This chick had better be worth it.

And she had better appreciate what you''re doing for her.

Sierra Ledge Rat wrote:This chick had better be worth it.

And she had better appreciate what you''re doing for her.

Someone who would let their significant other escape back to their mountains for months at a time, for no other reason than to explore and goof off... yeah, I'd say that is a special lady.

aglane wrote:

mountainsandsound wrote: And does anyone have some interesting workout suggestions for alpine climbing training?

Silo already mentioned. Rock at Pictured Rocks, and if you're in the Iowa City area, close by at Kepler Palisades on the Cedar River; also Backbone State Park and a few other spots, see web listings. (From Des Moines it may be a bit leaner in possibilities.)

A fine pair of hikes in NE Iowa at the two units of Effigy Mounds nat'l monument.

It may be minimal but it's not hopeless or completely unrewarding.

Thanks for the advice. I joined Climb Iowa, so I've been keeping that up in the gym. Also, even though it is not outside, I started doing this cycling class 2 days a week. Most intense cardio workout I have ever experienced bar none. Feel like I would almost be able to sprint up a volcano. I keep seeing the silo climbing popping up in pictures, where are people doing that and how do you get in on it?

I am amazed by the mid-westerners tolerance for driving distances. Seems like the people here who like to adventure think nothing of driving 10 hours in a day to reach their destination. Admirable.

aglane wrote:Silo already mentioned.

Is climbing silos without pro referred to as free-siloing? Sorry, I inherited a Scandinavian sense of humor.

mountainsandsound wrote:I am amazed by the mid-westerners tolerance for driving distances. Seems like the people here who like to adventure think nothing of driving 10 hours in a day to reach their destination. Admirable.

I had a partner from Illinois who thought nothing of driving 12 hours RT to go rock climbing for a weekend. If I haven't mentioned it, the Machine Shed outside of Des Moines is a uniquely Mid-Western dining experience. Big portions of steak and potatoes type fare, done well and inexpensively. The cinnamon buns are as big as your head. Four of us could not eat the whole thing. My wife (from Iowa) refuses to go to steak houses in Seattle because "Ruth Chris's $40 steak couldn't hold a candle to a $10 steak available anywhere in Iowa". I didn't believe her until I went to Iowa to visit her folks.

mountainsandsound wrote:I am amazed by the mid-westerners tolerance for driving distances. Seems like the people here who like to adventure think nothing of driving 10 hours in a day to reach their destination.

It's 500 miles to *hike*, 1000 miles to *adventure."

Did 3000 over New Years.

The price we pay for getting to enjoy the prairie the rest of the time.