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Park Rat
Social climber
CA, UT,CT,FL
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Topic Author's Original Post - Jun 18, 2012 - 08:17am PT
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Warren Harding was born in Dennison, Iowa on 6/18/1924.
This would have been his 88th birthday, he died 10 years ago February 27, 2002.
I discovered and interesting parallel in that Warren shares a birthday with the great George Mallory of Everest fame.
George Mallory was born June 18, 1886, he died on the eighth or ninth of June 1924, in other words 9 or 10 days before Warren Harding was born.
An interesting coincidence of cosmic timing to say the least.
Harding's often quoted Mallory when asked about why men climb mountains, "Because they are there".
Harding would also say "You know all of us climbers are crazy". Warren did not ever take himself too seriously. As the years went by he often distanced himself from his climb up El Cap. Saying things like "I may have climbed it-I'm not sure"! Harding managed to be both proud and humble at the same time.
I believe that Warren Harding remains popular as a climber because he was truly independent in his thinking. Harding was a natural leader, his enthusiasm and desire caused him to climb as much as possible early on in his career. When other climbers were asking should we tackle this climb? Harding was saying" let's go getter done boys". This positive attitude plus his unflagging energy led him to many of his early first ascents.
I wonder what Harding would say to Hans and Alex of their speed climbing efforts?
He would no doubt admire their courage and conditioning.
I think he would also congratulate them much as he did Jim Bridwell , John Long and Billy Westbay, for their nose in a day climb, June 21, 1975. Warren was always happy to give others credit for a job well done.
I think this would be just as true if Warren was with us today.
Harding would've of course used this climbing achievement as a reason to have a great party.
Simper Farcissimus,
Susie
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Norton
Social climber
the Wastelands
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Jun 18, 2012 - 09:18am PT
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Nice post, Suzie
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the Fet
climber
Tu-Tok-A-Nu-La
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Jun 19, 2012 - 01:55am PT
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Another interesting parallel is that Hans Florine's birthday is 6/18 too!
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the goat
climber
north central WA
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Jun 19, 2012 - 02:03am PT
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Harding was the man! A true blue collar climber.............
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Tony Bird
climber
Northridge, CA
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Jun 19, 2012 - 11:55am PT
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bump for even greater degrees of farcissimus.
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Darwin
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Jun 19, 2012 - 12:02pm PT
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One of the best posts on Supertopo ever: topical, informative, succinct and interesting. well chose photos.
Thanks Susie
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Norton
Social climber
the Wastelands
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Jun 19, 2012 - 12:32pm PT
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Thanks for posting that, Walleye
I had read it with fascination a couple years ago and lost the source.
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Sierra Ledge Rat
Social climber
Retired in Appalachia
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Jun 19, 2012 - 12:42pm PT
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I got drunk with Warren Harding on the night of his 69th birthday, out at a camp in the eastern Sierra foothills
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neversummer
Trad climber
30 mins. from suicide USA
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Jun 19, 2012 - 01:01pm PT
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Bump...and thanks for the R&I letter, pretty much sums it up.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Jun 19, 2012 - 01:30pm PT
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Shine on, you crazy diamond...
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Norwegian
Trad climber
Placerville, California
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Jun 19, 2012 - 01:46pm PT
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how about that harding museum?
down 395.
you gotta drink a cheap gallon of vine
before you get it.
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TrundleBum
Trad climber
Las Vegas
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Jun 19, 2012 - 02:49pm PT
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Small in stature...
With a giant's impact !
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Sierra Ledge Rat
Social climber
Retired in Appalachia
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Jun 19, 2012 - 03:20pm PT
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L.S.E.D.F.S.
Low Sierra Eating and Drinking and Farcing Sosciety
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Park Rat
Social climber
CA, UT,CT,FL
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 19, 2012 - 05:27pm PT
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I did not realize that Hans Florine was also born on 6/18 how odd is that?
I get associate Alex and Warren sharing West Sacramento as their home town.
Walleye, that was a great post, I also saw it somewhere you years ago, but lost track of it, thanks for the posting.
Tami of course you love my name. I bet you have a cartoon of a girl rat with long legs and knobby knees to go with it, chuckle.
It was that or the BBB which translates to the big, blonde, broad which was what my husband to be used to call me.
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Anastasia
climber
InLOVEwithAris.
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Jun 19, 2012 - 05:29pm PT
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Ten years older than my Dad. :)
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Norton
Social climber
the Wastelands
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Jun 19, 2012 - 05:39pm PT
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Hey Suzie,
A while you were talking about possibly writing a book on Warren.
What are your current thoughts on such a project?
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The Call Of K2 Lou
climber
Squamish
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Jun 19, 2012 - 05:57pm PT
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While we're on the subject of presidents, George HW Bush celebrated his 88th birthday on the 12th.
Wait, what?
I'm starting a short trip this Thursday. Think I'll slip a couple bottles of wine into my pack and enjoy a toast or six to Batso.
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Park Rat
Social climber
CA, UT,CT,FL
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 19, 2012 - 06:10pm PT
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Norton I am still plugging along on Warren Harding's story. I've actually gotten a break in that a distant relative has offered some insight to his family life that none of us would've known anything about.
If you look at the thread about copyrights, you can see I have some thinking to do in this subject. So many of the things I've read about Warren come from articles that I have found on the Internet. I have been trying to figure out how to get the proper permission to use said articles. In some cases it's easy in others it's not so easy to figure out who the original authors were and if they are still around.
The good news is Glen Denny, Wayne Merry and Royal Robbins and a few others have been good enough to give me firsthand material and in Glen Denny's case permission to reprint pictures of Warren.
The last thing I want is to have someone suing me for something I am including in Warrens biography.
When all is said and done, I expected it to be an e-book at best. Maybe put on super topo in installments.
I frankly do not expect a profit with this venture, it is a work of love more than anything else. I feel I am doing exactly what Harding would have wanted me to do, tell his story fairly, with a friendly if not sympathetic voice.
That's my mission and I am sticking to it, with a little help from my friends.
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nick farley
climber
bishop
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Jun 19, 2012 - 06:13pm PT
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Thank you for this informative topic.
George Mallory, Warren Harding, Hans Florine, and myself all share the same birthday.
Pretty interesting , if only to me ;)
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Norton
Social climber
the Wastelands
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Jun 19, 2012 - 06:16pm PT
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Good on you, Suzie!
I remember you telling about the different Warren that you knew in Yosemite, so different from the hard drinking, tough guy, and "nasty" person he is often portrayed as.
I once asked you if you had an opportunity to speak with Beryl at any length as she likely knew him better than anyone?
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