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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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He ain't heavy just indelible.
Heliotrope was one of his favorite bands but they are so obscure that I can't seem to find any lyrics for City of Sorrows so this Robyn Hitchcock song will have to do instead.
Heliotrope my love
Her face to the heavens
Her petals all around her dial
Her shadow follows her
It looks like a seven
 And I'm as loaded as a gun --
She worships the sun
She worships the sun
I lie beneath the ground
My eyes are unseeing
My name is gone from all the files
The tombs are shimmering
Deep into her being
It could be lethal
But it's fun
She worships the sun
She worships the sun
She worships the sun
She's full of happy beans
No shadow within her
Your paranoia makes her smile
And when the cat's head grins
She's ready for dinner:
You know you're gonna be the one!
She worships the sun
She worships the sun
She worships the sun
I said now
She worships the sun
Rock on Big Stone.
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Off White
climber
Tenino, WA
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Yes, today is indeed his birthday, but he'd only be turning 60 if he were still alive. Heliotroupe is obscure Steve, but moreso if you misspell it! Heliotroupe - Olympia hippy music at its finest, BVB spent a lot of time in an altered state with this band. [Click to View YouTube Video]
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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See you on the other side Bob. Happy birthday!
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snyd
Sport climber
Lexington, KY
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I miss him.
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Off White
climber
Tenino, WA
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Hah, he'd have appreciated that gift Mr. Cowboy.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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THAT explains a whole lot of WTF...Thanks Off.
Still can't find much though.
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thebravecowboy
climber
The Good Places
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the dude saw the light but weren't ever the evangelist publique
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Sweet shot Greg!
Damn you're good with a camera!
Just Plain Heroic even with the TR.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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The patriotic Stonemaster look is sure to be in resurgence now...
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JLyons
Sport climber
Cali
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I love BVB, but I don’t know what’s worse in that shot...the tight TR or the cheat stones stacked up for stairway next door
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Off White
climber
Tenino, WA
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Jul 11, 2018 - 10:58am PT
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Yesterday was the one year anniversary of Bob's death, so I thought I'd poke this thread and add something from the archives. This is a bit of an experiment so bear with me if I don't get it right the first time.
Here's three pages of an unpublished epistle he wrote about top roping entitled "Five Killer Top Ropes" The notes about the five climbs are handwritten on yellow tablet stock, scrawled rather than written, but I could post that too. There's also a bunch of other choppy re-writes and handwritten drafts, perhaps best send to the BVB Archives at Mesa Community College in San Diego.
For the record, his five top rope choices were:
Rambo Roof - Smith Rocks
Dominatrix Without Mercy - Cochise Stronghold
The Lie Detector - Mt Woodson (though Mother Superior was in the running)
Short Circuit - Yosemite Valley
Leave It To Beaver - Joshua Tree
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deuce4
climber
Hobart, Australia
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Jul 11, 2018 - 12:03pm PT
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Cool stuff, Off White. Always thought the crags would be a better place if top roping was as highly honored as rap bolted leads. I always enjoyed the top rope circuit with Bob back in the day—maximum density of hard climbing per hour of cragging!
Bob was definitely a pioneer in lots of aspects...
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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
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Jul 11, 2018 - 12:58pm PT
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It's like he's talking to me! :)
Tongue in cheek speaking truth to the power of the leader meta narrative! :)
Where is The Pump Dummy? Don't make me break out my JT bible!
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Ghost
climber
A long way from where I started
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Jul 11, 2018 - 07:49pm PT
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Lest we forget
The American Legend created this distillation of Supertopo and posted it about six years ago...
[Click to View YouTube Video]
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dee ee
Mountain climber
Of THIS World (Planet Earth)
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Jul 12, 2018 - 10:15am PT
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Bob toproped the Nabisco on a 400' 8mm?
Oh Bob, that is visionary and so bold!
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gonamok
climber
dont make me come over there
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I am lagging with this, but I honestly didnt think of it until now. I went to Bob's memorial service and said a few words, talked to his mom and brother and cried alot, because I counted Bob as one of my best friends.
I met Bob through Michael Paul in 73 or 74. He was a brash and abrasive smartass who was already leading 5.9 when I started climbing. The next time i saw Bob was at Mission Gorge. I was in the middle of my first lead ever, a 75 foot tall 5.3 aptly called "The Stairs".
I was about 40 feet up the route and placing my 6th or 7th piece of protection when Bob came around the corner. He called up to me "Hey bub everything ok up there?" and not because he was concerned, lol. I was too gripped to answer.
Bob then put on his shoes and proceeded to free solo the 5.6 "Trauma" which was about 8 feet to my left. Bob zipped up the route making noises that would have been funny had i not been frozen with fear. Then he soloed it again, and then a third time, that time cutting his feet loose at the crux with a loud "WHOA!" That was Bob, with his acid but hilarious sense of humor.
The San Diego climbing community was small and close knit back then, and we all ended up climbing together because there were really only two climbing areas back then, Mission Gorge and Santee. As I got better I burned Bob every chance I got and he returned the favor. We both found it impossible to offend each other, so we began to try harder. Nothing was off limits. Insults and comments that would make most people blanch or get sick were routine, and when either of us scored a victory we would shamelessly gloat in the most demeaning way we could manage.
When Bob moved away we kept up a hilarious and sometimes disgusting stream of correspondence to continue our quest for the ultimate debasement of each other. Collages, drawings, photos, raves scrawled in crayon etc were exchanged and replies immediately sent. In this way we bonded, and when Bob and I saw each other again we were fast friends.
Bob and I started climbing together when we could, talking about everything from the absurd to the profundities of life, philosophy and religion. We confided in each other and used each other as a sounding board. In time we truly began to treasure our friendship and we said so. Bob filled a niche in my life that nobody else was capable of filling.
I was the last person to climb with Bob, at Santee. Both now old men, we sucked on the rock but really enjoyed each others company. Bob was fraill but we talked about making a comeback. We were going to start bouldering once a month and get strong. He unburdened himself about his struggles with alcohol (he had finally beaten it) and how that affected those around him. I just listened, grateful that i could provide the sympathetic ear he needed.
My tears fall as i write this, because that was the last favor i did for Bob and the last time that I saw him. Bob was a completely unique character. He was a gifted writer, great climber, family man and loyal friend. When he passed it left a hole in all of our lives that can never be filled.
Farewell ol buddy, Rest in Peace
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Aeriq
Social climber
Location: It's a MisterE
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That is really a wonderful tribute, gonamok!
Just read through this whole thread - thanks for posting all the pictures and memories. My favorite quote:
"A belly full of scotch and a chest full of burl!"
Fly Free Bob - you are thought of often.
Erik.
Oh, I started a FB page for Bob after his passing:
https://tinyurl.com/y9ltrjms
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