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dave yerian
Trad climber
the parking lot
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Topic Author's Original Post - Jul 5, 2017 - 09:48am PT
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For some reason, it's so easy to forget people in our lives who are no longer with us. For myself, anyway, I'll never get over John's death. I live with him every day in my heart.
Let's remember John, not just for his climbing, but for who he was as a human being.
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G_Gnome
Trad climber
Cali
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We were just talking about the last day we spent with John when we met at the Dike Wall just two days before he died there. I haven't gone back there yet and don't know if I ever will. He is remembered Dave.
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Lynne Leichtfuss
Trad climber
Will know soon
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Certainly not the greatest photo, but holds a heart full of memories.
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Tom Patterson
Trad climber
Seattle
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Doggone it...I just liked him.
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SteveW
Trad climber
The state of confusion
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How can John ever be forgotten?
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SteveW
Trad climber
The state of confusion
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It's crazy. I emailed the AAC after John's death and asked why his obituary
wasn't in the Journal and they gave me a lame excuse that the obit section was limited to 'members.' What a stoopid answer. Considering John's
accomplishments he should have been on Page 1 of the Journal that year. . .
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wayne w
Trad climber
the nw
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Jul 11, 2017 - 01:32am PT
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Thanks for starting this thread, Dave. I too, think of John often.
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immanti
climber
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Aug 19, 2017 - 04:51am PT
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Hi everyone, and thanks for the thread Dave.
"The white cracker rapper..." "Baj-har", he'd say.
As anyone can see here, he lives on, in our hearts and memories.
I often smile to myself as I remember something we did, some story he told, some advice he offerend or some thought he shared.
He was permanently curious. Always eager to explore, to learn, to meet people, taste new food, or look for new ways to solve old problems.
And he was sharp as a tack. He expected excellence -particularly from himself- and despised hypocrisy, prejudice and mediocrity.
He was an inspiration to me long before we became friends, and he still is.
So keep the memories alive -tell the stories, share the pics. And, if you like, throw on some funk while you do.
Cheers, JB.
-Dario
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Aug 19, 2017 - 05:08am PT
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Listening to Miles right now, and got George Clinton on deck!
Remembering how much fun we (Bachar, Ed Hartouni & I ) had climbing in the gym in Oakland that time....
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Aug 19, 2017 - 09:23am PT
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that was a great day indeed Jaybro! three old men complaining about their broken bodies, and climbing to 10d (in the gym).
Bachar exclaiming "they jump off those boulder problems from that high!" He was just recovering from such a landing himself, outside.
Though time is limited, every time I lace up my last remaining pair of Acopas I smile.
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ron gomez
Trad climber
fallbrook,ca
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Aug 19, 2017 - 09:55am PT
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Hey DARIO!!!!! Miss you man, still wearing a couple pair of Acopa's. hope you are well!
Peace
One of my daughters gifts to me
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jgill
Boulder climber
The high prairie of southern Colorado
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Aug 19, 2017 - 12:49pm PT
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From a memorable day many years ago. RIP John.
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pud
climber
Sportbikeville & Yucca brevifolia
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Aug 19, 2017 - 04:48pm PT
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I only met John a couple of times, not climbing but in social situations. He seemed genuine and reserved.
He was the most eloquent speaker at Mike Reardon's memorial and the funniest as well. It is times like that when you see a person's true character. He wanted the crowd to know that life is now, this moment, and not the past or future.
He was a force to be reckoned with on the rock but, more importantly, he cared for others in a brutally honest way.
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dave yerian
Trad climber
the parking lot
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 22, 2017 - 11:18am PT
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Thanks everyone. John was a force to be reckoned with and most of all a friend. Yerian
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guyman
Social climber
Moorpark, CA.
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Aug 22, 2017 - 11:58am PT
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When we were both quite young .... heck John was in high school and I was going to Pierce College. John would ride his Kawasaki 175 all the way from Torrence to Stoney. After Stoney he would stay at my place... "The Oliver Moon Hotel" as we called it and then get up at like 5:30 am for the ride to school.....
One time he was having charging issues with his little motor bike. So I told him "we need to charge it... you open up the seat so we can get to the battery and I will go inside and get my charger..."
Now John was one who really never worked on cars or knew what a left-handed screwdriver was good for.... but I had asked him to get to the battery. He didn't know about the release latch on the side of the seat but he knew that the seat had to come off of that sucker-- somehow-- he could see the battery under the seat.
He figured it just pulled off, so he got his incredible strength into it and just pulled up on the seat-- HARD-- pulling the 2 10mm screws and the nuts right through the steel brace!!!!!!!
He knew it wasn't right but the battery was now ready for charging.
And with a little pounding and some over-sized fender washers I was able to get the seat to stay closed.
I do miss John and Tobin and Gary Ayers and Shawn Curtis.... my old climbing buddies who have passed on.
RIP my friends.
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Fat Dad
Trad climber
Los Angeles, CA
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Aug 22, 2017 - 12:54pm PT
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Interesting timing for this thread. I was just bouldering at the Gunks this weekend in the Meadows with my daughter. The reason why that's relevant is because long ago, a couple buddies and I were hitching back to the TM campground after doing something up by Medlicott. Not having much luck but after a while a red VW van slows and picks us up. It's Bachar of course. He asks us if we're going bouldering and we just nod 'no'. So he goads us a bit for not biting, but we're tired. He stops after a bit by the side of the road and gets out and starts hiking into the woods. We follow him a short ways, see the Gunks for the first time and then wander back to the road to bun another ride. Thirty years later, I finally get back there. JB put up some awesome problems.
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immanti
climber
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Aug 22, 2017 - 04:31pm PT
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Hey Ron, thanks! Awesome gift, very honored by the subject!
Time flies, doesn't it. I miss all you guys, I don't get to come out as often these days. Give me a ring sometime, I called a few months ago but couldn't get through.
Anyway, I'm always glad to see FoJ posting. And I love the stories!
Here's a JB story for you all, hoping y'all might share more...
In early 08, John, Duane R. and I were visiting a crag near Guadalajara. John was going to climb a few routes, Duane was going to shoot a few photos. Once John picked a route and Duane had found a good spot to shoot from, JB changed into a clean, red Acopa T-shirt and started up his warm-up -"Mujer Perfecta", a single-pitch, solid 10c sport route on the most visible face in the area.
Just then I noticed a couple of local characters, non-climbers, hanging out, drinking beer in the shade of a big boulder, about 150 feet away from the route John was climbing. As John began his ascent, they started pointing and making comments, obviously shocked to see someone climbing unroped.
John cruised the route and the 5.8 down climb. After a while, he changed shirts and we all moved off to look for another location. We eventually headed towards the big boulder, which is a classic called "El Cubito" featuring about a half dozen lines, and we came upon the two characters, still hanging out, drinking beer.
After exchanging friendly hellos, they asked what we were doing, to which John replied in near perfect Spanish that he was thinking of climbing the boulder. Their eyes lit up as they began telling him about some crazy güero who had just climbed up the big rock without a rope about a half hour ago.
"Without a rope? No way, that's impossible!" John replied.
"It's true! We saw it, man! He went up unroped, some dude with a red t-shirt!"
"Oh, I don't believe it!" John insisted.
This went on for a minute or two, as I tried not to bust out laughing. Then John declared "Well, if he can climb without a rope, so can I!"
"Sure! Me too!" they joked.
As JB popped out his climbing shoes and started lacing up, they became increasingly worried, telling him how dangerous it was and trying to talk him out of it.
Then, John told them it was in fact he who had climbed the big rock unroped. They got serious for a second, looked him up and down and said "Nah, that wasn't you!"
That got us laughing. I chimed in, supporting John's statement, but they didn't completely believe it until he started climbing. Even they could recognize the way he moved. They had seen other climbers, but none moved so smoothly.
I told them briefly about JB and his climbing accomplishments. They asked why he was there and I explained we were friends and business partners, making climbing shoes. Then they uttered the wisest words I heard them say all day.
"Orale... Oh man! We are really lucky to see him!"
And we were.
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