Trip Report
Mescalito - High on Bugs
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Monday May 9, 2016 12:29pm
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meg - tp
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About the Author
meg - tp is a climber from El Paso, TX. |
Comments
JEleazarian
Trad climber
Fresno CA
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While we may not agree on ideal diet, we seem to have similar ideas about climbing and life. Thanks for the excellent and unusual trip report, Meg. I particularly appreciate how you were able to work in so many photos of you soloing a big route (I assume these were courtesy of Tom).
Well done!
John
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barrettpauer
Trad climber
north carolina
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What a fun read!
Great TR
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Da-Veed
Big Wall climber
Bigfork
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Sweet, I watching part of your ascent from the bridge, that was a BIG storm! Nice work Congrats.
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Fat Dad
Trad climber
Los Angeles, CA
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Nice work. That's a big stretch of wall that'd be a grind to solo. I totally get your comments about the difficulty of retreat after the Seagull. A buddy (posts as Cancer Boy) and I got up to the top of the 5th and where ready to climb the Seagull when a ranger truck driving at the base announced a late season 'winter' storm. Thinking how hard it would be to reverse that in sucky weather, we did the prudent, boring thing and bailed while we had a chance. Rain started just as we finished our raps and didn't let up for a good day and a half.
Proud send.
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micronut
Trad climber
Fresno/Clovis, ca
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Proud send and fantastic story. My dad used to call soy sauce "Bug Juice." I remember being about 8 years old and asking him why and he told me it was made from crushed up black beetle bugs. "See...they even have a bug on the front of the label."
I went around thinking soy sauce was made from crushed up beetles for years after that and told many a neighbor kid about the "bug" on the front of the bug juice container. Until about 5th grade when somebody called me out and thought I was an idiot and that soy sauce was apparently made from soy beans. Thanks dad.
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skcreidc
Social climber
SD, CA
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Awesome! I enjoyed your link. Even the part about the bugs...
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Flip Flop
climber
Earth Planet, Universe
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Nice TR. Thanks for sharing a fun story. Bugs are the future. Also glad to hear the stoke for PTPP's hauling system.
Congratulations
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Kalimon
Social climber
Ridgway, CO
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May 10, 2016 - 09:36pm PT
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Way to go Meg on an impressive and extremely solid, solo ascent of a difficult big wall . . . you should be very proud of your abilities and capacity for commitment. Nice pedicure too!
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BASE104
Social climber
An Oil Field
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That might have been a first. An all insect diet. Makes sense, though. A great source of protein. You need a high calorie diet, though.
The original bolts were all 1/4 inch, and the original rivets were 1/4 inch round aluminum dowels, some of which you could pull out with your fingers 35 years ago when we did it, but were placed in angled holes and were fine. I thought that they had been replaced by now. Great TR and photos. Good job, too.
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ecdh
climber
the east
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May 10, 2016 - 03:31am PT
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really cool. one of the most interesting reports going. i usually get bored, especially of el cap stuff (sorry everyone), but this was a fresh trip all the way thru.
love the bug thing (have tried exo bars and bugs in asia and get it), love the girl thing (toe nails, hair cuts etc) and dig the attitude.
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batguano
climber
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May 10, 2016 - 05:18am PT
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Strong work Meg, you're one tough cookie!
thanks for posting
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Gunkie
Trad climber
Valles Marineris
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May 10, 2016 - 05:30am PT
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Great trip report. I'll let my kids eat bugs when the world is out of other food. Well done!
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fosburg
climber
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May 10, 2016 - 07:26am PT
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Thanks for the great trip report!
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phylp
Trad climber
Upland, CA
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May 10, 2016 - 07:33am PT
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Very impressive solo and a good read. Thanks for the link.
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ec
climber
ca
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May 10, 2016 - 09:22am PT
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I went around thinking soy sauce was made from crushed up beetles for years after that and told many a neighbor kid about the "bug" on the front of the bug juice container. Until about 5th grade when somebody called me out and thought I was an idiot and that soy sauce was apparently made from soy beans. Thanks dad. - Micronut
HaHa...'Raised in an Asian household, we always referred to Soy Sauce as 'Bug Juice,' even at the dinner table. Since my dad at one time had a restaurant, there was always a frickin' steel gallon can of Kikkoman in the pantry.
 ec
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ontheedgeandscaredtodeath
Social climber
Wilds of New Mexico
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May 10, 2016 - 11:13am PT
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Nice! I did Mescalito about 20 years ago (yikes!!). Great route. What's up with the bug food? Is that a thing now??
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Vitaliy M.
Mountain climber
San Francisco
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May 10, 2016 - 11:30am PT
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Was sure it was a troll when I saw the first post prior to the ascent. It is cool you did it and opened some eyes (or throats) to new ideas! Congrats! If you want to do a wall together and are willing to prepare the food, i'm in! Would change my life or build character LOL
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Morgan
Trad climber
East Coast
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May 10, 2016 - 06:48pm PT
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Awesome trip report! I really like the photo of the Molar Pendulum – with extra legs.
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Pewf
climber
Gunnison, CO
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May 10, 2016 - 08:03pm PT
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I joked in your other thread about a near upchuck from some chocolate covered cockroaches, but in seriousness, great job on the climb.
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mtnyoung
Trad climber
Twain Harte, California
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May 10, 2016 - 09:17pm PT
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I agree, this is an exceptional trip report. And can I second the question, what's up with the bugs? I'd like to hear more about why.
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GDavis
Social climber
SOL CAL
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May 11, 2016 - 10:45am PT
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Rad! No cheesy marketing necessary, just psyche and good food ;D
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Charlie D.
Trad climber
Western Slope, Tahoe Sierra
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May 12, 2016 - 12:15pm PT
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AWESOME!!! Way to go Meg most excellent on all counts!
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Studly
Trad climber
WA
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May 12, 2016 - 11:06pm PT
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Holy sheep sh#t. Soloing Mescalito, radical. Writing a great TR about it priceless. Warrior princess or what.
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Sierra Ledge Rat
Mountain climber
Old and Broken Down in Appalachia
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May 13, 2016 - 01:15am PT
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I hate links to trip reports, they're blocked at work and I can't see them
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philip leng
Trad climber
Solihull, UK
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May 13, 2016 - 02:30am PT
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Great report and impressed by sticking with the bug food. As a veggie folks often ask how can you climb on veggie food! Got us up the Nose. East Ledges descent, hardest day of the climb....by far.
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Ezra Ellis
Trad climber
North wet, and Da souf
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May 13, 2016 - 03:19am PT
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Nice TR, and great job!
So is bug protein vegan? ;)
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cornel
climber
Lake Tahoe, Nevada
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May 13, 2016 - 09:45pm PT
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Yes Mam! 120 lbs of dynamite! Excellent job on Mescalito! A fascinating article and diet as well.. My only question is how about some ants and grasshoppers? Crickets and worms are great but what about a few others of the insect kingdom? I got into Chinese medicine a few decades back because of an early case of Chronic fatigue exacerbated by big walls. Chinese medicine helped save the day. One supplement I discovered especially beneficial for both big walling and backcountry ski trips were ants. Some serious recovery power in those insanely strong little creatures. Dragon herbs formulations in particular have really worked recovery magic for me. Highly recommend them. I also found Ayervedic herbal formulations are powerful regenerators of the human body as well.. Those are insect free but work very efficiently creating greater overall harmony in your body. Keep up the great work... Meg!
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cornel
climber
Lake Tahoe, Nevada
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May 14, 2016 - 06:35am PT
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Like many climbers I am always looking for an edge. Constantly Researching and fine tuning my diet. I discovered Ketogenesis about a year ago. This Ketogenic diet is I think a quantum leap into the future. Essentially you fuel the body on healthy organic fats. This reprograms the metabolic processes of the body to generate Ketones. Fat burners. Carbohydrates are reduced substantially and sugars even more. About 50 to 70% of your caloric intake are fats on this diet. Nuts, especially pecans and macadamias, eggs, whole fat dairy, avocados, even lard. I prefer a lacto ovo version personally, don't eat meat. The remaining calories come from protein and high fiber veggies and fruits. Grains are either eliminated or drastically reduced. A critical by product of the diet is a dramatic reduction in overal Inflammation in the body.. There are now 2 excellent films out on the subject, Cereal Killers 1 and 2. Check it out..
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briham89
Big Wall climber
santa cruz, ca
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May 14, 2016 - 07:44am PT
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Great TR and climb!
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Mescalito is route number 15. Photo: Galen Rowell
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