Visions of the Valley. feeding Nostalgia

Discussion Topic

Return to Forum List

This thread has been locked

Messages 1 - 20 of total 58 in this topic

<< First | < Previous | Show All | Next > | Last >>

Ouch!

climber

Topic Author's Original Post - Jul 26, 2005 - 09:30pm PT

While I was climbing, my old widow woman went to the store. Brought me a jar of pickled pig's feet. First time we went to Yosemite together, I recall watching some Hell's Angels across the road. One of them was gnawing gristle from a jar of pig's feet while a girl with purple hair groomed his mane. There was lots of parking.

Ed Hartouni

Trad climber

Livermore, CA

Jul 27, 2005 - 12:25am PT

I worked at Alpenlite in 1969, 1970, 1971?? something like that... in Claremont with Donny Chambers, Wilber Greg and my boss Jerry Lawrence (?)... those were the days. I remember working late one night with KPPC on the radio, late night FM radio, and Frank Zappa's "Mud Shark" album being played... Jerry comes over at some point and asks "can they play that on the radio?". Times have changed.

Watusi

Social climber

Joshua Tree, CA

Jul 28, 2005 - 12:33am PT

My most memorable times in the valley were when I was a youth in my teens (maybe '75)...I was fifteen, just gearing up for my first Captain attempt and I was in C4 and happened upon a group having (what appeared to be) a happy time at camp. After weaseling my way closer I spied some of my ultimate heroes...Jim Bridwell, John Long, Werner Braun, John Bachar, Ron Kauk, Dale Bard and a host of others, of which my memory fails me at this time. I was so nervous that I couldn't approach...I'll always remember those times in the valley, where your idols were always close at hand!

rockermike

Mountain climber

Berkeley

Jul 28, 2005 - 11:08am PT

1977, Spring break from university, group of 14 students came down from Portland for two weeks of climbing. Arrived late in night and next morning my regular partner and myself casually head up Royal Arches to warm up. Of couse the longest climb we had ever done in Oregon was maybe 3 pitches so we didn't really have a concept of 19 pitches. Anyway, long lunch break, my buddy had to stop to smoke something every few pitches. Slow party in front of us (yes, line even back then) and next thing we knew the sun was setting. Did the rotten log at dusk and the final traversing pitch in the pitch black (5.4 my ass we said, of course we were probably off route?) made it up to clump of boulders and trees near Washington column before single flashlight went out. Built big fire in cave and shivered all night as temps fell to freezing. I think I had flannel shirt and jeans. What a great way to wake up to yosemite. Gave up on my old stiff blue RRs and bought my first EBs. When the crowd went back to Portland I decided to stay in valley. They all pitched in to my climbing fund in the form of $15 worth of empty beer cans. That kept me there about a month. Didn't get back to school to finish my degree for 10 years. great memories.

arete

Trad climber

Estes Park, Colorado

Jul 28, 2005 - 02:28pm PT

I was visiting by buddies Blitzo and Charlene in one of the Pines campgrounds once. On one side they were flanked by some old moms and pops in huge RV's and on the other side was Robbie Lescher and another friend of Berzerko Bob Williams. There we were just quietly partying and we hear this loud raunchy singing in the distance, we look and lo, here comes Bezerko Bob. As soon as he notices that he has our attention, he whips around, pulls his pants down and gives us the full spread cheek moon. Several jaws dropped in the momNpop campsite and after choking for a few minutes, we went on quietly partying.

Another Bob story: I was in the old Awahnee Sweet Shop once with some friends. Bezerko comes in and sits down at the table next to us. The Jerk comes over and Bob orders 2 banana splits, asking the Jerk to stagger their delivery so he can scarf one before the next one arrives. The Jerk delivers split one and Bob devours it in about 2 minutes flat. When the second one arrives, he turns it upside down and puts it on top of his head. There he sits for about 10 minutes with a silly grin while melted ice cream, chocolate syrup and sprinkles run down his face into his shirt. Finally the Jerk goes and gets the manager who walks over and asks Bob to leave.

True stories -- I swear on a stack of Darwin's "Origin of Species"

And if you think that's crazy -- I did the big stone with Bezerko Bob -- TWICE!

Wrathchild

climber

right behind you

Jul 28, 2005 - 02:34pm PT

I remember going to the valley and finding a parking space...

arete

Trad climber

Estes Park, Colorado

Jul 28, 2005 - 02:37pm PT

Wrathchild

WOW, did you bump into Chief Tenaya when you were there?

Wrathchild

climber

right behind you

Jul 28, 2005 - 02:52pm PT

Ah, the Chief, I knew him well.
We complained when the OE went up to $0.06 a can. Then that kid Muir started hanging around. Yup, good times.
Then some chump started drilling up Half Dome and we all complained about a loss of ethics...

Ouch!

climber

Topic Author's Reply - Jul 28, 2005 - 03:17pm PT

If My honeycombed memory serves me correct, this picture was made in Yosemite in 1955. Legend has it the friendly guy in the background was raised in a cave by bears. With a shave and haircut he cleaned up pretty nicely. I understand he is still a well respected denizen of the valley and posts on this forum when the urge strikes him.

Mungeclimber

Trad climber

one pass away from the big ditch

Jul 29, 2005 - 01:59am PT

I think my first Valley climb may have been Pine Line, if it wasn't it doesn't matter. The main thing was the immensity of the rock as it towered over my puny little attempt to move up 50' feet of it's surface. I was humbled and graced.

Gunkie

climber

Jul 29, 2005 - 10:06am PT

First time to the valley: September 1989, tagged onto a business trip.

First climb: Right side of the Cookie. I laybacked that killer hand crack because I had no idea what a hand jam was. I learned that a 5.7 chimney is more diffucult than a 5.10 roof in the Gunks.

Second climb: Beverly's Tower. I learned what a hand jam was.

Got campsites in Upper Pines during a perfect September weekend without reservations. I think I paid $6/night[?] and slept in my rental car.

arete

Trad climber

Estes Park, Colorado

Jul 29, 2005 - 11:03am PT

How I met The Bird........

I was hanging out in the old Mountain Room Bar one night when I see Yabo poke his head in the door. He sees me and comes running over...

"Hey man, he he he, wanna go burn one, he he he..."
"Gee Yabo YOU have one to burn? Sure lets go. And by the way, where's that rack of hexes I loaned you six weeks ago??"

We go outside and walk over to two extremely unsavory looking characters. Yabo introduces me to The Bird and Kim Schmitz, and I assume a suitably awestruck pose. It turned out Yabo didn't have one to burn (naturally), but The Bird did. We proceeded out to the the legendary "heated steps", broke the law and then reclaimed our rightful God-Given stools in the Mountain Room.

Blinny.... "milk" -- Hoppy's Favorite of course.

Soaking wet moonbows on a May evening.
Quiet uncrowded winter afternoons on the sunny side crags.
Jumping in the river in lieu of a shower on a hot summer day.
The Curry Cave.
The old Mountain Shop fire sale.
The Airplane ride.
The green guidebook.
Being so sore I could hardly walk, but feeling damn good anyway.
Chasing bears out of our camp.
Chasing racoons out of our camp.
Chasing squirrels out of our camp.
Chasing stellar jays out of our camp.
Chasing dirtbag climbers out of our camp.
Chasing girls fleeing our camp.
Chasing a dream.

Ouch!

climber

Topic Author's Reply - Jul 29, 2005 - 04:01pm PT

Kraft used to make that great Coon cheese in the little 1/4 lb. blocks. Was great to stick a chunk in your jaw and let it melt away. Nearest thing I've found is Tillamook extra sharp in 2 lb. blocks in black wrapper at Costco.

The best was the great big wheels of large curd Longhorn that sat out on a big wooden lock in the old stores. They would cut you off a big wedge with a butcher knife. Left a good feeling in your mouth. Some things should never have changed.

WBraun

climber

Jul 29, 2005 - 04:11pm PT

Kathy said:"My days, in THAT dirt, are gone!"

Light weight! Nostalgia! well then you need to roll in it again to feel the truth.

Just kidding, Kathy, but then again ...... maybe not!

Wrathchild

climber

right behind you

Jul 29, 2005 - 04:32pm PT

Don't you notice that some folks might find that brand name offensive?
I remember Sambo's restaurants too.
Have you seen the reworking of Aunt Jemima?

Ouch!

climber

Topic Author's Reply - Jul 29, 2005 - 04:57pm PT

Coon cheese was made in Australia, starting in the 30s. The only references I can find are for Coon Light and Coon Light slices and they are in Australia. Looks like Kraft was originally an Aussie company.

Maybe they just dropped their Cracker Barrel line of products.

If they did, that's mean.

Wrathchild

climber

right behind you

Jul 29, 2005 - 05:02pm PT

A cheese race war? Is Cracker barrel superior to Coon brand? HA HA Ha...

Ouch!

climber

Topic Author's Reply - Jul 29, 2005 - 05:13pm PT

Nope. Coon was one of the Cracker Barrel series of cheeses.

One of the cruelest race crimes I ever heard of produced one of the most astonishing statements by a sheriff.

Down in Alabama, a black man was lynched, shot, burned, and then wrapped in heavy chains and thrown into the river. When they were pulling him from the water, the sheriff remarked, "Ain't that just like a N----, Steal more than he can swim with".

True story. Published in newspapers years back.