Rick Piggott

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Brunosafari

Boulder climber
OR
Jan 9, 2013 - 11:10pm PT

splitter

Trad climber
Cali Hodad, surfing the galactic plane ~:~
Jan 10, 2013 - 01:43am PT
I first met Rick in 1971 (my first year climbing). I had already heard of him and the PWMB's (since I lived in San Diego) and therefore readily identified him as he approached a friend and I working on some face problem at Woodson. I never really got to know him very well, but he would always stop to say hello & just the usual climbing banter that was customary. A very casual, mellow and likeable dood. It sure would be awesome to have him join the ST campfire! And as far as the PWMB's go, imho, the doods are legendary. I hope this get together is a successful one!!

edit: as far as SB goes, I have already sprayed extensively about my sending it and so forth on the "Woodson 2012" thread. Perhaps, if this thing is a go, I'll show ya all how it's done, with no kneebars (I'm not tall enough either at 6'1"). I did it as a pure undercling, and it was BRUTAL.

;)
David Wilson

climber
CA
Jan 10, 2013 - 10:23am PT
Here's my take on Silk Banana...I was closer to being President of the United States.

that's hilarious Greg
bvb

Social climber
flagstaff arizona
Jan 10, 2013 - 02:27pm PT
Splittster -- everyone does Silk Banana as an undercling. It's the only way to make progress. The whole kneebar thing is just a quick stabilizer to set up for the next few powermoves. It's not like you walk casually across on kneebars. Once you're about half way into the problem even a midget can get that dicey "kneebar." Git 'er done, slick.
F10

Trad climber
Bishop
Jan 10, 2013 - 03:03pm PT
"The most awesome Piggot story I ever heard was the one story I actually heard him tell himself. The first ascent of The Last Bonus at Corte Madera. He rode in by himself on a motorcyle, soloed the FA, then rode out. Simple and direct tale of what must have been his version of an epic. I'm not sure that climb has ever been repeated after some 40 years."

bvb thanks for the story

Years ago I backed off at the crux, looked scary as hell
bvb

Social climber
flagstaff arizona
Jan 10, 2013 - 03:22pm PT
Yeah, we were out at Woodson and I'd always wondered so I asked him about it. He sort of smirked and spelled the whole thing out for me in maybe 50 words. He was never one for overstatement, so I decided on the spot to never, ever get on it.
Brunosafari

Boulder climber
OR
Jan 10, 2013 - 10:46pm PT
that's good thinkin' BVB!

splitter

Trad climber
Cali Hodad, surfing the galactic plane ~:~
Jan 11, 2013 - 12:04am PT
bvb -
Everyone does Silk Banana as an undercling.
I'm aware of that Bob, it's just that the rests, which are possible with the kneebars, would seem to help since it is strenuous (to say the least). I am not discrediting the kneebar approach (when possible), in fact since I have never used it (other then that first kneebar "halfway across" which, like you said, everyone can use i suspect that you/I are referring to the same kneebar). But, it comes before the first really strenous clings & from that point continuously strenous, fatigueing undercling/it is much harder to undercling from this point on.

BTW, I have no idea how hard it is if you can do a combo of kneebar/undercling. And I have not seen anyone else do it that way (neither in person or by vid) I am just guessing/surmizing that it is easier. I have watched the vid of the 'Pullharder' boys attempting to do so at a criticle moment and failing. And I vaguely recall attempting to do so (in my initial attempts) and failing, so I resorted to the only other way possible (straight undercling).

Like I said, we stopped at SB a few times on the way back down the mountain after a day of climbing. I never got past the first few hard moves (after that initial kneebar rest that "everyone" can do). It was a good final overall workout/pump, if nothing else.

A year or two later, when I started going up a few times a week on my own, I managed to get one (1) move further than I had previously had. I then decided to focus on it.

Like someone said, "most peole try it a few times and lose interest in it."
I think that is unfortunate. Because, like i said, it is an excellent core body workout at the end of the day, if nothing else!

I am just saying that it does go as a pure undercling (no kneebars) for what it is worth. If I can manage to do it (granted, a LOT of effort & a fair amount of time was required on my part) ... ANYONE can!!!

edit: i did eventually eliminate that initial kneebar, and was also EVENTUALLY able to lap it (across & back) & then do multiple laps.

But, as far as i can recall, no one ever saw me, no one took any pics, and, for that matter, no one would have given a f*#king sh#t (back then).

And for that matter, neither did I (give a f'n sh#t about anyone else knowing). I did it for myself. isn't that what bouldering/climbing is all about (or at least was back then)? I still don't give a sh#t, but, I do feel a certain responsibility for simply "keeping things real" generally speaking. Perhaps I should have just left it as it was. BUT, some people started spraying that it was a piece of cake (or whatever) and I feel otherwise, and therefore took action/said something! Wudevah ... !

baba long

Trad climber
Joshua Tree, CA
Jan 11, 2013 - 12:15am PT
Climbed and belayed Rick one winter In J Tree. A Zen master in terms of climbing and life. It's in the details of what is happening. Don't think he ever lost sight of that. Thanks Rick!
Brunosafari

Boulder climber
OR
Jan 11, 2013 - 01:04am PT
Ground_Up, credit for this killer event goes to Duke #1, David Goeddel.

Mooser- If Friction King doesn't dust off his EB's his position is "up-for-grabs."

I remember Rick showing me slick banana, right on the ground, ha. I filed it under "never." I told him, "weird."




bvb

Social climber
flagstaff arizona
Jan 11, 2013 - 01:27am PT
Really? The Insulin/Genentech guy?!
splitter

Trad climber
Cali Hodad, surfing the galactic plane ~:~
Jan 11, 2013 - 02:28am PT
Didn't the PWMB's have some rivalry /one upmanship going at Suicide/Tahquitz with the Santa Monica Moutaineers, seems as though I recall some good natured bantering going on between them on a few occasions?
Brunosafari

Boulder climber
OR
Jan 11, 2013 - 11:10am PT
BVB "The insulin guy" and the Goeddel's Move guy are one and the same. He and Dennis Adams began the Poway mountaineers about 1966. Yea Splitter, the Buffers and Dukes had laughs, especially on the Poway side. Ha ha!

Notable Buffer, Dave Black, and I teamed up and climbed the Lost Arrow Direct in '71- He must of been a new college student and I was still 16. I still have to show him some of the pictures. oops

Dave (edit )Goeddel, climbed the Nose with Rick later the same year. Rick was still pretty inexperienced and had no big wall experience at all. He unexpectedly led his pitch in the Stovelegs entirely free, according to Dave, with no rests at all and with the entire wall rack of bongbongs and big angles swinging from his neck, twenty or thirty pounds I guess.
Phantom X

Trad climber
Honeycomb Hideout
Jan 11, 2013 - 09:03pm PT
I have a seldom told Piggott story. This may sound fantastic but I swear it's true. I can't even remember exactly when, I think it was the summer of 1970. I was with a high school summer school class that had spent two weeks in the Sierra backpacking and climbing. I was a very handsome freshman and Rick was a grown senior. On the return trip home I sat by Rick, he had a window seat and was pretty content to be viewing the east side view of the Sierra when I, being very observant, noticed that in the two weeks that we were roughing it that Rick had grown a pretty decent five o'clock shadow. At the time there were many great shaving cream commercials, I can't remember which one but I started singing it and was cracking myself up when he turned and gave me a funny look. I could tell he really liked it and so I pointed out that he had grown a beard. Without saying anything Rick reaches over and with his fingernails grabs the ever so delicate tiniest strand of peach fuzz from my boyish chin and pulls it. Yiyiyi-yiyi!!! It was very, very painful. Those days I was also somewhat resilient and went on to whistle a couple more commercial tunes while Rick surpressed his happiness.
Brunosafari

Boulder climber
OR
Jan 12, 2013 - 12:21am PT

I knew Colin, Rick's brother, before I knew Rick. We played trumpet in the fourth grade band. Colin was a pretty scrappy kid. For a long time I thought freckles had something to do with it.


bvb

Social climber
flagstaff arizona
Jan 12, 2013 - 12:56am PT
Piggot had family? Swear to got I thought he'd been raised by Wolves. Or Sasqatch.
Brunosafari

Boulder climber
OR
Jan 12, 2013 - 01:56am PT
Yea Bob, Colin, Duke #11, began climbing at the same time Rick did. Rick could blend into the bush alright, but actually he was raised by a very sweet mother.
eeyonkee

Trad climber
Golden, CO
Jan 12, 2013 - 08:12am PT
Rick always did like you best Phantom X. All I ever got was the Clint Eastwood glare - which I'm not complaining about.

On a completely different topic, if Dennis Sullivan is out there in cyberland, he's also invited to this gig, so send your number or email.
Brunosafari

Boulder climber
OR
Sep 10, 2013 - 11:51am PT

Hello Supertopo! Thank you for bearing with me while I bump this thread today. We are still trying to Locate Rick, or his brother Colin, to let him know about The Poway Mountaineers Reunion, Fall of 2014 in Yosemite.

If any of you super rad climbers know anything at all which might help us find him The Poway Mountaineers would be Mega grateful!!!!

Thank You!

brunosafari@gmail.com



Brunosafari

Boulder climber
OR
Sep 10, 2013 - 07:46pm PT
Another bump for optimism.
Messages 41 - 60 of total 77 in this topic << First  |  < Previous  |  Show All  |  Next >  |  Last >>
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