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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Original Post - Dec 9, 2006 - 02:19am PT
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When I was climbing with them back in the early eighties, Hugh and Hans Herr told me stories about the Rhodie Loadies, an intrepid roving band of climbing porta-partyers that frequented the Gunks and other crags close to their tiny state. They were heard to communicate with one another by mournful cries of "Wog... Wog " when they would set a belay, where possible, at every ledge on the way up a route big enough for two people to stand on together. This very meeting of Rhodies was necessary and sufficient grounds for smoking a joint before moves or meters could be overcome to attain the next smoking stance.
A typical Gunks route climbed in this fashion could take all day and become pretty epic at the top due to the mandatory full conditions. It has almost faded into the mist but I can still picture Hugh and Hans in proper concentration faithfully croaking out the "Wog...Wog" and busting up laughing. What ever became of this mythical sect???????
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healyje
Trad climber
Portland, Oregon
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Rhodie Loadies - Oh yeah, I lived in NH for two years in the mid-80's and climbed in MA, CT, and the Gunks. The CT crew would talk about those guys. Never met them but they definitely had a rep.
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bob d'antonio
Trad climber
Taos, NM
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Dec 10, 2006 - 11:30am PT
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I remember some of them from the "Gunks" in the late 70's.
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bvb
Social climber
flagstaff arizona
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Dec 10, 2006 - 03:55pm PT
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i climbed with whitey a bunch. the rhoadie loadies home port was lincoln woods. pretty good boulderers.
i hear these days they're a bunch of vegans. they drink o'doule's in the basement and work out on plastic.
so sad. the horror, the horror.
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Brian Boyd
Trad climber
Scottsdale, AZ
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Dec 10, 2006 - 06:15pm PT
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Hey! It's not "Wog...wog". It's "Waaab Waaab". It can be done long and slow "waaaaaab waaaaaab" for, say, finding someone while standing at the base of Cathedral Ledge, or a quick "wab wab" when answering the phone. Properly shouted, with the right wind conditions, it has been heard on the valley floor from the top of the El Cap rappel.
I still bellow, but don't get much of a response these days. Current partners are untrainable in this regard.
Saw Paul Baird three years ago; he was living in Vermont doing commercial interior design. Paul had run the short-lived 'North American Climber' magazine. I climbed with Whitey a lot in the Eighties, last saw him at New River Gorge about 10 years ago.
We even had a Rhody Loadie t-shirt :)
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 10, 2006 - 06:22pm PT
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I stand corrected and sorry for the misspellings. For the record, was that "two guys on a ledge" thing for real or was it just myth? No self-incrimination necessary.
Just for grins, is that t-shirt still in the world? A pic of it would be great. What's the story behind the name?
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Brian Boyd
Trad climber
Scottsdale, AZ
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Dec 10, 2006 - 11:18pm PT
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Like all good stories, there is a grain of truth buried in some embellishment. I was starting climbing at the time, but the rest of the Loadies were pulling down some decent stuff. I don't think it ever took an entire day for anyone to summit at the Trapps. But, there were many people know to celebrate on belay ledges.
All my old stuff is buried away, sadly, although a pair of Resin Roses did surface recently. I believe the zig zag man was prominently displayed on the back of the tee shirt.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 31, 2006 - 02:36pm PT
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Thanks for the high altitude logo post. Very cool! Any body have the silkscreen still? LOL
Any of you guys have old copies of Vulgarian Digest especially the one featuring RR with breasts?
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 19, 2007 - 11:48pm PT
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Bump for old times sake and Royal's jugs?????
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rgold
Trad climber
Poughkeepsie, NY
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Oct 20, 2007 - 01:32am PT
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Paul Baird was at the Gunks climber's reunion on Saturday. Don't know if he showed up in anyone's pictures.
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bob d'antonio
Trad climber
Taos, NM
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Oct 20, 2007 - 09:12pm PT
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Paul on the right.
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russ clune
climber
new paltz, ny
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Oct 21, 2007 - 09:01am PT
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i just climbed with Whitey 6 weeks ago at Farley Ledge in MA. Alive and well.Bob D--we should make sure these guys make it to the gunks next year.
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Brian Boyd
Trad climber
Scottsdale, AZ
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Oct 22, 2007 - 09:46am PT
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Hey Russ,
If you see whitey again, can you tell him that Brian Boyd says hello? I haven't seen him in a really long time. Thanks!
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OldEric
Trad climber
Westboro, MA
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Oct 22, 2007 - 12:54pm PT
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I climbed with Whitey 5 days ago at the New. I run into him pretty often. He hasn't changed much - especially climbing wise.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 3, 2008 - 11:07am PT
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I hope a few of these gents show up at the Gunks gathering this year. Have to look for the Zig-Zag man.
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richross
Trad climber
gunks,ny
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Nov 22, 2008 - 09:10am PT
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Wob Wob, Here's a photo of Rhodie Neil Pothier from North American Climber.
The proper reply to the Wob Wob call is Woof Woof.
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Alan Rubin
climber
Amherst,MA.
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Nov 24, 2008 - 08:51am PT
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Yet another old thread that I just noticed. Many of the Loadies are still climbing very actively and well, and are only a bit more sedate. As others have posted, Whitey (John McLean)is still a regular at many northeastern areas and still pulling down harder than most. Chuck Boyd is based in CT., and is not only still rock climbing at a high standard, but has also been very active in expeditionary climbing. He was on the (almost) first ascent of Shipton Spire in the Karakoram a number of years ago, summited Everest more recently, and this past summer was on K-2. "P.J." O'Brien is in the Phoenix area----a few years ago he took a group of us on one of the wilder drives I've ever experienced into Lower(?) Devil's Canyon at Queen Creek in a rental SUV---I'm sorry that I wasn't with him when he returned it!!!!! I believe that Neil Pothier is still in the vicinity, but don't think he climbs any more. A great group---then and now.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 24, 2008 - 11:47am PT
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Thanks for the update, Al. Was Chuck on the almost SS expedition with Greg Collum and Mark Bebbie by chance?
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Alan Rubin
climber
Amherst,MA.
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Nov 24, 2008 - 12:39pm PT
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Yes, Steve, Chuck was on the Shipton climb with those guys. And, "P.J." is Pat O'Regan not O'Brien. Looking at this thread made me think about all the other semi-organized groups of climbers that had an identity, but never were formal enough to be considered "clubs" that have played such a significant, and colorful, role in US climbing---obviously The Vulgarians, but many others Syndatico Granitico,Los Banditos, DLFA, Mud and Slush, etc., etc.----grounds for another threat or several....
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