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can't say
Social climber
Pasadena CA
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Sep 17, 2006 - 03:05pm PT
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Ken, thats Russ, sure as the day is long, note how the two handed pocket-pool set up he's running with the slightly bent wrist flair.
Kevin, is the Pannikan still on your morning rounds?
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Sep 17, 2006 - 07:33pm PT
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Mike and Kevin,
Your stories about doing the Graham Traverse en route to a chopfest on the lower Salathe jogged my memory.
Back in 1983, I climbed through that area while putting up The Turning Point. The second pitch ends at the belay where you guys began that huge sweeping downward traverse to the left to reach the Salathe.
After rappelling at the end of the day, Yosemite caretaker John Bachar, approached to ask if I was aware that I had been on hallowed ground. I said yes, and told him that I had added a bolt to protect the very last 5.11a sequence to reach the belay. I watched as his jaw tightened and he pondered his response to the indiscretion. Only after I pre-empted his certain sneer by informing him that fifty feet of runout 5.10 all the way up the down ramp had left The Graham Traverse, with its enormous windshield wiper pendulum fall, essentially intact, did he smile. "Just checking," he said as we parted company, just a little closer for having shared an obscure bit of history that few would know or appreciate.
We old guard carry around a lot of great tales. I thought you guys might appreciate this one.
Cheers-Steve
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Karl Baba
Trad climber
Yosemite, Ca
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Sep 18, 2006 - 02:41am PT
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Kevin wrote:
"Space Babble is the only route I've done that I would consider adding bolts to or condone adding bolts to simply because, as you mentioned, the climbing is epic and so central, but rarely enjoyed by anyone as far as I know. I know you would argue that the sparse protection only makes the route better, and I hear you, but it is kind of a shame so few people taste that part of Middle. How 'bout adding bolts, but enforcing a special no chalk rule? "
Quite a few years back, I top-roped Space Babble pitch by pitch while rapping from Kor-Beck. It hadn't had many ascents as evidenced by the fact that I could rip the faded 1 inch tubular webbing apart with my bare hands. A couple anchors are truly shaky too.
I couldn't believe the quality of the climbing. Really one of the best routes in the valley. It is a shame that it's never done. At least replacing the anchors would let folks do it wimpy style like I did.
Peace
Karl
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Patrick Sawyer
climber
Originally California now Ireland
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Sep 18, 2006 - 07:35am PT
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I am curious, having been out of the Valley scene since the late 1970s, but what is up with doing Space Babble chalkless? I don't know anything about the route except that is is 5.11a/b and on Middle.
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Largo
Sport climber
Venice, Ca
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Sep 18, 2006 - 01:07pm PT
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Yo, KW--
Tell us the story about you and three others on Mother Earth, and how you battled up to the big ledge after many heroics only to find that George had mistakenly bought dog food for dinner.
JL
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graham
Social climber
Ventura, California
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Sep 18, 2006 - 01:49pm PT
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Did Royal chop my bolts? I don’t think so but Steve you will be pleased to know, Royal did take my hammer from me.
Hey, had a great weekend with some old Slabmasters, Muir, Hensel, Bolton, Graham (my son Ian) a new route even got established. Went to fill my chalk bag with this white stuff, turned out to be like Talcum power. Had to do the routes with a handicap.
Cheers
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Patrick Sawyer
climber
Originally California now Ireland
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Sep 18, 2006 - 02:38pm PT
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Rik (I think he spelled it without the c) Reider, another very nice guy who had time for me. I remember when he got injured on (I think) the PO Wall when Bridwell and some of you guys were putting it up. Something about a flake and an awful head injury. I think Bachar was up there with him and had to lower him off, but my memory may not be serving me well.
Hell of a nice guy and damn good climber.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Sep 19, 2006 - 12:09am PT
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No non-essential pro that I recall on SB. Hee Haa. Middle Rock fixed pins were always pretty psychological anyway. Don't pop, psychology. It might help explain the lack of ascents if those short arrows are gone.
Mike, nice story about Royal taking your hammer! The Valley never saw such a stern farmer again. If you would like to elaborate on that classic intergenerational moment, I'm all ears. LOL! I don't remember seeing more that two old rusty Leeper hangers out left once I pieced your route together while leading on TP. Were you around when Fawcett and Livesey repeated SB and presumably that photo in Yosemite Climber was taken?
Cheers-Steve
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Sep 19, 2006 - 01:11am PT
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Kevin,
Instead of big shiny modern bolt hangers I would happily send you some historical stainless SMC 3/8" hangers. There has never been a failure on the stainless version. Perhaps the old pin positions could be reused and somehow pinned or reinforced? A drilled 1/2" angle epoxied in would work too since the runouts aren't too ridiculous. Perhaps that is going too far in the name of flavor but I would be happy to help in the effort to refit SB if you are thinking about it. What am I going to do with all that ironmongery anyway? Any excuse to visit Yosemite is a great one.
Cheers-Steve
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tom Carter
Trad climber
CA
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Sep 19, 2006 - 10:27am PT
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That's Kevin, Phil & Rik Reider
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scuffy b
climber
The town that Nature forgot to hate
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Sep 19, 2006 - 11:38am PT
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Hi Tom, How goes?
moyles
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graham
Social climber
Ventura, California
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Sep 19, 2006 - 12:20pm PT
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Great story Kevin, I hope you’re published.
Steve, one of my favorite encounters with Royal was when I first met him. I was working at our local ski\climbing shop in Newport Beach. He was visiting the store with his wife and three year old daughter. We were selling his “Galibier” Boot line he was importing so his mission was somewhat business. Me of course being all business, walks up to him shakes his hand and can only say “Did you hear we freed the Vampire”! He looks at me kind of cross-eyed, tries to grin and musters a faint “Really????” I don’t remember if I was more cordial after that (probably not) but he didn’t stick around long. All I could think of, was it something I said? He really was one of my heroes maybe I should have opened with that line.
Hi Tom! Yeah I knew that was Rik and Phil, Rik and I were pretty close after his mishap on PO. I could barely get him down the five pitches by myself since he was unconscious for the first three. that story will have to wait for some other time.
Mike
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Jorge
climber
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Sep 19, 2006 - 09:24pm PT
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Kev
Okay, okay, that was a low blow and has forced me to totally refute your otherwise wonderful post about the BO. Unfortunately I have gotten lost in the cobwebs of my mind in trying to find anything that might for sure say that was NOT dog food.
Great to connect again.
Jorge
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Tired Trad Tales
Trad climber
southern cal
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Sep 19, 2006 - 10:02pm PT
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Kevin,
That was a great long post and a worthwhile tale of a great route. I hadn't heard that story before.
Sept 19, 2006
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Sep 20, 2006 - 12:04am PT
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Kevin,
A nice historical snapshot of Mother Earth served upon a bed of tasty prose...
Three Cheers!
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scuffy b
climber
The town that Nature forgot to hate
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Sep 20, 2006 - 01:01pm PT
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Great story, Kevin, keep em coming.
You don't remember me.
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Patrick Sawyer
climber
Originally California now Ireland
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Sep 20, 2006 - 01:16pm PT
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Mike, you jogged my memory, excuse me for saying Bachar lowered Rik on that PO mishap when now I recall it was you.
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Roger Breedlove
climber
Cleveland Heights, Ohio
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 20, 2006 - 05:02pm PT
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Hey Jorge, (George Meyers) just start slow. Look at some old pictures of Middle. Maybe glance at some old photos of your climbing friends.
Maybe it will start to come back.
Just to get you going, you were climbing in the Valley in the early 1970s. Had lots of close friends. Did some really stellar routes. Things were going really well for you until you ruined it all by going into the writ'ng and publish'ng business.
We all make mistakes. Let it go.
I know that dementia really sucks. But we'll help you through it.
Just glad that you are setting a new low standard for memory retention. I'm feeling better about myself already. Hee, he.
Your friend, Buzz
PS: Of course it was dog food! It was cheap. Besides it was only John and Kevin that had to eat it. What the hell did they know?
Got any pictures?
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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
one pass away from the big ditch
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Sep 21, 2006 - 03:36am PT
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Pinnacles has some of those drilled pitons, they seemed plenty solid, except the bolt itself was a star dryv.
oh, and it was Pinnacles rock. :)
Cheers,
Munge
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