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Double D
climber
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Topic Author's Original Post - Feb 22, 2018 - 04:14pm PT
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I have been asked by the family to gather stories on the Bird. The man had a colorful past and certainly that influenced many in perhaps some rather unusual ways. If figured that there are still a few hidden treasures to be had here on ST outside of the normal political and character rants, no?
Thanks,
Dave Diegelman
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jstan
climber
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Feb 22, 2018 - 04:48pm PT
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Deep down, Jim was a no nonsense kinda guy. A bit of advice and a comment about a recent climb of his has led me to this.
He said the thing to do after spending several days exposed to nothing but air on all sides, is to find an inside corner, any inside corner and stick your nose right at the back of the corner. Then stay there for awhile.
And he had this to say about his experience on a recent big project. "The doing of it was not nearly as good as was the having done it."
He was a one-off.
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ground_up
Trad climber
mt. hood /baja
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Feb 22, 2018 - 10:03pm PT
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My first big trip to " the valley" probably '76. I was gypsy camping
in the lodge lot across from camp 4. I am 16 and I am stoked and in
awe to be here. I am ready to do my first wall. Meet another noob in
camp who is game. We plan on S.F. Column and start racking up.
We didn't have much gear and I had the only rope. We decided that we'd
figure it out , just need a haul line. Later that afternoon I'm at my
car and 4 or 5 rigs down is Jim. I think he had an Econoline van ,
anyway it was like seeing the Pope or something. Holy crap that's
Jim Bridwell. I'm not sure why but I wandered over , introduced myself
and asked him if he might have a spare 9mil haul rope. He reached in the
van and pulled out a rope and handed it to me. I assured him I would
return it that week.
I will never forget that , it was like running into M.J. at the park
and having him loan you a basketball to go shoot with.
Yes I did return the rope
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mouse from merced
Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
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Feb 23, 2018 - 01:34am PT
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You could have finished your story^^^^
Send it? Return the 9mm? Buy JB a sixpack?
I gave Jim an old Edelrid he strung on the Captain on some project. I never expected it back. He fulfilled my expectations by finishing the route, whatever it was.
Another time, JB borrowed some of my gear from bro Tim. It went to Patagonia and ended up buried in snow at the base of Cerro Torre, never to be seen again. The Compressor Route got done a bit later, but not with my gear!
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Double D
climber
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 23, 2018 - 04:34pm PT
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The morning we set sail on the Sea of Dreams we got to our fixed ropes at the base of El Cap and each fished around under the rocks for our harnesses that we had stashed on the prior day. Dale & I made haste getting ours out but Jim was farting around in the forest below as if looking for the lost ark. “Um, we’re sorta ready to go” I impatiently mumbled loud enough for the old guy to hear.
“I gotta find a stick” he snapped back having none of my scuttle. Moments later with stick in hand he goes to retrieve his harness under the boulder where it was hidden. Low and behold when he fetched it out with the stick a baby rattlesnake came out.
I can’t explain this but Jim had this 6th sense, guardian angels or some such thing that was always present when climbing and of course he did what he often did in such situations; whipped out an unfiltered Camel and lit up. This photo was captured just after.
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steveA
Trad climber
Wolfeboro, NH
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Feb 23, 2018 - 05:24pm PT
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I spent at least 2 seasons in the Valley, back in 1971-72, and strangely never had too much interaction with the Bird. I might of chatted with him once or twice, but I still remember one incident which puts a smile on my face today.
My second season, I expended more effort chasing the girls, but still managed to get up a few Walls . One night there was some kind of "climbers" talk in the auditorium, and I showed up with this quite spectacular lass, I had just met, who didn't know anything about climbing. I had brought in a bottle of Johnny Walker Red, and we were quietly sipping it.
Bridwell was sitting a few rows up, and he kept looking over, with a big smile on his face. I'm sure he was doing his best to win the girl's favors.
Good times.
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