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Russ Walling
Social climber
Out on the sand.... man.....
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Close to it John... there were some "interesting" times to be sure.....
Like on the blade traverse pitch at the bottom of the Cyclops Eye..... Yabo is out there and beating in these Dolt Bashie things... basically a block of aluminum with a tieoff through the middle.... he beats them in and the tie off cuts instantly... he starts making those "noises"... you know them well!
So he starts free climbing..... and moaning.... and free climbing, maybe clipping the odd piece of mank here and there..... I mean the pitch was rated like A3/A4 or something..... Pretty soon we are looking at the fall potential.... it is GIANT!!! He has basically no pro in at all... and looks like he is going to skate any second.....
Moe puts him on belay with the haul line as a backup to the lead line, which will certainly get chopped if he takes the giant sideways fall..... more moaning..... and a few dynos and some wicked shaking and he reaches the shallow corner that is the start of the next pitch..... he pops in an anchor and just starts doing that insane laugh of his... " heeee- heeee- heeee" and says something like, "casual man...". UNREAL!!!!!!!!!
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Back in 1976, I was headed up on my first El Cap route, the super steep Tangerine Trip. Yabo said he had recently done it and grew wide eyed as he described launching into some rare free climbing Yabo style only to dislodge a big diorite flake and accompany it for a short while until the rope did its thing. "Be careful of that loose crap," he said knowingly. "Sounds like you already took care of the worst of it," I replied with a grin and we both busted up laughing. Yabo's advice was always delightfully personal and direct though slippery to heed.
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Anastasia
Trad climber
California
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Jun 11, 2007 - 03:13pm PT
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Bump!
I haven't been on the internet and almost missed this! Damn, leave the area for a few days and look at all the fun everyone is having!
Great posts! Great thread!
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chappy
Social climber
ventura
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Jun 12, 2007 - 06:18pm PT
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Yabo after a day of climbing at Pinnacles Ntl. Monument. I believe this was just before he left us...Went to his funeral with Kauk. I remember Ron in tears. Always regret that I didn't take a moment to say a few words that day. I felt his notorious climbing antics were an indirect way of trying to leave this world and the powers that be, knowing he was a good soul with a troubled heart, always intervened on his behalf. Only when his actions in this regard became anything but indirect was he able to overcome his heavenly benefactors. Rest in peace Yabo.
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jstan
climber
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Jun 13, 2007 - 10:05am PT
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Perhaps I am wrong but it at least seems the decision Yabo made is limited to very talented and creative people. The post telling when he ran ahead with the rope matches something I have noticed. When the world seems gloomy it can generally be fixed by a good run and the endorphins that are produced. Unfortunately difficult technical rock is better at generating adrenaline than endorphins. He may have run ahead because it made him feel good.
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Nov 13, 2008 - 02:58am PT
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bump
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survival
Big Wall climber
A Token of My Extreme
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Nov 13, 2008 - 05:13am PT
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Thanks Ed....wow. Lots of amazing memories came flooding back.
If Lesher read this stuff he'd probably be bawling...
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Jingy
Social climber
Flatland, Ca
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Dec 15, 2008 - 07:40pm PT
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BUMP
Just read the Walling account of a "casual" traverse from Yabo.....
BUMP
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BASE104
Social climber
An Oil Field
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Jul 20, 2014 - 02:43pm PT
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Yabo was the first climber we met when we first walked into Camp 4 at 6:00am. He was sleeping in his bag which was rolled up in a big sheet of clear visqueen plastic sheeting.
We busted out laughing over something and he jumps up like he had been hit by lightning. We thought he was pissed because we woke him up, but he said in this weird cackling voice,
"Laugh! I love to laugh to!"
I think his total possessions that summer was his sleeping bag and a really sweet road bicycle.
So what was the deal with him? I remember reading that he had bipolar disorder. If so, I feel for him. I know that that is a terrible thing to live with.
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Big Mike
Trad climber
BC
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Jul 20, 2014 - 04:25pm PT
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Wow.. Classic taco gold!! Thanks for the bump!
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Big Mike
Trad climber
BC
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Jul 20, 2014 - 04:52pm PT
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Come on Kath! Fire up the old wayback machine! ;)
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JOEY.F
Gym climber
It's not rocket surgery
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Jul 20, 2014 - 05:15pm PT
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A supertopo krugerand! Read it all, gold.
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Big Mike
Trad climber
BC
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Jul 20, 2014 - 05:21pm PT
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Yeah! Roy hasn't been around for about a month... Maybe if we keep bumpin this thread he'll get tempted.. :)
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Tobia
Social climber
Denial
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Jul 20, 2014 - 06:24pm PT
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I met Yabo a few times in the valley, never "knew" him. Reading now, and over the past four years on this site and conversations with others, I find myself identifying with the guy. NOT as a climber. I was never very good at that; even with the help of some "valley giants".
Our minds are, or were, similar in many ways. I've lived a little longer than he did; only for reasons such as luck, family and I dare say, "divine intervention".
What jstan said about adrenalin and endorphins, makes me drop this 2¢ worth.
I'm an endorphin junky because i got the same disease as Yabo, the miserable mind disease. Pretty womens' have the same effect on me as they did on he. They do on most people who suffer chronic depression. It's all about the opiate receptors, and our endogenous opioid system is out of whack. Opiate receptors are key components of suitable social behavior and the metal of stable, emotionally committed relationships.
Laughter will get endorphins flowing and open up the opiate receptors better than opiates.
I'm a failure at social behavior and the relationship thing, so my substitute is O² uptake and laughter; but you can't run forever, nor can you laugh all the time.
I was sitting in my misery yesterday, when a pretty face showed up at my door from the past. Much younger than I, but a good friend. Her "darling young one smile" had me convinced for a few hours that I'd be okay; but I found my way back in my own skin a few hours later. And one day, thankfully, it will come to an end.
Does that make sense in unpacking Yabo?
If this post detracts from the thread, I will gladly delete it. Just ask me. I'm not tryin' to rain on the parade, just express my insight into why people take their lives.
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overwatch
climber
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Jul 20, 2014 - 07:03pm PT
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Great thread and post by tobia...fly on John Yablonski.
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Mark Force
Trad climber
Cave Creek, AZ
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Yabo sure shined bright and added to the rich texture of the Valley and JT.
I remember one time in the Valley in maybe '75 and I'm just behind Yabo to make a call from a pay phone (remember those?). He's all excited telling his parents that he'd just climbed Outer Limits. Seemed like he was 16, maybe 17.
There was an interview of him in one of the climbing mags that was quite good. It had an awesome picture of him doing a one arm chin; seems like he was holding a dumbbell. Anyone have that to post up? Paging, Mr. Grossman....
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Chief
climber
The NW edge of The Hudson Bay
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Shared more than a few smokes with Yabo and participated in an occasional "Ark Lark".
Pretty deep and complex character gone too soon.
Respect.
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Bad Climber
climber
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Only met the legend in passing,although a gang of us did turn his car sideways in a Josh parking space once. I always wonder how that turned out.
BAd
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guyman
Social climber
Moorpark, CA.
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I also miss John.
He knew he could always crash on the couch for as long as he needed, one time when I returned from a long weekend I was surprised to find out that he had completed my little house painting project that I had negelected to finish cause I had to go climbing.
Other times he would show up and not say much then be gone.
I wish at the time I was a little more wiser about Bi-polar and other mental issues... I would have liked to help him, but he walked his own way always.
miss you John.
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FRUMY
Trad climber
Bishop,CA
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^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
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