> Studied up on rope types, rope anchors, webbing, focal points, and break bar types. It was fascinating to see how heat from abrasion or rope movement could affect the strength or longevity of a rope. Break bar tubing in support of descents should be hollowed-out and with the use of a break-bar with a hyperbar piece. Also learned that gear is generally rated in KN (kilonewtons) and 1 KN is about equivalent to a load strength of about 225lbs.

> Also started to bring together a gear list for upgrades over time. More on that later.

> Up next, Mechnical Advantage in rescue systems.

> Put a mile on the treadmill at 8 deg elevation. 2.2 mph with heart rate at steady 125bpm - 135bpm. No weight vest this time, just consistent 2mph with elevation gain and no change in heart-rate.

Today Ryan earned his Wolf rank and this is his second year in Scouts. He was pretty pleased with his accomplishment. So, we’re still moving forward together.

— Up next, his advancement to Bear rank. It’s rewarding to see Ryan grow as he has with Scouts being some part of that.

Achievements first, elective activities and then optional events to get the best and most pertinent from Scouting. Since there’s quite a bit competing for our time, we have to more careful about where we go and what we do.

During lunch time, commute time and discretionary home time, I’ve been practicing my knots. I’ve been carrying around a cordellete and webbing given to me, so I’m tying off literally everything in sight. Last night on the treadmill I was tying a 3-wrap prusik again and again on it’s rails while moving at an elevation setting slope of +5.

DONE (but need practice and confidence):
> Prusik
> Water Knot (on webbing)
> Figure Eight
> Figure Eight on Bight
> Half-Hitch
> Overhand
> Clover (on webbing)

UP NEXT:
> Double Fisherman
> Figure Eight Bend
> Figure Eight Follow Through
> High Strength Tie-Off
> Web Braid

Here are a couple of scenes on two important knots. Munter & Prussik. Need to be able to do these with ease. I’ve applied them several times before, but with time and no real continued use, I forgot how they went.

Already learned figure 8, figure 8 on a bite, figure 8 follow through and bowline. Need more confidence with these though.

More to go..

Productive time on Jordan Peak today. Spent the day with the Sequoia Mountain Rescue team doing high-angle over the edge rescue scenarios. Objectives were to build and reinforce lift, lowering and haul systems in addition to commands involved with rescuer placement and victim removal.

Today was like trying to get a sip from a firehose. I picked up a whole lot of methods with respect to knots on anchors, angle of anchor straps, strap knots in use, principles of mechanical advantage (MA), the purpose of a progress control device (PCD) and on and on. There’s much I can still remember and it’s very clear.

I don’t yet understand how 3-to-1, 5-to-1, or 7-to-1 pulley systems are set as they are. I’ll have to spend some time with the hand book and simulation software to get a better sense of that.

This whole thing feels pretty good.

Another 5-miles on the mountain bike today. There’s something about the night-time air and aroma of orchards and the wind that is comforting. It’s an earthy feel and a fulfilling sense combined with the ability look up at the sky and see an infinite depth of stars in the sky that gets to you. It’s a nectar for the senses.

By the good graces of the Sequoia Mountain Rescue folks, my application as been accepted to join their Search and Rescue Organization. Training begins this Saturday in the backcountry. If all goes well, I’ll hopefully be able to journal what I personally learn along the way. A place to document notes and new learning experiences.

To become a member of SMR there’s a serious depth of requirements I’ll have to make my way through. Or maybe I’ll get through a few training sessions and get adequately whipped around like a wet doll that I’ve gotten it out of my system and that’s the end of it. LOL.

I’ll hopefully know sooner rather than later it’s something I can commit to. Because when I do, it usually sticks for a very long time (just look at this blog, and all these wilderness miles and peaks, for example).

The little ones have completed first grade and are now moving on to second grade at a whole new school. And I mean literally a new school just recently built. Very nice facilities with good administrators and instructors from what I can tell so far. Just a couple of blocks over.

Ryan is now out of special ed. His IEP team of several therapists (OT/SLP/ABA/SDC), district officials and teachers all recommend based upon his progress that he continues his education with full emersion among other students in general education. We’ve been involved with our ABA providers and the school district the whole way and then some. In second grade, he will continue to have one-on-one tutoring in two areas. And while he has shortcomings in some areas, he is reading and spelling at 5th grade level and is quite intelligent. He has come a long way and progress continues. In first grade he won quiz contests and prizes among other students in one of his classes.

So, he’s talkative, engaged, energetic and has interests common to boys of his age. The autism is fading away and we will not let up until there isn’t a shred of it left. It is not a life sentence. Do not listen to any one who might tell you otherwise.

Worked on scales, scales and more scales. Also spent some time on rythym progressions. About an hour of playing in all. Also went back and spent time on common 3/4 and 4/4 time signatures. — And that is something you just have to develop a sense for and feel your way through. There’s no way I can count the number of beats per measure during free association playing. So, truth be told, I tend to drift in and out of correct timing. However, I’m aware of it and at least recognize when it happens.

Time 4:42 - 5:08 is a delightful and splendid melody. =) I suspect this guy is in dropped-D or Eb tuning. His chord phrasing seems deeper than standard tuning.

April Rain

Tuning: Standard

Cm x35543
Bb x13331
Ab 466544
Eb x65343
Dm x57765
A# 688766
C x35553

Verse 1
Cm Bb Ab
How does it feel when all you’re counting on
Bb Cm
Is scatterbrain
Bb Ab
Every wind that you have sailed upon

Bb Cm
A hurricane
Bb Ab
Every sun that you have seen was filled
Bb Cm
With April Rain

Bb Ab
It doesn’t get easy
Bb
Don’t you know

Chorus:
Cm Ab
Haunt you
Eb Bb
Smiles on you

Cm Ab
You’re not watching
Eb Bb
Dig that hole deeper

Cm Ab
Haunt you
Eb Bb
Smiles on you

Cm Ab
You’re not watching

Eb Bb
Create your own fate

Verse 2
Cm Bb Ab
Count your blessings and prepare to change
Bb Cm
Your point of view

Bb Ab
All those days that you spent waiting won’t
Bb Cm
Come back to you

Bb Ab
Take off the glasses that have shaded your world
Bb Cm
Black and grey

Bb Ab
It doesn’t get easy
Bb
Don’t you know

[Chorus]
[Solo]

Dm
It keeps raining
| ‘Cause we are blind
A#
Keeps raining time
| ‘Cause we are tired
C Dm
Keeps raining [2x]
|’Cause we are blind to fortunes guide us now

Dm
It keeps raining
A#
‘Cause we are blind
Dm
It will keep raining
A#
‘Cause we are tired [2x]
[Chorus]

> Put 5-miles on the mountain bike. Full-on speed and not much of a sweat. Pitch dark out in backcountry farmland roads.

> Spent 30 minutes going through split out-of-box scales. Especially focused on modes 4 and 5. With more confidence in out-of-box pentantonic scales, I’ll need to begin changing key with the same ease. I want to start recording soon.

> Did cub scouts meeting with Ryan for about 2-hrs. He came away from that learning knots (half-hitch and square) with his own practice rope. He did reasonably well.

> Spent time with Miranda celebrating her awards and high scores from class work.

Here are a few photo submittals on my “Expanding your Vision” lesson assignment. These were captured today.

Put just about five miles in all underfoot today in Kings Canyon. From Cedar Grove Road’s End to Bubb’s Creek, today’s time in the canyon was rewarding from the standpoint of seeing new terrain and various entry points into higher country. I had hoped to get a 5 mile loop done on the canyon floor, but large sections of the trail were flooded. Even crosscountry attempts proved useless after some effort. So, it turned out to be a 5-mile out and back. Plus, got many photos I’m pretty satisfied about.

Also spent time out and about along the Kings River just beyond Zumwalt working on my latest photography class assignment. This assignment was about “themes” to introduce how to expand vision and develop a personal style. And so I chose to spend time at the river for a while as well.

Watch for journal entry to come.

During a break from practicing scales tonight, I went over to Lacuna’s web site on a whim to see if they’re going to be nearby while on their North America tour. So, sure enough there they were. House of Blues. West Hollywood. General Admission. Front and Center. Next month.

I slapped the payment card on this desk as fast as I could get it out of my back pocket. The confirmation came back online in a blaze of speed. So, I’m in. Ticket is on its way and there’s an epic show of the century ahead at the House of Blues. AND they’re gonna have new material out with Shallow Life. Can’t get much better than this.

Filled out and completed an application for a Sierra search and rescue group, Sequoia Mountain Rescue. This is the volunteer group that sponsors members who may in turn apply for Tulare County Sheriff SAR.

There’s an up-and-coming training day this month where I’m invited to meet the SAR team and see how operations go during training exercises. It’s a look and see. I’ve been thinking about it for awhile now.

What’s very interesting about the opportunity is to join a group of guys who are committed to helping those who call for aid or get reported as lost or overdue. It’ll be clear in short order whether or not I’ll qualify.

If I’m accepted, personal endurance and strength training would have to get underway for a more specific purpose. Plus, there’s technical training that I’d have to focus on for a while.

Here’s a Yosemite SAR video that shows how close an El Capitan climber came to losing his life. He apparently fell and while fetched up on his rope, dangled there for a while until removed from the wall. It would have been interesting to see how YOSAR got that rope lead shot out to the climber.

Caution, profanity. Recovered by Yosemite SAR.

Surrender

I’m on my way
I’m on my way to lose it all
I’m a stranger to myself, I can’t go on
I’m all outta space
And I’m surrounded by the wall
I believe that my mind has caught a million storms

Falling down
When you lose all that you are

I surrender…
I kneal down

I’m outta faith
I think I’m a frail design of life
Deep inside in denial
The shades have grown in silence
I hide my face
I close my eye’s
Deep inside in my mind
The pain has grown around me

Falling down
When you lose all that you are

I surrender…
I kneal down
I’m dying to find a reason to hold on