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rmuir
Social climber
From the Time Before the Rocks Cooled.
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Topic Author's Original Post - Dec 13, 2016 - 08:14am PT
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'Twas posted on Facebook last night, by a relative, of the passing of Rod Mckenzie.
RIP.
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neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
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Dec 13, 2016 - 08:56am PT
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hey there say... i only knew him, by way of facebook, when he asked to
friend-up there...
he was always very nice to me...
shared lots of animal videos, too...
my condolences here, too, to his family and loved ones...
:(
sad day, to hear of loss of rod... :(
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Russ Walling
Social climber
from Poofters Froth, Wyoming
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Dec 13, 2016 - 10:13am PT
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The only known Zone 5 Climber (according to Harding) has left the building... RIP Rod
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Greg Epperson
climber
Joshua Tree
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Dec 13, 2016 - 11:26am PT
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Rod was a good sport ... and a slave to fashion. RIP
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clode
Trad climber
portland, or
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Dec 13, 2016 - 12:36pm PT
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What is a Zone 5 climber?
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Russ Walling
Social climber
from Poofters Froth, Wyoming
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Dec 13, 2016 - 12:41pm PT
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What is a Zone 5 climber?
Read "Downward Bound" by Warren Harding. It was a rating system of climbers at the time.
Great pics Eppi! Rod was a jewel!
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Avery
climber
New Zealand
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Dec 13, 2016 - 01:50pm PT
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Sad loss. R.I.P.
Let's hear it for the 'Turkey Patrol'
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fosburg
climber
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Dec 13, 2016 - 01:52pm PT
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Wow, sad news. I really liked Rod McFrenzy (as Werner always called him; I think they were roommates in Mammoth). I once saw Rod jogging in a fairly tight circle around Kauk jumping rope and somehow it didn't seem too strange.
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mouse from merced
Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
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Dec 13, 2016 - 01:56pm PT
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I never figured Rod as much of a climber, if at all.
Never saw him racking up, EVER!
But all you've said rings true.
He was eager to please, nice as pie, and a good sport.
He reached a good age, too.
I'll miss his posts on Facebook.
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Bullwinkle
Boulder climber
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Dec 13, 2016 - 03:18pm PT
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R.I.P. McFrenzy you were an original. . . df
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i-b-goB
Social climber
Wise Acres
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Dec 13, 2016 - 03:20pm PT
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From Rod's FB page, RIP!
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chappy
Social climber
ventura
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Dec 13, 2016 - 03:28pm PT
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Sad to hear this...he was a bit different but always a great guy. Sorry to see you leave us Rod...rest in peace my friend. Does any one else remember when his mom used to come to the valley and visit?
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Dec 13, 2016 - 04:40pm PT
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He was present for the 'Squirrel punting' episode at the Ahwhanee with Dick Cilley.
I only ever knew him through Facebook.
cheers Rod! RIP
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fosburg
climber
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Dec 13, 2016 - 05:15pm PT
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Zone 5 indeed! "You either go up or down"
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Lacey
Social climber
Nevada
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Dec 13, 2016 - 06:36pm PT
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Sad to hear this.. He was always nice to me and I will miss his upbeat comments on Facebook.... Farewell Rod.... :(
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rottingjohnny
Sport climber
Sands Motel , Las Vegas
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Dec 13, 2016 - 10:47pm PT
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Guy sounds like a kick...wasn't he a poet also...?
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neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
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Dec 14, 2016 - 12:41am PT
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hey there say, me too, mouse and susan...
will miss seeing him...
he won't be forgotten...
was very nice to learn more about him, here...
thank you all...
will go read up on that ol' zone 5,
as russ, share, :)
note:
you either go up or down, huh, oh my... :O
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Bruce Morris
Trad climber
Belmont, California
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Dec 14, 2016 - 12:57am PT
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Rod was also a world-class long-distance mountain trail runner (although he did occasionally dabble in rock climbing and was a part of the scene). Believe he once ran from Mammoth to Yosemite Valley and when he got there, went and worked his shift as a waiter at the Ahwahnee Hotel. There have to be more details out there about his running feats . . . I believe I once heard Barry Bates refer to him as McFrenzy.
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mouse from merced
Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
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Dec 14, 2016 - 04:21am PT
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This is the ST Community that I love.
A virtual "nobody" who is never hardly mentioned over the years (he's been around in The Flames more than one time, I know), and now it turns out as this is...everyone knew the guy Back When.
I, for anotherofya, would like to hear more stories of Rod's runs, that's for sure.
Bridwell could lay it on us, if he would.
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F10
Trad climber
Bishop
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Dec 14, 2016 - 08:06am PT
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Sorry to hear this. Always some positive comments to me on FB.
Zone 5 RIP
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Dec 14, 2016 - 08:11am PT
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I didn't know about the runs either. As a tail runner myself ( sometimes) I'd love to hear more about these adventures!
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Ahwahnee Bartender
Big Wall climber
Fog Town
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Dec 14, 2016 - 08:15am PT
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Ron was my roommate in D Dorm across from the Village Store. I returned to the Ahwahnee in the summer of 1977 to work as a Wine Steward. After checking in at personnel, I walked across the street to find the housing manager for my room assignment. She said, "Well I have a room for you but let me go with you first and make sure the person already living there knows you are bunking with him" I'm thinking, whatever - I have done the Yosemite dorm thing a half dozen times now and it's no big deal. I was wrong.
So we walk up the stairs to a corner room and I stay behind her about 2 doors. She knocks on the door and says, "Oh Ron, I have your new roommate here!"
Ron who is still completely inside the room immediately goes ballistic and screams at the top of his voice, "WHAT? No way - I've had this room as a single and I will not accept a roommate, you can't do this! I've worked here for 10 years and this will not stand! I just can't believe it! You will just have ...."
About this time, Ron peeks around the corner and see me standing there. Although I had never spoke to him, we both "knew" each other from working at the Ahwahnee together, me in the Indian Bar and him in the Dinning Room.
Ron makes a complete attitude change and in a calm voice says, "Oh it's you - he can stay".
I guess you had to be there but it was hilarious. Back then all I wanted to do was climb every spare minute before reporting to work at 5 pm. And Warren Harding was my hero so I had Downward Bound memorized. And I knew Ron was mentioned in the book so I thought he was famous.
I said to Ron that we should go climbing together being as how he knew Warren and all. He said he didn't climb much anymore but did like to boulder and knew the Camp 4 circuit by heart, move for move. I says, well I prefer a steep aid wall but it would be great to hang with you for a day at Camp 4. So a few week later we both head over and Ron patiently points out the names and ratings of each problem, of which I know nothing about as all I want to do is nail rurps on something scary. At each famous boulder, Ron would try to crank a move or two but with not a lot of success. I was even worse so that was my day at Campy 4 with this famous Downward Bound character.
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dickcilley
Social climber
Wisteria Ln.
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Bump for Rod ,He was a stand up guy.
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Mike Honcho
Trad climber
Golden, CO
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I just checked my Facebook "friend requests" and as I thought, his is just sitting there.. I really do prefer to know someone personally before we do the Facebook thing, but sh#t, RIP Rod.
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rmuir
Social climber
From the Time Before the Rocks Cooled.
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Topic Author's Reply - Jan 12, 2017 - 09:25am PT
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The vagaries of social media. Just received in my inbox…
Voices from the grave?
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neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
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Feb 25, 2017 - 10:00pm PT
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hey there say, ahwahnee bartender...
wow, i was thinking of ron, the other night, when a whole hord of crows flew out of my huge oak tree...
so i came back to take a peek here...
he had shared something once, on birds?? or a flock of them? though i NOW have forgot exactly what it was (on the facebook) that made me think of the flock of crows...
crows, flocking, again, back before that:
same thing, happened the day before he had passed on...
well, thank you for sharing about the your adventure, there,
with 'new roommate' etc... so fun, :)
very nice story--the kind that make life and friendships,
stay precious for our 'eternal years' as we move onward to them...
extra note:
wow--never KNEW he RAN, but then, i only knew him from
his facebook request, ONE that many said was GOOD to accept ...
so glad i did ... *though i was late by about a year-and-a-bit-more to be
brave to try a new friend that i had not known, yet, :)
thank you for being a friend, rod...
you are missed...
wow, funny, ekat, at to this quote:
^ ^ ^ ^ That was about the time he spray painted his Adidas Marathons black for work shoes at the Ahwahnee.
HA!
EDIT:
oh my, i-b-goB, say,
i just BACKTRACKED... i think that might have
been the BIRD-THING that i saw on his facebook, and THAT
is why the crows made me think of him, those two time...
(the birds in that heart pic, look black, i think, from
silhouette, but, yeah, THAT might be it) ...
edit:
the day, that i hear he had passed on, might have been the very day
that the crows were flying around, visiting each other...
the later huge flock of roosting crows, was only recently,
THIS feb...
still, little things like these, that friends, liked:
remind us to be glad that they WERE in our lives...
and that we knew them, in some nice way...
this is for you, rod:
[Click to View YouTube Video]
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