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Jello
Social climber
No Ut
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Jun 29, 2007 - 04:11pm PT
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AP, I said the vast majority of new routes are now being done by locals in the Canadian Rockies. Of course, occasionally a couple of Yanks like Steve and partner (Colin?) will pull off something good, as well.
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philo
Trad climber
boulder, co.
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Jun 29, 2007 - 04:18pm PT
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I want to add my voice to the plea for Pat(Oli) to stay with us. The number of poster who really appreciate your words and presence vastly outnumbers those who would dis you. Please stay!
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Ed Bannister
Mountain climber
Riverside, CA
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Jun 29, 2007 - 04:48pm PT
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It has always been entertaining to see batholiths, cooled, exposed and exfoliated over eons.... treated by a 22 year old with a repugnant sense of ownership.
cast your mind on the bolt chopping 80's at suicide, when... unless you were a member of the local route police, you route was chopped... not because of the line, but because the "locals"
read clique, had not established it, Arcadia, or Pasadena were just too far away to be considered local... the route is there now anyway, didn't matter who "put it up" first.
or think of Riddles in the Dark... that was a rivalry thing,
too hard to be put up on lead they thought, so that obviously justified chopping it... that was corrected after some years of silliness by more people who thought they owned the stone.
The Stone, is everybody's, it's nobody's, well, except Bob Kamps, he thinks it belongs to him.
now. for those of you who were wondering what a troll is, the best ones, are true : )
Ed
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Jaybro
Social climber
The West
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Jun 29, 2007 - 06:28pm PT
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For sure, Philo, that Ament guy is a keeper!
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Tahoe climber
Trad climber
a dark-green forester out west
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Jun 29, 2007 - 09:16pm PT
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Eldo Prancers....
ROTFLMAO!
Stay, Pat - I'm much enjoyed reading your posts.
As for Kentucky - nice photos, good rep for climbing, too.
And what, pray-tell, is wrong with sleeping with your sister?!?
-Aaron from Texas
just kidding.
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Rick A
climber
Boulder, Colorado
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 1, 2007 - 11:22am PT
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Hankster-You mentioned Jim Garber upthread. I hadn’t seen him in years but ran into him bouldering at Flagstaff a couple of weeks ago. Still cranking hard and still as smooth and deliberate as any climber I’ve seen. Demonstrated the Garber static version of the rarely done Gill Swing on Smith Overhang. Remarkable pull for an oldster… and especially because he’s a Coloradan. Must be an exception to Walling’s Rule.
The mention of the first organized climbing competitions started by Jello reminded me that when the tour came through Boulder in the 80’s, it was the last time I ever saw John Yablonski. He was working as a rigger or something. I hadn’t seen him for years and he was really affable and engaging, not a trace of the mocking, sneering aspect that Yabo sometimes presented. John had a competitive side like anyone else and he challenged me to try the top rope, speed climbing course against him. We started up and I thought I was moving pretty well. But he effortlessly got yards ahead of me, then waited for me about ten feet below the top. When I finally reached him and then passed him, he let loose a huge dynamic and beat me by a hand’s length to the finishing hold. Good memory, that.
About the time that Edlinger had that impressive win at that first Snowbird competition, I remember Largo speaking dismissively to one of the young, US competitors.
“Hoo mahn. We were the top dogs back in my day. How could you let THE FROGS get the upper hand?"
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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No kidding Ricky, Garber is the king of smooth; last time I saw him doing that, I thought:
"Wow, that's the best in style which we used to try to emulate; almost an anachronism now".
There were huge rivalries with the French back then and Edlinger was really something/somebody special.
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bob d'antonio
Trad climber
Taos, NM
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Rick A...I think the first organized climbing comps in the US have to go to Harvey Carter. His Master of Sport climbing comps in the late 60's were somewhat of joke to most climbers...of course he won the comp and crown himself king.
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Pretty funny that one Bob!
Not a regional rivalry, but on the note of climbing comp thread drift:
During those Lowe comps there was a terrific rivalry between Alison Osius & Bobbi Bensman. This was a truly respectful competitive rivalry of pure sport and the performances were spectacular.
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Prod
Social climber
Charlevoix, MI
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Great thread.
Yo Tarbuster, isn't there a story about Christian Griffith showing you around the flagstaff bouldering circuit?
and what's with the West side story quote? You must be really secure with your sexuality.
Prod.
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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West Side Story was based on one of the greatest of rivalries:
That of the Montagues & Capulets
(A pair of star-cross'd lovers were summarily ensnaired, but that's just fall out...)
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Prod
Social climber
Charlevoix, MI
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great but what about the CG bouldering story?
Prod.
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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No rivalry there Prod.
Just Christian giving me the first rate first blush tour and I had a good day hoppin' on that train.
Before we went up to the boulders I scarfed a terrific bowl of spinach.
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Hoh Man:
Caylor I just read your R&I story.
Great stuff.
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Prod
Social climber
Charlevoix, MI
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Hey Sewellymon,
As I remember the story, Tar and CG's day of bouldering was much the same as the story you're telling. I even think I remember hearing about Roy onsiting some problem that CG failed to send. Although I am pretty sure there was no anomosity between the 2.
Prod.
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bob d'antonio
Trad climber
Taos, NM
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Hank...I did Fire and Ice the day (1981 or 82) that Jerry did the Genesis. I remember Chris Gore taking some wicked wipper and Jerry making quick work of it that day.
Roy...quite impressive if you did burn off CG bouldering around Flagstaff...he has that place wired!
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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You guys are gen'rous and all, but I think that tale is looking more like Pinnochio's nose.
Hey Bob D,
Whutabout some 70's pics of yours to float that Whitehorse & Cathedral thread s'more?
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Prod
Social climber
Charlevoix, MI
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hum,
Not the story I recall a bright eyed grinning "Roy boy" telling many many moons ago. you just being modest? Come on lay it out there...
Prod.
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Oli
Trad climber
Fruita, Colorado
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Thanks to those many friends who have said such remarkable and kind things to me and/or sent me emails asking me to stick around. I sometimes wish I were someone else and didn't carry some of the dark burdens of my soul. I tell people that when things start to get dark I tend to move toward the light, and sometimes that means away. I have to admit, though, I admire so many people here it's good to hear what they say and think.
Make no mistake about it, I am not a climber. I have a vague memory of someone called Pat Ament who was a fit athlete many many years ago, many decades, actually. And I have even a clearer memory of some unusual and beautiful faces, such as Barry Bates and Tom Higgins and Chuck Pratt... and some of those who seem to be here in these boxes we type into. I know I lived back then, in that world long ago of climbing. I know I was very much alive in that bright sun and even in some of those dark off-widths. I think I may have been a very good boulderer in my day and may have pushed a few standards in free climbing for a few years, but all that experience, riding to and from California on freight trains (did I love California or not?), all that is only now in my heart and soul, in those mysterious, mystical realms that comprise some deep part of me, some multi-dimensional memory of serendipitous times, of life I tried to live well but didn't always. It always was rich, however, in spite of the many mistakes.
I think that's what connects these various friends here, not so much the rivalries but rather what brought us together within each other's dreams. Now and then (when I am able to sleep) I wake up in a cold sweat, or a hot one, reaching for some hold that might be too small for me, or I am reaching for one of those people I felt were my friends.
Now, of course, all those holds are too small...
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jstan
climber
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Riding the freights must have been exciting. You must have a few stories about them.
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