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Thread: Random Thoughts

  1. #48701
    Jones Barty's Avatar
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    Well, jeez, where to begin from the last 5 years. So last I posted was in the fall of 2015, but really actively was months before that.

    So in mid 2015 had a nasty breakup with my girlfriend of 3 years that set me on a path of changing some things up. Decided to finally do things for myself and live life on my terms and do things I was always hesitant to try. Biggest thing was the decision to become physically fit more and take up hiking seriously. Most of you probably don't know but I was born with a severe congenital heart defect, specifically Tetralogy of Fallot. In my specific case, it was a hole in the heart. I had two major surgeries by the time I was 5. The second surgery repaired the leak and hole as best as possible, but I still have a condition called regurgitation where the blood flows back through the chambers instead of to the rest of the body, and the heart has to work extra hard to make up for this.

    The major side effect of this is I get less oxygen to my blood, and physical activity is significantly harder to perform. My heart simply can't function to the level of a normal health adult. So I decided fuck this weakness. It wasn't going to hold me back. I don't care how much I have to work or the extra effort it takes, I was going to push myself to the limit. I was going to workout and treadmill and run everyday for two months straight after my breakup so I could hike one of the hardest day hikes around, the 14.4 mile, 4,800ft elevation trail of Half Dome in Yosemite. Since a kid I always wanted to do this trail, but literally in my mind never thought I could remotely do it. So I did what I set out to to do -- I every day, no matter what, walked or ran at least 3 miles. Sometimes at 3am in the morning after a night of work and hanging out with my friends I would still do it. I hiked a couple local hard hikes that were comparable in distance and elevation, and the hardest one I tried I failed and didn't even make it.

    But no matter, I set a date for late September for Yosemite reservations and headed there. I got permits for Half Dome the Thursday after heading there on a Tuesday night. I woke up the morning of the hike, at 3:30 am in the morning. Ate what I could that early, got my bag ready, and headed on the hike. Slogged through two waterfalls and nearly 2000 ft of elevation before sunrise even hit. About 7 hours after starting I reached this point. The beginning of the subdome, where you climb the final switchbacks up the mid part of half dome, before the famous and steep cable system:



    I finished the subdome, got to the cables pictured here below, and pulled myself vertically up the last 400ft for the next 45 minutes. It was a struggle. I had to let people behind me pass (which isn't easy on these tight cables). But, ultimately, I made it to the top and did something 8 year old me never thought I could.



    I enjoyed the 30 or so minutes at the top and had lunch, and then headed back down. 14 Hours later after starting early that morning I made it back to my tent cabin and the village, exhausted and hungry beyond anything I had experienced before. I walked into the cafeteria in Curry Village..it was closed. Or at least the entrance barrier to get into the line wad closed. But people were still in line so I sneaked in through the exit of the line to get in the very back. I got to the workers who were dolloping out the food and literally all they had left was rice and spaghetti. I said perfect -- give me a plate of both! I got my plates, a big glass of Sprite, sat down and scarfed my meal down and headed back to my cot in my tent cabin and slept for 12 hours.

    In addition to accomplishing one of the greatest hikes ever that trip, I also continued my photography journey and got some of my best photos ever up to that point during the five days of my trip (I believe I started posting some of my eaely photography before I took my 5 year break)

    Over the next year (through 2016) I would road trip to Zion in Utah and do more hiking, including my first overnight backpack hiking the entire east trim from bottom to bottom. All the time I kept up my fitness routine and hiking, including hiking the highest mountain in Los Angeles County (yes, LA has mountains for those that don't live here). I had met a girl in late 2015, and while it didn't work out romantically, she was an avid hiker so we had decided to tackle the next biggest hike and backpack imaginable....Mt Whitney, the highest mountain in the contiguous United States at 14,505 ft. During the summer of 2016 we hiked the highest mountain in LA (for me, the 2nd time), and also the 2nd highest mountain in all of Southern California (Mt San Jacinto) to train. August came around and we headed to the Lone Pine, CA below the mountains, camped overnight at 10,000ft to start acclimating, and then the next day headed to the trail.

    My Whitney from the base of the trail is 22 miles round trip, 6,500ft in elevation gain. A normal backpack is done 6.5 miles the first day in to the trail camp right below the main peaks, and then the next day the 10 mile round trip summit hike is done. The following 3rd day you hike out. On our way up the first day, full packs and all, we came across a John Muir through hiker (212 miles starting from Yosemite Valley). She was finishing her last few miles of the entire trail, and sat down next to us as we had lunch. She asked if we had some snacks to spare and we happily gave her some. We chatted for a bit and at one point she said "I'm impressed you guys are going up this trail, coming down alone is brutal, you guys are dedicated!" This is someone who had literally just hiked 212 miles and was saying we were brave? What was in store...

    The last half of that day was brutal. As I reached over 11,000ft in elevation the lack of oxygen and my heart's natural flaws took hold. Every step with my damn backpacked filled with a tent, sleeping back, food and and clothes became hard. But I finally made it, slogging into the trail camp right before sunset while my friend had beat me there by over 1.5 hours. We set up camp, I scarfed down a mac and cheese freeze dried meal, and got ready for the even harder next day. I couldn't sleep much through the night, it was cold but way worse the elevation at 12,000ft hits you and makes your heart pump heard and want to piss every 5 seconds. I peed 3 times throughout the night, including one time where I saw two shooting stars in less than 5 seconds in the clearest skies I've ever seen in my life.

    I woke up the next day, and started the hike to the summit. My friend, and agreed on mutually, got ahead of me fast as I was very slow due to the elevation. After the murderous 100 switchbacks you start immediately after the first camp, you reach the ridge that Mt Whitney is on. But you still have miles to go the top. Every step hurt, every 50ft I had to stop to get my breath. But every hiker on the trail said you got this! Keep going! And I did. My friend with her radio called from the summit, she was nearly 2 hours ahead. I was only half way through the mountain ridge to the summit. So I kept going, reaching the backside of Mt Whitney to the final uphill to the top. I took a few tiny steps and stopped, got my breath, then kept going. And finally, you see the stone shelter built at the top, and I was there. The summit of the highest mountain California, the highest mountain in the contiguous USA, and the highest mountain in 49 of the 50 states.

    I took some photos, enjoyed the view, and headed back down to camp.



    Going downhill hiking is easy for me, my heart doesn't need to move as much body mass against gravity. So I flew down despite exhaustion, but filled with pride that within one year I went from feeling broken from a failed relationship to doing something that most people, much less myself, ever do. Other hikers weren't so lucky. Two ladies my age decided to hike the trail, but in one straight shot, called the ultimate day hike, all 22 miles in one trip. They had started near midnight and made it to the summit around the time I had, about 2PM. So they still had 11 miles to go back down, and on their way down after me, they collapsed on the trail from exhaustion. I didn't see this myself, but two through hikers of the John Muir trail did, and as they passed me on the way back down asked If I had cell phone reception to call the local rangers since their was two hikers down. Luckily I found out later they eventually got a call through, and a ranger did rescue them and take them down the mountain to recover.

    I made it down to the trail camp quickly (for me), grabbed some M&M peanuts from my bag, and got in my sleeping bag ready to chow down and rest. I got one bite in of some M&M's before I completed passed out, utterly exhausted. I slept for at least 12 hours. Woke up in the morning to a beautiful sunrise, my friend and I packed up and out, and headed down the trail. We made it down quickly, found a local Mexican Restaurant on our way back to home suggested by a ranger on the trail, and had one of the most satisfying meals ever.

    And just like that, a year from leaving Match-Cut had passed, and I had gone to the closest thing to the top of the world for me possible.

    Part II coming (Sex, photos, and the destruction of my job and industry)

  2. #48702
    collecting tapes Skitch's Avatar
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    Thats...incredible. Good job, man. You kick ass.

  3. #48703
    I'm the problem it's me DFA1979's Avatar
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    Wow man that's a hell of a story. Also I remember seeing your nature photos and they always look fantastic.
    Blog!

    And it's happened once again
    I'll turn to a friend
    Someone that understands
    And sees through the master plan
    But everybody's gone
    And I've been here for too long
    To face this on my own
    Well, I guess this is growing up

  4. #48704
    Replacing Luck Since 1984 Dukefrukem's Avatar
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    Dude what a story. Good for you Barty. ANd of course your pictures are incredible as they always were.

    Are you still collecting Sideshow Collectables? Do you still watch movies?
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    Quote Quoting D_Davis (view post)
    Uwe Boll movies > all Marvel U movies
    Quote Quoting TGM (view post)
    I work in grocery. I have not gotten sick. My fellow employees have not gotten sick. If the virus were even remotely as contagious as its being presented as, why haven’t entire store staffs who come into contact with hundreds of people per day, thousands per week, all falling ill in mass nationwide?

  5. #48705
    Administrator Ezee E's Avatar
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    Awesome to hear that you took up hiking against what odds may have told you. I need to get to Zion, and that Yosemite hike seems awesome. You'll have to try some 14ers in Colorado if you ever visit.

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  6. #48706
    U ZU MA KI Spun Lepton's Avatar
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    I'm curious what it was about the Half Dome that caught your attention at such a young age.
    My YouTube Channel: Grim Street Grindhouse
    My Top 100 Horror Movies OF ALL TIME.

  7. #48707
    Director bac0n's Avatar
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    Yeah, Barty, I must say that I am massively impressed (and more than a little jealous to boot).
    Losing is like fertilizer: it stinks for a while, then you get used to it. (Tony, Hibbing)

  8. #48708
    The Pan megladon8's Avatar
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    Sorry I'm late to the party, but thanks for sharing that Barty. That was a great read.

    Also, how much did Mars pay you for the M&M plug?
    "All right, that's too hot. Anything we can do about that heat?"

    "Rick...it's a flamethrower."

  9. #48709
    Cinematographer Mal's Avatar
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    Fuckin awesome Barty!

  10. #48710
    Director bac0n's Avatar
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    Encouraging thought of the day: those who were looking forward to 2021, only to see those things go sideways a few weeks in might consider this - maybe the shittiness is aligned to the Chinese/Lunar Calendar, not the Western Calendar. According the the Chinese Calendar, we're still in the year of the rat, so we aren't technically out of the shit until February 12th.
    Losing is like fertilizer: it stinks for a while, then you get used to it. (Tony, Hibbing)

  11. #48711
    U ZU MA KI Spun Lepton's Avatar
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    Quote Quoting bac0n (view post)
    Encouraging thought of the day: those who were looking forward to 2021, only to see those things go sideways a few weeks in might consider this - maybe the shittiness is aligned to the Chinese/Lunar Calendar, not the Western Calendar. According the the Chinese Calendar, we're still in the year of the rat, so we aren't technically out of the shit until February 12th.
    I don't know. So far 2021 has seemed like the "Fuck around and find out," year.
    My YouTube Channel: Grim Street Grindhouse
    My Top 100 Horror Movies OF ALL TIME.

  12. #48712
    The Pan Scar's Avatar
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    “What we are dealing with here is a perfect engine, er... an eating machine. It's really a miracle of evolution. All this machine does is swim and eat and make little sharks and that's all.”

  13. #48713
    Replacing Luck Since 1984 Dukefrukem's Avatar
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    I can see the guns, but half the country has a dog with laser eyes?
    Twitch / Youtube / Film Diary

    Quote Quoting D_Davis (view post)
    Uwe Boll movies > all Marvel U movies
    Quote Quoting TGM (view post)
    I work in grocery. I have not gotten sick. My fellow employees have not gotten sick. If the virus were even remotely as contagious as its being presented as, why haven’t entire store staffs who come into contact with hundreds of people per day, thousands per week, all falling ill in mass nationwide?

  14. #48714
    The Pan Scar's Avatar
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    Yeah, I know. Haven’t fitted our dogs with them yet.
    “What we are dealing with here is a perfect engine, er... an eating machine. It's really a miracle of evolution. All this machine does is swim and eat and make little sharks and that's all.”

  15. #48715
    collecting tapes Skitch's Avatar
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    Quote Quoting Scar (view post)
    Yeah, I know. Haven’t fitted our dogs with them yet.
    I'm waiting till they get the bugs out of the system.

  16. #48716
    The Pan Scar's Avatar
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    Quote Quoting Skitch (view post)
    I'm waiting till they get the bugs out of the system.
    Yeah, it’s risky being early adopters. Just ask any Keltec owners.
    “What we are dealing with here is a perfect engine, er... an eating machine. It's really a miracle of evolution. All this machine does is swim and eat and make little sharks and that's all.”

  17. #48717
    I'm the problem it's me DFA1979's Avatar
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    Quote Quoting Dukefrukem (view post)
    I can see the guns, but half the country has a dog with laser eyes?
    I wish my dog had laser eyes. She's old though.
    Blog!

    And it's happened once again
    I'll turn to a friend
    Someone that understands
    And sees through the master plan
    But everybody's gone
    And I've been here for too long
    To face this on my own
    Well, I guess this is growing up

  18. #48718
    collecting tapes Skitch's Avatar
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    If you're into hot spices and seasonings, I just found this website. This shit looks crazy.

    https://www.flatironpepper.com/collections/frontpage

  19. #48719
    Replacing Luck Since 1984 Dukefrukem's Avatar
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    Checked a box off my man card today.

    Took apart my Washing Machine, removed faulty parts, installed new parts, turned it on and did a full wash.

    Saved $500-600
    Twitch / Youtube / Film Diary

    Quote Quoting D_Davis (view post)
    Uwe Boll movies > all Marvel U movies
    Quote Quoting TGM (view post)
    I work in grocery. I have not gotten sick. My fellow employees have not gotten sick. If the virus were even remotely as contagious as its being presented as, why haven’t entire store staffs who come into contact with hundreds of people per day, thousands per week, all falling ill in mass nationwide?

  20. #48720
    collecting tapes Skitch's Avatar
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    Quote Quoting Dukefrukem (view post)
    Checked a box off my man card today.

    Took apart my Washing Machine, removed faulty parts, installed new parts, turned it on and did a full wash.

    Saved $500-600
    Nice. Last time I had a washer issue, I watched all the youtube videos (like a MAN), took it apart, did as instructed, put back together, it was still fucked up. Watched more videos to reevaluate problem, found 2nd problem, watched how to fix it...

    ...paid a service tech a hundred bucks to do it lol. It required completely dismantling down past the barrel. Fuck that. It was clearly something that would've taken me hours upon hours and a trained person could/did fix in less than an hour. Plus I don't think I could've ordered the replacement parts for what they could.

    P.S. - I HATE front loading washer dryers. I goes against physics.

  21. #48721
    U ZU MA KI Spun Lepton's Avatar
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    Quote Quoting Skitch (view post)
    If you're into hot spices and seasonings, I just found this website. This shit looks crazy.

    https://www.flatironpepper.com/collections/frontpage
    Have you tried any of these? I do like spicy things. I see one with Chile de Arbol, of which I am a big, big fan. I may order it.

    Edit: All right, got a variety three-pack. Will report back.
    Last edited by Spun Lepton; 01-17-2021 at 05:47 PM.
    My YouTube Channel: Grim Street Grindhouse
    My Top 100 Horror Movies OF ALL TIME.

  22. #48722
    collecting tapes Skitch's Avatar
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    Quote Quoting Spun Lepton (view post)
    Have you tried any of these? I do like spicy things. I see one with Chile de Arbol, of which I am a big, big fan. I may order it.
    I have not. I just found it this morning. I am going to order some but they will be the probably the weakest ones. I like spicy but I'm no hero. I will definitely order a couple for my BiL. That lunatic took down Quaker Steak's crazy wings (that you have to sign a waiver to even order, and my mom had one and ended up in the ER), and he didn't even break a fucking sweat. He's crazy. I peak around habanero, after that its not pleasant. But I'm intrigued by the mixes, and you could regulate it.

  23. #48723
    U ZU MA KI Spun Lepton's Avatar
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    Quote Quoting Skitch (view post)
    I have not. I just found it this morning. I am going to order some but they will be the probably the weakest ones. I like spicy but I'm no hero. I will definitely order a couple for my BiL. That lunatic took down Quaker Steak's crazy wings (that you have to sign a waiver to even order, and my mom had one and ended up in the ER), and he didn't even break a fucking sweat. He's crazy. I peak around habanero, after that its not pleasant. But I'm intrigued by the mixes, and you could regulate it.
    Here are two hot sauces I strongly recommend. Both are other-worldly good and neither are overwhelmingly hot.

    Secret Aardvark
    https://heatonist.com/collections/me...t=378224443401

    Los Calientes (green)
    https://heatonist.com/collections/ho...12149340045428
    Last edited by Spun Lepton; 01-17-2021 at 06:02 PM.
    My YouTube Channel: Grim Street Grindhouse
    My Top 100 Horror Movies OF ALL TIME.

  24. #48724
    collecting tapes Skitch's Avatar
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    Quote Quoting Spun Lepton (view post)
    Here are two hot sauces I strongly recommend. Both are other-worldly good.

    Secret Aardvark
    https://heatonist.com/collections/me...t=378224443401

    Los Calientes (green)
    https://heatonist.com/collections/ho...12149340045428
    Those have both been on my list! I love Hot Ones. A buddy of mine has a small business where he makes sauces. I cannot recommend the Habanero sauce enough, its flawless. He only makes em when he can though.

    https://www.facebook.com/hermanitohotsauce

    Look at these instagram pics

  25. #48725
    Cinematographer Mal's Avatar
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    I second Secret Aardvark, its a great balance of heat and flavor.

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