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Bad Climber
Trad climber
The Lawless Border Regions
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Aug 27, 2017 - 09:34pm PT
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Yep, that's it, Somebody. Ya gotta know when to fold 'em, so to speak. And in the modern age, with the right attitude and a climbing gym, one can still do some damn impressive ascents--not that I EVER could--while still holding down a fairly conventional life. A big trick is to find and build a career that doesn't suck. Not easy.
BAd
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Aug 28, 2017 - 06:06am PT
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Stupid f*#king labels!
Living Ecco Nominally in order to do more of what you love, in our case climbing, is one thing, I've been doing various versions of it for forty odd years and counting.
" Dirtbag", noun, is a perjorative, see sleazoids. No thank you.
Currently though, it is a trademark of the Patagonia empire, the company that will sell you a shirt you don't need that says " live simply." No irony there.
I think the later is the sense it is used the most, currently. White privileged wannabe climbers, who sleep in their cars every so often, so they can call themselves dirtbags. See "Hippy"
It's all a marketing scam.
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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
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Aug 28, 2017 - 11:43am PT
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Many appreciate(d) the dirtbags of their prior generations and even their friends of the current generation.
The reason for this isn't marketing. It is a recognition, that even though they had very little, their dedication to their craft, art, lifestyle was palpable. It meant that much to them. Caves in the Valley. Back behind HVC. wherever.
The point is that dirtbag is an external label, and that label can be endearing/respectful or it can be pejorative and used to put down.
Tone is everything. May we all desire to be as dedicated as a dirtbag, but never have so little that we are forced to be hidden away as a dirtbag.
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hellroaring
Trad climber
San Francisco
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Aug 28, 2017 - 12:07pm PT
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Jaybro has got a point. I imagine a "real" dirtbag climber could care less about the label, and if they are or aren't one. They are just out doing what they do, making choices like we all do, and I would think (for the most part) digging the life they live. I do suspect that time is a much more precious commodity for the lowly weekend warrior such as myself, than those who wake up on any given day and think to themselves "wonder what I'll climb today"...
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paganmonkeyboy
climber
mars...it's near nevada...
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Aug 28, 2017 - 08:01pm PT
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Do you think the dirtbag thing is part of the reason for the bf/gf age ratio cliche ?
30something male climber dirtbags vs 50 year old men that are ok with a nice room with a shower, dinner somewhere, etc
Maybe this is part of the whole half your age +7 ?
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Don Paul
Big Wall climber
Denver CO
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Aug 28, 2017 - 08:58pm PT
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Rock climbers didn't invent this, the beatnicks did, one generation before the hippies. It's no coincidence Jack Kerouac lived in Denver, or Hunter S Thompson. Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance is a book I read as a kid, explains how to travel and sleep in the dirt by the side of the road, all you need is motorcycle tools. Although ... it used to be OK to actually pull over and sleep by the side of the road in the West. Now you are lucky to find an empty campsite for $25.
The other part of the dirtbag experience is to move to a third world country and live and work there for a while. I don't mean backpacking, I mean renting an apartment and working, and spending time with people who make about $10 a day. That will really change your perspective on American wealth and materialism.
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Aug 29, 2017 - 08:36am PT
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Now you are lucky to find an empty campsite for $25.
Not a matter of luck. Free (and legal) eclipse campsite:
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'Pass the Pitons' Pete
Big Wall climber
like Ontario, Canada, eh?
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Aug 29, 2017 - 08:39am PT
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When hiring a dirtbag to schlep your pig up to the base, it is important to choose the skinniest and poorest looking one you can find, for he is likely to be the most desperate, and will work the cheapest.
Do not approach him wearing your best Patagucci outfit, however, or he will correctly surmise that you have money. Instead where your most ghetto climbing clothes from Walmart or Sally Ann, and look almost as desperate as him.
Under no circumstances should you hire a well-dressed faux dirtbag, for you will have to pay too much. And don't even THINK of hiring one of the pros from YOSAR, or you will pay union scale.
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Flip Flop
climber
Earth Planet, Universe
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Aug 29, 2017 - 09:06am PT
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Don't listen to the Canadian subject of the queen. He's not one of the good Canadians. He's one of those racist, colonialist, creepy drunk Insurance peddlers with money but no soul. Anita needs a real man who will give her a ring and babies. Kick rocks, jackweed.
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