Trip Report
Why You Gotta Hate on Fresno? A Trip Report From 4 Days in the Life.
Monday March 26, 2012 2:14am
You know, I can't think of the last time I heard somebody from outside Fresno say something good about my hometown. I’m not kidding, people really look down on Fresno. I’m not really sure why. I think its primarily based in ignorance. Sure, we have an alarmingly high crime rate, one of the greatest concentrations of meth labs in the world and a teenage pregnancy rate that is off the charts, but we have a lot goin' for us. We have amazing mexican food, wonderful sunsets and big mountains in our back yard. If you can look past the urban sprawl, the choking air quality, the lack of culture and the homicide, you might just find that Fresno is a great place to live or even visit. The aim of this trip report is to change a few minds. Rattle a few cages, turn some notions upside down. I'm tired of Bay Area punks and LA socialites turning up their noses or looking down on our little paradise. If you've ever shot down Hwy 99 and wondered aloud..."Who lives in this forsaken concrete pitstop of a town?" Well here's your answer. Micronut does. And he loves it. Hopefully this TR will show you why.

NOTE: This is a four day, real time, one weekend in the life of a Fresnan Trip Report.
(Four days, because in Fresno, our weekends are always four days, that's just how we roll.)

I would like to establish two themes in this Trip Report.
1. "Fresno folks have more fun." and
2. “Having a steady job and wife and children and a mortgage and responsibility do not mean that one’s climbing days are over.”

I'll do my best in the next few pages to defend these theses. I once wrote a real life thesis, but I’m not fully sure the plural of thesis is theses, or thesi, or thesum, but its fun to say “these theses” five times fast. Try it. At the end of the TR, you be the judge. So take your pre-conceived notion about us hicks from the armpit of California, and hold on to 'em for a bit. Let me show off my hood for a few minutes, and if you like what you see, stop in and join us sometime.......if you can keep up, that is.

THURSDAY MORNING 6:40am On the commute. Elevation 16 feet above sea level
Its gonna be a good day and a good weekend. I can just tell. I can pick out four summits I’ve stood on top of in this photo. The air is cold and clear. The gang bangers and drunk drivers and meth-heads we are known for in the Central Valley are still asleep. The morning belongs to commuters and with colors like these I’m glad to be one of them. It always warms my gut to catch a clear sunrise over God’s country before work.
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Credit: micronut
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THURSDAY MORNING 10:05 am Seven hours till quittin' time
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Credit: micronut
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Micronut sits at his desk, waiting for the next patient, wasting a few minutes on Supertopo. Vitaliy has just posted his proud winter TR of 3rd Pillar by Winter. The amazing Steve Bryne Wired Bliss thread is in full bloom. The Pullharder guys send Whitney in Winter in mere hours. Chris Mac posts another awesome gear review and I make sure not to click on the Philipino singles ad or buy a Family Disneyland.com Vacation…I have four kids and that is not a financial option at this point in my career. Angry men pound away on their keyboards over in the Republican's Are Wrong About Everything thread, slandering and spitting at eachother. They will solve the world’s problems today, and still be angry at men they have never or may never meet in person. A new comer to the forum is immediately laughed off the site by asking about the effectiveness of cordalettes and Micronut salivates over a photo of The Swiss Arete......wondering if he and Macronut could pull that thing off if this crazy winter weather stays stable.

10:17 am Get back to work Micronut. You got kids to feed and a mortgage to pay
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Credit: micronut
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you might note that Macronut, my loyal and ever stoked climbing partner, stands proud in two photos in this picture. The one on the left is in Jtree. The one on the monitor above the patient (I run a loop of alpine photography when x-rays aren’t in use) is him on top of The Leaning Tower of Pizza in The Alabama Hills. He’s doing a Karate kid stance on the top of the slender pinnacle. Exhibit a. Fresnan’s have more fun.

12:46 pm Lunchtime
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Credit: micronut
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Micronut fuels his machine. He will need strength, for this weekend will be a long one. His body is a temple, yet this day he defiles it with Taco Bell. There is nothing Mexican, or pizza-like in what he has just devoured along with three soft taco supremes, but if he could meet the man who invented the Mexican Pizza he would give him a hearty handshake and nod to genius. The food digests while he listens to an NPR analyst discuss the broken-ness of the American public school system. A small dollop of "Spicy" taco sauce adorns his scrub top lo the left of his right pectoral bulge. No problem, it looks like blood. Times up. Time to go give four more hours to the man. I'd love to skin out now and head up to Tollhouse for a mid day route on some choice granite, but i'm self employed, so stickin' it to the man is just plain old counter productive.

5:01 Quittin Time! Let the weekend begin.
On the commute, I’m behind this guy.

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What do you mean big city dwellin, vegan eatin, “occupy” lovin, Ikea shopin Bay Area liberals think Fresno is full of redneck-Republicans? Some things will always be a mystery. Got Sig? (a Sig Sauer is a type of gun, for those who are not black powder inclined) I Heart Beer.…..he he….now I don’t care who ya are, that’s funny.

What’s even funnier….and I kid you not, I took both of these photos within a mile of eachother, is that I was behind this dude/gal…..not really sure…. only a couple months prior.
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Credit: micronut
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Our little honada here has an “Arms are for hugging” sticker. And somewhere nearby is a black Toyota with a Sig Sticker and a “Be Popular” patch. You can’t write this stuff! These two should hook up on a Supertaco Political Thread. They’d probably end up married.

I’m on a timeclock, so I peel off the freeway and take surface streets. It takes 11 minutes from work to home today. Man, this heavy Fresno traffic is a drag. I have to be showered and looking cool asap order to take my kid to a concert tonight. It’s the Newsboys, a bigtime Christian rock band. Who says Fresno has no night life?
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It’s a big deal to her and we have a blast rocking out and worshiping together. Its very, very.........very loud. I won’t ever have full repair to my eardrums, and I’ll hear ringing noises for a month. But it’s worth every minute.
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FRIDAY MORNING 6:09am Parking lot at Metalmark Climbing Gym


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This morning, like many other Friday mornings will begin with two men getting strong. Wicked strong. Like Yosemite strong. Like Snake Dike and Royal Arches and Fairview Dome and Nutcracker and Eichorn and Cathedral and Tenaya Peak strong. Wait……all those routes routes are like 5.7 (ok, RR on Fairview is 5.9....that first pitch worked me). Why are we doing this again? I am an alpinist. I am superior to indoor climbers in every way. I climb with a pack. I climb cracks. I "approach". I stand on summits. I hate climbing gyms.
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Ok. But I kinda like this climbing gym.
This gym has nice coffee.....Lisa, the friendly gal at the counter who always has a smile, makes it fresh every morning for us old fogies who do alpine starts here.

This is the first time I have ever really worked out in a climbing gym. This year will be the year we go big. We got plans you see. Big plans. Like super-secret, big mission in-over-our-heads alpine plans. Me and Macronut have been gittin’ after it together for a long time now. We boulder hard in the foothills when Fresno sleeps. We raid sleeping Sequoia domes by moonlight. We ski and climb and stand on summits as often as our wives let us, but we are workin’ Joes and we don’t have the time to become 5.12 climbers. We take our adventure where and when we can get it, and we make our adventure happen when it doesn’t come easy. We sometimes fail. We’ve been known to back off stuff. We are survivors. We come home late and we fight another day. This spring, when the snow melts, we will be ready for battle because of the hardening of our bodies in this plastic paradise we call a gym.

We are on the rowing machine before 6:12

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Insert your balding white male jokes here.
Insert your balding white male jokes here.
Credit: micronut
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You know you are there early when you are warming up to the sound of the vacuum.
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We each go to work on our projects. Today, Bieber is going down. This little punk has shut me down before, but I’m gonna show him why the shelf life of a boy band is shorter than Davey Jones.
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Macro chooses his project………Though we live near Clovis, Ca, arguably the trucknut capitol of the world, I’m not really comfortable with him climbing this thing…….
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Now, there's something you should know about Macronut. He's strong yall. Strong like bull. He's been known to accidentally snap off door handles. He's your go-to guy for a stuck mayo jar lid. He works on car engines without tools, his fingers alone are as good as a crescent wrench and a socket set. Women no longer let him hold their babies.
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He wanders the carpet, prowling....looking for his victim.. The next route that will fall prey to his steely grip.
So he moves six inches to the right and settles on this wicked little route.
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It puts up little fight. It would be useless against his sendyness anyway.
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ok....so he's not on belay yet....how else am I to get these photos ot...
ok....so he's not on belay yet....how else am I to get these photos other than bouldering above him for a few moves
Credit: micronut
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Credit: micronut
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He doesn't know it yet, but his training is almost complete. I have taught him all he knows and needs to know. He will be be ready when the snow melts. He will lead the hard pitches on Third Pillar of Dana. He will unknowingly cary the "heavy" pack when we approach The Fishook Arete. He will take the narrow, crumbling, downsloping outside edge of our inevitable epic forced bivy on Mt. Sill this Fall. He will not need, nor use mechanical advantage while hauling when we do Washington Column this Spring. The student has become the master.
(How many towns in america have so much stone within one tank of gas? Fresno's central location is one of its crowning achievements.)

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I lower him.....and briefly scold him for almost spilling my coffee as he made the final moves to the top. His footwork had become a tad sloppy for an instant, and he lunged with herky-jerky swiftness over the last few holds. He is better than this. Fluidity and style matter in the gym. Our effortless appearance on the scantest of holds, honed from years of climbing the worlds most saought after trad routes is what separates us from the plastic masses. This brief lapse of style angers me.

He follows me quickly over to my route, seeking approval after his infraction. I will show him how its done.
I tie in with the stewardness and wisdom of a weathered alpine sage. Never trust your life to one piece of gear.
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I will dispense of Bieber Pelt quickly, without a hint of pump or sweat on my brow......in my approach shoes. After the opening sequence, something feels off...my aura perhaps? Is that what they call it up in Berkley? Or my chee...yeah, that's it my chee...its all gummed up. Bieber Pelt's holds feel slick, I cannot see the way ahead, my arms begin to feel heavy. I detour over onto an adjacent route, not willing to give Bieber Pelt any of me this morning. Justin is a pimply faced one or two, maybe three hit wonder. And he has bad hair. His route is not worth my time.
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I saunter three feet to my left. A cute little route called "Adventure Time .11a" looks like it should be fun.
Micronut: "This'll just take a sec man, then you can get on Trucknuts."
Macronut: "Whoa....Micro...lemme check that knot."
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Credit: micronut
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Macro: "Ok...mkaay....up, over, up through, alright...mkay,.....then down and around, then up, then through....ok..ok....check...chek......yeah. My bad, you're right, something just looked funny for a moment."
Micro: "No prob brah....it's my life on the line. I know you got me. We've always got eachother's six out there man. That's why we're still alive. We didn't get our official Touchstone Climbing Belay Cards by cuttin' corners now did we?"
"OnbelayBelayonclimbingclimbon" I say and I'm gone.
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I drop knee four times in the first three moves. I match on an empty t-nut hole to add flair to the otherwise simple moves.
"This route is totally .10d plus man......no way its .11a-"
I yard over the pitiful little roof and fire into the meat of the route, a tilted headwall of technicolor holds awaits. At the halfway point, I stop to fiddle a #2offset Metolius mastercam into a bucket.
I feel a hint of a pump set in as I yank test the pro a couple times, finally getting two lobes to stick. I bust past my piece and aim for a sick little sloper at 22 feet. Two girls walk in the front door and to the warm up boulder. I rest there for a bit, and ask Macronut to hold on while I take off my shirt. Its getting hot up here.........I'm gonna put some Adventure back into Adventuretime. I motor up the headwall............and something goes wrong. My forearms begin to tingle, my heart-rate intensifies, blood pools in my retinas. I am instantly pumped. The route spits me off and I dangle, spinning mid air in my humiliation. Mystified. Beaten down like a dog in the streets. I hate gyms. Gyms are stupid. Gyms are not real climbing. They are for pasty, pale flatlanders who are into indoor soccer and playing wii on weekends.
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Credit: micronut
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"Put me down."
"down!!!!!!" I scream. "NOW!!!"
"And someone get me a fresh cup of COFFEE!!!!!!" I shriek.
People just stare at me. The latin/techno/house music stops. The girls over at the boulder look away, unsure of what they are witnessing. In a humble and awkward moment, all I can say is...
"A hold spun...I gotta get to work. Macro...gimme four laps on the V3's. I'll see you tonight. Dinner with the wives remember. And Macro...its supposed to be fancy, so no approach shoes."
Macronut warms down and we call it a morning.

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(Climbing Gym Postscript)
----I was a bit skeptical about Metalmark coming to town. I’ve pretty much spent the last 20 years making fun of climbing gyms. But this place has turned out to be a blast. Prior to its opening, I had probably been to an indoor gym maybe a handful of times. But there’s a nice little climbing community here in Fresno and I’ve met a lot of people thrugh the commonality of shared workouts on plastic. A lot of the old Tollhouse Rock first acentionists are here. The place is a fun mix of beginners, boulderers, tradsters, soloists, alpinists, posers, hardmen, climberchicks, oldfogies and young cats who send Valley 5.12s. Its a bright spot for Fresno and I hope it does well.

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Credit: micronut
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With pumped forearms we shake hands and head our separate ways. Macronut heads to work. I’m headed downtown to runs some errands, and when I say downtown, I mean down. Down into the lowest realm of society….yes, I’m headed to a County government office building. For reasons I don’t need to share on this forum, I must acquire a certified copy of my birth certificate. To me, there are two places I absolutely despise going. 1. Abercrombie and Fitch at the Mall, and 2. Any city, county state or federal building. I loathe pullin’ permits, renewing lost motorcycle licenses, obtaining public records and any other processes that involve buildings like the DMV or the County Clerks Office. If you think Obamacare is a great idea…..picture yourself sitting at your local non air-conditioned DMV on a sweltering Friday in July…..you just pulled #113, and they’re callin’ single digits…...and you just cut off three fingers in a table saw accident. I know our medical system is a mess, yall, and somethings gotta change, but that’s where we’re headin folks, the writing is on the wall.

Ok, sorry for the monologue, back to Downtown, Micronut first has to find parking. This will be an expedition for sure. There will be nothing fast or light about this thing. From approach to crux to summit and back again, obtaining a copy of my birth certificate will be a grind of a route.
I’m gonna need calories, so I swing into Wendy’s and get a biggie Coke.
10:08 am DOWNTOWN FRESNO Corner of Tulare and M Street
I accidentally hit the brakes a bit hard upon landing at Basecamp and promptly spill 48 oz of Coca-Cola product down my right leg and into the floorboards.
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Credit: micronut
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This route is gonna be a lot harder than I thought.
With a sticky, sodden pant leg reminiscent of the 1910 Sourdough Expedition on Denali, I slog past what appears to be another party, camped on the same ridge.

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Their puja, their prayer flags, flutter in the breeze. They have come to Occupy this ridge for reasons only they may know. They do not seem to be moving upwards. Maybe hey have a summit team high above, somewhere on the upper pitches. They seem to have been here for a while. The Occupy Fresno Team seems to have a total of four members. I wish them well and head up the fixed lines to ABC.
The first proper pitch is steep, but my gym training pays off in spades.
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Ok, to be honest, near the top, I pulled on a draw.
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Soon, only meters above me, lies the summit gully…….
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I crest the ridge and find myself apparently on route….this is just like the gym. I can do this. I can follow tape! Was the Green and blue route 10b or 10c at the gym?

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Credit: micronut
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Oh man, is that foot jib on? Come on Micronut, you know the beta…this is just like Bieber Fest 5.10d…grab the rail, match feet, hips in…..stab for the mono and get….up….there!
“BAM!” I yell as I hit the anchors and tag the summit! Ernestine Flores, the guardian of the mountain, is not impressed.

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In the Himalaya, local tribes of the Sherpa people often believe that spirits endwell the holy summits of the high peaks. They guard he high places, only allowing passage to the pure of heart.
Here, in the Fresno County Office of Vital Statistics, Ms. Flores is the deity of the highest realm.
I am reminded the summit is only half the climb.
I woo her with tales of me and Macronut’s alpine achievements. I serenade her with stories from Tuolumne to The Tetons. I share with her the magic of a faraway land called Supertopo, where everybody is always right and nobody listens to eachother when they argue and complete strangers trust each other with beta on routes that could kill them and they share their adventures, both real and make believe in total harmony. I tell her what it feels like to stand boldly on top of a high lonesome ridge while the wind gnashes and threatens to rip the very breath from your lungs. I also throw at her 20$. Which immediately works. I thank her profusely, snatch the certificate from her chubby hand and tell her “I’ll see you on Supertopo.” She’ll probably have made her first forum posting by the time you read this.

The descent goes smoothly. Soon I’m home, but there is no time to rest in the 'hood.
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Fresno has great soil. Another of its finer points. To those of you in Los Angeles or San Fran who like to put down Fresno......this is a yard. Its made from grass. I'm not sure if you've seen one of these. They are quite nice for having family picnics, throwing a baseball or playing on if you are a kid. Fresno has big ones. But you need to mow them every once in a while.
So I mow the lawn and start throwing gear into and on top of the FJ.
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Kids need to be fed, snow clothes gotta be packed. Nobody likes being on the chairlift with one mitten. Twenty three trips from the garage to the car and back, two runs back inside to go potty and we are locked and loaded.

FRIDAY 4:00 PM The shuttle leaves for the hills. We’ll be at 5 thou in 50 minutes. Ok.....six potty breaks and two full meals later we are at 5 thou.
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Credit: micronut
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One of the shining truths of living in The Sanjoaquin Valley is that we truly are centrally located in one of the most geographically funfriendly states in the union. We can climb on Friday, Ski on Saturday, ride dirtbikes on Sunday and do it all over again the next weekend. Which is exactly what we do.
SATURDAY AM 9:15 Picnic tables at 7030ft elev.


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China Peak is no world destination, but snow is snow and when you got four kids and a wife who is from Oklahoma, you have very little need to be a snob about snow quality. Riding the chairlift with your young kids is one of the true joys in life.

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I am a Nazi about making sure my kids lather on handfuls of sunscreen, but forget to do so myself, and am sunburned within two hours. Its March and it feels like Miami Beach at 7,000 ft. It feels like fire ants on my face by the time the lifts shut down but I have a warm glow in my belly that only comes from a quality day on the green runs with your one of a kind wife and superfun kids. It doesn’t get much better than this.

Or Does it? …..Remember….we live in Fresno…the land of eternal fun, opportunity and adventure. Lets see what the rest of the weekend has in store, shall we?

SUNDAY am 9:24am Sunday school 2nd floor elev. 14 feet
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We’re digging deep into the book of Hosea. Studying God’s faithfulness to Israel, even as they defied and rebelled against him, is humbling and comforting. The parallels to my own life are not lost on me.

12:00 Noon We forgo the usual Sunday feeding fest at Chipotle
But fear not young children, you will stuff your guts soon enough. It is your Uncle Tanner’s 31st birthday today. And yall know uncle Tanner, his birthday always revolves around three things. 1. Chili 2. High Octane Gasoline and 3. Gunpowder
The Toyota FJ proves she is a lady of many dresses. She elegantly transforms on weekends from ski bunny, to church girl to Cowgirl in a matter of hours.
We are soon barrellin’ up 41 North. As we crest the 2000 foot level towing three quads, one motorcycle, six camping chairs, two shotguns, one bb gun, lots of matches and one supermoist homemade chocolate birthday cake, the Hinterlands of The Sierra come into view.
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From the rise we can clearly make out the massive formations of Shuteye ridge, home to some of the prettiest stone in the land. We have no sticky rubber or harnesses today. Instead we have chest protectors, “real” helmets and two stroke fuel in our veins.
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Some of you Shuteye locals, feel free to let us know what formations we're lookin' at here.

12:36 Somewhere secret near Coarsegold, ca
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The Eagle has landed.

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425 acres of dirt, snakes, mud, cows and blue sky. The kids tumble out of the rig and are soon chasin’ pollywogs in the pond and slaying dragons out in the meadow with swords fashioned from cow bones and Manzanita sprigs. My grandmother, who is 93 years old now, bought this property with my grandpa when they were young. They never had much money, but bought this land for pennies on the acre a long long time ago. She struggles to pay the taxes on the place but its now seeing its fourth generation of kids growing up on this land. I shot my first bb gun here. First ran a chainsaw with my dad here. Its good dirt. Its in my blood.

The food comes out and the cornucopia of goodness is obscene.
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We all unload motors and the kids are full throttle with chili and animal cookies gurglin' in their bellies.
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yes, this is a real motorcycle.  50cc.  And yes, it has removable trai...
yes, this is a real motorcycle. 50cc. And yes, it has removable training wheels.
Credit: micronut
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Everybody rides. This lil dude is 2 years old and dad’s leash is killin him. Come on old man, you’re killin my freedom.

We all get our ride on for the next few hours. Soaking up the sun and inhaling the sweet sweet smell of burt 89 octane in the air.
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Micronut and minimicronut.  This boy will ride me into the ground toda...
Micronut and minimicronut. This boy will ride me into the ground today. There is never enough gas in the tank for this little dude.
Credit: micronut
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Credit: micronut
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A brief sighting of the mullet is made somewhere on the back 90 acres....
A brief sighting of the mullet is made somewhere on the back 90 acres. A sight to behold such a rare creature. A real treat for all involved.
Credit: micronut
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We take some time for gunplay. I'll give you ten bucks if you think yer kid can out shoot my kid when it comes to the old red Rider single shot.
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my boy is solid on the draw from 10 meters. Solid.
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Only clay targets and egos were injured during our smack talking shootin' competition. Don't worry. We're not all bloodlusty Bambi-killin' eneducated rednecks down in fresno yall.
Ok. Now I don't care who ya are or what city yer from, this is fun.
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Everybody’s spent from too much chili, too much speed and too much gunpowder smoke in the lungs. As the sun sets on the land…..the fire dies down and the cool chill of March starts to cover the land. Its time to load up and head home. Kids beg to take a frog or two home, and I tell them they can if they hurry up and wipe the cowpoop off their shoes before they get in the FJ. We all smell bad on the way home, and nobody is really interested in dinner after eatin “foothill food” all day.
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The kids are in bed by dark. Its been a good weekend. The kids need sleep. They’ll hit the books for a few days then do it all again next weekend. That's what it means to grow up here in Fresno. We start 'em young.
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So that’s a weekend in the life. It’s a wrap. I hope I didn’t ruin anybody’s pre-concieved notions of life in our town. Lots of climbers love to hate on Fresno. If you do a Supertaco forum search you’ll find all kinds of derogatory remarks about our home. Some of you reading this very trip report have said mean spirited things about this place. Oh well, I’m not gonna change the world here, but I hope I’ve shed some light on the good stuff goin’ down in our hood. All kidding and fun natured jabbin' aside, I really like The Bay Area. We like the theatres and swimming Alcatraz was a blast.
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Weekends at the Exploratorium and touristy Pier 39 with the kids is a lot of fun. We love the food and the hustle and bustle and culture of San Fran, LA and SanDiego, but man, I just love this town. For all its warts, its a great place to live. We have genuine, hard-working people, no traffic, cheap homes and climbing galore in our back yard. Stop in sometime. We'll show you a good time.

Another week begins…
MONDAY through THURSDAY……..We crank out another week of work, swim practice, piano, youth-group, karate and early mornings at the gym.

FRIDAY, 4:00 am
The alarm goes off. Macronut is texting me…”The usual spot?”
“Yup. See you in ten.”
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Temperance and 168. Launch site for all Dawn Patrol missions.

4:41am The FJ is parked in the pitch black of a winter morning, half way up the four lane.
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Gear clanks. Black coffee warms our guts. I can't tell you how many mornings we've started our weekend like this. Our non-climbing friends think we are crazy for getting up so early in order to get just a few minutes on the stone. They'll never get it. You do I'm sure.
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Like always, we approach in the inky darkness....those strange minutes between the end on one day and the beginning of another. The smells are pungent. Pine. Granite. Manzanita. An intoxicating drink for the nostrils.
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15 second exposure.  The sky is actually black still other than a perf...
15 second exposure. The sky is actually black still other than a perfect moon.

Credit: micronut
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We are racking as the cool air spills into the valley. This is a humble little climbing area. Not a destination of any kind. But its pure magic in the early mornings. And its winter remember...at least we have something dry to climb. It never gets old. We run a few laps on Easy Rider, Are You Small? and the nice hand/finger crack of Mr. Wizard....enjoying the quiet and the stillness around us.
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Like an idiot, I forget my shoes, so Macronut climbs in approach shoes and I wear his. We switch off at the belays. But nothing can stifle our stoke.

We just love climbing man....is that so wrong?
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I am the master of the camera tilt, but Macronut nailed this one.
I am the master of the camera tilt, but Macronut nailed this one.
Credit: micronut
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I love Winter in Fresno.....no shoes...ha.
I love Winter in Fresno.....no shoes...ha.
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The sky warms in yellow hues around us, our skin prickles with the warming rays of a new day. A cow moos in the valley below. A rooster crows on a farm down in the sleepy town of Tollhouse.....I swear I can smell bacon.

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Climbers call this place Squarenail. Its named after the rusty, square pounded nails that can be found scattered around the hillsides here. The old Shaver Mill Flume ran right through here in the 1890's.
Hard men. Proud men, roamed these hills then. Men of the land. Men of true grit.
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Well, hard men still do roam this land. They just wear a little less wool.

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On the way out, I stop to shoot some pretty flowers, like I always do. The colors and elegant lines of the creation around us never cease to move me.
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There, on the trail in front of me, I find one of the old, square nails. Its been right here, in this approach gully, for a hundred years. I set it on a flat stone so I can get a good photo.
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Holding it in my fingers is like holding a bit of the past.
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I'm reminded of the simple things in life that matter. Hard work. A good wife. A sturdy roof over my head. A job where I can make a difference in people's lives. Good friends. Kids who are growing up sturdy and confident and humble and bright. Climbing within a stone's throw. And I think....yeah....its all right here. I'll never leave. Fresno is alright. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.
See you around Supertopo. Micronut.
Out.
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The High Sierra.....Sawtooth Peak to be exact.....as seen from hwy 180...
The High Sierra.....Sawtooth Peak to be exact.....as seen from hwy 180 just outside of fresno.
Credit: micronut
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  Trip Report Views: 13,415
micronut
About the Author
micronut is a trad climber from fresno, ca.

Comments
mucci

Trad climber
The pitch of Bagalaar above you
  Mar 26, 2012 - 02:44am PT
You are my hero Micronut.
Urizen

Ice climber
Berkeley, CA
  Mar 26, 2012 - 04:00am PT
Fresno got Poet Laureate!

Our Valley

We don't see the ocean, not ever, but in July and August
when the worst heat seems to rise from the hard clay
of this valley, you could be walking through a fig orchard
when suddenly the wind cools and for a moment
you get a whiff of salt, and in that moment you can almost
believe something is waiting beyond the Pacheco Pass,
something massive, irrational, and so powerful even
the mountains that rise east of here have no word for it.

You probably think I'm nuts saying the mountains
have no word for ocean, but if you live here
you begin to believe they know everything.
They maintain that huge silence we think of as divine,
a silence that grows in autumn when snow falls
slowly between the pines and the wind dies
to less than a whisper and you can barely catch
your breath because you're thrilled and terrified.

You have to remember this isn't your land.
It belongs to no one, like the sea you once lived beside
and thought was yours. Remember the small boats
that bobbed out as the waves rode in, and the men
who carved a living from it only to find themselves
carved down to nothing. Now you say this is home,
so go ahead, worship the mountains as they dissolve in dust,
wait on the wind, catch a scent of salt, call it our life.

--Philip Levine
Mark Hudon

Trad climber
On the road.
  Mar 26, 2012 - 10:18am PT
Excellent as usual!
David D.

Trad climber
California
  Mar 26, 2012 - 10:25am PT
Damn micronut, you are like the Ernest Hemingway of SuperTaco trip reports. Thanks for all the hard work you put into these, they are a joy to read.
Norwegian

Trad climber
dancin on the tip of god's middle finger
  Mar 26, 2012 - 10:31am PT
sunshine in my armpit,
toothpaste between my toes.

im a mr., right there.
doughnutnational

Gym climber
its nice here in the spring
  Mar 26, 2012 - 10:40am PT
Excellent! My last week in the area included riding the Big Sandy race on Sunday, skiing powder on Monday at a nearly empty China Peak and bouldering on 2 afternoons with my dog. As for gun shooting I let my neighbors kid hunt rabbits on my property and he rewarded me with 2 delicious rabbits. Fresno area is OK!
jfailing

Trad climber
PDX
  Mar 26, 2012 - 10:46am PT
Freakin awesome man!

Do you ever sleep!?!
Dos XX

Trad climber
Los Angeles, CA
  Mar 26, 2012 - 10:51am PT
Fres-Yes!
WBraun

climber
  Mar 26, 2012 - 10:55am PT
lol

Funny Trip report.

I been going to Fresno for 40 years from the Yosemite Valley to shop and watched it change.

I like Fresno ....

Bullwinkle

Boulder climber
  Mar 26, 2012 - 12:51pm PT
All this and he still has time to show a visting photographer some of the best boulders this side of the sierra. . .you're the man Scott. . .df
JEleazarian

Trad climber
Fresno CA
  Mar 26, 2012 - 01:14pm PT
Shhh! Don't let the secret out!

Great fun! Thanks much.

John
Hood Nymph

Trad climber
Oakland
  Mar 26, 2012 - 01:51pm PT
This is priceless. My chee is right back on target.
Dapper Dan

Trad climber
Redwood City
  Mar 26, 2012 - 01:59pm PT
haha , Nita set him up with some nice words and compliments , and then ...

"Fresno still sucks"

... hilarious . Very classy .
nita

Social climber
chica de chico, I don't claim to be a daisy.
  Mar 29, 2012 - 11:07am PT
Micronut, I've always enjoy reading your trip reports..good pictures and always a bit of humor.
You should enjoy the town you live in, and experience what it has to offer..... if others don't like it...oh well, no biggie.


That being said....I've spent lots of time in Fresno, and have driven through your town- many many times....

For me... Fresno still sucks....

Keep enjoying Life.. your town, your family, your friends, your faith, and more adventures...

cheers!!
.....


Dapper dan, I didn't want to be number 13, that's why i'm below your post .... ...
just speaking my truth..(-;

Cheers!!

Dapper Dan- Edit:...Yes, i do try to avoid number 13, and yes, I'm a bit superstitious...knock on wood...

Gene

climber
  Mar 26, 2012 - 01:59pm PT
Nita does have a point... says the guy in Modesto ;)

g
Dapper Dan

Trad climber
Redwood City
  Mar 26, 2012 - 02:01pm PT
Nita , do you make a lot of effort to avoid the number 13 in life?
mouse from merced

Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
  Mar 26, 2012 - 02:06pm PT
Nobody likes Fresno like I hate it. Good on you for pimping your turf, though. My trip report from Merced would be necexxxarily from my bicycle, since you can see everything here by a 3-hour tour. Gilligan's Island has more to offer. Valley towns are feudally run by generations of the same families bossing the descendants of their wage slaves and the only way out is out. I came back, got waylaid here and found NO CLIMBERS and felt...sad. I hate cars, dude. I hate guns, sons. I am and always will be one of the founders of "de Flames"...the lowrider car club for locals who don't have a short. We accepted none of the climbers from Fresno after setting up our chapter in Campo 4. They never applied, granted...
Mungeclimber

Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
  Mar 26, 2012 - 02:08pm PT
so much action, so little time at work.


solid gettin after it is all I see. Judgement deployed.


back to work...

Batrock

Trad climber
Burbank
  Mar 26, 2012 - 04:05pm PT
The Newsboys are still around? They gotta be gettin old. How was the show?
Gene

climber
  Mar 26, 2012 - 04:10pm PT
The Newsboys are still around? They gotta be gettin old. How was the show?


Not quite the same since Peter and Phil bailed. Capt. Crunch stock is way down I hear.

g
Batrock

Trad climber
Burbank
  Mar 26, 2012 - 04:17pm PT
I was always more into Keith Green and Phil Keagy myself. Kind shows my age.
moacman

Trad climber
Montuckyian Via Canada Eh!
  Mar 26, 2012 - 05:28pm PT
Good read and pics....Thanx man.....Cheers.....

Stevo
Nate D

climber
San Francisco
  Mar 26, 2012 - 05:48pm PT
two big thumbs up on another great TR!

And this coming from the heart of SF no less...

Can't you just move those foothills and mountains just a bit closer west tho?



Pretty please?
Vitaliy M.

Mountain climber
San Francisco
  Mar 26, 2012 - 06:12pm PT
Wait……all those routes routes are like 5.7. Why are we doing this again? I am an alpinist. I am superior to indoor climbers in every way. I climb with a pack. I climb cracks. I "approach". I stand on summits. I hate climbing gyms.

Regular route on Fairview is 5.9 sucka!!! But cheers to being hardcore! *Chest bump* : )

All you guys need is to come up with a summit pose. After crushing Bieber's Nutz I am sure you are ready for anything Sierra got haha awesome TR. All your TRs are....
Chris McNamara

SuperTopo staff member
  Mar 26, 2012 - 06:51pm PT
Well done! You have The No dialed.
Bruce Morris

Trad climber
Soulsbyville, California
  Mar 26, 2012 - 07:04pm PT
Fresno, California: Absolutely the worst ROB pimps & hoes in the whole Central Valley. There was an authorized government survey in 2009 and the results are now a matter of public record! Keep your wallet and ID in the car. Only carry your car keys inside. Avoid the man with the Smith & Wesson in the Parking Lot afterwards.

Or better yet, stay back home in SLO and avoid at all costs!
bluering

Trad climber
Santa Clara, CA
  Mar 26, 2012 - 07:26pm PT
Awesome report!!!
Ezra Ellis

Trad climber
North wet, and Da souf
  Mar 26, 2012 - 08:20pm PT
Thanks for a great effort Micro! Way to send Bieber!!!
PAUL SOUZA

Trad climber
Central Valley, CA
  Mar 26, 2012 - 09:45pm PT
Awesome TR as usual my friend! Good to see ya last week! Hope to rope up and crush some routes with you 2 this summer! Those routes are on my bag list as well!

Cheers!
Dr.Sprock

Boulder climber
I'm James Brown, Bi-atch!
  Mar 26, 2012 - 09:47pm PT
A-

would have been A+ but no kayak or kings river,

WBraun

climber
  Mar 26, 2012 - 09:50pm PT
How come I'm the only one here who likes Fresno?

Yer all snobs and gay ......
micronut

Trad climber
Fresno/Clovis, ca
Author's Reply  Mar 26, 2012 - 10:32pm PT
I knew i liked you Werner. Im glad some of yall liked the TR. Keep the slander and praise for CenCal comin'
Urizen

Ice climber
Berkeley, CA
  Mar 26, 2012 - 11:12pm PT
Why? Because the end of the novel is just the beginning of the appendix full of commentary....
Flydude

Trad climber
Prather, CA
  Mar 26, 2012 - 11:20pm PT
Whoa Dude, Yer lett'in the cat out of the bag on our little paradise. Here come those thundering herds!

Great report!
M. Volland

Trad climber
Grand Canyon
  Mar 26, 2012 - 11:56pm PT
A petition should be started to change the name of Fresno to South Madera, and Clovis to East Fresno.
Josh Nash

Social climber
riverbank ca
  Mar 27, 2012 - 06:05am PT
I was going to make a comment but I live in riverbank, the suburb of modesto. how sad is that. Hi gene.
cowpoke

climber
  Mar 27, 2012 - 07:22am PT
I'm a big fan, micronut.

And, I can relate to the living in a place with a bad rap (for us, Laramie, WY for a few years after an infamous event), but my sister gets the cake for having lived in Waco, TX during it's infamous days. Not sure if this happens in Fresno, but in Laramie folks really come together as community as a consequence of the rap, I think. And, we really came to appreciate the eccentric diversity that thrives there. We visit every year for a couple weeks and not just for the climbing, but for that community.

Anyway, love your writing, and the sense of humor and humility that shine through in your contributions. I can't wait for the next installment.
PellucidWombat

Mountain climber
Draperderr, by Bangerter, Utah
  Mar 27, 2012 - 07:19pm PT
That "Occupy" guy with the eye patch must be totally hard core.

Did you swim in the Bay? I loved doing it but for some reason I have yet to do it again . . .

A lot of your TR reminds me of growing up in SLC, UT. I sure miss that access to the great outdoors. Thanks for writing!

:-D
Ricky D

Trad climber
Under the Webmasters Thumb
  Mar 27, 2012 - 07:22pm PT
Tres cool - spent more time in Fresno than I care to admit.

For your next TR - may I suggest a foray through streets of Fig Garden and don't forget to keep an eye out for the wild Chihuahuas.

Or go BIG - hit the Costco AND the Sam's Club on a Saturday morning in mid July - O THE HUMANITY! Bonus points if you also do the drive through at In-and-Out!

:)
crazy horse

Trad climber
fresno, ca
  Mar 27, 2012 - 08:00pm PT
yeah fresno rocks...and shuteye doesn't exist...i mean it's the best granite on the west coast...wait what am i talking about again?
Dirka

Trad climber
Hustle City
  Mar 28, 2012 - 03:24pm PT
Quality bump!
michaeld

climber
Beta Sprayer at your Gym
  Mar 28, 2012 - 03:32pm PT
Awesome! Nice TR!
Nate D

climber
San Francisco
  Mar 28, 2012 - 04:18pm PT
Boy crazy horse, you made my think: can you imagine if Fresno were as hip and outdoorsy as someplace like Boulder? All of our favorite climbing haunts would be crowded and include directional signage, paved parking lots and rules and regulations on bolting.

Of course I can't speak objectively at all, but from that standpoint, Fresno indeed rocks!
Clint Cummins

Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
  Mar 30, 2012 - 02:08am PT
I'm curious about why you would take the time and effort to create such a report. My guess is that you have spare time at work, when you also dream about climbing, but due to family obligations climbing time is very limited. [Edit to add: sorry, poor guess - I should know better than to do that] We all have our dreams, some of which are slightly out of reach, and some of which we try various schemes to attempt with limited time.

My guess may be valueless, though, and we might as well ask the symmetric question, "Why do people bash Fresno?". (And do people take them seriously, or is it really more of a joke?)

Fresno looks like a big and diverse place.
For example, parts of it have high crime and other parts don't. The Bay Area is the same.
Fresno gets hot in the summer and is close to the mountains.
The Bay area is cool in the summer and is far from the mountains.
For you, Fresno is close to your grandparents. For most of the people in the Bay Area, it is not, so it is kind of irrelevant if you are trying to make a case for the "median person".

If the point is to show that having 2 days free on weekends for climbing is not everything in life, I think you did a good job!
micronut

Trad climber
Fresno/Clovis, ca
Author's Reply  Mar 29, 2012 - 11:06am PT
Clint,
I'm not really sure why I write Trip Reports in general. Why I post them on Supertopo is even a strange thought to me. I just like writing, its fun and this is one venue to show stuff I create to some people who seem to enjoy it.

Sometimes I have some spare minutes at work, but not often. Definitely not enough to write trip reports. I run hard from 7:30 to about 5:45. My practice is doing great and its a lot of fun, hard work keeping this thing growing. My comments about me lounging in front of the screen during my work day were kind of tongue in cheek. Sometimes, when I get out of surgery early or a patient no shows on me, I surf around on Springertaco.

With four kids and my practice, I really have no idea where I find the time. In the evenings after the kids are in bed pretty much. This corny little TR probably took me 15 screen hours here and there over a week to create. Just kind of a hobby I guess.

The inspiration for this story came right after that fun weekend of skiing, dirtin' and climbing. I had recently been hearing some climbers from up in SFO make some snide comments about how lame Fresno is, and I thought...."I kinda like it.....some of us have a lot of fun down here." My wife and I actually chose Fresno out of my residency, and we looked at all kinds of places to settle down and start a practice...Seattle, Portland, Redding, Ukiah, San Diego, Monterrey, SFO, Denver, Boulder....and we chose Fresno. So The idea popped in my mind and I cranked out this totally irrelevant but somewhat fun story.

Adam and I are gonna have a go at the South Face of Washington Column this spring. That TR should have a little more climbing. Until then, I'm working on one that follows a day in the life of a mall cop. Stay tuned.
Scott
LuckyNeck

Trad climber
the basement of Lou's Tavern
  Mar 31, 2012 - 12:19am PT
I too love living in Fresno. And even outside of this dang taco stand I have to defend living here; constantly! I don't know if I could explain why I dig it. For sure all the things mentioned in this "TR" are part of it, but there is more to it. If you get it, you get it. If you don't... you live in SF.

Further, Micro, your feelings towards MetalMark mirror my own. I didn't want to be a gym climber. Hated the idea. But it's benefits are numerous and for ure it seems like a nice little community is growing there.

Keep 'em coming.

thekidcormier

Gym climber
squamish, b.c.
  Mar 31, 2012 - 12:59am PT
How bromantic of you to have pic of macronut in your work place
Jake M.

Trad climber
Santa Cruz, CA
  Mar 31, 2012 - 02:33am PT
Hilarious, great work! One minor correction, I'm no expert, but I think the "flower" is actually a succulent named a Dudleya. Maybe Stephen McCabe can confirm that, he is in fact an expert.

This cracked me up:
six potty breaks and two full meals later
Sounds like my family!
eeyonkee

Trad climber
Golden, CO
  Mar 31, 2012 - 09:27am PT
You got some wild, wild life there in Fresno, micronut. Thanks for the story!
P.Rob

Social climber
Pacomia, Ca - Y Que?
  Mar 31, 2012 - 07:00pm PT
Statistics for crime compiled by the FBI from city-provided data for 2010.

RESULTS
FBI Uniform Crime Reports
Each year the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) program collects monthly counts of crimes from thousands of law enforcement agencies. This includes information about violent crime offenses (murder and non-negligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery, and aggravated assault), and property crime offenses (burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson). Not all agencies participate in the voluntary UCR program and therefore are not reflected in the data.

City Population Violent crime rate
Oakland 409,723 15.3
Oroville 14,718 14.81
Desert Hot Springs 25,309 14.78
Compton 93,916 14.13
Stockton 292,047 13.81
Irwindale 1,431 13.28
Emeryville 10,207 12.54
Nevada City 2,936 12.26
Arvin 15,410 12.13
Capitola 9,747 11.59
Parlier 13,532 11.45
Richmond 103,442 11.37
West Hollywood 35,885 10.84
Commerce 13,466 10.55
Red Bluff 13,836 10.26
Santa Cruz 56,860 9.73
Dos Palos 4,951 9.7
Huntington Park 60,514 9.24
Grass Valley 12,330 9
Lynwood 69,677 8.83

As you look at this list there’s in no ‘No Town (Fresno) to be found ….. if I read this correctly, a see at least 5 Bay Area Cities on the list. In fact Fresno’s violence has always been exaggerated … and in MHO it is no where near the craziness I grew up with in So Cal.

Thanks for the TR Micronut and good on ya’ for not giving up the best secrets. The more folks find out the more they will be in The ‘No
dee ee

Mountain climber
Of THIS World (Planet Earth)
  Mar 31, 2012 - 05:35pm PT
Movin' to Mon-Fresno soon!
tiki-jer

Trad climber
fresno/clovis
  Mar 31, 2012 - 08:38pm PT
Micro.....what can I say....excellent TR!
Let's meet for some bouldering soon!!

Dee ee......Lol, now ya got me singin' that song...Nice!
msiddens

Trad climber
  Apr 1, 2012 - 03:17am PT
Nice read and a crack up your are. Hope to meet you someday and perhaps share a rope.
scooter

climber
fist clamp
  Apr 1, 2012 - 03:28am PT
Christian rock, traffic jams, commutes, and a climbing gym. Awesome. Is that a 20 round magazine in your AR? Isn't Fresno in CA?
Clint Cummins

Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
  Apr 1, 2012 - 10:09pm PT
I've mentioned already my opinion that crime stats for a large area may not be very relevant, because they often vary by quite a lot within the area. I.e. your "neighborhood" may matter more than the entire area.

But, if you want to compare crime stats, the FBI UCR does include Fresno. See:
"Crime in the United States by Metropolitan Statistical Area, 2010"
http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/crime-in-the-u.s/2010/crime-in-the-u.s.-2010/tables/table-6

You need to be careful about population size when comparing, though. If you compare very small cities with very large ones, the small ones vary a lot, year by year. (Such as the famous example of when East Palo Alto had the highest murder rate in the nation one year; there was a drug war going on that year, and it has a very small population...). The way to get a less variable estimate of this type of crime rate is probably to do it across several years, to reduce variance. Usually statistics are based on a single year and are hoping to find some kind of trend....
This may be part of what is happening in P.Rob's table which includes cities with 25,000 population. But the rates don't look like they are per 100,000 people....

Here are two similar choices in "city" size (in CA):
1. MSAs with population 500k or higher. (MSAs are generally based on Counties in CA)
2. Cities with population 400k or higher.

This one shows the crime rate for Fresno MSA is similar to SF-Oakland-Fremont MSA, although actually between Oakland-Fremont and SF MDs.
Fresno (MSA/County) is similar to Los Angeles County; worse than San Jose (Santa Clara County) and Orange County.
Better than Stockton, though.

This one shows the crime rates in Oakland and San Francisco are higher than in Fresno, and San Jose is lower.
The main problem with using a City basis is that many people live in smaller cities that don't make the 400k cut.
So I think the MSA level is best for an "overall" area comparison.
(Although as above, I don't think an area comparison is all that relevant; what really matters is more local to where you live and work).
mhagele

climber
  Apr 4, 2012 - 01:50pm PT
Good stuff!
Big Mike

Trad climber
BC
  Apr 4, 2012 - 01:58pm PT
Another well written TR Micronut, Thanks!
Niels

climber
Denmark, formerly Sacramento
  Apr 5, 2012 - 02:10am PT
Great trip report! A funny and well-written perspective touching on many aspects of the climber life in California.

As someone who lived in Sacramento for a long time, I can relate to the mixed feelings about living in a valley town. I think most climbers in California are conflicted about where to live: the cities with culture are far from the mountains, and the cities near the good climbing don't have much culture.

Every so often on supertopo, it seems that there is a thread about which is the best place to live if you are a climber. Given the California-centric nature of supertopo, the question is never resolved. Most supertopo posters want to live near Yosemite but don't want to live in Fresno.

Anyway, thanks for the effort...that was a cool trip report.
Elcapinyoazz

Social climber
Joshua Tree
  Apr 5, 2012 - 06:37pm PT
we looked at all kinds of places to settle down and start a practice...Seattle, Portland, Redding, Ukiah, San Diego, Monterrey, SFO, Denver, Boulder....and we chose Fresno

You ARE a nut. I think I'd pick every single one of those before the No.
micronut

Trad climber
Fresno/Clovis, ca
Author's Reply  Apr 5, 2012 - 07:36pm PT
El Cap,
I don't trust water I can't smell or air I can't see.

As for the above list of towns and why I didn't choose them.....In the order they appear in that sentence.....
Rain, Rain, Economy, Hippies, Yuppies, Fog, Traffic, Landlocked, Patchouli oil.
couchmaster

climber
  Apr 5, 2012 - 10:39pm PT
Holy goodness, amazing writing and inspiring stuff. Pro quality. Makes us thing of th egood things in life. (I just finished a week long climbing trip with my youngest, - 21 year old boy. WOW!)


Now you have me wanting to be moving to Fresno too:-) Wait till I share that with the wife. Probably about what I got when I pitched the "lets self-actualize riff that she thought meant we'd be living in a cruddy van near climbing areas...sigh) anyway first,I need to learn Spanish and gang signs. Just basic stuff like "Please spare my life", and "I support all things Hispanic and wish all the whites were dead too so we can have out country back".....you know, basic. LOL

Thanks for sharing that !














Still laughing!

...and now, onto my slow lonely death by old age. Good-by.
ms55401

Trad climber
minneapolis, mn
  Apr 5, 2012 - 10:35pm PT
after avoiding this thread like the fat girl I slept with last week, I finally tuned in ...

...

and turned on



funny stuff; I HEART Fresno
P.Rob

Social climber
Pacomia, Ca - Y Que?
  Apr 5, 2012 - 11:28pm PT
Clint,
My apologies, for I neglected to clarify that the numbers I posted represent the 20 most violent cities in California – period. No filtering or comparing per population base, so indeed your assumption has validity.

Couch master to fully integrate in The ‘No you will also want to brush up on your Khmer, Hmong, Vietnamese, Armenian and Punjabi – just to name a few ….


‘No Town has many hidden and unique jewels – perhaps even quaint. This link brings you to one; David Mas Masumoto “The poet laureate of the Peach”
http://authors.simonandschuster.com/David-Mas-Masumoto/48582788
tom Carter

Social climber
  Apr 6, 2012 - 01:19am PT
You are a riot!!!

I spent 14 years in Fresno and it probably saved my life!!!

Kept me out of where I thought I needed to be!

Thank you very much!

TC
Stephen McCabe

Trad climber
near Santa Cruz, CA
  Apr 6, 2012 - 03:34am PT
Yes, Jacob the flowers are dudleyas. It is one of the more common of several forms of Dudleya cymosa subsp. cymosa or "liveforever".
SMc
TRIV

Trad climber
GRESY SUR AIX, FRANCE, EUROPE
  Apr 9, 2012 - 01:02pm PT
Good, now I know I won't be wrong to stay in Fresno for a while for my next USA trip in September...but who cares. Thanks Micronut anyway.
L

climber
Just livin' the dream
  Oct 6, 2015 - 10:15am PT
This TR is 5 Stars on so many levels...and it's only about Fresno!

Lol! Micronut, you got it goin' on there.
Keep up the good work.

And maybe check yer knot at the gym...
Charlie D.

Trad climber
Western Slope, Tahoe Sierra
  Oct 6, 2015 - 10:30am PT
If you can look past the urban sprawl, the choking air quality, the lack of culture and the homicide, you might just find that Fresno is a great place to live or even visit.

Too funny!!! Great report BTW as always.
bluering

Trad climber
Santa Clara, CA
  Oct 6, 2015 - 10:52am PT
As for the above list of towns and why I didn't choose them.....In the order they appear in that sentence.....
Rain, Rain, Economy, Hippies, Yuppies, Fog, Traffic, Landlocked, Patchouli oil.


This is why I love you, Micro. Utter honesty and humility.

As for why you'd write what appear to some as senseless TR's? I think it's evident that they are not senseless. They offer what cubicle-hounds want, a look at somebody getting after it even if it's a Christian concert, a Bible-study, the legendary Squarenail, and of course Tollhouse.

Keep 'em coming, Scott.
micronut

Trad climber
Fresno/Clovis, ca
Author's Reply  Oct 12, 2015 - 07:43am PT
Just had a long weekend that reminded me of this old TR and why I love my hometown.
micronut

Trad climber
Fresno/Clovis, ca
Author's Reply  Oct 12, 2015 - 07:45am PT
The colors were nice this weekend.
NutAgain!

Trad climber
https://nutagain.org
  Oct 12, 2015 - 09:21am PT
I don't remember seeing this before. Very nice! You've got life pretty dialed in.
greyghost

Trad climber
Las Vegas, NV
  Oct 12, 2015 - 11:30am PT
Micronut...Great report.

What kind of surgery do you do? That office pic looked like where a tooth carpenter might hang his hat.

We were just recently at Shuteye and 2013, we spent about 4 weeks climbing at Courtright. Weekly supply trips to Clovis were our rest days.

Got the road out to Dinky Creek pretty dialed. I liked Prather. Clovis was OK too. We got shopping Clovis down. Never felt in danger there like can happen in Compton, Riverside, SBdo or even Vegas (where I live).

The gym in Clovis is nice. Too bad about the fire this year. I wonder if some of the local rock got exfoliated.

Too much dust and pollution for me in Fresno.

I agree with Werner, Fresno has changed a lot over 40 years.
skcreidc

Social climber
SD, CA
  Oct 12, 2015 - 11:33am PT
I love Fresno. When I get there, it means it's all down hill into the mountains. Bump for a good report about Fresno!
micronut

Trad climber
Fresno/Clovis, ca
Author's Reply  Jan 26, 2017 - 11:48am PT
Fresno Bump! The rain has stopped and the local rocks are drying out as we speak!
mouse from merced

Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
  Jan 26, 2017 - 12:52pm PT
http://www.supertopo.com/climbers-forum/2933164/Micronut-Slideshow-Monday-Jan-30th-Metalmark-Gym-Fresno
GLee

Social climber
Montucky
  Jan 26, 2017 - 01:00pm PT
How did I not see this earlier???? A wonderful TR!
dee ee

Mountain climber
Of THIS World (Planet Earth)
  Jun 16, 2017 - 09:23pm PT
Thanks for the re-read!

Best thing I've ever read on the Soup Tope. Better even than my own spray!
Bad Climber

Trad climber
The Lawless Border Regions
  Jun 17, 2017 - 06:23am PT
Fun! I loved this one:

"This route is totally .10d plus man......no way its .11a-"

BAd
survival

Big Wall climber
Terrapin Station
  Jun 17, 2017 - 07:33am PT
No Fresno hate here bro!

The home town of Lolly Vegas. Boom. Love.

https://youtu.be/qkOdlJylBkQ

Matt Sarad

climber
  Jun 17, 2017 - 11:15am PT
Always stop at Ninas for some Armenian pastries and more.
Off White

climber
Tenino, WA
  Jun 17, 2017 - 12:51pm PT
I think I missed the early rounds of this TR. I'd thought from the pictures that was Squarenail, a nice little crag.
donini

Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
  Jun 17, 2017 - 02:18pm PT
Fresno...the undisputed crown jewel of the San Joaquin Valley. Certainly the commercial hub although it lags behind Turlock and Visalia in culture and quality of life.
Summers may be unbearably hot but at least people can look forward to the cooling bliss of the Tule fog that arrives with winter.
Added bonus...you can immerse yourself in a Seqouia Forest by going no further than the lobby of the Fresno Yosemite International Airport.
10b4me

Social climber
Lida Junction
  Jun 17, 2017 - 03:00pm PT
Fresno...the undisputed crown jewel of the San Joaquin Valley. Certainly the commercial hub although it lags behind Turlock and Visalia in culture and quality of life.
Summers may be unbearably hot but at least people can look forward to the cooling bliss of the Tule fog that arrives with winter.

don't forget coming down with Valley fever.

Micronut must have been born, and raised in Fresno. No one voluntarily moves there.
mouse from merced

Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
  Jun 17, 2017 - 04:32pm PT
"My grandmother, who is 93 years old now, bought this property with my grandpa when they were young."

Local enough for ya?

Valley Fever's no joke, can lead to meningitis, death.

http://voiceofoc.org/2017/04/valley-fever-infections-surge-in-californias-central-valley/
dh

Trad climber
  Jun 17, 2017 - 05:30pm PT
What a fantastic post. Thank you for taking the time to write it up.
hobo_dan

Social climber
Minnesota
  Jun 17, 2017 - 06:33pm PT
Well, shti all I can say is have a GREAT fathers day--TFPU
steveA

Trad climber
Wolfeboro, NH
  Jun 18, 2017 - 06:08am PT
Fresno has a nice, simple airport which I appreciate. Great TR, and enjoy your Father's Day!
micronut

Trad climber
Fresno/Clovis, ca
Author's Reply  Jun 18, 2017 - 12:36pm PT
Happy Father's Day from Clovis yall!!! It's a nice, mellow 107 here today. Looks like this week is gonna simmer just a bit. Gotta love me some FRESNO!!!

Sitting outside right now at the US Jounior Olympic qualifiers in water polo right now. Beats the snot out of soccer in these temps.
micronut

Trad climber
Fresno/Clovis, ca
Author's Reply  May 1, 2018 - 01:11pm PT
Bump for a nice Spring day in "The No."
jsb

Trad climber
Portland
  May 1, 2018 - 02:34pm PT
Great writing. I somehow missed this gem the 1st time around. Thanks!

Nanobody

Trad climber
Fresno, CA
  May 1, 2018 - 02:48pm PT
Hahaha! Nice Micronut. I feel like Fresno is a diamond in the rough. I love living here as well
Roadie

Trad climber
moab UT
  May 12, 2018 - 01:10pm PT
Wow! How have I never read this gem? Nice one Scott. Your descriptions and conclusions bare little resemblance to the thirty months I served in Fresno, in all honesty, I have had more fun in jail. That being said, if I ever muster the courage to go back there I am going to look you up so you can show me the other side of the Central Valley.
Thanks, Steve
ps. I read this in the library and got repeatedly shushed by the stern librarian for laughing too loud and often....
donini

Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
  May 12, 2018 - 02:12pm PT
Articulate defense of Fresno. I love cities, they are great people depositories for an overpopulated world. Imagine what California with 39 million people would be like if 87 percent of them didn't live in urban areas.

I am also grateful that you, and so many others, can abide living in cities. I’ll happily live in my mountain retreats where non human residents of this planet are in the majority.

skywalker1

Trad climber
co
  May 12, 2018 - 02:44pm PT
Wow thanks for the bump. That was funny!!

I share with her the magic of a faraway land called Supertopo, where everybody is always right and nobody listens to eachother when they argue and complete strangers trust each other with beta on routes that could kill them and they share their adventures, both real and make believe in total harmony.

^^^Word!!!

Cheers!

S...
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