Forward into the Past, [old guys climbing] 5/21, 23, 24/2010

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Ed Hartouni

Trad climber
Livermore, CA
Topic Author's Original Post - Jun 5, 2010 - 01:49am PT
Trip Report - Forward into the Past
Roger Breedlove, Rik Rieder, Ed Hartouni
May 21-24, 2010


I had written an email reply to Roger's email in which he laid out his itinerary for the "Sacherer Remembrance" held in the Valley at the end of May. My reply included the statement "bring shoes and a harness," Roger replied that he would but that he was also looking for "strength, courage and technique," I had no doubt he'd find those.

Roger also mentioned that Rik Rieder was planning on attending too. I hadn't met Rik before, and I was looking forward to meeting him.

The fateful day arrived and I was off to Yosemite, getting out of Livermore later than I had wanted. But arriving at the center-of-the-universe scene on the bridge chatting with Tom Evans and getting the low down on the happenings that day who should wander by but Roger and Rik, actually, the sort of appeared out of the aether, one moment I was talking to Tom, the next thing I knew R & R were standing right there. Materialized, as it were, out of some wormhole connecting us to the past. The only evidence that they had passed through that particular portal was the greying hair.

I was the designated "rope gun" for this weekend. This would represent my first leading since I hurt my back in August 2009, everything seemed well enough to start playing on rock again. After talking through the possibilities we settled on Knob Hill.

Snagging a couple of parking spaces in the overflowing tourist churn seemed to be lucky, and a good portent. We grab the rope bag and a rack and make our way up to the base of Pot Belly with a short pitch 1 rated at 5.7 and places to setup a top rope close to the ground.

Not too difficult a lead... and a good place to get confident with new fangled belay devices, my partners having just purchased BD ATCs... definitely not something we used BITD.

While I talked up the 5.7 part, I had forgotten how delicate the moves up to the 5.7 start could be... here is Roger working out the sequence


Those aren't EBs he's wearing, but 5.10 Newtons (maybe he can get sponsored!) with "the best rubber in the world" (we had to keep reminding him of that). Note also that Roger picked the harder way to start eschewing the thin crack to the left.

Roger making the first moves in the crack, cruising to the top after that.

Rik and I took the left way, using the crack. Here is Rik floating up the start with little trouble as if he really only took a few weeks off from climbing in the Valley.
Note also the green swami belt, and his hand sewn leg loops.

Rik firing up the crack portion of the climb.

We top roped the 5.9 variation that splits off to the left, about where Rik is in the picture above, then decided to go back down to the East Auditorium to socialize with others arriving for a viewing of Pat Ament's Disciples of Gill movie.

On Sunday we were treated with some awesome weather, dramatic storms hammered the western part of the Valley, while we were at Church Bowl to do Bishop's Terrace, 5.8 an uber classic. I've done this climb a lot and knew that the crux would be a good place to get my head together for leading. Certainly no surprises, though it took a while to convince myself to make the moves, which I eventually did.

Rik was next up, here just at the start of the crux:
which he pulled through in fine form.

Roger was next, and made good progress up to the crux, which he contemplated for a while, and finally accepted an offer from me for some "collaboration." Here he is in the sweet handjam section:

Monday morning we had a great discussion in the cafeteria trying to delay our start as long as possible, we decided to go out to Manure Pile. I had thoughts of maybe doing something long, but we had waited the right amount of time so that both After Six and Nutcracker were fully subscribed. I lead the first pitch of C.S. Concerto at 5.6 I had an odd time negotiating the lead... more work required in my brain. Roger and Rik didn't have any problems with it at all.

We also top roped Fecophilia, first pitch at 5.8.... Here Roger belays Rik:
These guys were getting better and better with every climb. I had no doubt they'd surpass my "rope gun" ability if I stayed another day, so I made up some excuse about having to work and drove back to Livermore on Monday evening!

It was great to get out with both Roger and Rik, and I look forward to more time travel adventures in the future. Roger's already given me a list of climbs to get up on Middle Cathedral for training... looks like I will actually be able to do them in the not too distant future!

I also owe Mighty Hiker a few climbs too, as we got rained out of Church Bowl before he had a crack at Bishop's Terrace. Perhaps during the Facelift this year!
JEleazarian

Trad climber
Fresno CA
Jun 5, 2010 - 01:52am PT
Great TR, as usual Ed. It's good to see people from my generation still at it.

John
Mighty Hiker

climber
Vancouver, B.C.
Jun 5, 2010 - 02:06am PT
Team intrepid, in the sun at Bishop's Terrace on Sunday:
Sadly, it started raining, or at least very convincingly threatened to do so, before I had my turn. I've never climbed it before - with a rope - so was looking forward to it.

Fun hanging out with you guys!
Mighty Hiker

climber
Vancouver, B.C.
Jun 5, 2010 - 02:14am PT
And some knock-kneed dork who seemed to think it was summer or something.
Lynne Leichtfuss

Trad climber
Will know soon
Jun 5, 2010 - 02:17am PT
fun stuff watching.....so maybe we can do something on the rope at Facelift. Where does Rik live ? Roger pro won't make it being in Central USA.
Mike Bolte

Trad climber
Planet Earth
Jun 5, 2010 - 02:24am PT
nice TR Ed -

thanks for posting up. Nice job guys (guys=valley legends).
Mungeclimber

Trad climber
sorry, just posting out loud.
Jun 5, 2010 - 02:27am PT
kewl
Fritz

Trad climber
Hagerman, ID
Jun 5, 2010 - 10:14am PT
Inspirational for this "has been." Weather has sucked up here in the northern rockies too, but a "drying trend" is forecast next week.

Thanks for the report Ed!
drljefe

climber
Old Pueblo, AZ
Jun 5, 2010 - 10:57am PT
Nice work from the
mold school.
Thanks Ed!
Slakkey

Big Wall climber
From Back to Big Wall Baby
Jun 5, 2010 - 11:17am PT
Good stuff Ed, nice to run into you guys at the bridge during that week.
SteveW

Trad climber
The state of confusion
Jun 5, 2010 - 11:24am PT

Great stuff, Ed--how's the back doing?
Getting better?
Dr.Sprock

Boulder climber
Sprocketville
Jun 5, 2010 - 11:48am PT
Yes, the routes were fully subscribed,

i got a new Scrabble word, "subscribed",

Thanks Ed!

J. Werlin

Social climber
Cedaredge, CO
Jun 5, 2010 - 12:20pm PT
Thank you Ed!
Brokedownclimber

Trad climber
Douglas, WY
Jun 5, 2010 - 12:21pm PT
Ed-
A really great and INSPIRING TR! Jan told all you guys about my recent "demise" at the start of my long planned trip (that I couldn't make) but don't ever count me out. Maybe the facelift is on my next "dance card?" Even sooner if I can get away from my Coumadin wielders!

Knob Hill looks perfect for a rehab site to me...

Bishop's Terrace photos bring back some good memories for me, too.
TomCochrane

Trad climber
Boulder Creek CA
Jun 5, 2010 - 12:26pm PT
Meanwhile Chelsea and I did several pitches along the base of GPA; limited by her doctor's orders to rest her torn tendon knee injury from a couple of weekends earlier. I don't think the doctor would be impressed by her means of 'resting' the knee. However yesterday's conclusion from the MRI is that it can heal without surgery, which is great news.

As we rappelled from one route, Chelsea was at the base with our pack. I was looking down from the rappel anchors and saw a bear stalking the pack. I yelled down to her and the bear tried to sneak away. When Chelsea looked around and spotted the bear, she let out a ferocious yowl and threw a big rock at it. This prompted the bear to run for about five feet, before resuming an ambling retreat.
Brokedownclimber

Trad climber
Douglas, WY
Jun 5, 2010 - 12:44pm PT
It would seem that many of the Valley routes are now "oversubscribed?!"
Studly

Trad climber
WA
Jun 5, 2010 - 01:59pm PT
Nice Ed!
Zander

Trad climber
Berkeley
Jun 5, 2010 - 02:01pm PT
Nice report Ed!
Bishop's Terrace looks really good. I've never done it. I better get you to lead me up that thing.
Zander
Ottawa Doug

Social climber
Ottawa, Canada
Jun 5, 2010 - 02:08pm PT
Hi Ed,

Awesome TR as always. Thanks for sharing your weekend with us.


Cheers,

Doug
Rick A

climber
Boulder, Colorado
Jun 5, 2010 - 05:08pm PT
The old guys really do rule!

Especially good to see Roger and Rik back at it.

Rick
Jan

Mountain climber
Okinawa, Japan
Jun 5, 2010 - 10:48pm PT
Thanks Ed!

I'm glad to see someone got some climbing in despite the weather!
I'm looking forward to my next trip to the Valley when I'm not so burdened down with responsibility.

Brokedownclimber

Trad climber
Douglas, WY
Jun 6, 2010 - 01:08am PT
Bump for Ed!
Mighty Hiker

climber
Vancouver, B.C.
Jun 6, 2010 - 01:18am PT
Flanders made us do it. Him, and Billy Russell. Yeah, that's it. That's our story, and we're sticking to it.
MH2

climber
Jun 6, 2010 - 03:46am PT
Good news. That is a TR I identify with on many levels.
Ed Hartouni

Trad climber
Livermore, CA
Topic Author's Reply - Jun 6, 2010 - 01:27pm PT
BDC, looking forward to your return to climbing... right now it looks like your recovery might match the fall season, which is better as the temps in the Valley are more summer like than our May soirée (well, ok, it wasn't evening climbing, but late hour, for sure).

SteveW, my back is recovering well, now just stiff, I'm back to climbing and getting stronger, and hopefully I can continue without injuring anything else, or re-injuring the back. Starting to think about a trip to the continental divide this summer...

Thanks all for your encouragement in writing meagre trip reports, as recovery efforts always start out with limited goals, hopefully to build to more interesting adventures... I'll have some more reports soon...
Dirka

Trad climber
SF
Jun 6, 2010 - 02:49pm PT
Go Ed!!!
survival

Big Wall climber
A Token of My Extreme
Jun 6, 2010 - 03:15pm PT
Great report Ed!
Thanks for bringing us along on the FA of Geritol Boys!!
Ed Hartouni

Trad climber
Livermore, CA
Topic Author's Reply - Jun 6, 2010 - 03:18pm PT
I think it will be Team Flowmax
SteveW

Trad climber
The state of confusion
Jun 6, 2010 - 05:55pm PT

Ed
Save your money and get Terazosin!!!!
Muy cheaper!!!! (A blood pressure med too).
Glad to hear the back is coming along. Does your
trip mean the boogaloo? Or Colorado? Whoo hoo!!!
I'm not sure I'll get in much this summer. Summer semester
is a bear this year. Whew! Back to homework!
Ed Hartouni

Trad climber
Livermore, CA
Topic Author's Reply - Jun 6, 2010 - 09:41pm PT
not using Flowmax yet... but it seems evertime I turn around it's either to pee or I see one of my partners doing so.... how did our bladders shrink?


As for the summer, perhaps I should make a trip to Colorado, as I have never climbed in that state before...
F10

Trad climber
e350 / Bishop
Jun 6, 2010 - 10:26pm PT
Great TR,

Glad to see I'm not the only one out there having to always take a leak
Brokedownclimber

Trad climber
Douglas, WY
Jun 7, 2010 - 08:30pm PT
Ed-
You really should consider a Colorado trip. Early Fall is perfect for the Lumpy Ridge. Eldorado is probably still going to be pretty hot. If Colorado is too hot, it's only a 2 hour drive up to Vedauwoo for a backup plan.

I should be back to some easy climbing in just a few more weeks--as soon as the ribs are a little loss sore.

Flomax Team leader

BDC
Mighty Hiker

climber
Vancouver, B.C.
Jun 8, 2010 - 01:52am PT
And one more.
Rik, Roger and Steve, in another of our fascinating discussions of Valley historiography in the cafeteria. The cool rainy weather encouraged such things.

Contrary to appearances, Rik was not about to brain Roger with a salt shaker.

I really enjoyed Rik's story of the second free ascent of the left side of Hourglass, and hope he'll post it sometime on one of the Hourglass threads.
http://www.supertopo.com/climbers-forum/199688/Photos-of-The-Hourglass-Left
neebee

Social climber
calif/texas
Jun 8, 2010 - 02:01am PT
hey there say, ed and all...

wow, very nice trip report... nice pics, too...
always wonderful to see such nice comaradarie... good stuff...
thanks for the special share...

yes, too, hope your back is doing well..
:)
ec

climber
ca
Jun 8, 2010 - 02:11am PT
These guys were getting better and better with every climb.
LOL

When I see the name Rik Rieder I can only think of 'A Mother's Lament.'

A proud friction test piece of Rieder's for me...done before the intermediate anchors and split pitches, autumn of '75. I really didn't know what I was getting into...pretty much full pitches with one piece of natural pro...E.B's on what seemed like glass...

 ec
MisterE

Social climber
Jun 8, 2010 - 02:47am PT
Great TR and glad you arrr back, Ed!
Brokedownclimber

Trad climber
Douglas, WY
Jun 8, 2010 - 10:25am PT
Ed-
Hope your back continues improving for Fall!
Crimpergirl

Sport climber
Boulder, Colorado!
Jun 8, 2010 - 10:48am PT
Thanks for the TR. Happy to hear your back is improving. Looking forward to seeing you this fall at the facelift!
Brokedownclimber

Trad climber
Douglas, WY
Jun 9, 2010 - 10:06am PT
Bump!
Ezra Ellis

Trad climber
WA, & NC & Idaho
Mar 5, 2011 - 12:37pm PT
Bump for old dudes having good times! :)
Kalimon

Social climber
Ridgway, CO
Mar 11, 2015 - 06:46pm PT
Quality bump.
Messages 1 - 41 of total 41 in this topic
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