Hansens, Hopkins & Earls with "Helga the Bus"
Kevin--oh yea...he's still good!
They have a top rope set up on the SunnySide for every climb, and you have an hour and a half to climb as much as you can. Most of the time I am completely burnt out in the first 30-45 min. that I can't climb anything in the remaining time.
Me on #68...I can still TR a 5.10! Wahoo!
I climbed with Milton and Kevin this year, and I think we did pretty good. We never go to compete, mostly because we don't score anywhere near the points the winners do, but mainly because it is just fun to climb a lot in such a short time and not have to set up a rope ourselves. It also gives us a chance to top rope climbs that we wouldn't have the guts to lead. The door prizes make it worthwhile too!
Milton...Yep he's still pullin' them down too!
The climbing is primarily on Saturday morning, and then some lead climbing for the top 10 climbers in each of the upper divisions on Sunday morning.
Ted & TJ digging in the dirt.
There is also a children's division on Sunday, then Sunday evening is when they announce the winners (each 1st place winner gets a hand made mug), and everyones name is pulled from a hat and you get to pick out your door prize...so everyone walks away with something. It is a lot of fun, I have gone home with some really nice stuff (I got a new headlamp this year!).
Topher--he is downclimbing...he climbs great but rapelling/being lowered..not so much.
We used to only go to Pocatello on Saturday, and then drive back down Sunday afternoon for the awards, but for the past few years, Jess and I have taken the kids and camped Friday and Saturday night. I think they really like it, we try to find a church to go to Sacrament meeting (it is nice to have my sister down there--Thanks Julie!) It is a fun little camping trip to look forward to.
TJ--he was doing pretty good...he does not like being lowered either!
Friday night we had a little trouble with the VW, the starter decided that it did not want to turn the engine over...so we resorted to parking on hills and push-starting it (until I had time to troubleshoot and fix the problem-rusty solenoid needed tapped with a hammer). Then after finding a camping spot (the one we wanted was closed for soil conservation stuff) the bus sputtered and died! CRAP! We were way out in the middle of nowhere and it was getting dark. We were able to roll and start the bus, but the only thing keeping the engine running was the wheels turning. Worried, we decided that we would just do all we could to get back down the mountain to town (or close to) no sooner had we decided that we were coming up to a small rise that I knew we could not coast up. I put it in gear, let out the clutch, and she fired up and we have had no problem since. I think that the Lord did not want us camping up on that mountain! We decided to just stay at the KOA, which was very nice to have restrooms and showers (for Sunday) and we were able to split the cost with Kevin and Tammie (who were able to come up from Southern UT).
Our trips to the Pocatello Pump have changed in the past years. As we have had children, we don't seem to go to the Pump to necessarily climb. Yes we climb, and then set up climbing at the ShadySide for the kids, but it is so much more about getting the kids out to play.
Creedance--She finished the climb before I knew she started!
While their dads climbed they played in the dirt mounds on the SunnySide, while we ate lunch on the ShadySide, they scrambled on the boulders and met new friends (we need to keep an eye on their friendliness), and at the campground they loved to chase and play and swing.
Walker (Kevin & Tammie's) & Pearson--our future hippies!
It seems odd to think of how I used to think of climbing and compare it to how I approach it now. I love to climb, I have a blast, but it is such a sidebar to what is really important. Even when we make a trip 'centered' around climbing, it is still not the center of what we are doing. I love to go and do things like this with my wife and kids and our friends. It was so great to visit and hang out with the Hansens, Beasleys & the Earls while we were down there. I am so glad that Tyson had the idea to get the 'van picture' (at the top of the post). From our trip to Little Cottonwood Canyon in 1996 we have always taken a picture of our group in front of the van that got us there...the group of 6 used to fit in said van (Kyle's or Kevin's VWs or my parents Plymouth), now I can barely fit my family of 6 in my bus (the cabinets are going to have to go in lieu of more seating--oh yea I have great plans for the bus!)! It is great to be surrounded by a wonderful family and wonderful friends!
The kids playing at the KOA...I made this swing last year and just keep it in the bus for wherever we set up camp...they love it!
