief" has been exremely gratifying! You should come over and partake in a little pain relief. I'm sure your experiencing some pain with that renovation you got going on.

I can join that club, too. I broke my RT malleolus flying off a route in the Nears in November, 2007. Six weeks in the boot, and since then it's never bothered me at all. Good luck with the healing- if recent weather was more traditionally November-like, it would make healing downtime easier. I just had a rotator cuff done, and had hoped the usual November rain/cold/crappy weather would be present, and make being unable to play outdoors easier to get through. Oh well.

steve

Now a rotator injury would SUCK. That is why am am anal about strengthening those.

Chas, as you probably know, taking care of those shoulder rotators is as much about what exercises you do as it is about how much strengthening you do. When I finally had mine done (second one last November), my doctor said it was due to "wear and tear." No single event, just progressive abuse combined with aging. I'm still working on the exercises I need to deal with that.

Rusty, hang in there, do your PT religiously, and console yourself with the fact the right now the weather isn't all that good for climbing and downright crappy for snow and ice sports.

And if we're all going to start sharing our X-rays, let's open a new thread. I'll bet that'll be a doozey.

Frank, I don't know if you have looked outside the past couple of days, but it is stellar send weather in New Paltz this week and weekend. The weather is most assuredly kicking me while I am down.

Up here in the Tug Hill region it's been rainy all week and it's snowing today. So, no, I didn't realize that the November spell of good weather was persisting down in New Paltz. And the Daks still haven't set up much in the way of ice. I saw a little on top of Whiteface recently, but it basically amounted to short smears down a few seepy faces.

But even if it is nice around your way, there's no sense going rock climbing when all the Christmas movies are playing at the Mall theaters, right? Just as well you have the weekend open.

Bummer, RangerRob! Hope you heal up fast and well in time for some serious ice time. At least, you tweaked your ankle leading a sick route, unlike my friend who tore his meniscus TR-ing some unnamed offwidth at Indian Creek.

Yep...I was thinking of hanging with the teenage girls and going to see Twilight today. Either that, or The Muppets.