Trip Report
Dirtineye's Last Stand

by justthemaid
Monday July 15, 2013 9:23am
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Curt Johnson and Shannon Steg at Laurel Knob
Curt Johnson and Shannon Steg at Laurel Knob
Credit: justthemaid
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I intend to take over Hell and send Satan running for his sanity - cursing the day he agreed to take me in. Curt Johnson "Dirtineye"



One of Dirt's threads on the front page reminded me I've been meaning to link this trip into my Trip Reports. It was an important trip because it was the last for my friend and mentor Curt. As many of you know cancer won out shortly afterwards. It was a trip of a lifetime for me as well.

Thanks for reading

Big Green/Laurel Knob with pics:

http://www.supertopo.com/climbers-forum/724731/Maidys-Big-Adventure-TR-Laurel-Knob-pics

RIP my irascible friend. Give the Devil hell!

  Trip Report Views: 1,712
justthemaid 		About the Author
justthemaid is a climber from Jim Henson's Basement.

Comments
Studly

Trad climber
WA
  Jul 15, 2013 - 11:01am PT
Salute! Thats a great TR. Sorry I never got to meet the man in person.
Darwin

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
  Jul 15, 2013 - 01:07pm PT

Nice tribute Maid. Thanks for bumping it back up.
BMcC

Trad climber
Livermore
  Jul 15, 2013 - 01:11pm PT
Thanks for sharing your memories and pics.

In a comment on your TR, Dirtineye wrote: "Perhaps we shall return one day... in about a year or so. That's going to take a lot of luck though." I hope his luck held out long enough for him to return and for some of his other must-do's.
BirminghamBen

Trad climber
Alabama
  Jul 15, 2013 - 01:35pm PT
I met Dirt several years ago, at our local bouldering area, right before he got ill. Although something of a jerk (and proud of it), Curt had many friends in the Alabama climbing community and in other SE states and beyond, it seems. SS is a good friend, is among the hardest of the hard here in the South, and we sat out the rain this weekend at Panthertown and nearby telling lies and swilling beers. Curt would have fit in well. People come and people go. Enjoy them while you can. Good TR!
johnboy

Trad climber
Can't get here from there
  Jul 15, 2013 - 01:57pm PT
Props to you justthemaid.
Thanks.
mouse from merced

Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
  Jul 15, 2013 - 05:18pm PT
That was a real fine tribute to some fine-ass-looking granite and one determined man and his friends, MaidE.

Cancer, asthma, paralysis--there is a long list of activity preventers which folks like Dirtineye and I refuse to let get to us.

Age doesn't count as it happens to all of us.

But, my friends, having asthma doesn't stop me from having fun. I laugh at myself and how far I have fallen into disrepair; yet I know that I'll manage with a little take from a friend if it's needed, and even trading for a lighter load is accepted. I'm not foolish in this regard, at least.

BIG-TIME THANKS are in order for any and all climbers who put up with such as I and the late Dirtineye.

MFM, aka Bermingham, Brian
Jennie

Trad climber
Elk Creek, Idaho
  Jul 15, 2013 - 10:05pm PT
Thanks, Skip. Curt nourished great affections for you...
johntp

Trad climber
Punter, Little Rock
  Jul 15, 2013 - 10:35pm PT
Curt rubbed a few people the wrong way. He spoke his mind and I respect him for that.
neebee

Social climber
calif/texas
  Jul 15, 2013 - 10:54pm PT
hey there say, justthemaid... always it is special to honor a friend that has passed on, even though folks may not have been his friends, etc...


i remember i called him a few times, when he was sharing his last days... i sure hope i made something good for his last days, as, i did not know him, and did not know anything about how he behaved in life...

he share a recipe for peaches, that his mom? and him, liked...and i always remember praying for him many times when i think of peaches...
i shared that once on a post, but i think it was not good for somefolks here, so i deleted it...

this is a good thing you are doing, with this...
god bless...
thank you for sharing...


Fletcher

Boulder climber
Institute of Better Bouldering-DirtbagDad Division
  Jul 16, 2013 - 02:27am PT
Thanks for the reshare of that report. Just as good as the first time around and you wove a nice tale with a range of interesting characters. Still amazed that Dirt was able to pull all that off given what he was working with!

Eric
Nohea

Trad climber
Living Outside the Statist Quo
  Jul 16, 2013 - 03:38am PT
Thanks for sharing. Damn there was something about that guy that had me give a cheer/wish/hope. I enjoyed the way he communicated, and I always know....

There but for the grace of God (go I)

Aloha,
Wil
justthemaid

climber
Jim Henson's Basement
Author's Reply  Jul 16, 2013 - 10:35am PT
Thanks everyone. There are probably a few unpublished photos I can dig out later when I get some time to look for them.

@ Neebee: The man could cook. One of my last semi-coherent phone calls to him he was trying to give me his pizza-crust recipe.

@BMcC: Curt talked a lot about "his next visit" and "when he got better". He was often optimistic on that front, but (although unspoken) I think we kinda knew it would be his last climbing trip.

@BirminghamBen: Nice to hear from the eastern front. Shannon is an extinct breed. The real deal. Photos of him should be in old-time B&W instead of color. I suspect Warren Harding personally sealed the time capsule SS woke up in. It was a a great experience to get to climb with him for a couple of days.

@Mouse: It was some damn fine stone. Mysterious and intimidating as well.

I laugh at myself and how far I have fallen into disrepair; yet I know that I'll manage with a little take from a friend if it's needed, and even trading for a lighter load is accepted. I'm not foolish in this regard, at least.


You and Curt would have gotten along swell.

Cheers everyone.
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