I TOLD You So!

So, my last post was about the Gunks Boulder CleanUp Day, which occurred this past Saturday. I'd mentioned that there would....probably....be a couple of good giveaways for volunteers.

I was right about that. A day or so before the event, I saw a post on RockClimbing.com and there was a list of some of the schwag to be had. When I saw THREE shoe companies had donated, I knew I was probably going to have myself a new pair of shoes out of the day. Acopa, Evolv and LaSportiva had each provided a gift certificate for a pair of shoes from their product line.

How did I know this? Would it be because I had prayed to the shoe gods for deliverance? Because I'd had a premonition, where I saw myself sending No Solution onsight(even though I walk past it every single time I am in the Trapps and...ummm.... haven't a chance in the world to get up that line)?

No. It would be neither of those reasons, but the simple fact that I knew there would be only a handful of volunteers, and my chance of winning would be very, very good. Same as it ever was.

This year, they really did go to town for this event. Well, maybe not to town, but they DID go to the Mountain Deli to pick up some delicious Breakfast Burritos first thing in the morning. The American Alpine Club had donated a chunk of dollars to buy us all breakfast. Thank you AAC! I haven't had a Deli's Best(eggs/cheddar cheese and bacon in a wrap) in too long.

Rich Gottlieb, owner of Rock and Snow, also donated a pile of cash to feed us. His donation provided a barbecue at the Visitor's Center, after the work was done. What was there.... Oh, hamburgers and hot dogs, both meat and vegetarian. Corn on the cob as sweet as Teddy's disposition, chips, dips, hummus, potato salad, cole slaw and macaroni salad. Probably some other stuff I didn't even notice. Soda, juice and beer. Thank you Rich! I ate TOO much that day.

Oh yeah - there was ice cream, too. I had no room for it though.

So, we all piled in ranger Dave Lucander's pickup truck and headed off to work. Our mission was to remove tick marks and skim off whatever we could form the chalk layers which have built up on boulders along the carriage road since last year's cleanup.

I have to tell ya - there was plenty of tick marks. I though people were supposed to wipe them off after they'd finished working the problem? Well, I made it my business to get rid of 'em. Maybe just because I knew from experience that the chalk buildup stuff just...doesn't....go away completely. It was very satisfying to erase the ticks and not see them show right back up, albeit in a ghostly form, as soon as the water dried.

Of course I scrubbed the chalk patches too. As did everyone else. We scrubbed, and we scrubbed. And then we scrubbed some more and moved on to the next boulder. Then we came back and scrubbed some more on the previous ones.... Even though the chalk has permanently stained the very popular boulders, our efforts do help reduce the brightness of the glare. Plus, the boulderers get better holds for a while, since the grimy layer is removed. Get 'em while they're hot, people. As we all know, the chalk will be back.

So - back to those shoes. As I'd suspected, I got a pair. Thank you Evolv! I received a gift certificate the explains how I can go about claiming a pair of ANY shoe from their product line. Nice! Since I ripped through(yes...again...) the rubber on my pair of Mythos a month ago, this good news came none too soon.

Well, actually, it has come too late. On time would have been last fall, when I still had a bunch of rubber left on the LaSportivas. I waited too long for the resole. Now they need, not only to go to the resoler, but first to a good old NYC cobbler, who will stitch the seam I ripped open on the toe. Oh yes....I wore down the left toe PAST the rubber.

The good news(more good news!) was that I was flush with cash this wekend and had taken the bus up from town. So, I had time and funds to go to Rock and Snow and replace the LaSportivas. Now I will decide on a second pair of shoes, from Evolv. I think I may get something to work with on bouldering. Maybe THAT will help me send! It surely can't be my chicken-hearted inability to commit that keeps me at a V.LessThanZero grade.

Not only did I get a pair of shoes. What else did I get? Take a guess.

Oh yes, I did. I was the recipient of one of two Yearly Family Memberships to the Mohonk Preserve. Good for up to four from a household, the memberships cover hiking, cycling and climbing. Sweet!

I joked "Hey maybe NOW I can get myself a man - I got a free membership waiting for him." Dave laughed and added "You've got a dowry." Well....maybe. Maybe not. But everyone did suggest I should add Teddy's name and get him a membership card. Which I think might be a cute thing to do.

There was more to giveaway, and I wasn't the only one to win big. So, I really would like to extend my appreciation to all those who DIDN'T show up to help clean up the place. Without your non-participation, I surely would not have scored so well. Thank you Suckas!!!!


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