Discussion Topic |
|
This thread has been locked |
Peter Haan
Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
|
|
Topic Author's Original Post - Oct 3, 2009 - 06:49pm PT
|
An image taken just after the Wall of the Early Morning Light when the world hung by the barest of threads:
|
|
Peter Haan
Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Oct 3, 2009 - 10:20pm PT
|
STFU Pate. This is supposed to be funnier than hell. The ruckus that resulted from the WEML was completely over the top at the time and afterwards. Pilgrims, it lasted for several years! If you think the recent South Face of Half Dome snit was a big'un, you don't have a clue. And actually the erasing of 1/3 or so of the El Cap route even took place until RR cried himself to sleep. TM was quite involved immediate too and published even on it. Like Dallas or some other soap opera.
As time went by, Harding's route gained acceptance while the many oldschoolers pitted against him seemed to be more and more shrill and off-base. I was one of them to be honest. Even though RR and of course TM were totally well-intending in their opposition but actually had a personal distaste for Harding's persona, in the end it appears that all the complaints against Warren have evaporated. RR even told me right afterwards he gradually became astounded as he climbed higher and higher on the second ascent (with Lauria) how hard the aid that Harding had put up was. I could tell even back then that RR knew that at some point in the future the proverbial "other shoe" would drop and he might have a buttload of explaining to do for his antics.
|
|
Captain...or Skully
Social climber
Idaho, also. Sorta, kinda mostly, Yeah.
|
|
And a Grand Opera it Was, too.
Yeehaw.
Peter, My Grand Fantabultation Device is actin' up.
A little assist, maybe?
Or I could just pull over, I suppose........
|
|
Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
|
|
We don't need no stinking badges.
But on my watch, the powers that be, er those that tossed in their two cents on all things stylewise on the stone BITD... uh... they wud...
They'd a been' sport'n very fyne badges fashioned hastily from melted down thrift shop pewter, set with a well-known malt liquor logo and flanked with cherubs ablaze in proud filigree.
One can always dream.
TM looks mighty fine there!
|
|
Peter Haan
Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Oct 4, 2009 - 02:08pm PT
|
Tarcreature,
Good one on that. The “take away points” being: Proud Filigree, Cherubs Ablaze and Thrift Shop Götterdämmerung. Right? Sounds really messy, please advise.
|
|
ron gomez
Trad climber
fallbrook,ca
|
|
Peter the Robbins conehead is hillarious!! I remember the controversy, with the Morning Light Wall, I agree with you, was a BIG one BITD. Is that a Bud Light in TM's hand??? He should deserve better than that....what did you guys drink back then??
Peace
|
|
mouse from merced
Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
|
|
Nov 29, 2014 - 02:21am PT
|
Arise, ye buried thread!
Arise and drink something...
Oh, and All This is yours...
Get thee behind me and talk to the hand.
Too good to stay a dead thread.
Nice job, here, Peter!
|
|
clinker
Trad climber
Santa Cruz, California
|
|
Nov 29, 2014 - 07:33am PT
|
STFU Pate. This is supposed to be funnier than hell. The ruckus that resulted from the WEML was completely over the top at the time and afterwards. Pilgrims, it lasted for several years! If you think the recent South Face of Half Dome snit was a big'un, you don't have a clue. And actually the erasing of 1/3 or so of the El Cap route even took place until RR cried himself to sleep. TM was quite involved immediate too and published even on it. Like Dallas or some other soap opera.
As time went by, Harding's route gained acceptance while the many oldschoolers pitted against him seemed to be more and more shrill and off-base. I was one of them to be honest. Even though RR and of course TM were totally well-intending in their opposition but actually had a personal distaste for Harding's persona, in the end it appears that all the complaints against Warren have evaporated. RR even told me right afterwards he gradually became astounded as he climbed higher and higher on the second ascent (with Lauria) how hard the aid that Harding had put up was. I could tell even back then that RR knew that at some point in the future the proverbial "other shoe" would drop and he might have a buttload of explaining to do for his antics.
Valley Uprising "or some other soap opera", this never gets old. Thanks Peter.
|
|
mouse from merced
Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
|
|
Nov 29, 2014 - 09:57am PT
|
All of El Cap's a stage.
|
|
crunch
Social climber
CO
|
|
Nov 29, 2014 - 10:19am PT
|
Classic!
Peter (and mouse from merced). Supertopo at its best.
Thanks!
|
|
PhilG
Trad climber
The Circuit, Tonasket WA
|
|
Nov 29, 2014 - 10:28am PT
|
Great post, Peter.
Thanks for the rebirth, mouse.
What an interesting time in Valley history. I can recall the drama in camp 4.
I think most of us didn't want to see a bolt ladder up our beloved El Cap, but we had nothing but admiration for Harding's ability to spend 27 days on a wall.
|
|
Gnome Ofthe Diabase
climber
Out Of Bed
|
|
Nov 29, 2014 - 10:35am PT
|
avast ye mate yees! Would this then also be the start of the scalliwag pirate references??
|
|
mouse from merced
Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
|
|
Nov 29, 2014 - 11:01am PT
|
People showed up in droves to gawk from the meadow.
Von Derryberry was the ground man.
And Beryl played her part so well.
"Watch our smoke."--Batso
|
|
Wayno
Big Wall climber
Seattle, WA
|
|
Nov 29, 2014 - 11:20am PT
|
This thread needs a musical score. I suggest some Prokofiev. Peter and the Wolf ... Uhh, I mean Mouse.
Great stuff, guys! There is like, layers of stuff here.
[Click to View YouTube Video]
|
|
Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
|
|
Nov 29, 2014 - 12:00pm PT
|
Bump for the Anchorite T M and the Royal Presence.
Stigmata and Beer in perfect union!
Absolutely fabulous composition Peter.
"Not you Royal, man. Not you?!?
|
|
mouse from merced
Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
|
|
Nov 29, 2014 - 01:07pm PT
|
An answer for Ron Gomez: me & my friends, we liked Apple Jack from Boone's Farm, mostly.
If we could afford it.
It was autumn, and it was complementary to the season.
Return volley: Who was Royal's partner?
|
|
donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
|
|
Nov 29, 2014 - 03:47pm PT
|
TM is one of the most memorable people I ever climbed with, always joking but never in an unkind way. Peter...I think TM would agree that he always played the clown, never the wizard.
|
|
TomCochrane
Trad climber
Santa Cruz Mountains and Monterey Bay
|
|
Nov 29, 2014 - 04:26pm PT
|
TM was the one guy who could get Royal to lighten up
|
|
Darwin
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
|
|
Nov 29, 2014 - 04:29pm PT
|
Thanks for bumping this Mouse, and for the other photos. I missed it originally, so thanks Peter. I have to admit that I was unsettled by the images.
It's weird, I well remember Robbin's role in the whole rescue drama (fiasco?), but I don't remember TM's.
in edit (my post is so unworthy of being top of the page, someone delete one!)
|
|
Peter Haan
Trad climber
Santa Cruz, CA
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Nov 29, 2014 - 05:08pm PT
|
DarDar, TM was the most vocal and stringent opponent of the WEML and was pushing Royal really hard to go up there. Maybe they were going to go together. How RR ended up with Lauria just has to be a story in itself, I am thinking. I once knew of course.
And DarDar the images are not real, keep in mind. They are Gustave Dore engraving backgrounds with layers of RR and TM doing stuff. And then of course the rays of disdain too. We are supposed to get a real dour inquisitional feel here. You see you have to do that in order to access High Humor.
Let's keep in mind here though that RR totally regretted his act later on. And from what I recall speaking to him at dinner in Modesto, he was half way there shortly after their kooky second ascent.
Related images:
|
|
|
SuperTopo on the Web
|