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ron gomez
Trad climber
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Topic Author's Original Post - Feb 16, 2019 - 06:28am PT
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Talked with Peggy last night...lots of tears. It’s been one long year since Jim passed. Post a thought, story or picture of Jim, please be respectful. Tough day today, but his Spirit is all around.
Peace my Brother!
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F10
Trad climber
Bishop
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Feb 16, 2019 - 07:37am PT
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I was lucky to spend a day with the Jim’s, Bridwell and Donini. Todd Gordon had ask me to take them around JT for a day of climbing during his 2010 fundraiser. Someone had put in a bid to climb with the Jim’s for a day. They were unable to make it but the day was fulfilled anyway. Tucker and Nathan came along also. It was a memorable day hanging with some legends for sure. I noticed Bridwell was using two chalk bags and I asked him why. He told me that his shoulders hurt to much and couldn’t reach around to his backside. Dueling chalk bags at his side were the ticket. Top photo shows his quick draw.
RIP
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mouse from merced
Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
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Feb 16, 2019 - 07:54am PT
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We're with ya, Ron.
When I moved out of the Valley in '73, I entertained thoughts of Bridwellian biography. Over the years I went back in my mind to that time and have thought, "You are one presumptuous mouse. You haven't any clue as to what Jim's been through or done. Forget it."
All bios seem to leave something out, important or not, to the character's life and views.
My hat will be off to the persons who manage to capture the Bird in a bio; and I can imagine that there will be many, not just one.
I sluppose it takes balls to write about someone's balls, too. And greater familiarity with the subject, which leaves YOU, Ron.
Get busy, please.
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WBraun
climber
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Feb 16, 2019 - 08:06am PT
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He's reborn already somewhere ......
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Feb 16, 2019 - 08:07am PT
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No, not Charlie Parker.
It's the other Bird!
Summer of 1989, I was doing organizing and construction for Jeff Lowe on the second Snowbird climbing competition. I was working up on the roof as a safety officer, kneeling at the edge and a couple hard ass bigwig types, maybe from the resort, were standing right at the edge with their jowls flapping in the breeze. I asked them to take a step back and they muffled something disparaging and giggled, but I'd missed it.
Bridwell was there attaching a set of international flags to the upper perimeter of the roof line. Before I even knew what was going on, he stood up and got right in their face, clearly protecting his own – and told them I was just doing my job. He pretty much tweaked their noses for condescending to one of his boys. I'd been pre-drilling flagpole holes for him in the short concrete parapet and after setting those guys straight, when they left he pointed out that my glasses were covered in a fine layer of concrete silt. Jim figured I looked like a goofball, and had me clean up my act so that I wouldn't attract guff from posers like the ones he'd just come down on.
The Bird was not a boss on the job. He was just doing a little fill-in work for Jeff. But the man knew how to run a crew, knew what was right, and made sure basic respect kept pace.
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ron gomez
Trad climber
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 16, 2019 - 10:52am PT
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10:52 am. Feb.16, 2018
Peace
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StahlBro
Trad climber
San Diego, CA
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Feb 16, 2019 - 11:49am PT
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Ron, I took that at Robert’s memorial. Had a great time talking to Jim that day.
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Feb 16, 2019 - 02:34pm PT
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I am in Patagonia with some of Jim’s ashes. Peggy gave them to me at the memorial to spread in one of Jim’s favorite places in the world. George Lowe and I are going new routing in the Avellano Towers next week. Jim will be with us and his ashes will be spread where no one else has been before. The Bird will fly again!
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ron gomez
Trad climber
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 16, 2019 - 02:44pm PT
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So gad you’re doing that Jim! Have fun, be safe! Let the Bird soar!
Peace
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johntp
Trad climber
Punter
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Feb 16, 2019 - 02:54pm PT
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Only met the bird in passing a few times while at Todd's in JT.
Thanks for the thread Ron. Don't have any pics or stories.
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ground_up
Trad climber
mt. hood /baja
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Feb 16, 2019 - 02:55pm PT
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He always seemed larger than life, the fact that
he's gone brings home the fact that we only have
so much time to get it done.
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Feb 16, 2019 - 02:59pm PT
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Linger now, regret later...don’t let a window of opportunity pass you by.
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capseeboy
Social climber
portland, oregon
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Feb 16, 2019 - 03:10pm PT
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Got to hang with Jim at an after slide show party at nearby friends house in PDX. My friend Neal Olson was there too. Neal was about to leave when he told me that he was rescued off of El Cap by Jim. I convinced him to go talk to Jim. Not sure but Neal said he was the first person to be rescued off El Cap. It's a blur after that.
Years later I had the privilege of sharing a PBR with Jim at JT. Really an easy going guy. Cheers Jim!
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WBraun
climber
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Feb 16, 2019 - 06:00pm PT
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the fact that we only have so much time to get it done.
Get what done?
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johntp
Trad climber
Punter
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Feb 16, 2019 - 06:58pm PT
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I am in Patagonia with some of Jim’s ashes. Peggy gave them to me at the memorial to spread in one of Jim’s favorite places in the world. George Lowe and I are going new routing in the Avellano Towers next week. Jim will be with us and his ashes will be spread where no one else has been before. The Bird will fly again!
Be safe Jim and George. Looking forward to the TR.
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mouse from merced
Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
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Feb 22, 2019 - 07:20am PT
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bridwell was a tough mother too
when I climbed my first off-width one day
nobody cared but bridwell
if I had a bad habit when at a belay
the one who corrected was bridwell
he looked after us all like a real mother hen
he would make us feel good backing off a 5.10
all we could think of was what does Jim think
am I a good climber or does just my sh-t stink?
when cerro torre's mushroom lay awaiting man's touch
the man who first climbed it was bridwell
when climbers were toying with rivets and such
the one who refined them was bridwell
he could silence the crowd with one meaningful look
he would quote you a line from the urantia book
on the walls he kicked ass like none other could
though he often got lucky so let's all knock on wood
--"Hard" Lee A. Newbee
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David Knopp
Trad climber
CA
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Feb 22, 2019 - 07:59am PT
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i met Jim at a N Face hoo hah in Joshua Tree-Peter C was there and Singer, Beth R too. Lost of hotshots and us punters. We had a few drinks one evening around the fire, it was bitterly Josh windy and cold, next thing i know Jim had gone face forward into the fire. I grabbed him by the scruff of his fleece and hauled him upright-he muttered a few choice words to us, and i kept an eye on him after that, didn't want this influential man of the mountains to crac this head on a rock.
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