The UCLA Daily Bruin got hold of LilaBiene's story and did a story on her and the role of the Bruin Mountaineers played in bringing Audrey's family history to light as well as how Audrey has brought the Bruin Mountaineers together again. Their story is here:
Last February I drove south to L.A., and I had the pleasure of visiting an old (82 y.o.) friend, Frank Hoover. He'd introduced me to white water rafting and had been in the UCLA Bruin Mountaineers. But, more importantly, he'd be a member of the Sierra Club RCS in L.A. and had known Bill Dolt, RR, Frost, Kamps, the Mendenhalls, Fitschen, and so many more. I wanted to check out his photos from the 50's, but unfortunately, his slides were burned in a house fire at one point, and his best B&W negatives had been borrowed and he hasn't seen them since, perhaps due to an auto accident that's left him wheelchair bound.
Frank Hoover, Feb., 2013
Credit: BooDawg
However, he did have contact sheets from his B&W negatives, and as I went through them, I found several that had decent images of Bill Dolt. Knowing that LilaBiene would want any information or imagery of her birth father, I took pictures of those contact sheets for her. No doubt scanning the contact sheets would yield better results than these:
Bill Dolt at Stoney Point, Mid-Late 1950's.
Credit: BooDawg
Bill Dolt at Stoney Point, Mid-Late 1950's.
Credit: BooDawg
Bill Dolt at Stoney Point, Mid-Late 1950's.
Credit: BooDawg
Bill Dolt at Stoney Point, Mid-Late 1950's.
Credit: BooDawg
After looking at the contact sheets, Frank and I went out for a burger lunch at one of his favorite hang-out places.
Frank now lives near Stoney Point and would probably welcome visitors who are interested in the history of California rock-climbing.
Here's another picture of Frank. It reminds me of some lyrics by Tom Patey:
"...So sow your wild oats while ye may,
for the toothless old tykes of tomorrow
were the tigers of yesterday."
The very best photo is the very first one of all. Frank, it's so nice to "see" you!
I wish I lived closer to the both of you so that I could spend time with you more often.
I also wish you both knew just how much you've impacted my life this past year...I have so many fond memories of stories and laughs shared, and of just how big and strong your hearts truly are. I miss you both terribly and have almost started counting the days until Facelift in September.
So I'm a little misty-eyed at the moment, but wanted to express my gratitude to you both.
It never ceases to amaze me how you guys just seem to know when I could use a smile.
:D
Edit:
P.S. The muppet says a big HELLO to you both! She drew this picture for you!
The muppet says this is a picture of a big rock you can climb and find with the ladder at the top. ")
Here's another inspiring Frank -- the two actually have a lot in common. Find what you love to do and go chase it down, and don't be afraid to change horses...there are a lot of them out there running around. But most of all, be true to yourself. Keep at it, whatever it is that insprires you. Squeeze the most you can out of life!
Frank Hoover reminds me of a quote by Maya Angelou:
"People may forget what you said. People may forget what you did...but people will never forget how you made them feel."
(Any inaccuracies are my fault.)
When I visited Frank last October, I had just been to Oakdale, followed by a drive to L.A. (Why is there commuter traffic at 4 a.m.?!) via a very much-needed respite with BooDawg in Mariposa, an incredibly frustrating and sorrowful visit to the cemetery where Bill is interred...and I was LOST. I was in so much pain -- everything had become real during the trip -- and I wasn't prepared.
Frank welcomed both the muppet and me with open arms, and he shared so many wonderful stories. Stories that go far beyond Dolt, into other climbing, white water rafting, flying planes, orange peels and Jumars (you'll have to get him to divulge the stories -- my lips are sealed!), a college-age BooDawg and his brother, biochemistry, genetics and on and on. We spent the early afternoon until late in the night just trading stories, thoughts, theories...what a wonderful sparkle Frank has in his eyes. Mischief!
My sadness was completely suspended, and was starting to heal. I have such fond memories of our visit, it's difficult to do them justice with words. When you meet someone for whom you develop a deep admiration, and from whom you readily draw inspriation, you just know how truly fortunate you really are.
Frank, thank you for the wonderful gift of your presence in my life.
So here's the other "Frank"...another insprational "character". ")
So I've been searching for the perfect frame for the picture of Bill that Tom Frost gave to me @ Oakdale, and simultaneously for the perfect frame for a beautiful butterfly made by Frank Hoover and sent to us at Christmas last year. Inspiration struck as I was chasing the muppet down an aisle at Target, and out jumped a frame perfect for both. (The picture doesn't do the butterfly justice -- it's delicately layered and has a shimmering skin.) The beauty of the frame is that it is glass on both sides.
Also, for Bonnie Kamps, a picture of the original Dolt patch on my new jacket, selected especially to match.
A very special thank you from my heart to each of you. <3
Tom Frost's first picture with Dolt's Leica camera on 6 September 1960 with Frank Hoover's butterfly...Dolt with wings to fly...
Credit: LilaBiene
The muppet watched me intently as I put the frame together. I had some happy tears in my eyes. She said: "You're sad your daddy died. Why did he die, mommy? Did his belly hurt?" Being completely unprepared for her line of targeted questioning, the only thing I could come up with on the fly that I thought she might be able to grasp was that Bill's heart was very sad, and that his heart broke and this is why he died.
"But," she insisted, "we can give him a band-aid and fix his heart make it all better. Then maybe you meet your daddy in summer next week." Then she set about looking at the photo of Bill and drew the picture of him below, with a band-aid on his belly to fix his heart.
Dolt with a band-aid to fix his heart
Credit: LilaBiene
I thought my heart was going to burst. Time to find another frame. ")
hey there say, boodawg... oh my, as i shared with you a bit agao, you will know why:
but i am sooo very happy to see these wonderful photos for lilabiene!
i am just ready to mail her a small token, so to speak, and i feared i had
greatly LACKED along the way, ;)
well, out to the mail, i go, now...
with my heart, rested assured, wow:
god is so good... :)
i love this whole story, it has touched my heart... i love families and i love how trails reach around and can come back and hug those that have
lost part of their lives...
Dear Mouse, Neebs, your Helper Angels, and my adoption Search Angels,
I've had one full week of surprises completely unexpected, and I'm still very honestly trying to wrap my brain around your incredible, thoughtful, amazingly perceptive and generous acts of great kindness. I don't know how to thank you all for bringing to light things that have touched my heart so deeply. Having tried to compose this post several times, and failed, each time resorting to a box of Kleenex, I finally decided that I just need to write, however imperfectly.
To say that I am overwhelmed is a gross understatement.
Mouse's package arrived with a wonderful book on the history of Castle AFB, a hat from the Museum (picture posted elsewhere) which the hubby attempted to make off with -- lol, a couple of flying wingdings that the muppet promptly made off with, and the two BEAUTIFUL and incredibly thoughtful and touching articles below:
A beautiful, framed watercolor of El Cap by local artist Helen Swickard (note the beautiful butterfly adorning the painting), and a first edition of a book on the story of the Boston Post Road.
Credit: LilaBiene
The watercolor will find it's home next to the picture of Dolt with butterfly posted above.
A complete surprise was this beautiful painting done by our own Neebs, capturing Dolt, Ann, El Cap and the muppet and me, all based off of photos posted here and there around ST.
Neebs lovely painting...her beautiful soul shines right through...
Credit: LilaBiene
If these random acts of kindness weren't enough, I got home Friday night after a really long week, and another box of surprises was waiting. The Search Angels who were so wonderful in putting me in touch with Ann's younger sister have been busy!
I opened the box to find these original magazines that I have been trying to track down for quite some time:
Pictures I saw for the first time on Friday...
Credit: LilaBiene
Holding these magazines in my hands pretty much renders me speechless. I've looked at them over and over in utter amazement.
Needless to say, I couldn't believe there could be still more in the box.
Utter shock, I think best describes this.
Credit: LilaBiene
Equipment I can actually use...way beyond my comprehension. I've been carrying them around in my pocket since they arrived.
You have to understand that I happened to see these up for auction on eBay, and could only make a modest bid. When I saw what they actually went for, I was blown out of the water. Wow, I thought, someone really wanted those badly...and I guess I'm going to have to put away a small fortune if I ever want to buy any of my birth dad's equipment.
So you can understand my surprise opening the box to find these two magazines from approx. 55 years ago, and then the Dolt equipment I had thought was lost to me...
And not forgetting that Frank Hoover sent the most beautiful poem by Dolt to us just a week before...
I'm deeply humbled and grateful, and only hope that I can one day thank each of you in person. <3
BITD when we used to have tied over-the-shoulder slings, I had one of those Dolt nuts on every one of them. Since the sling went straight through (and the hole was beautifully chamfered), the nuts didn't weaken the sling at all when it was used as a sling. I have no idea what became of those nuts; I certainly never consciously got rid of them...
The folks I've encountered since this part of my journey began (whether in person, by phone, email, in cyberspace, in stories I've read) are...very simply said...extraordinarily beautiful, thoughtful (and thought-provoking), generous, inspirational and above all the KINDEST of souls.
I've said this before, but it bears repeating. If you had been in the (Kletter-) shoes of Ann or Bill, and for a multitude of challenging, heart-wrenching reasons not able to raise your own (surprise!) offspring, what more could you ever want for her than to have her taken under the wings of your greater family made up of your friends, family and the climbing community, who all loved you dearly?
A giant, multi-faceted prism taking in the sun's light, mixing it together with love and memories and connections, and emitting a dazzling array of the indescribable...
Let us know!