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Messages 1 - 30 of total 30 in this topic |
johntp
Trad climber
Little Rock and Loving It
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Topic Author's Original Post - Nov 9, 2018 - 06:23pm PT
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What happened to them? Bought a chalk bag there around 1984. Loved that bag. Who ran it?
It was a small shop in Bishop.
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Capt.
climber
some eastside hovel
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I worked there at the end. Six or so years I guess. I can't say what the full reason was that Allan decided to close up shop. Hell,it was probably me. I can say it's hella hard to make a go of it in the sewn goods industry in Bishop. Allan did pretty well for a long time though.
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Allan Pietrasanta.
IIRC, he started out making covers for computer monitors and keyboards and related stuff, then migrated into haul bags and etc. I used one of his haul bags when I guided a couple of Navy SEALs up Astroman, in 1982. Technically, that might've been considered merely the East Face route of Washington Column, because we used one bivouac. They needed to climb a wall, I led it all free, with those guys on jugs.
Point being, this was the first time I saw a haul bag with offset straps, so that one of them could be clipped to the tie-in knot with a carabiner, offering easy access to the bag. I just thought it was a factory second, with mismatched straps! So I tied both straps straight into the knot, and the thing hung crooked all the way up. Ha ha. Some guide. The haul bag was loaned to me by Alan Roberts, who sewed for Buttermilk.
Allan Pietrasanta was good friends with the late Allan Bard, Dale Bard's brother. In searching Pietrasanta's name just now, and in learning the fact of their first names matching, I'm guessing that's why AB, the easy handle which Bard's friends used to use for him, often called Pietrasanta "AP". Since both of their first names have a somewhat rare spelling, I'm thinking that's why Bard, in a friendly gesture of solidarity, extended that same acronym style nickname to his friend. It was almost like a running joke between them. Now I think I understand why!
It's like a story of three Allan's here, if only Roberts had spelled his name that way ...
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Check out his LinkedIn page:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/allan-pietrasanta-28593496
Owner
ABCOM-Buttermilk Mountain Works
October 1983 – August 2003 19 years 11 months
And now, before I collapse from overworking the theme, here is an entry in the American Alpine Journal, made by Alan Bartlett, for a route he did with Allan Pietrasanta:
And here's an entry on the previous page by the late Jack Roberts, for a route he did with Alan Roberts in the High Sierra:
Now we've got four Als, and two Roberts!
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rottingjohnny
Sport climber
Sands Motel , Las Vegas
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Knew this lady that lived in Round Valley and sewed for AP....I remember the computer covers now that Tar jogged my memory...Where was Buttermilk Work's headquarters...?
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Bishop?
According to John TP. And that's what I remember.
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Capt.
climber
some eastside hovel
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Yup, Bishop. Same building as Mahogany Smoked Meats on N Sierra Hwy/395.
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F10
Trad climber
Bishop
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F10
Trad climber
Bishop
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neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
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hey there, say, neat share, johntp...
say, sent you a card... a bit late...
my 'work' here is well underway to a good start...
also, hey there say, to tarbuster and f10 ...
:)
happy good eve!
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Hugs, Neebee!
Good job, F10.
Now who's holding some of his other stuff?
BMW. Now that's a sly and auspicious acronym to saddle up with.
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Capt.
climber
some eastside hovel
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Nov 10, 2018 - 05:54am PT
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Nov 10, 2018 - 08:49am PT
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Yes, Capt., that rainbow webbing was a theme.
Allan also liked to work with a dark blue ballistics nylon.
I don't thing I've ever seen AP post up here on the Taco.
I bet he could share some stuff?
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curt wohlgemuth
Social climber
Bay Area, California
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Nov 10, 2018 - 10:10am PT
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In summer 1981, I worked with Allan at Max's sporting goods shop on Main St, across from Joseph's BiRite. He was a quiet get-it-done sort of guy, a friendly dude who never tooted his own horn. My eyes would go wide when he'd occasionally tell me of his skiing and climbing exploits.
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rottingjohnny
Sport climber
Sands Motel , Las Vegas
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Nov 10, 2018 - 10:21am PT
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I remember Max... Cool , fiery little guy.. Wonder what became of him...?
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Nov 10, 2018 - 10:30am PT
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Allan came to the Oakdale Festival this year so I suspect that he checks in here now and then.
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johntp
Trad climber
Little Rock and Loving It
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 10, 2018 - 06:12pm PT
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Thanks folks. Been on an overnight road trip through the backroads in the Ozarks. Gettin' chilly here. Could sworn they were on west line, but seems Capt. knows the deal. Didn't know Alan was one of the proprietors.
BMW. Now that's a sly and auspicious acronym to saddle up with.
I thought it was pretty clever.
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10b4me
Social climber
Lida Junction
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Nov 10, 2018 - 09:06pm PT
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Allan Pietrasanta was good friends with the late Allan Bard, Dale Bard's brother. He also worked at PSOM with the late John Fischer.
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johntp
Trad climber
Little Rock and Loving It
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 10, 2018 - 09:14pm PT
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Allan Pietrasanta.
Met him once at some mid-mountain chalet on Mammoth over beers. A far distant memory. He is well know among the old school east siders.
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Jamesthomsen
Social climber
Mammoth Lakes, California
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Nov 11, 2018 - 12:28pm PT
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I see Allan every couple of months. He is the sales manager of a stationery distributor headquartered in Bishop.
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johntp
Trad climber
Little Rock and Loving It
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 11, 2018 - 01:30pm PT
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I bought one of their laptop carrying cases for our PowerBook170 - in 1991
Hmm... Thought I bought my chalk bag around 1984. Capt.; what period was BMW in business?
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Don Lauria
Trad climber
Bishop, CA
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Nov 12, 2018 - 12:14am PT
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Yeah, AP was still making stuff in the early 80s.
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Nov 12, 2018 - 09:01am PT
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Look at the fourth post in this thread.
You can click through to Allan's LinkedIn page.
It says this about him:
Owner
ABCOM-Buttermilk Mountain Works
October 1983 – August 2003 19 years 11 months
That's a good run!
Also, we know he was doing it even earlier than that. The anecdote I mentioned about his haul bag dates to 1982 and from what Lauria just said, we can infer he was at it earlier than that?
Somebody ought to invite him to post up and share some photos and history!
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Capt.
climber
some eastside hovel
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Nov 12, 2018 - 09:53am PT
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Yes, we were pretty much just ABCOM towards the end. And yes, our bread and butter was pretty much custom computer cases and covers as well as a bit of side work/piece work for other manufacturers and some just plain funky side projects (I got to spend a day with Tom Frost building a cover for his wife's chair, etc.)
I have a hard time believing AP isn't reading this. I'll ask him the next time I see him. I'm sure others will give him the heads up as well if he's not already lurking.
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johntp
Trad climber
Little Rock and Loving It
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 12, 2018 - 04:02pm PT
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That's a good run!
Dayum! So I had an early BMW product. The thing that made it great was that it had a "foldable" soft section between the fleece lined bottom chalk holding area and the upper stiffening wire. That design was beautiful.
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Russ Walling
Social climber
from Poofters Froth, Wyoming
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Nov 12, 2018 - 06:01pm PT
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Allan is a great guy! BMW or Abcom or whatever used to do some contract sewing for FISH when I lived in Bishop... I bought a bunch of material from him when they folded up shop... and for a short time I think he went to work with Rousek at the trinket and toy business that supplied Dentists with toys for crying kids?? That place was over by the old Vons I think.
I remember Cappy and maybe Trina working on our stuff at one point at Abcom? Trina also got her own gig going at some point and did more contract work for us back then, after Abcom.
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Capt.
climber
some eastside hovel
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Nov 12, 2018 - 06:38pm PT
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^^ That was I. I'm still using the chili pepper chalk bag I sewed for you in Trina's garage. No furry hand cuffs though. Trina's got her own machine now and is threatening to start working in some capacity on her own again. God help us. ;-)
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Russ Walling
Social climber
from Poofters Froth, Wyoming
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Nov 12, 2018 - 06:48pm PT
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Hahaha on the hancuffs... that was a good gig that Allan sent my way. I guess the ladies at Abcom were not exactly up for the adult oriented nature of the restraint business. I made those things for years... probably thousands of sets. Even had to sign a morals clause on the production contract. I remember telling the lady that ordered the things that I not only didn't care what consenting adults did in their homes, but they could put them around each others necks if they wanted! Let production begin!
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Capt.
climber
some eastside hovel
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Nov 12, 2018 - 07:04pm PT
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Yeah, all my friends got a solid chortle outta the fact I was sewing "furry handcuffs" in Trina's garage. Ahhhh...The good ol' days.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Nov 16, 2018 - 09:13am PT
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The real money is in Fuzzy Dice gentlemen...And FishProds$$$ Next best thing to a RodSaw for KeyHoling!?!
Product shots?
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