Safer, safe and ‘less dangerous’

Claire after her skydive yesterday. Not looking too scared

I was just listening to Amartya Sen explaining on radio about his ideas about justice in the world, and his way of looking at this aspect of humanity struck me as just as relevant in another.

His thesis in the world of justice is that we should think in a more pragmatic, and less idealist way in order to achieve the best possible outcome for people. Specifically he has the idea that we pour a huge amount of energy trying to solve completely particular injustices, with the intended outcome being to make them 100% ‘just’. But, he says, the ideal of a perfectly just scenario often remains out of reach. Instead, if we first seek out the biggest and deepest injustices, and measure success against their starting points, rather than against the ideal finishing point of perfect justice, we will end up increasing overall justice by a larger amount. So the focus on scrubbing out the last remains of stubborn injustice becomes not just a black hole for our resources, but a distraction from deeper injustice elsewhere.

It struck me that this parallels closely recent arguments about risk in life and society. Economics right now is teaching popular society a lot about the importance of risk. Namely that pursuing the ideal of eliminating risk is actually harmful to economies, just as very risky and unstable situations are. Similarly, a statistical perspective minus the blinkers of a ratings driven media such as this book on the risks we face highlights some of the ridiculous situations we find ourselves in when we attempt to eliminate tiny risks (such as terrorism) and allow these to completely distract us from huge risks elsewhere.

Amartya’s idea projected onto risk makes a lot of sense to me and to me reflects closely the decision making process I’ve aspired to in the risky climbing I do. Other climbing bloggers thoughts recently (such as Dougald and Will’s) have reminded us well that believing in complete safety in climbing will always prove a fallacy. So it’s important to try not to be distracted by making tiny risks tinier, if larger ones lie ignored in the background (and they often do in my opinion).

A common example that often worries me when listening to other climbers discourse on safety is a fascination with the fine details of climbing equipment systems. Nothing wrong with that whatsoever, so long as it’s seen in context of the whole picture of climbing safety, which is often isn’t. The trouble is that our safety systems relating to climbing equipment are only one link in a chain of factors that determine how much risk we face when climbing.

The ‘soft’ skills (I hate the term but can’t immediately think of a replacement) of our tactics, decision making and movement skill on rock, ice or mountains are the other, larger part, and they often suffer relative ignorance.

A more specific example; Out of the climbers I know who onsight E6 or harder, I can't think of any who aren’t expert at downclimbing (out of trouble). Why? Quite simply, having this skill allows you to go with far less danger where it would be hideously dangerous to rely solely on ‘up’ climbing ability and safety equipment. In contrast, the trad climber’s I know who’ve suffered a series of confidence destroying serious falls are more often than not poor at climbing down out of scary situations. I’ve had a million climbers ask me all sorts of weird and wonderful questions about the fine points of equipment, and strategies for it’s use, and it often shocks them when I don’t always know an answer. But I can’t recall ever being asked about downclimbing.

Important things are often at the mercy of things less important. Looking for dangerous things to make less dangerous will often be more successful than looking for anything to make perfectly safe.

Garner Rallies Late, But Can't Hang on in First Game of 09

Live Web Cast.

The Trojans began their 2009 season on the road as they traveled to Millbrook High School to take on the Wildcats on Friday night, in a rematch of last years double overtime State Playoff Game.

Garner got the ball to begin the game and wasted little time getting on the board. Juwan Moye took the Cody Woodall hand off and scampered 62 yards down the sideline for the Touchdown and give the Trojans a 7-0 lead.

However, Millbrook would come right back on the very next possession and tied the game at seven on a 57 yard touchdown pass from Trey McFarland to Scott Gray. After Garner went three and out, Millbrook came right back and scored on a 72 yard touchdown pass, but Matt Knudson missed the PAT and Millbrook had a 13-7 lead, which would be the score after the first quarter.

After a Garner punt late in the first half, the Wildcats capitalized on good field position and ran just three plays to get into the end zone and take a 27-0 lead into the locker room at halftime.

Millbrook got the ball to begin the third quarter and the Trojan defense came up big forcing the Wildcats to go three and out and the Garner offense promptly came to life. After a pass interferance call on Millbrook, Garner had the ball deep in Millbrook territory and after a couple of big plays, Cody Woodall completed a slant pass to Seth Coucil inside the five yard line, but Garner couldn't punch it in a had to settle for a 23 yard Connor Torruella field goal which was his first ever Varsity field goal.

Again, Millbrook would go three and out on their next turn with the football and that's when the Trojan offense found a spark. On the second play of the drive, Juwan Moye found a crease and took it 30 yards for a touchdown and cut the lead to three at 20-17.

Leading by three, Millbrook put together a eight play drive only to fall short and face a 4th and 12 from around midfield. Matt Kundson was back to put, but he took too much time to get the punt away and Andre Gillispe got a hand on the punt and swatted it away as it was scooped up by Justin Chavis who ran it back for the touchdown and give the Trojans a 24-20 lead.

Millbrook then came right back and scored a touchdown on a 47 yard pass play to take a three point lead. Trailing by three Garner got sent to march down the field, however, Cody Woodall had his pocketed pick by Jerrick Feaster who took it back deep in Trojan territory where Millbrook later salted the game away with a 9 yard touchdown run from Keith Marshall.

Garner would go on to fall to Millbrook 34-24 in the first game of the season. Despite the loss, the Trojans could pick up many positive things from the game tonight as they move forward to the game next Friday at Broughton.

Kick-Off for the game against the Caps is slated for 7:00 and Air Time on the Trojan Sports Network will be 6:45.


The Trojan Sports Network would like to thank Millbrook AD Scott McInnes and his staff for allowing us to bring you tonight's game.

Varsity Soccer Has Rough First Week

2009 JV Football Schedule

JV

Date	Day	Opponent
Aug. 27	Thu.	Broughton	39-21 (1-0)
Sept. 2	Wed.	at Middle Creek	34-0 (2-0)
Sept. 10	Thu.	Riverside	55-0 (3-0)
Sept. 17	Thu.	at W. Johnston	26-18 (4-0)
Sept. 23	Wed.	Clayton	42-28 (5-0)
Oct. 1	Thu.	at Knightdale	14-6 (6-0)
Oct. 2	Thu.	SSS	36-6 (7-0)
Oct. 15	Thu.	OPEN
Oct. 22	Thu.	at SE Raleigh	36-22 (8-0)
Oct. 29	Thu.	at East Wake	19-14 (9-0)
Nov. 5	Thu.	Harnett Central	7:00PM

Thank you Trojan Club Supporter:

Send In Your Scores!!

Trojan Nation, fall sports are on us and as we begin another great year of Trojan Athletics, we need your help. GarnerTrojans.com is committed to keeping up with ALL teams at GMHS, but we need your help.

If you attend a game, please email your score and any information that you have about the game to trojansportsnetwork@gmail.com, so that we can update the site and keep the rest of Trojan Nation abreast to the terrific accomplishments of the student-athletes.

Pelican Snowballs

Trojan Club Membership Now on Sale!

Your Garner Trojan Club is currently selling memberships for passes for the 2009-2010school year.

The Garner Trojan Club is an organization of parents, staff, alumni and friends that volunteer, support and promote the athletic programs at Garner Magnet High School. Several levels of memberships are available and include admission passes to all regular season home athletic events during the 2009-2010 school year.

STUDENT Memberships: $30
INDIVIDUAL (non-student) Memberships: $65
FAMILY Memberships: $150

Memberships can be purchased at the first home sporting events. Applications are available HERE . For more information, please contact GMHS (919-662-2379) or call 919-662-9066.

Varsity Football Back in Action with Solid Showing at Pigskin

On Friday night, we got our first look at Nelson Smith's 2009 Trojans and it seems like 09 will be a promising year for the Trojans.

Garner was up against Leesville Road first in the scrimmage on Friday night and after giving up a touchdown to the Pride of the first series of the game, the Trojans came to life as the defense settled down and did not allow another score to the Pride until very late in the scrimmage.

The offense also came to life for the Trojans, on the second possession of the game for the Trojans, Terrance Fussell broke loose and ran in for the 12 yard score. The touchdown was set up by a long pass from Marques Towsend to James Skillern for a big first down.

After a big sack by Ricky Denning for the Garner defense, the Trojans got the ball and scored on back to back to back possessions as Juwan Moye took it in from 45 yards out for the score. Freshman, Lemond Johnson then hooked up with Isiah Moore for a touchdown and then, Gavin Wilson took it in from 45 yards to give the Trojans their final score of the first scrimmage.

In the second scrimmage, the Trojans faced host Wake Forest-Rolesville and this game was dominated by the defenses. On their opening drive of the game, the Trojan offense which started at their own 20 crossed mid-field before the drive stalled.

The Cougars did get some big runs from stud running back Trea Jones but Garner did a good job keeping him in check. Garner had one big series late the contest as again Freshman, Lemond Johnson scrambled and went to the air and connected with Kenneth Demby for a big 60 yd. touchdown pass.

Late in the scrimmage, the two teams went to goal line stands and the first team defense did a pretty good job keeping WFR off the board the final play of the scrimmage saw first team quarterback, Cody Woodall connect on a pass in the back of the end zone for another Trojan score.

Garner showed a lot of speed and athleticism in the contest and will look to continue to improve in practice this week as they prepare for the first game of the season, next Friday August 21st at 7:00 when they travel to Millbrook.

Another link in the chain

St John’s Head, looking angry

I made the journey back to Hoy, over Cuilags and across the plateau once again and uncoiled my ropes in mist and the ever present buffeting gale at the edge of the cliff. I threw a coil of rope into the mist, but it blew right back over at me. I watched the fulmars for a bit while I got ready to to a ‘bag rap’ to get over the edge in the wind. They were giving me the eye as they swooped past, wings pulled in tight in the mega updraught. No doubt wondering why I’d chosen to be here in this grimness.

Claire enjoys a break from the westerly gale in the shelter of Cuilags

But the arrival of rain on the raging wind soaked everything within seconds and there was nothing for it but to jog back over the plateau like a drowned rat and eat vast mountains of pasta and vanilla cheesecake at the hostel with Claire.

Directions to Pigskin-Kickoff

The Pigskin-Kickoff will be this Friday night at Heritage High School NOT Wake Forest-Rolesville. Directions are listed below.

Heritage High (House Wake Forest-Rolesville High 2009-2010) 1150 Forestville Road, Wake Forest 27587:
From the beltline in Raleigh: Take US 1 North. Go approximately 13 miles to US 1A at Leith Chevrolet. Turn right on 1A. Go approximately 1 mile until you come to a light with Wake Forest Middle School on the left. Turn right at that light onto Rogers Rd. Continue pass Heritage Elementary and Middle Schools. At the traffic light turn right onto Forestville Road. The school is on the right


If you would like a paper copy of the directions, they are available in the main office at Garner High School. See you Friday night! Go Trojans!

Thomas Rains Photography

Volleyball Schedule Adjusted

The Volleyball schedule has been adjusted. The game that was schedule to be at home vs. Middle Creek has been canceled and the games vs. South Johnston have been flipped to accommodate some facility issues.

For a complete Volleyball Schedule, visit the Volleyball team page on the right of your screen.

A running theme

Trained last night after finishing work just before midnight. I totally didn’t feel like training, but during and afterwards I was really glad I did.

That always happens.

Varsity Football Scrimmage Canceled

The Varsity Football Scrimmage game scheduled for Wednesday morning at Trojan Stadium has BEEN CANCELED! No make up date has been set at this time for the scrimmage, however the Trojans take the field on Friday night at 8:00 PM in the Pigskin Kick-Off at Heritage High School in Wake Forest.

The event has been moved because Wake Forest-Rolesville is closed for renovations.

Living in Longhope

Working on the headwall cracks, Longhope Route, Hoy with the 7pm from Stromness ferry heading by far below. If you can’t see me, click on the pic to see it full size. Photos: Claire MacLeod

Walking off the hill from Kentallen last week after doing Durorband with unexpected ease, I felt that feeling of lightness, fitness and a readiness to climb something really hard that I’ve not felt so strongly since before climbing Echo Wall. I can’t believe it’s been a year since I really felt this. For sure, hard climbs can be done without it by pure force, but this state and this feeling is what’s needed to break barriers.

Good timing then, as I was heading back to Orkney the following day for a second look at a really amazing project. A couple of years ago, Oliver Hill sent me a message pointing me in the direction of a possible good project. In 1970, he and Ed Drummond had a fairly gruelling adventure opening a 500 metre long aid route on St John’s Head on Hoy, over six days. The Longhope Route is the longest wall climbs in the UK and everything about it also makes it arguably the most adventurous. In 1997 John Arran and Dave Turnbull made a free version of the route, climbing the lower pitches before escaping off left, and returning a few months later to abb in and climb the top part, avoiding the headwall cracks by a 4 pitch deviation up grooves on the left. Even though their route avoided the hardest part of the Longhope Route, it is still one of the hardest adventure style trad climbs anywhere, with 23 pitches of serious, loose and sometimes birdy climbing, and an F8a pitch near the top.

St John’s Head - quite a cliff!

Oliver pointed out to me that a free ascent of the original headwall cracks (about pitch 18) might be 8c+ at a guess. So I swore I would get myself there, sooner or later. Last month, sooner or later arrived and I was dangling in space, 350 metres above the sea inspecting the unbelievable overhanging headwall of St John’s head. To look at, the cracks reminded me of my own route Rhapsody - a smooth, long leaning wall, with a thin crack petering out into the wall with tiny edges beyond. But this time it was 18 pitches up! Fairly irresistible as you might imagine.

I wasted myself for two days cleaning it and then trying the moves. Getting seriously dehydrated and stumbling back across the plateau in a bit of a daze. It seemed like Oliver was on the money with his grade estimation and I thought perhaps it was too hard for me. Between then and my next trip, I trained, dieted and went over and over what would be needed to climb a 50 metre pitch near my sport climbing limit, but on trad gear, 18 pitches up, with some puking fulmars to fight with passing the gear breaks?

Claire waiting to board

But last week’s trip with Claire all felt quite different, the effect of training properly for it made it all seem a lot more possible. The pitch looks, and climbs very similar to a lovely 8c I was on just right of La Rambla in Siurana earlier in the year. But unfortunately it’s not bolted, or at a roadside crag in Spain! I still can’t quite imagine carrying a large armoury of cams up the route, and this pitch, getting past the fulmar below the crux without being doused in ming, trailing 100 metres of rope and then sticking those tiny edges just before it rejoins John’s 8a section. So although I’m not totally sure how possible the route will be for me to actually climb, I’m at least certain that I’m going to try. I hope the Orkney weather allows me the chance to do battle sometime soon I can return with a partner. I felt pretty bad hanging in the huge natural shelter of the wall while Claire (filming) was battered for 6 hours by the atlantic gale

For now I’m heading back to work on it for another couple of days, followed by more training no doubt. I’ll let you know how it goes..

Wreckage of a Liberator Bomber near the top of Cuilags, on the walk-in to St John’s Head. It crashed here in January 1945 in a blizzard killing all it’s crew. There are quite a few plane crash sites around Hoy and grim stories to go with them, which give a flavour of the inhospitible nature of the place. The poor soldier they sent to guard the wreckage of one actually died of exposure at the site.

The long approach to St John’s and ever-present 60 mph gale has a levelling effect on Claire.

But at least a sheltered spot in Stromness made it feel less arduous on the way home!

The hardships of the climbing lifestyle

A good feed on returning to the Great Glen. Claire gets stuck into her Haggis like a proper teuchter. Alicia is little more hesitant.

Creative people: Misha Somerville

After my last post about John and Layla turning their hand to good food and gallery running, it got me thinking about all the creative people I’ve had the privilege to meet through my work in climbing.

There are some common themes among them for sure, but also each of them has their own lessons and perspectives to offer that are so inspiring and educating in their own way. So I thought I’d start a wee blog series bringing some of them to your attention, both to share the discovery of the fruits of their efforts and maybe to learn from them too.

Misha Somerville is one of these inspirations, never far from my attention over the years as his music is high on my ‘most played’ tunes on my ipod. I was first introduced to his band Croft No. 5 at a gig in Glasgow several years ago, and have travelled, trained and pounded my way up mountain paths with their reels whistling through my head ever since.

But since Croft No. 5 split up a couple of years back, I often wondered where that creative energy is channeled when the focus of bands disappears? I actually tried to track Croft No. 5 down last year to arrange permission to use some of their music on our fist film Echo Wall, but without success.

So it was a nice surprise earlier this year to get a message from Misha, appreciating our work (and music choice!) on Echo Wall and talking a bit about what he’s doing now. Turns out he’s been climbing for one thing! But like many creative people I’ve met, he has diversified his activities to excel in many ever expanding areas, no doubt using the skills he’s learned from the initial discipline.

So after establishing various arms of his work in instrument making, design and photography, now he has made his first book which he took the trouble to send me. Like many first books, films, albums or any creative entity, it clearly contains a lot of honest and unfiltered aspects of the person behind it. The book was a creative outlet while Misha recovered from ME over the course of a year or so. The condition had developed after an extended trip across north Africa was cut short by contracting Malaria.

The book, Bamako Boom Boom takes us through Misha’s adventures well off the beaten track in North Africa. There’s no doubt he went to some considerable effort. and at times obvious risk to see the people and places behind the bubble of the normal tourist trails. It was nice also to read Misha’s reflections on what he saw and where this personal journey taught him, told with a succinct style and never self-indulgently.

I read this while I was in Spain on a sport climbing trip, and it provided just the engagement with a wider sense of adventure in what the world offers that balanced out the narrow focus of pure sport climbing. In fact it really reaffirmed in my mind why I go trad climbing to the weird and wonderful corners that Scotland has to offer. I don’t know why but I didn’t really expect a book like this to do that.

The first chapter can be read here. Misha’s blog is here.

Cafe Beag

The Cafe Beag in Glen Nevis brings back some memories for me - of sitting outside it with tea and cake in the sunshine with Claire when we first spent a long trip there aged 18. I associate the place with those feelings of anticipation of finally getting a chance to try all these routes I’d read so much about, and that young feeling of anything being possible... after another cup of tea.

Seeing it closed and generally looking a little forgotten recently made me sad as I passed by. So Claire and I were well excited to hear from our friend John Sutherland that he and his partner Layla have taken it over and have it open again.

So you know the place to visit next time you are in Lochaber - it comes with our highest recommendation.

Both very creative people, John and Layla’s vision for the place to make it a bit of a centre for local art and photography too, and the collection on show there is already look pretty impressive.

Food, coffee, art and Layla and John’s good company in Glen Nevis, 10-5 every day except mondays. See you in there.

Directions: Drive up Glen Nevis from Fort William. After a mile or so you’ll come across it right by the road, just before Glen Nevis youth hostel.

2009 Cross Country

Time

Date	Opponent	Site
Aug. 19	Millbrook	Away	5:00PM
Sept. 2	West Johnston	Home	5:00PM
Sept. 9	Clayton	Away	5:00PM
Sept. 16	Knightdale	Home	5:00PM
Sept. 23	Smithfield Selma	Away	5:00PM
Sept. 30	Southeast Raleigh	Home	5:00PM
Oct. 7	East Wake	Home	5:00PM
Oct. 14	Harnett Central	Away	5:00PM

Thank You Trojan Club Supporter:

2011 Women's Tennis

Date	Site	Opponent	Time
Aug. 17	Home	Cary	L 2-7 (0-1)
Aug. 24	Away	Clayton	L 1-8 (0-2, 0-1)
Aug. 25	Home	Athens Drive	L 3-6 (0-3, 0-1)
Aug. 29	Home	East Wake	W 7-2 (1-3, 1-1)
Aug. 31	Away	SSS	W 6-3 (2-3, 2-1)
Sept. 6	Home	West Johnston	W 8-1 (4-3, 4-1)
Sept. 7	Away	Knightdale	W 9-0 (3-3, 3-1)
Sept. 12	Away	SE Raleigh	W 9-0 (5-3, 5-1)
Sept. 14	Home	Harnett Central	W 6-3 (6-3, 6-1)
Sept. 27	Home	SSS	W 5-4 (9-3, 9-1)
Sept. 29	Home	Clayton	L 5-4 (10-4, 10-2)
Oct. 6	Away	East Wake	4:00
Sept. 22	Away	Harnett Central	W 6-3 (8-3, 8-1)
Sept. 28	Away	West Johnston	W 7-2 (10-3, 10-1)
Oct. 3	Home	Knightdale	4:00
Sept. 15	Home	SE Raleigh	W 9-0 (7-3, 7-1)
Oct. 12-13	Away	GNRC Conference Tournament	4:00

Thank you Trojan Club Supporter:

2011 Volleyball

Date	Site	Opponent	JV	Varsity
Aug. 15	Away	Cary	need score	L 3-1 (0-1)
Aug. 16	Home	Fuquay-Varina	need score	L 3-1 (0-2)
Aug. 22	Away	Athens Drive	need score	W 3-1 (1-2)
Aug. 25	Home	South Johnston	need score	W 3-1 (2-2)
Aug. 30	Away	Clayton	need score	W 3-0 (3-2, 1-0)
Sept. 1	Home	East Wake	need score	W 3-1 (4-2, 2-0)
Sept. 6	Away	SSS	need score	W 3-0 (5-2, 3-0)
Sept. 8	Home	West Johnston	need score	W 3-0 (6-2, 4-0)
Sept. 13	Away	Knightdale	need score	W 3-0 (7-2, 5-0)
Sept. 15	Away	Southeast Raleigh	need score	W 3-0 (8-2, 6-0)
Sept. 19	Away	Enloe	need score	L 3-2 (8-3, 6-0)
Sept. 20	Home	Harnett Central	need score	W 3-0 (9-3, 7-0)
Sept. 22	Home	Clayton	need score	W 4-1 (10-3, 8-0)
Sept. 27	Away	South Johnston	CANCELED	CANCELED
Oct. 5	Away	East Wake	need score	W (13-3, 11-0)
Sept. 29	Home	SSS	need score	W 3-0 (11-3, 9-0)
Oct. 4	Away	West Johnston	need score	W 3-1 (12-3, 10-0)
Oct. 6	Home	Knightdale	need score	W 3-0 (13-3, 11-0)
Oct. 11	Home	Southeast Raleigh	need score	W 3-0 (14-3, 12-0)
Oct. 13	Away	Harnett Central	need score	W 3-0 (15-3, 13-0)
Oct. 15-17-19	TBA	Greater Neuse River Conference Tournament vs. TBA		TBA

Thank You Trojan Club Supporter: