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Brunosafari
Boulder climber
Redmond, OR
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"within each other's dreams."
Thank you, Pat, for those great words! We are also in each other's waking.
The past couple of years I've been often living in the place of some other universal words by another warrior/poet:
"Cast me not off in the time of old age. Forsake me not when my strength faileth."
Ps.71:9
G. Bruce Adams
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Oli
Trad climber
Fruita, Colorado
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John, I could write a book on my frieght train experiences. The subject seems always now to crop up in the songs I write and record. I was fascinated with that culture of people who lived along the edges of society, who moved from city to city by freight, who didn't fit into the regular world. I had many good conversations with men who were pretty well beaten up by life, whose last hope was an unopened bottle of wine they cherished, savoring for a special day, maybe the end of the world, as they sat in the weeds, sunburned in afternoon, near the track...
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Oli
Trad climber
Fruita, Colorado
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Bruce, are you the same Bruce Adams I knew in Boulder years ago?
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Brunosafari
Boulder climber
Redmond, OR
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Oli wrote, "Are you the same Bruce Adams ..?"
I'm sorry Pat, I should have realized you were a sitting duck for identity theft confusions, since I should have realized you must have known the Colorado "imposter Bruce Adams" (staying with our Regional party-Rivalry theme).
I'll try to be brief but maybe if I come clean here, I'll prevent other confusions and also will lessen the pain of other Coloradoans (Coloradoans?) who might be upset to imagine a stinking Southern Californian has stolen the moniker of an Eldo Seventies Activist, perhaps meaning to cheat his way into becoming a Prancer himself!
In the mid & late seventies I was climbing often with Tobin Sorenson, who told me about the "Colorado Bruce Adams," with whom he had climbed a new route (or freed?) the Diamond in earlier years.
(I had met Tobin and some of the original Stonemasters at Suicide Rock and in the Valley as early as '72 and loved them all instantly. But I am from Poway, at the foot of Mt. Woodson, near San Diego. It might be helpful to think of San Diego in the eyes of some other California climbers as another "nothing place," "a peripheral orbit" compared to those lofty walls of...
Rube-e-doux!!!!!!!! )
Once, Tobin and I tried to hop a freight to Colorado but settled on thummin'. But I've done plenty of train hoppin'. Been savin' this here bottle to drink with Pat Ament and other ST's
I finally met Bruce's brother Pat, while at the big Edlinger- Victory Snowbird comp. Great guy and climber!
And finally, only last year, about thirty-one years after Tobin declared I needed to meet the other Bruce, I did, in fact, meet the bona fide "Colorado Bruce Adams," poser that he is. ( Just kidding --he seemed sewelle and an enthusiastic climber still.)
Now check out this phenomenological event: The reason I ultimately was able to meet him was that he actually moved here to MY present home town, Redmond, Oregon, last year. Of course, I met him at Smith Rock. Does this seem normal to you? Does this seem odd, even a little bit?
Are there any lengths that a Coloradan will not go to in order to cast confusion and to bolster bravera?!
Wouldn't you know it?! Somehow a "hero" photo of the Imposter Bruce Adams found its way into a prominent location in a Seattle Newspaper while he was working a popular 5.12 route at Smith. I started receiving phone calls from Seattle, congratulating me for getting in the newspaper!
The real Bruce Adams has struck hero poses many, I assure you, many times here at Smith, and miraculously has still not (yet) had his photo published in even the weekly, "Redmond Spokesman," not even next to photos of the winning Sows from the very stiff County Fair 4H comps.
The Colorado Bruce Adams has a half ton of curly hair on his head, hell in a helmet, yet useful for bivvys.
The head of California Bruce Adams is symmetrical and purely unpolluted with hair.
The "other" Bruce Adams is too tall.
Do you remember our dear mystery friend, snyd?! After the shameless Old Kentucky plug, he e mailed me to say thank you for calming him a bit! I had no idea just who he was but he said that I was "even tempered, as ALWAYS," and that there were new routes in Kentucky waiting for my RETURN visit to the crags ( which I've never visited.) I was dumbfounded and made plans to call my doctor and I was half expecting to see him sign out as "Darryl and his brother, Darryl!"
Instead we clarified things and discussed the intimidating presence of Poisenous plants among the Lincoln, Boon and Crocket footprints there in the river canyons. And he learned about my parents and relatives throughout Tennessee and Kentucky! (Please spectators, control yourselves with the inbreeding comments bourne of festering suppressions.) How can you not love SuperTopo?
You were a huge inspiration to me Pat, in my youth, as I contemplated my possibilities as a teen-aged climber. I hope to thank you in person before long.
So to you I extend on behalf of my region, the sacred Poway Climbers greeting and adieu, "EEE-ONK-EEE,"
Bruce bonna fide, El Bruno, "Boulder Climber from Redmond"
ps I don't know if Colorado Bruce is still in Redmond. He told me he works in Alaska, piloting, in the warmer months.
I am certain, now that I have made everything so colorouslyplain, that it is all now perfectly clear.
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Phantom X
Trad climber
Honeycomb Hideout
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I have to say that I find this "Bruce Adams vs Bruce Adams" rivalry utterly fascinating. To see this self battle manifest itself in cyberink is certainly in the forefront of psychology today as us psychologist say. So it seems Bruce Adams has run into himself! Well that says alot to us psychologist type! Now let me guess, if Bruce Adams was to have a run in with Bruce Adams, would not Bruce Adams be the victor? Very revealing. This is a professional term. What it means is that Bruce Adams is quite frankly a hopeless nut who needs help if it is not already too late. I urge all the Bruce Adams to please seek professional help before he [they] multiplies.
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WBraun
climber
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I thought Bruce Adams was Batman?
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Brunosafari
Boulder climber
Redmond, OR
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That would be Bruce Wayne, Werner, my uncle from Memphis.
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Brunosafari
Boulder climber
Redmond, OR
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Say Werner, the first time I met you, you were sliding down the far right watercrack on Lembert Dome at a 150 mph, ropeless. 1970?
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Jaybro
Social climber
The West
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Bruce Wayne / Adam West
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Brunosafari
Boulder climber
Redmond, OR
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Holy catwoman, I'm confused. When you're a jet...
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Brunosafari
Boulder climber
Redmond, OR
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Phantom, Thou indeed doest hover as a vapor of X.
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Brunosafari
Boulder climber
Redmond, OR
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beeep. times up.
For those of you who do not know, Phantom X is my brother, Kinley (Adams, not Wayne.) We are kind of like the Lowe brothers, only way more accomplished.
Bruce
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Phantom X
Trad climber
Honeycomb Hideout
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I do not normaly do psychoanalysis on a forum however Bruce Adams is in dire need of help. Mr. Adams, this brother of your's, would he be the Colorado Phantom X or the California Phantom X? [We smartypants psychologist ask these questions to determine what lies rooted in the patients maladjusted head, it is very similar to what a layman would call "prying"]. Another question Mr. Adams, what size net do you require? Many of our institutions [farms] offer outdoor activities as well as delicous meals and visiting hours and even a six foot rabbit! I think any Bruce Adams would feel much more comfortable in such an environment.
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Brunosafari
Boulder climber
Redmond, OR
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I'm sorry Doctor, please increase my dosage. Now lets get back to the regional discussion or I might have a breakdown. B. Rabbitlover
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Rick A
climber
Boulder, Colorado
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 4, 2007 - 01:13pm PT
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Bruce- Thanks for the great post and clearing that up once and for all. Even though I have known you since the early 70's,I have to admit that I thought you had done the FFA of Pervertical Sanctuary on the Diamond with Tobin. Nevertheless, to me you will always be the true Bruce Adams...
Here is a picture illustrating detente in the California/Colorado, as well as the generational, rivalry! Pat Ament providing a friendly spot to John Bachar on some high-ball near Estes Park in 1978.
Can we have a moment for a group cyber-hug now, everyone? Come on, gather round, even you prancers!
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Brunosafari
Boulder climber
Redmond, OR
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Rick-Good job digging up that great Mastersof Stone action shot and all the interdependence and reaching symbolism.
I'm a little embarassed to have exegeted my name so exhaustively, but it seemed to be the moment.
Don't be too disappointed: I did one of best leads in the Seventies on the Diamond, the black dagger wide crack, in the rain and snow. Had to do it cuz I'm from Woodson. It snows all the time at Mt. Woodson.
Happy fourth. "Give me liberty or give me death." P.Henry
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426
Sport climber
Buzzard Point, TN
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&hug&. Been an interesting ride Mr. A...I'll keep flingin'.
All this "provincial" talk when clearly the strongest (Americans) I've seen hail from north Georgia...
BHS (Bass High School) alumnus...
v9 in '59... go blue wave!
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bob d'antonio
Trad climber
Taos, NM
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426...the best slap down yet!
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Brunosafari
Boulder climber
Redmond, OR
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JOe Ja goober guts!
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Oli
Trad climber
Fruita, Colorado
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I didn't feel slapped down, because I haven't been able to even understand what anyone has been saying the last number of entries.
But, Rick, that shot of me spotting Bachar. I don't even remember that. I do remember I was (in all immodesty) the best spotter on the planet, though, for a few years. I had worked hard catching people flying off high bar in the gymnastics room when I was on the Colorado University gymnastics team. One guy (when I was NOT spotting) went right through a window and down a floor to the ground. Anyway, Beth Bennet, Christian Griffith, and all sorts of climbers would call me up -- not to go bouldering with them but -- to come along and spot them on some new high up thing they had been thinking about. They knew I was the best spotter they would be able to find. I was good at catching people and stopping/breaking falls in just the right way. It was nice to be of some use, among the new generation of all stars.
On the other hand, my own spotters were notoriously awful. At age 14, I remember attempting Pratt's Overhang on Flagstaff, with Dalke spotting, and it was pitch dark (we often climbed long after the sun went down). I made the last hard move, and he walked away, at which moment I must have lost my balance in the dark and found myself lying flat on my back on the ground. I tried to say, "Nice catch" but could only gasp for air. In 1968, at Fort Collins, when I first climbed with Gill, I was in a hurry and made an impatient reach at the top of one of those boulders. Gill was supposed to be spotting me, and I landed on my tailbone on a knife-edge talus boulder. Gill said, "Oh, are you hurt?" As if he couldn't tell by my eyes bugging out of my head. The pain was too wicked to describe here... I began never to trust any of my own spotters, but I resolved to be the best spotter I could be. I would squash Katy Brown if I fell on her.
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