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Dick Erb
climber
June Lake, CA
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Topic Author's Original Post - Dec 7, 2009 - 10:19pm PT
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In the late 1950's I learned to climb with the Sierra Club Rock Climbing Section in southern California. I was only fourteen and eager to hear stories about the best climbers. The most awesome stories were about Royal Robbins. He had climbed the sheer and unrepeated face of Half Dome. When he started climbing his ability and audacity so exceeded that of his elders that predictions of his life expectancy ranged from two weeks to two years. I heard these and many more stories from elders I looked up to. At the time I was hearing this Royal was in the Army and was never around. He truly seemed to be a mythical figure.
One weekend day my friend Jim Crary and I hiked up the trail to Lunch Rock, a meeting place at the base of Tahquitz. There was Royal Robbins. It must have been like a teeny bopper meeting a rock star. He actually seemed quite friendly, and I mentioned hearing about a route he had done on the downhill face of Lunch Rock. Somehow I offered to belay him if he wanted to do it again. He was game and headed down to the bottom of the rock, while I grabbed a rope and went over to a ledge near the top. The edge of the ledge was rather exposed so I sat down about five away, back to the wall, and threw the end of the rope down. I had been through belay practice and had even held some practice falls, so I felt OK sitting there with no anchor. Royal started moving up, and I carefully took in the rope keeping my breaking hand on at all times as I had been taught, when all of a sudden I hear "Falling". There is a big jerk on the rope and I am sliding on my butt across the ledge. I dig in my heels and aim them at two knobs right on the lip. It worked. Everything stopped momentarily, and Royal calls up, "Climbing again". Now I'm sitting right at the edge taking up the rope but not so confidently. At last he pulls over the top and asks if I would like to try it. I declined.
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matty
Trad climber
los arbor
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Fun read. Thanks for sharing. Wonder if RR would remember this?
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TomKimbrough
Social climber
Salt Lake City
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Erb - Great story.... and one I had not heard.
Thanks,
Kimbrough
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Fritz
Trad climber
Hagerman, ID
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Dick: Thanks. I love stories like this.
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rotten johnny
Social climber
mammoth lakes, ca
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dick..you should have yelled off belay and got the hell out of there.....
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Peter Haan
Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
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Great micro-tale, Dick, and thanks. RR was not a god but he was certainly his own person and climbed really well, and at times brilliantly. If nothing else, he was not as consistent as he would have liked but no one ever is. How about more of your interaction, you two? Can you fill us in or make mention? You went on to know him much more fully and even worked for him, Dick.
ph.
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Jingy
Social climber
Flatland, Ca
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Dude..
that's just friggin insane..
Giving a body belay at the edge of the precipice...
The abyss very near...
Way good that you and Robbins did not fall!!!
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Fletcher
Trad climber
Pasadena, CA
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Nice short and sweet tale for an after dinner desert... thanks!
Eric
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Dick- Another great story! Did you ever have the nerve to tell the tale to Royal?
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survival
Big Wall climber
A Token of My Extreme
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What a great tale Dick!
Almost as good as the one about the second ascent of S. face Mt. Watkins!!
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Karl Baba
Trad climber
Yosemite, Ca
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Too Funny
Makes me think of "Advanced Rockcraft" where Royal disses the use of belay devices as extraneous gear! If only he knew?
Peace
Karl
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Ray Olson
Trad climber
Imperial Beach, California
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charming story Dick,
thanks for posting.
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Dick Erb
climber
June Lake, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 7, 2009 - 11:20pm PT
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No, I never did tell that one to Royal. In fact I didn't tell it to many people at all. I mean you gotta be able to find climbing partners.
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SteveW
Trad climber
The state of confusion
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Great, Dick!
Thanks for sharing!!!!
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mucci
Trad climber
The pitch of Bagalaar above you
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Where is this "Lunch Rock" Located?
Great story! Not many people can say they "Belayed" Robbins let alone Dropped him! HA!
Thank god for those knobs!
Mucci
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couchmaster
climber
pdx
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These kinds of things are why I love this site. Thanks Dick!
I never did tell that one to Royal. In fact I didn't tell it to many people at all. I mean you gotta be able to find climbing partners.
LOL!
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Wack
climber
Dazevue
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Props dude, you didn't let go. Team work.
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ron gomez
Trad climber
fallbrook,ca
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Mucci I would venture to guess, this is Lunch Rock at Tahquitz, but I will hope this will be confirmed by the author of this thread. It's a great story!
Peace
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MisterE
Social climber
Across Town From Easy Street
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Nice tell, Dick. I can tell that one really stayed with you through the years, it was told like it was just now.
Erik
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MH2
climber
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I wonder what estimates people may have made of your own life expectancy, Mr. Erb.
Great story.
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