Discussion Topic |
|
This thread has been locked |
WBraun
climber
|
|
|
Feb 15, 2006 - 12:03pm PT
|
Bachar playing the saxophone while coasting down Tioga Pass to LeVining, no hands on the steering wheel, engine off.
I was watching the speedometer steadily creeping upward into the red zone. I thought we were going to die. Externally I faked calm and poise, internally the terror was manefest.
Always free soloing some sick idea, was Johns motto.
We made that last big turn at the bottom in that red VW bus of his without pitching off into the void all while John kept nonchalantly playing some riff.
|
|
10b4me
Ice climber
The Happies
|
|
|
Feb 15, 2006 - 02:49pm PT
|
Bachar playing the saxophone while coasting down Tioga Pass to LeVining, no hands on the steering wheel, engine off.
I was watching the speedometer steadily creeping upward into the red zone. I thought we were going to die. Externally I faked calm and poise, internally the terror was manefest.
Always free soloing some sick idea, was Johns motto.
We made that last big turn at the bottom in that red VW bus of his without pitching off into the void all while John kept nonchalantly playing some riff.
classic
|
|
henny
Social climber
The Past
|
|
|
Feb 15, 2006 - 02:59pm PT
|
Ah yes, the original Stonemasters... To quote loosely from Quadrophenia:
I see a face coming through the haze
I remember him from those crazy days
Ain't you the guy who used to set the paces
Riding up in front of a hundred faces
I don't suppose you would remember me
But I used to follow you back in '73
It's great to see that there are so many of you old dads still around and kicking/ticking. Even if you guys did pick all the plums... Yeap, those certainly were the days. But I can't help but think that the Stonemasters (the core "Upland" group in particular) served a purpose far greater than just giving us memories. They also helped give us the present. Seeing what they had just done (almost weekly) served as a great motivation for many of us. I mean, who didn't want to do the latest route that they had just done? And, as Gramicci said, even if you weren't part of the core group they would take you in if you had the motivation and shared the common goals. A very open and supportive group. The Stonemaster legacy lives on and will continue to live on through the climbing of all the people they influenced.
Anyway, enough mushy bs.
Rockamazzo: The blue Pinto. Wow. I forgot about that car. I used to get uncomfortable whenever I saw it in the parking lot at the "wild". Figured it meant you were busy "running out" some new horror show. And I was usually right... Always the calm one, even when you were way out there.
J. Elvis: From the problem list for the first Rubidoux bouldering contest: "Long's Boulder", "Mamma's In the York", "The Little Runaway", "J Elvis". Your comment was "Ho Man!, Who named these problems anyway?" Honest John, you need to talk to Powell about it. -- Last time I saw Rick Piggot he was still in the Reno area, but I don't know how to get ahold of him
Muir: What was it with that horrible candlestick problem that you always wanted to do at Rubidoux? Out of curiosity, what year did you guys start bouldering there?
Bachar: Powell, to this day, still claims that if he got in the ring with you he'd drop you cold in three blows or less. Says you never could box.
Bart: I imagine we're supposed to send the money to you? I'll have to pass cause I'm to young.
Powell: Hey, you still have any of those 25 pairs of original EBs that you hoarded? Maybe I'll take a pair if you pay me. Are you still "stronger than the rock"?
BTW: Does anybody know what ever happened to Bill Antell? I remember that there were a few sightings after the Rixon's accident but then nothing. What I remember most about him was that he had a knack for falling from the one place on any route that you absolutely didn't want to fall from. I think he did "Hot Lips" or something like that when he fell off "Hair Lip" and had to mantle out of "Hot Buttered Rump" to get back on route. Anybody remember the exact story with that?
There really should be a Stonemasters climbing reunion. What a scream that would be!
|
|
Bart Fay
Social climber
Redlands, CA
|
|
|
Feb 15, 2006 - 03:37pm PT
|
Mr. Chicken ! How excellent to hear your cluck again.
Hope life is good out in the far reaches of the owens valley.
You still owe me a trip up The Edge, you know.
Wonder if I could even follow that now-a-days.
|
|
Gramicci
Social climber
Ventura
|
|
|
Feb 15, 2006 - 05:59pm PT
|
Hensel,
Its almost complete with you and Kevin here. I laughed the other day out climbing with my youngest son. A little local face route and I was complaining I didn’t have my glasses so I could see these “Dimes” (how that was Kevin’s moniker) I had to stand on. Fortunately the boots I had would stick just about anywhere I would put them (Acopa Aztecs to give them a plug for John).
Bill Antel, That was quite a crash back then. I remember some of us were in Estes park when that happened. Then visiting him in the hospital when we got back, he was in bad shape. The next time I saw him was the early –mid nineties at the OR show he had started a cam business not sure where it went.
This shot of Bill is when we did royal arches 72-73 always thought it was pretty classic.
|
|
healyje
Trad climber
Portland, Oregon
|
|
|
Feb 15, 2006 - 06:22pm PT
|
Along with Dean Caldwell, Bill Antell is up here in PDX. I don't know him outside of exchanging a couple of emails with him on behalf of Stephane Pennequin and his Nut Museum who was trying to track him down about some piece of history or another on the gear they used to make.
|
|
rmuir
Social climber
Claremont, CA
|
|
|
Feb 15, 2006 - 08:10pm PT
|
Henny! (Don't think I'll ever get in the habit of calling you The Chicken.) Great to have you join in!
Mount Rubidoux still has some of the best and hardest thin face climbing, 'though I never get out there enough anymore. Damn. That place used to get worked three-, maybe four times a week, back when I was living in Riverside. ...came down as a freshman to UCR (without a car) and within a day, I had ridden the Cinelli up to the top and was bouldering there. That would have been the Fall of 1970.
Back then, the regulars included Jim Hoagland, Dennis Bird, Steve Toy, Phil and (especially) Paul Gleason, and the next Spring came Ben Borsen (who I knew very well from Indian Rock in Berkeley). Ben and I lived in the same apartment building for some time, so we did LOTS together; and I was pleased to have someone else to share the bouldering ethic of Indian Rock. There wasn't much else like that in SoCal, with the exception perhaps of Stoney.
And, when the Uplandish finally got learner's permits... ;-p Well. Rubidoux was only 30 minutes away. So, Ricky, when did you start driving the Death Mobile?
Paul was working at Highland Outfitters, and he was the reason that the Smooth Soled Wall got named. After we did several lines on that wall below the Cross in the chaussure du jour, the PAs--red and black--Paul worked and worked on the center route in his RRs and other lugged shoes, and could not touch it. Of course, the very DAY he got a pair of PAs he floated the thing!
We used to have a regular Tues. and Thurs. afternoon sessions there for maybe a year or so. Six or eight faithful regulars, and we'd climb until it was too dark to see. That's when the Wall of Glass got developed, including the Circle Crack. (Who did the first on that?) Yabo and I, having never done the Circle (with or without a top-rope), worked it out one afternoon. Neither of us was never so gripped, as we each topped-out without any cord. There was an old mattress, but that was worthless. Gripped outa our minds, we were!
Now, Henny, don't be giving me no sh#t about The Candlesticks... That was a favorite of both Borsen's and mine. Overhanging, positive holds. Reminiscent of Indian Rock. Candlestickless was even better. I think Gleason worked that out first. No, Henny, we won't mention "Middle of the Road Madness" or "The Octopus". Nope. Won't mention The Ex. Powell and I won't mention anything in the Wild West Area either...
And, Largo, what was the name of that guy who predated all of us there that did things like the three-hole problem around the corner of Candlesticks? Fabled. (And, no, it wasn't O.Moon.) Phil Haney, maybe?
|
|
rmuir
Social climber
Claremont, CA
|
|
|
Feb 15, 2006 - 10:16pm PT
|
"Yer lite, Kevin!" Forget all those eeebs... What about those dozens of Gallenkamp "Scats". Five bucks a pair. We all bought those stiff, useless tennies as the next great bouldering shoe. ...remember Harrison doing Sole On Ice, up at Baldy, in those. ...amazed we could do much of anything in those brown piles!
|
|
henny
Social climber
The Past
|
|
|
Feb 17, 2006 - 02:50pm PT
|
Robs, great names associated with the history of Mt. Rubidoux. It's way cool to have my memory refreshed on the subject. I do have another Rubidoux question: can anyone associate a name with the guy that used to drive the green SAAB? Used to see him (and that car) at Rubidoux quite a bit when I first started bouldering there, circa 72. I believe that he also "contributed" the required hardware for 10 Karat by being in Idyllwild on the right (or wrong for him) day and happening to have bolting gear with him. Or so the story went, as I remember. Largo, could such a thing possibly have been true?
Now Robs, I'm not not trying to give you sh#t about the candlestick(less) problems. Its just that those problems and I never have seemed to get along with each other. Don't know what it was/is about them. And of course you always wanted to go over there. Man, I hated that.
One of my first memories of Rubidoux and the Stonemasters: Bobby K. (hey Largo, remember Bobby?) and myself were toproping Trapeze. Along come John and Richard. They stop, and in disbelief, ask us what we think we're doing using a rope in a bouldering area. They then proceed to inform us in no uncertain terms that using a rope while bouldering is considered quite bad form, and that we are to henceforth "lose" the rope when we go bouldering. Sufficiently intimidated, we immediately take the rope down and start trying the problem without. Talk about peer pressure! Hey, when the Big Man spoke you didn't ask why, you just did it.
Anybody else read the text next to the pic of Tobin doing Insomnia? What a blast from the past. The area boasted a whopping nine 5.11s. Man, what a golden age that was with all the new routes just sitting there waiting to be picked. And it seemed the standards were advancing daily.
A great Largo-ism: To some poor boat anchor of a client that was being literally drug up a route about 10 grades over his head. "Hooooly Mackeral! Stop shaking! Nobody's holding a machine gun to your head!" Oh, yeah...
Yes Bart, I do remember my debt. Stupid piece of paper. You better still have it. The question is not if you can follow the Edge, but if I can still lead it. You see, there's one small problem. It seems that Tobin forgot to drill bolts on it.
And of course, John didn't help things when he propagated the same problem on the direct. Thank God Ricky and I drilled the first bolt on it a few years before John's ascent. Otherwise John might have done something really rash with the direct. But then, I guess what else could he do? To alter the nature of the Edge in any way would be akin to spitting on Tobin's grave. Can't have or allow that kind of thing. Ever.
I know the feeling Gramicci, its getting to the point where I need glasses myself to see the holds. Kinda sad, huh? Maybe Powell will shed a tear for us...
|
|
rmuir
Social climber
Claremont, CA
|
|
|
Feb 17, 2006 - 03:46pm PT
|
Ob. "holding a machine gun to your head!"...
A few years ago, Peter Haan, sent me a quote, apropos to this Largo line which I sometimes like to use as a .sig.:
"There was always a point on the route when we would know we had conquered
the aura--that it was a 'go' so to speak--and the whole psychic picture would
change from 'watchmaking at the point of a gun to spontaneous
boogaloo.' Our climbing levels would actually increase."--Peter Haan
(Can anyone confirm that this turn of phrase is original to Peter?)
...always seemed the most perfect description of the mental barrier that we always confronted in doing a new route. It's a particularly appropriate simile for the aura that the routes of The Early Dads (tm) had for us. Here, I'm thinking of Valhalla, The Vampire, stuff like Chingadera, and even, English Hanging Gardens at Big Rock. After one overcame the awesome aura, and actually tackled the gizmo, one realized that they were "just guys, you know."
Candlesticks... I have similar feelings for Keeevin's fixation with The Hardy Boy's Crack. Damn, he used to drag us over there ALL the time! An absolutely hateful waste of knuckle skin. How 'bout "The Finger Crack" done as a "one hand, right-hand only" problem? That was an early abomination of Gramicci's, wasn't it? ...became a regular part of the Circuit, for a while there.
As I recall, that anti-toprope force "was very strong, in that one." (That was a bit of the Indian Rock ethic I referred to, somewhere up-thread...)
There were several problems at Rubidoux that I remember us working on very hard. One, vividly, was a problem at the Lower Lot--which in Fry's guide, is probably between "Matt" and "Dutzi". (Now, there's a name from the past! Jim Dutzi!) Now, this problem is MUCH harder that Matt (B1), and much harder because it is MUCH higher when you don't resort to a toprope! We all made a solemn pact on that problem to NEVER use a toprope. ...made that one so much more satisfying, when it fell.
Another similar problem is between "Pilot to Bombardier" and "Autopilot". Way high, this problem was called "Flight Attendant" and it was being worked on ALWAYS without a cord. That is, until some knucklehead ripped off the crucial hold...
|
|
Dimes
Social climber
Joshua Tree
|
|
|
Feb 17, 2006 - 04:47pm PT
|
Well, I still got all those old style EB's! Still in the original bags with the original chalk numbers on the bottom. Got the very first original pair of "Aspen" tennis shoes too. They were 5-6 bucks a pair at Gallenkamps shoe store. Remember leading the first pitch of Valhalla in them while a guy was getting ready to lead the second pitch in EB's. I get to the belay ledge and the guy ask "did you just climb that in those tennis shoes" I comment ya and then he asks "are you planning on doing the second pitch in them also"? And I comment "as soon as your done with it". That was in 1976 I if I recall. Got some of the original Graham Cams also. Any one remember those? Damn, that was all 30 years ago. We all need to meet up there and see if we can still climb that stuff!! Hensel, you lead and set up top ropes with static lines so the rest of us can try and drag ourselves up even one of those desperates!
|
|
healyje
Trad climber
Portland, Oregon
|
|
|
Feb 17, 2006 - 04:51pm PT
|
"Graham Cams also. Any one remember those?"
How about some photos of those...?
|
|
Dimes
Social climber
Joshua Tree
|
|
|
Feb 17, 2006 - 05:50pm PT
|
Bolton, if you are out there tell us the story about "Roll Up The Window" down on the Wall of Glass at Rubidoux and Hensel let's hear about "A Perfect Stranger"
|
|
Ed Bannister
Mountain climber
Victorville, CA
|
|
|
Feb 17, 2006 - 06:21pm PT
|
Clark Jacobs memories:
1972- nicest guy in Geometry.
1974- cranking one arms off in the "backpacker" store on Walnut in Pasadena...
1985 teaching some guy at suicide, Clark walks by with Mari and a couple others who simo-soloed... it was if mystudent was looking at Superman and Robert Redford all at the same time
"who are those guys?" Oh, that's the best female climber in the world, and Clark Jacobs...
1990 Clark solo assisted me lowering off a big guy who could not climb. Thanks Clark!
|
|
Ed Bannister
Mountain climber
Victorville, CA
|
|
|
Feb 17, 2006 - 06:28pm PT
|
Sorry Eric I gotta tell this one:
Ericson is back at the climbing counter at Sport Chalet, somewhere around 1980. Eric wants more friends but seems not able to decide on the sizes. What he really could not decide on, was the prices. Eric walked off the balcony to the camping department where he installed $12.95 price tags from cheap stoves on the friends, the view from the balcony was a little too good sometimes. Jeff Bosson comes to me and says, Eric just switched prices on those friends you sold him! Jeff calls the cashier to greet Eric with the right price. The expression was priceless.
|
|
Gramicci
Social climber
Ventura
|
|
|
Feb 17, 2006 - 07:38pm PT
|
Sometimes you wonder why you hang on to things.
Each of these has a little story. The center nut is actually marked “SM 4” Stonemaster 4 its was part a cabled stopper type set I made. This was way before I ever did any Gramicci Products. The cam on the left was only strong enough to use for aid allowing a clean alternative to a baby angle. The far right is a nut made of nylon for weight. It was part of an Alpine rack that Rick Accomazzo and I used in the Canadian Rockies and the French Alps. The two on the left are circa 1972
|
|
healyje
Trad climber
Portland, Oregon
|
|
|
Feb 17, 2006 - 07:43pm PT
|
Mike, If those ever need a good home you should consider Stephane's Nut Museum. I suspect Stephane doesn't even know they exist - he'll probably keel over dead straight away with a heart attack on seeing them.
|
|
Ed Bannister
Mountain climber
Victorville, CA
|
|
|
Feb 17, 2006 - 07:54pm PT
|
Those are GREAT MIKE! Thanks for digging them out!! wow! very cool.
|
|
henny
Social climber
The Past
|
|
|
Feb 17, 2006 - 08:43pm PT
|
C'mon guys. I know there are stacks of killer stories out there. Dust 'em off and lets hear some.
I recall the first time I met Tobin. Seems for some strange reason that Bobby and myself had started to appear on John's radar. So one day he says to us "You guys are going to do Valhalla next week-end. I'll even come along in case you need help." Now, as mentioned earlier in this thread, JL telling you to do something was EXACTLY like a direct command from on high. One dared not even entertain the thought of doing otherwise. To say the least we were quite stoked. I for my part bought a brand new pair of those old brown RDs to get ready. The next Saturday we were at the base of Valhalla at 8 am sharp waiting for John. Except, there was no John. About 9 o'clock we decide that maybe he's not going to show but we'll go down to the Buttress of Cracks and see if maybe he isn't waiting for us there.
What ensued next was perhaps one of the most bizarre scenes that I've ever witnessed at the crags. As we got to the base of Frustration we realized there was a guy in white painters pants about 20' up the tree alongside the route. He had a runner tied around a branch, as far out as he could reach, and some funky self belay set up through it. We watched in uncomprehending wonder as he would repeatedly attempt to jump into Frustration, only to swing back into the tree. Finally, we could stand it no longer and asked him what he was trying to do. Seems that he didn't have a partner and he wanted to solo Frustration but didn't think he could solo the opening crux moves (at that time...). So he was trying to jump into the route where he then planned to drop the rope and solo to the top. At this point the tables turned. He started to quiz us. What route were we going to do? How hard was it? Could he come along? Upon hearing that our "other partner" hadn't showed he graciously offered to stand in. We weren't sure what to make of all this but finally agreed to let him accompany us. At this point he climbed down out of the tree and introduced himself as "Tobin". He then insisted that we immediately start on the days chosen route, Valhalla.
The first pitch went smoothly enough. No problems to speak of, and in short order we were set up at the belay ready to engage in the business of the day on the crux second pitch. At this point who should show up but John? After asking why we hadn't waited for him he informed us that nobody in their right mind got to the crags before 10 or 10:30 at the earliest. What could we have been thinking? Our mistake. John makes himself comfortable at the base of the route and prepares to provide crucial beta as need be.
The three of us start taking turns addressing the crux of the second pitch. One move higher each time. The left sole of my brand new RDs starts to completely delaminate making things that were already hard totally desperate. John feeds beta non-stop. "Ho Man, You almost had it that time", "One more move up and left", etc...
Finally Tobin fires through the crux and heads for the belay. Except that he somehow gets completely and seriously off route, climbing into one of the blankest areas around. After about 15' without a bolt, and by now sketchy, he realizes that something is amiss. At that point he finally sees the next bolt down and left. Feeling that he can't down climb he informs us that he's going to jump down to the bolt stance. We immediately start trying to talk sense to him, "Are you crazy? You can't jump down 15'!" Our pleadings fall on deaf ears. Tobin momentarily composes himself, and without blinking an eye, calmly launches himself. Now I must admit, his aim was dead on. He did hit the stance. For what that was worth. Like the stance was going to even slow him down, must less he was going to stick on it. But the 30'er did result in two things. One, he bit his tounge badly, blood everywhere, and he could barely talk the rest of the day. Two, he wasn't going to make the same mistake again.
On his next try, Tobin calmly raced up the pitch in fine style and clipped the anchor at the end of the crux pitch. The 5th ascent of Valhalla was, as the saying goes, "In the bag!"
Tobin was indeed awesome. The stuff legends are made of, and deservedly so.
|
|
rmuir
Social climber
Claremont, CA
|
|
|
Feb 17, 2006 - 09:03pm PT
|
So... That "Stonemaster" nut (the wired one on the left), is a post-cursor to an earlier version that Graham brought into Ski Mart to show off. He had just bought a Nico-press so that he could swedge cables, and the hand-filed lump of aluminum with this tiny cam was pretty cool. (He swedged several dozen bashies with 6-inch loops of cable for us to use on an early ascent of the West Face of El Cap--when it used to be an aid route. Very handy tool, it was, that Nico-press.)
What Mike won't tell you about is the rigorous testing technique he employed. Yep, tested and certified to hold body weight! He'd clip some aiders into these gizmos, and slot them between the bricks of the chimney of his folks' house, and aid up the side of the house. Probably better that having your teenager doing drugs...
He sold a few of them to the gear-heads, back then. And I vaguely recall that he moved a few of them through the store, too. (I, too, must have sewed several dozen butt-bags to sell there as well.) But I, personally, made it a point of honor to NEVER risk leading using Graham's creations.
So, Mike... Got any pictures of the prototypes of the sliding, wired wedges? Very dinky they were.
|
|
|
SuperTopo on the Web
|
Let us know!