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diablo
Trad climber
sd,ca
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Greg., awsome that you got this going on.
I always thought of you as " mayor of Mt.Woodson".
I'll never forget that day kick it with you and the vato in the four seasons parking lot , summer of 78, you just got off somfthang like.... lost arrow(rope optional)?? watusi , member wees just youngstus den.
anything thin..... we b in
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Watusi
Social climber
Joshua Tree, CA
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Yep!! This be the Sh*t!! Aw Jeff...But to be young again...
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Klimmer
Mountain climber
San Diego
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YES, to be young again.
Woodson, Tower Two, 5.7 lieback, approx. '76/'77? (My new EBs don't have the leather uppers added yet). Photo by Tim Umstead or? Perry VanVolkinburg (my climbing buds).
Going to set up a top-rope for the face to the right. We called it "Squaks" at 5.9+, newer guides call it 5.10. "Squaks" was my first serious solo one day after school at PHS during the mid-week. Went up there alone with my dog Max, a St. Bernard and Alaskan Malamute mix (may my buddy rest in peace) and as I was climbing, Max started wimpering for both of us at the bottom. After finishing and down climbing the crack to the left, I bumped into Keith Brueckner near Robbins on the road. Didn't know anyone else was up there climbing. Keith just said "Nice Solo." Not the smartest thing that I ever did all by myself with my dog, or at least I thought I was alone. (Ok, not as impressive as bvb or Watusi solos, but it was for me).
We were soldiers of the stone at the time, with little thought of anything but the moment.
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Raydog
Trad climber
Boulder
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RE:
"We were soldiers of the stone at the time, with little thought of anything but the moment. "
thanks Klimmer!
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Yes well said.
I remember Keith Brueckner was once a staple at Taquitz/Suicide and we'd see him rope soloing stuff with his belly, beard, and generations older stature.
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Raydog
Trad climber
Boulder
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Yeah Tar,
he was a fixture at Woodson for many. He and I became friends, UCSD Physics professor...
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Watusi
Social climber
Joshua Tree, CA
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Yes! Keith is a great man! I even had the pleasure of guiding him in France and Switzerland! My favorite place was Verdon!!!!
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Raydog
Trad climber
Boulder
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I remember that Mike!
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bvb
Social climber
flagstaff arizona
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hey mike, post up some slide scans of you leading "je suis un legand" -- {I AM A LEGEND!) -- in bare feet at verdon....
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mooser
Trad climber
seattle
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I ran into Keith all the time at Woodson through the years--great, barrel-chested guy that he was. Is he still around?
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Raydog
Trad climber
Boulder
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good question mooser -
I submit the possibility that Keith has retired - he was perhaps in his early 60s when I knew him - and that was a while back.
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mooser
Trad climber
seattle
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Thanks, Raydog. I remember you well from those days as well as Keith. In fact, the first date I ever took my wife-to-be on was to Woodson--1979. I took her up Squaks (thanks, Klimmer for the great vintage picture), and left her there by herself for about 20 minutes. Reason being--my climbing partner and roommate, Dave Hersey (who showed up to check out the "new girl"), had spotted you carrying a backpack full of gear for sale, and insisted that I go with him to check out what we could afford. I can't for the life of me remember what you were selling, unless it was some kind of sewn FROG gear. My wife, who's kind of acrophobic, still tells people about me abandoning her on top of a rock on our first date.
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Raydog
Trad climber
Boulder
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Interesting mooser - I gotta admit I don't remember that time but it's cool to hear you were there and enjoyed the place.
not only a nice place to climb with nice people but, a clean one too - I can recall virtually no litter/trash issues ever at Woodson and it's probably the same today.
Regarding the spousal abandonment trauma - get this, my brother who is 55 still reminds me about being left in the car for hours when I was born, like I had something to do with it! ...laughing...
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mooser
Trad climber
seattle
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Ha! Yeah, siblings get blamed for the weirdest things! You shoulda known better than to be born when and where you were, right?
I climbed regularly at Woodson from '75 to '85, and most subsequent visits since then when I pop in to see nearby family. It is a great place, and I have never come close to getting sick of it.
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Klimmer
Mountain climber
San Diego
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Apr 15, 2007 - 08:24pm PT
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Kicking for fellow Woodsonites I met up with today (4-15) on Voodsun that didn't know anything about April 28th . . . Mike, Barbara, and Bob H. Hope to see you all up there on the 28th.
Pssssssssst. Hey, Poway Mtn. Boys and StoneMasters. Mike Bovee here in San Diego is a pro videographer that produced the incredible film on the history of Hawaiian and California Surfing for KPBS called "Liquid Stage: The Lure of Surfing."
http://www.amazon.com/Liquid-Stage-Surfing-Michael-Bovee/dp/1891716026
All I'm saying is guys you should get to know Mike. He is really a great guy and he has a really nice family. He climbs, and he likes to climb Woodson. Just saying!
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BeeHay
Trad climber
San Diego CA
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Apr 26, 2007 - 02:50pm PT
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BVB, yeah I'm showin', are you?
Mike, who could forget the Vato? Look at 'im, he's stinkbugin' it!
Anybody know when/where to hookup?
BH
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Raydog
Trad climber
Boulder Colorado
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Apr 26, 2007 - 03:19pm PT
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Brad there's a Mount Woodson shindig thread - said, I believe 10am at the warm-up boulders - have fun Brad I won't be there but will be down in SD in July we should get together for sure.
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Wolfman
Boulder climber
Fort Worth
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Jun 19, 2007 - 11:57am PT
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Great thread, thanks for the flashbacks!
Joe here (aka Wolfman) from Fort Worth Tx. Just stumbled on this site by accident. Some youngsters at work were talking about climbing and it reminded me of my Poway years when I did a little bouldering on Woodson. I'm a '74 grad of Poway HS.
I talked a friend into taking me climbing with his buds. They finally let me tag along one weekend back in '73 (I think 'cause I was the only one with a car that ran). We did several climbs on that 1st trip up woodson, but Sickle is the only one that I remember. Had to start out upside down and I was the only one that could even get started that day, much less finish.
I remember I even got a pat on the back from Rick Piggot at the next party I went to. I also remember Rick's little brother Collin, who was into dirt bikes. I eventually gave up climbing and started dirt-biking myself, before moving back to TX in '76.
I think I also remember Greg Cameron from Poway. Believe we were in the same class at PHS.
Anyway, thanks again y'all for sharing the great Woodson stories and pix!
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Aug 17, 2008 - 02:28pm PT
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Love this thread! I hope this article didn't sneak by me here. From Climbing May/June 1981.
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