The Best Vacation Ever July 16th 2006
Sunday, July 16th 2006. L&T where pretty much shagged from the all day push on Saturday so they gave us the first climbing shift. The plan is to alternate climbing and baby sitting with them. Wilson (childless) and Susan (done) are blissfully unencumbered. We headed to the Lower Left Slabs of Cathedral Ledge; to a 5.7 called Fun House. The events described below crushed my spirit like a butt under the leather toe of a fedora-and-trench-coat clad hard boiled detective on a gravely surface in the rain on a Saturday night. Seriously, it killed the day. Read on. The letter below was sent to the "contact us" addresses for Americorps and Echo Lake State Park: To whom it may concern, On Sunday, July 16 I began the first day of a week long rock climbing trip to New Hampshire. My normal climbing venue is The Mohonk Preserve (aka The Gunks) located about 100 miles from New York City. I assumed that a trip to the north country would be a good change from the noise and pace of New York and the crowds of the Gunks. I escaped the crowds; the noise is a different story. My climbing partner (also my wife) and I parked and quickly dispatched the 10 minute approach to the base of Cathedral Ledge in Echo Lake State Park. The birds were chirping, the sun was shining and other climbers were noticeable in their absence. While a bit hot, all seemed right with the world; at least our little sylvan bit of it. As we donned our gear and roped up I heard a sound that I have never heard in such surroundings: a small gasoline engine and the nerve grating racket of a power drill. Hmmm, I ponder, Oil drilling in a state park perhaps? I'm always in favor of destroying the limited natural beauty of east coast forests in pursuit of short term financial goals, but this seemed a bit odd. Upon investigation and inquiry I discovered a task even less noble: trail building using power tools. A group of about 6 to 8 Americorps volunteers were enhancing the approach trail to the base of the Lower Slabs area of Cathedral Ledge. Either due to ignorance, laziness or shear lack of brute strength (all but one of the workers were small, thin sprite-like women wielding crowbars, hard hats and attitude) the crew were using a gasoline powered hammer drill to break large rocks in to smaller more manageable portions. Great idea, but the wrong one in the wrong place at the wrong time. One of the workers informed me that they would be there for the next 20 days with 3 days on and 4 off meaning work would continue until Tuesday; halfway through my vacation. I mean no offense when I say that you may not be entirely cognizant of the details of technical rock climbing. Let me just say that it's very dangerous and requires a fair amount of concentration to be done safely and properly as well as verbal communication between partners. Neither was possible given the spine piecing din of the drill. And this din went on for well over an hour. In a nutshell, our day in the woods and on the rock, was ruined. The irony, of course, is that it was ruined by the construction of a trail that enables me to pursue the sport in the first place. I have done a fair amount of trail building -- specifically staircases of the type in questions here -- and power tools are absolutely not required. In the above area nature was kind enough to provide a rich banquet of boulders of every shape, size and makeup. All one had to do was look around. The crew appeared to have the equipment needed for movement of large boulders. What they lacked were brawn and brains. The drill, provided by the state (or so said the writing on the case), is clearly a solution in search of a problem. Absent this horrific piece of equipment, I imagine our intrepid volunteers would have found some way to construct the staircase. I know I always have as have my many friends who've also engaged in trail building. It is my impression the that no one on the crew was a climber. This is a classic example of I'm from the government and I'm hear to help you. The correct response in such situations is to run away. As fast as possible. What I described above erodes ones faith in the ability of government to rectify real, complex social problems. It makes one yearn for the limited government espoused by the likes of Milton Friedman or Ronald Reagan. Do not dismiss this letter as the rantings of a crank. I work, vote, donate to outdoor organizations and write the occasional letter to my elected representatives. An anodyne response such as: "Thank you for your letter. It is being forwarded to the proper officials for evaluation. Rest assured that we value the input of all citizens. Thank you (Do not reply as the send from address is not monitored)" will not do. Thank you for prompt attention to this matter. Joe Antol Makes a man yearn for New York City where the disconnect between good intentions and poor results is never a surprise. Oh, and to top off the day the "Check Engine" light is now aglow. Four hundred miles from home. With a small child. On vacation. The owners manual says it's either a loose gas cap or something so serious it will void the warranty (the car isn't under warranty, but still this is a cause for concern). Subaru's solution: drive for a few days and see what happens. I guess the car either recovers or dies. Like medieval medicine, but without the bloodletting. Just let the patient alone and check in on them every few days. If there's a stink, ya bring our yer dead.
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The Best Vacation Ever

July 16th 2006

Sunday, July 16th 2006. L&T where pretty much shagged from the all day push on Saturday so they gave us the first climbing shift. The plan is to alternate climbing and baby sitting with them. Wilson (childless) and Susan (done) are blissfully unencumbered. We headed to the Lower Left Slabs of Cathedral Ledge; to a 5.7 called Fun House. The events described below crushed my spirit like a butt under the leather toe of a fedora-and-trench-coat clad hard boiled detective on a gravely surface in the rain on a Saturday night. Seriously, it killed the day. Read on.

The letter below was sent to the "contact us" addresses for Americorps and Echo Lake State Park:

To whom it may concern,

On Sunday, July 16 I began the first day of a week long rock climbing trip to New Hampshire. My normal climbing venue is The Mohonk Preserve (aka The Gunks) located about 100 miles from New York City. I assumed that a trip to the north country would be a good change from the noise and pace of New York and the crowds of the Gunks. I escaped the crowds; the noise is a different story.

My climbing partner (also my wife) and I parked and quickly dispatched the 10 minute approach to the base of Cathedral Ledge in Echo Lake State Park. The birds were chirping, the sun was shining and other climbers were noticeable in their absence. While a bit hot, all seemed right with the world; at least our little sylvan bit of it. As we donned our gear and roped up I heard a sound that I have never heard in such surroundings: a small gasoline engine and the nerve grating racket of a power drill. Hmmm, I ponder, Oil drilling in a state park perhaps? I'm always in favor of destroying the limited natural beauty of east coast forests in pursuit of short term financial goals, but this seemed a bit odd.

Upon investigation and inquiry I discovered a task even less noble: trail building using power tools. A group of about 6 to 8 Americorps volunteers were enhancing the approach trail to the base of the Lower Slabs area of Cathedral Ledge. Either due to ignorance, laziness or shear lack of brute strength (all but one of the workers were small, thin sprite-like women wielding crowbars, hard hats and attitude) the crew were using a gasoline powered hammer drill to break large rocks in to smaller more manageable portions. Great idea, but the wrong one in the wrong place at the wrong time. One of the workers informed me that they would be there for the next 20 days with 3 days on and 4 off meaning work would continue until Tuesday; halfway through my vacation.

I mean no offense when I say that you may not be entirely cognizant of the details of technical rock climbing. Let me just say that it's very dangerous and requires a fair amount of concentration to be done safely and properly as well as verbal communication between partners. Neither was possible given the spine piecing din of the drill. And this din went on for well over an hour. In a nutshell, our day in the woods and on the rock, was ruined. The irony, of course, is that it was ruined by the construction of a trail that enables me to pursue the sport in the first place.

I have done a fair amount of trail building -- specifically staircases of the type in questions here -- and power tools are absolutely not required. In the above area nature was kind enough to provide a rich banquet of boulders of every shape, size and makeup. All one had to do was look around. The crew appeared to have the equipment needed for movement of large boulders. What they lacked were brawn and brains.

The drill, provided by the state (or so said the writing on the case), is clearly a solution in search of a problem. Absent this horrific piece of equipment, I imagine our intrepid volunteers would have found some way to construct the staircase. I know I always have as have my many friends who've also engaged in trail building.

It is my impression the that no one on the crew was a climber. This is a classic example of I'm from the government and I'm hear to help you. The correct response in such situations is to run away. As fast as possible. What I described above erodes ones faith in the ability of government to rectify real, complex social problems. It makes one yearn for the limited government espoused by the likes of Milton Friedman or Ronald Reagan.

Do not dismiss this letter as the rantings of a crank. I work, vote, donate to outdoor organizations and write the occasional letter to my elected representatives. An anodyne response such as: "Thank you for your letter. It is being forwarded to the proper officials for evaluation. Rest assured that we value the input of all citizens. Thank you (Do not reply as the send from address is not monitored)" will not do.

Thank you for prompt attention to this matter.

Joe Antol

Makes a man yearn for New York City where the disconnect between good intentions and poor results is never a surprise.

Oh, and to top off the day the "Check Engine" light is now aglow. Four hundred miles from home. With a small child. On vacation. The owners manual says it's either a loose gas cap or something so serious it will void the warranty (the car isn't under warranty, but still this is a cause for concern). Subaru's solution: drive for a few days and see what happens. I guess the car either recovers or dies. Like medieval medicine, but without the bloodletting. Just let the patient alone and check in on them every few days. If there's a stink, ya bring our yer dead.

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