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Peter Haan
Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
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Topic Author's Original Post - Aug 25, 2009 - 05:33pm PT
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Studly
Trad climber
WA
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Aug 25, 2009 - 05:35pm PT
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Looks like Haight Ashbury BITD or someplace in Snowdonia or Patagonia.
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Aug 25, 2009 - 06:16pm PT
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He was already fat.
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Ottawa Doug
Social climber
Ottawa, Canada
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Aug 25, 2009 - 06:47pm PT
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The Gangotri perhaps
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rick d
climber
tucson, az
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Aug 25, 2009 - 06:50pm PT
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donini-
I triple dog dare you to say it to his face!
(if he were still here)
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Aug 25, 2009 - 06:58pm PT
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Actually Whillans and I had a good relationship, he even bought me a beer in public once, which was unheard of. I spent a couple of days in Wales with Don and Audrey. She was quite the counterpoint to Don, sweet and gentle, qualities he did not possess in abundance. He was certainly an intimidating figure and his wit could cut like a knife.
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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
sorry, just posting out loud.
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Aug 25, 2009 - 07:05pm PT
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2nd what Tami said above based on the groovy cool wavey picture man.
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Mighty Hiker
Social climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Aug 25, 2009 - 07:11pm PT
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I had a beer with Whillans once, in the Padarn Lake Hotel in Llanberis. As an impressionable 19 year old. Guess who paid?
He seems to have become a sad and somewhat bitter character in later life, almost self-destructive. Jim Perrin's biography of Whillans is very good, but there doesn't seem to be any reason for why he behaved in that way.
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Studly
Trad climber
WA
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Aug 25, 2009 - 07:25pm PT
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A life of cigs and alcohol will do that to ya, regardless of whether you climb or not. Plus the Brit lifestyle is not exactly health oriented, unhealthy food, lack of exercise, bad water, pollution in abundance. No offense to the Brits, I love em and with total respect to Mr Whillans, he was the man!
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rick d
climber
tucson, az
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Aug 25, 2009 - 07:55pm PT
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...but jim, did you call him "fat".
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Aug 25, 2009 - 07:56pm PT
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Well...............ah...........no.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Aug 25, 2009 - 08:58pm PT
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The Tweezakoram in Funhawsastan, of course! Due to severe forelengthening the climbs seldom really end, the options just narrow a bit.
AND the Beerflowers grow everywhere, so Don is never thirsty while trapsing about!
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Aug 25, 2009 - 09:07pm PT
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SMASHING!!!
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jstan
climber
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Aug 25, 2009 - 09:21pm PT
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We are never really able to distinguish reality from our perceptions of reality.
Peter, what you are doing there has to be a full on art form.
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Ray-J
Social climber
east L.A. vato...
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Aug 25, 2009 - 09:30pm PT
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Will somebody please get Eric Beck to tell the story of Whillans at Woodson.
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Mimi
climber
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Aug 25, 2009 - 09:33pm PT
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That photo makes me queasy, Peter. heh-heh
donini, that's not fat, that's mantle insurance!
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guido
Trad climber
Santa Cruz/New Zealand/South Pacific
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Aug 25, 2009 - 09:53pm PT
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I remember the slide show Frost put together after the Annapurna South face expedition.
First slide, Beatle music in the background, and a photo of a pass with prayers wheels and flags. On one side, Willians approaching with umbrella and beer gut intact and on the other side ,out of sight, a Sadhu approaching.
"East meets West" Tom says.
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Mimi
climber
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Aug 25, 2009 - 09:57pm PT
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Classic, Guido!
Imagine a bear with minimal fur; Don Whillans.
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Peter Haan
Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 25, 2009 - 10:45pm PT
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A great book on Whillans is Jim Perrin: "The Villain: A Portrait of Don Whillans" 2005 The Mountaineers Press.
Ricky Accomazzo recommended it to me and I have to say thanks tons, as it is an awesome book by a very astute author.
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Curt
Boulder climber
Gilbert, AZ
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Aug 25, 2009 - 10:50pm PT
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Well, his harnesses certainly influenced some Bassos to become Tenors--and Tenors to become Altos, etc.
Curt
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