Alan Rubin
climber
Amherst,MA.
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Jun 28, 2010 - 09:54am PT
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Steve,thanks for posting the article. Dave was a true Devil's Lake "original", though it is amazing how many really unique characters there were in the small D.L. climbing community of the era. It is also pretty amazing that "rgold" and I (and plenty of others on here)are now older than Dave was when we climbed with him back in the day. Then, in the arrogance and short-sightedness of youth, we undoubtedly thought that it was pretty amazing that someone his age could walk, let alone climb, let alone climb hard----but now here we are.....!!!!! Though there was surely something about Dave's "total package"--the overalls, work boots, the "country drawl",his weathered appearance, the soloing--more than just his age that made him such a unique individual. He was an inspiration to us all, who showed us that we could "keep at it" long after the heady days of our youth.
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prunes
climber
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Jun 28, 2010 - 10:10am PT
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When Dave was getting on in years he would give you really bad beta on how to do climbs and I still remember climbing things like Gills Nose and being up there for ever
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MH2
climber
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Jun 29, 2010 - 12:44am PT
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I believe that Dave Slinger was 67 when I first met him. As well as for his climbing he was notable for having made enough money to retire at 45 and divide his time between Aspen and Devil's Lake.
67 years still seems signficantly older than I presently am, but that could change.
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jogill
climber
Colorado
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Jun 29, 2010 - 09:28pm PT
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Dave was an amazing guy. I had a lot of admiration for him, scampering up his tough test pieces in crepe-soled boots! Scared me a couple of times, following him around. May his memory live on . . .
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 30, 2010 - 02:58pm PT
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What did Dave do for a living to retire so young?
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rgold
Trad climber
Poughkeepsie, NY
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Jun 30, 2010 - 07:38pm PT
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He was an honest-to-god farmer but got rich by astute plays in various futures markets.
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MH2
climber
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He was an honest-to-god farmer but got rich by astute plays in various futures markets.
Until someone with better information comes along:
Dave Slinger was an onion farmer who bought a seat on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. He told us that you could expect to make money on 6 out of 10 deals. He did very well in pea futures before the regulators ruled them too speculative.
Although very quiet he had great curiosity, liked to play bridge, ran the 3 miles around the Lake in early morning, and played tennis.
He said that municipal bonds were a good way for the rich to get richer and that the US should consider luxury taxes like the British used after WWII.
He described a too-good-to-be-true trip that American advisors made to a backwards area of Mexico in the Peace Corps era. The Americans told the locals that if they built some roads, dams, and generating stations, then they wouldn't need to work so hard. "We don't work hard, now," was the response.
He canoed down the Mackenzie River (it flows north to the Arctic), was taken captive by men with rifles, but escaped, as he told it, by back-paddling while pretending to follow the other boat and then zipping up a tributary and hiding as darkness came.
He was generous and opened his cabin to many of us for overnight stays when climbing.
The last person to see him that I spoke to was Dick Cilley, who said that Dave was still strong and active but under the implacable comes-on-cat's-feet attack of dementia. That was at least 20 years ago.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 16, 2010 - 09:48pm PT
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Bump for a Cilley testimonial!
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 8, 2010 - 07:13am PT
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Cilley story Bump!
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Cilley has dementia?
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LongAgo
Trad climber
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Aug 29, 2010 - 12:19am PT
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I climbed a bit there in the late 60's and could not agree more with posters who note some of the ratings seemed, well, conservative. Maybe they since have been changed.
Also found the rock quite varied, some like sandstone, some like glass. I recall one wall where you could see the transition from one quality to another in a matter of 20-30 feet.
And, hardly needs saying, but for the record Pete Cleveland was very able and gutsy, as I found climbing with him a little there. No news really - one need only look at his ascent of Superpin in the Needles to know his ability.
Tom Higgins
LongAgo
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 29, 2010 - 09:33am PT
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Tom- How did you hear about Devil's Lake as a climbing destination?
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 15, 2010 - 05:49pm PT
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Rockin' Walleyed Cheesehead Bump!
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kfons
Trad climber
Madison, WI
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Nov 10, 2010 - 07:21pm PT
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Rich Becheler (Prunes) passed away this morning at age 50. I do not have many details but he has been having health problems the last few years. When I have details of the service I will post them. I will miss him, he was a very close friend. My prayers are with him and his family
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 24, 2012 - 03:43pm PT
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Memorial Bump for Prunes...
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RhoadsClimbs
Trad climber
Madison, WI
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Apr 13, 2012 - 09:40am PT
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Anyone have a copy of the Pete Cleveland interview from Climbing Mag a while back?
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chez
Social climber
chicago ill
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Apr 13, 2012 - 02:47pm PT
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Prunes bump
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MH2
climber
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Apr 13, 2012 - 04:31pm PT
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Amen bump
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