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the albatross
Gym climber
Flagstaff
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Nov 12, 2014 - 08:17pm PT
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Kurt there is still some adventure left in the world, see you soon and thanks for sharing.
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Gnome Ofthe Diabase
climber
Out Of Bed
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Nov 13, 2014 - 04:03am PT
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Thank you for the share I have a shoe shot but when I saw it ah...
well I got all tore up again
Richard Harrison whom I had met I can understand , but not BrianA man who's life was supposed to last another Harding I had hoped....it makes me so sad
wtf
more later....
okay I had to drive a sweet noodnick to school she likes missing the bus when daddy is huffing (not glue)
and seemingly sad ,
Playing on the computer and getting mad at the pictures that did not come out worth a turd.
I have two trees to share ...they will not let you in or out of this houseI am stick in small rock hell seemingly forever now...I make do
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Gnome Ofthe Diabase
climber
Out Of Bed
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Nov 14, 2014 - 09:30am PT
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big eyes all around and here is to Brian and to sending him a song and a route and bump for clean ((ha)) Honest lee ((not sure who lee is
oh maybe she [Click to View YouTube Video]))
BUMP FOR honest LIVING
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martygarrison
Trad climber
Washington DC
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Nov 14, 2014 - 12:16pm PT
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Burt, loved your post. Question. How do you lead hard aid with one aider?
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filmcookie
climber
nashville
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Nov 23, 2014 - 08:28pm PT
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just checking back in. 3 months later, my heart still aches on a daily basis. some days i feel i can't breathe. and yet, no real family to mourn with besides my dear grandma. reading everything here helps so much. you were his family. thank you.
so, i am back visiting my grandma and she's doing well. 92 and strong. she received 77 cards in the mail. all amazing. all beautiful. i simply cannot thank everyone enough. grandma was always so very proud of brian but she has been floored by the amount of people who wrote stories or told her how much he meant to them.
she has repeated several times...kim, can you believe how many people loved him?
yes, grandma. yes, i can.
much love to everyone here,
kim mccray
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NA_Kid
Big Wall climber
The Bear State
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Nov 23, 2014 - 08:51pm PT
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I have had this photo from an old Black Diamond catalog on my wall since I first wanted to climb ElCap. Such an inspiration this photo was.
Thank you Ammon for the story, now I know just that much more history behind the photo.
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neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
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Nov 23, 2014 - 11:23pm PT
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hey there say, kim... very nice to see your post, this eve...
god bless and prayers, for you and your gramma...
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the albatross
Gym climber
Flagstaff
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Kim thank you so much for checking in with us. Indeed, Brian was loved by many many people around the world, not just climbers, but his friends at AA, and parts of the rigging, art and mining communities. I still think about our friend most everyday, too. Brian was one of those very special persons in the world, someone you should be thankful to love and know.
Brian was quite close to Grandma Melba and he always had wonderful, kind words when he spoke of her. I would encourage folks who have been touched by Brian's life to send his Grandma a card this holiday season.
Please send cards to:
Melba McCray
One Country Lane, Apt B105
Brookville, Ohio 45309
I find comfort in knowing that Brian is still very much with us, indeed his legend will live a long time, much longer than most of the rest of us punters.
Thanks Brian, for being such an awesome teacher and loyal friend.
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the albatross
Gym climber
Flagstaff
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Dec 17, 2014 - 08:53am PT
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I miss both of you men. It sure was fun exploring some new territory and simply hanging out.
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the albatross
Gym climber
Flagstaff
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Dec 18, 2014 - 04:28pm PT
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I'm going to keep adding to this thread even if it feels like I am talking to myself.
I've alluded to the fact that Brian was very much into art, both as painter and as a collector. His home(s) over the last number of years were graced with some lovely paintings of his own and those he had purchased. I know of four portraits and a couple self-portraits that Brian painted, here is one of those four portraits. Enjoy.
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neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
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Dec 18, 2014 - 05:11pm PT
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hey there say, albatross... thank you for a wonderful share... though some may not see it really fast, each night...
i know these will be appreciated, whether now or later...
folks really DO get to come back and read, when they are not busy...
i am working on something for his family, too, so you will know, the things that you share, are not just 'talking to yourself'...
these things will be cherished by many of his buddies, for years to come...
god bless...
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the albatross
Gym climber
Flagstaff
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Dec 18, 2014 - 06:13pm PT
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Thank you neebee and W.L.
I'm trying to share some of the time I had with that most amazing of human beings. Brian and I spent a fair amount of our lives discussing, among many other subjects, the truth that one of us would die before the other. Knowing how accomplished Brian was in anything he set his heart to makes me think that he lived his life in fast forward compared to most individuals.
I feel certain that Brian would not want folks to feel sorry for him. Brian lived a very full and intense life and he conquered many challenges. It seems best we look at his many milestones as rather remarkable achievements considering how hard he worked to achieve "success".
There was an earlier question about Brian's aiding system. Brian used a Yates adjustable daisy and some custom aiders from his friends at Misty Mountain. Kurt and Ammon are far more qualified to explain the set up, but I'll try to post some pics soon of the gear.
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toejahm
Trad climber
Chatsworth, CA
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Dec 19, 2014 - 11:13am PT
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Albatross, he was quite a painter and without a doubt an interesting portrait. I may have met you on The Warrior with Brian and a day/route I'll always remember. Anyways, after his death I decided to paint this portrait which I've been working on pretty much since then.
So sorry for your loss, he was really a great soul.....
peace,
KR
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jaaan
Trad climber
Chamonix, France
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Dec 19, 2014 - 02:13pm PT
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In October 1992 my wife and I had a round the world climbing trip. First stop was the eastern side of the States. New River Gorge was first, then Seneca. I was climbing Terra Firma when a group of climbers walked under the crag. One shouted up
"Hey, is that hair for real?" (I had very long, very white hair at the time. It's still very white but there isn't that much of it left now.)
I replied in the time honoured manner "Why don't you go f*#k yourself?"
The group erupted with laughter, then wandered off.
Some weeks later we were in Red Rocks and I was doing Stratocaster Direct. A blond guy with two girls walked up to the crag. When I looked down he shouted "Hey, why don't you go f*#k yourself?"
When I got down he came over and with a huge smile said "Hi, I'm Brian" and held out his hand. He didn't need to say where he'd seen me before!
We spent the day climbing side by side. The girls with him were like a fan club. Whenever Brian clipped a bolt they'd coo "Nice clip...". Clip was pronounced with one of those double vowel sounds - 'cle-yip'! Even now we occasionally use the 'nice clip' when we're climbing. That was the only time I met Brian. It's very sad that he's gone.
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the albatross
Gym climber
Flagstaff
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Dec 19, 2014 - 05:01pm PT
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Now this is what I am talking about! Thanks for the stories and contributions.
KR, I remember that day on the Warrior with fondness. We got our ass kicked on that horrific brush coated vertical gully. It was one of those oak filled nightmares where every few steps forward you get pushed back a foot by some limb snagged on your pack. This may have been an early ascent, certainly before the media starlets found it, who knows there are probably fixed ropes or rebar ladders on sections of the approach now? We hiked a bunch of swaged quick link set ups for the lower few anchors, a hand drill, hammer and couple bolts. Felt in the middle of nowhere when suddenly we hear voices at the base.
Your buddy AF had climbed with Brian (and maybe you had I can't remember). AF was giving Brian crap for having home made knee pads with climbing rubber. AF had on shorts. This route is somewhat of a thrutch with some physical climbing.
The first pitch was a long chimney, maybe 5.9? Brian took off with no gear, just the ropes, in his tennies and gets way up the pitch, "hey dude can you send up that big cam." By about the top of the first pitch we start seeing twin streaks of fresh blood. Brian gets to the top of the second or third pitch an AF's knees are just totally blood-soaked and dripping blood. We could not help but snicker at that one. (Oh and hey thanks for all the pics Brian passed on, KR).
KR and AF continue on up the route and we rap after about 5 pitches (it turns out that section had already been equipped with swedge rap hangers). Get to the base and find a .5 cam. Shortly after we hear the gripped leader far above yelling "hey dude you got the .5 on your harness?" More little laughs on our part. Ha Ha. We did end up drilling one set of rap anchors from the base down (brian, the dead guy drilled them, not me).
A week later Brian gets a call from AF. "Oh hey Brian, any chance you could make me a pair of those sticky rubber knee pads?" Ha Ha. If I recall correctly the cam was returned to its owner.
jaaan that is a wonderful story thank you for sharing. Totally sounds like Brian. He was a merry prankster and putting up routes all the way to his end.
(Edit to add: What a wonderful painting)
Let's hear some more stories...
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WBraun
climber
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Dec 19, 2014 - 05:05pm PT
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WOW ... damn good portrait painting ......
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toejahm
Trad climber
Chatsworth, CA
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Dec 19, 2014 - 06:28pm PT
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Albatross, I can't remember who dropped the .5 but I do remember the two of us looking at flyns knee pad and thinking how comfortable he must be....ha.....if your ever in LV and interested in climbing let me know...
peace bro,
Kenny
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the albatross
Gym climber
Flagstaff
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Dec 22, 2014 - 04:59pm PT
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According to the story Ammon wrote, Brian lead two more pitches after the beak ripped open his palm and left him hanging upside down by his hand. Brian told friends he could see tendons inside the wound of his palm.
It is telling that Brian was able to continue cranking out serious aid and free first ascents (and repeats) of both sport routes and big walls for nearly a decade after what looks to be a rather gnarly wound to his dominant hand.
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the albatross
Gym climber
Flagstaff
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Dec 26, 2014 - 12:07pm PT
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I want to take time to point out that there are a number of companies who honored Brian and recognized his many important contributions to the community. This is probably an incomplete list and hopefully others will chime in to show thanks for these companies who were generous to Brian.
Yates Gear provided much gear and other valuable assistance for Brian.
Bluewater Ropes provided I bet at least 2 miles of rope for Brian's adventures.
Misty Mountain helped Brian with harnesses and other custom made gear.
Buy American! Support these companies who were invaluable in assisting Brian reach for his dreams.
(Edited post)
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