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looking for instruction


Cookie

19-Nov-2008
11:36:02 AM

>Don’t worry, I find then a little awkward to use as well especially when
>my partner is a lot heavier than me.

i think that might be my problem... he didnt seem to have an issue belaying me :/


Robb

19-Nov-2008
11:52:02 AM

On 19/11/2008 Cookie wrote:
>
>i had a 2 second instruction at chockstone, then it was up to me.

did you mean 'cliffhanger' instead of 'chockstone'

learning from a forum seems a bit dangerous!


das_blob

19-Nov-2008
1:32:27 PM

>Wine and beer both use a process of adding 'finings' to remove the floating
>bits before bottling. These are often animal products; egg white in the
>case of some wines and fish oil for beers. They drop the stuff in, mix
>it up, and the 'finings' floculate the particles together into bigger lumps
>and they fall to the bottom, so you can decant off the good stuff from
>the top.

stick to German import beer, then. Can't go wrong with that! :P Filtering beer with fish oil, you guys are nuts, really!!


Cookie

19-Nov-2008
1:34:21 PM

On 19/11/2008 beefy wrote:
>On 19/11/2008 Cookie wrote:
>>
>>i had a 2 second instruction at chockstone, then it was up to me.
>
>did you mean 'cliffhanger' instead of 'chockstone'
>
>learning from a forum seems a bit dangerous!
>

erm... *cough* yes.. i do..


Cookie

19-Nov-2008
1:35:33 PM

>stick to German import beer, then. Can't go wrong with that! :P Filtering
>beer with fish oil, you guys are nuts, really!!

who knows what that is filtered through!!


ajfclark

19-Nov-2008
1:51:47 PM

On 19/11/2008 Cookie wrote:
>who knows what that is filtered through!!

I'd guess not much due to the reinheitsgebot which a lot of German brewers still claim to abide by even though it's no longer law.


Cookie

19-Nov-2008
2:08:48 PM

>I'd guess not much due to the reinhitsgebot which a lot of German brewers still claim >to abide by even though it's no longer law.

thats all well and good, but it still tastes like fermented bum.

widewetandslippery

19-Nov-2008
2:14:11 PM

Fermented bum? where did you try that?


Cookie

19-Nov-2008
2:26:17 PM

>Fermented bum? where did you try that?

dont you remember making me try it... you seemed to be enjoying it, so i thought "what the hey".... tastes exactly like beer :D

Wendy

19-Nov-2008
8:15:09 PM

Firstly, admit bias, I am an instructor, which is why I avoided looking at this thread for ages! I do reckon professional instruction is the way to go. I still see plenty of bodgy practices at the crag and it's hard to judge by instinct when you are in an area outside your expertise. I guess the people doing things varying from less than ideal to outrightly dangerous generally think they are doing things OK. Best case scenario, you hit the jackpot and learn from someone capable with great teaching and personal skills. Bad case, you pick up some poor habits that you may not realise are dangerous for years, not to mention possible worse consequences.

I learnt back in the dark ages via a uni club and climbing with anyone who'd climb with me at the Mount. At that stage, uni clubs didn't train their senior members or employ professionals, pretty much you learnt off others in the club, who'd learnt off earlier members of the club etc etc. Basically, people of often limited experience, teaching skills and usually focussed on their own climbing and I as well as many people I know were taught really poorly as a result. I have seen and heard of this around the world, the old fashioned "apprenticeship" style of learning certainly has it's limitations, mostly in the handing down of inadequate skills from generation to generation. And whilst climbing with heaps of people is great in many ways - you do get exposed to lots of different approaches, meet people, do lots of climbing, besides, I had a ball, you also end up frequently in bodgy situations, out of your depth (both of you that is!) and witness, participate in and replicate crap practices. In hindsight, whilst I learnt a lot via this method, I was also lucky to survive my first few years climbing. I would never teach someone in the ways I was taught!

Fortuneately, uni clubs have gotten a lot better and really are a great resouce for impoverished students to get into climbing. And some mentors do a good job. But evidence shows many don't - probably through no fault of their own either, they don't know better. I would imagine the VCC has reasonably priced courses, and most gyms offer a gym-to-rock course. Or whilst you are on that much anticipated camping trip to Stapylton, you could do a course with one of the Grampians or Arapiles based companies. A guide is practiced at condensing information, conveying it efficently and checking that you have understood it. One weekend will be worth many weekends leaning from people at random. Arm yourself with enough information to make an informed judgement of what the many people you will meet in your climbing career are telling you. You must have noticed by now we're opinionated bastards and many climbers will bombard you with their views whether you want them or not! You will inevitably learn off many people in the course of gaining skills, confidence and developing as a climber, but a sound basis you can trust is invaluable.

Wendy

19-Nov-2008
8:31:09 PM

Furthermore ... I suspect that guy of the 4 rescues didn't think he was doing anything out of order. Most climbing accidents are a result of misuse of the equipment - people either don't know how to use it properly or they choose not to use it. Please don't be one of those people who have an accident because they don't realise they are not using the equipment properly, and once you have learnt how to use it, please choose to use it wisely! As Eugene has aptly demonstrated, good judgement and preparation are also invaluable.


Cookie

20-Nov-2008
8:08:25 AM

Thanks Wendy :)

I do agree with you, i have discussed this with my partner, and have agreed that in a few months when we head out to the Grampians we will be hiring an instructor for at least 2 days (possibly more) to teach us how to lead. but as a more immediate "fix" we are happy to be shown the basics of top roping so we can climb frequently at places that have easy set ups. I have noticed that a lot of the uni clubs go to places like Werribee and you yangs, and being keen to learn, i will take the utmost advantage of people at the sites, by watching and learning and asking questions, if their anchor is different i wont hesitate to ask why... it is my life at stake, and even more importantly.. my partners.

as for opinionated people on forums? that’s why i asked, to get a scope of information to best set me up on what i am about to embark on :)

widewetandslippery

20-Nov-2008
8:30:11 AM

On 19/11/2008 Cookie wrote:
>
>>Fermented bum? where did you try that?
>
>dont you remember making me try it... you seemed to be enjoying it, so
>i thought "what the hey".... tastes exactly like beer :D

I'm blushing at my desk. (I didn't "make" you do it).


Cookie

20-Nov-2008
5:01:16 PM

oh come on then, there was a decent amount of coercion, its not that you "made" me do it... but there was an element of peer group pressure :P


Capt_mulch

20-Nov-2008
5:04:22 PM

On 20/11/2008 widewetandslippery wrote:
>On 19/11/2008 Cookie wrote:
>
>I'm blushing at my desk. (I didn't "make" you do it).
WW&S, when have you ever blushed?? OK maybe the MM pills up the kaiber story, but not very bloody often!!!


evanbb

20-Nov-2008
5:18:43 PM

This thread will nopass my work net filter soon. Clearly a good sign.


ajfclark

21-Nov-2008
7:55:06 AM

On 20/11/2008 Capt_mulch wrote:
>WW&S, when have you ever blushed?? OK maybe the MM pills up the kaiber story, but not very bloody often!!!

The what story?


Capt_mulch

21-Nov-2008
8:24:26 AM

I could tell you, but you would blush!! It would also start to get this thread way off topic. Though, maybe not, it could be quite instructional about alternative means of drug taking!!


Cookie

21-Nov-2008
8:36:40 AM

>WW&S, when have you ever blushed?? OK maybe the MM pills up the kaiber story, but not very bloody often!!!

i just realised that "kaiber" isnt the name of a climb....


ajfclark

21-Nov-2008
9:01:10 AM

On 21/11/2008 Capt_mulch wrote:
>I could tell you, but you would blush!! It would also start to get this thread way off topic. Though, maybe not, it could be quite instructional about alternative means of drug taking!!

Oh, you're talking about shelving drugs. That's ok then. I thought someone put m&ms up their date... Drugs makes much more sense.

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