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MH2
climber
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Dang, I just went rummaging through the stacks of accumulata filling the mansion, stumbling over a quietly rusting Chouinard axe, a still-working vintage Primus, notes submitted to the Brown-Pembroke Outing Club on a Tetons trip, Whitewater Coaching Manual by Jay Evans, U.S. Olympic Coach, One Morning in Maine, A House is a House for Me, The Whole Earth Catalog, a forgotten shoe horizon (late Fire to early Mythos), until a blind shifting of weights sent a giant stone rolling toward me, chasing me back in here with no "Song Fest".
I know it's here somewhere, though, so thanks for mentioning it. If only the lights had been working in that wing...
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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I missed the meat of this thread when I was in Vedauwoo the other week. Coolness!
Mark Stumpf and I climbed Fantasia @ the Leap in '75, that, was true adventure on a Robbins route. Likewise, Danse Macabre and the window (I failed) at Devil's Tower.
Again, Royal, I really appreciated what you had to say at the Bachar memorial (as well as in the books and articles over the years) and look forward to whatever you may have to share with us here, at your own pace and time.
I still have my Blue Meanies.
and, oh yeah, as a preteen, I was part of the Campfire at the CMC Campground by Devil's Lake Wisc, when we sang "Gory, Gory"
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Brian Hench
Trad climber
Laguna Beach, CA
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Found the lyrics to Gory, Gory. Not sure if they are accurate or not.
http://www.angio.net/~lukesos/Personal/ScratchBook/TidBits/Climbers_Song.html
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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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The notes on p.179 of the book "The Stanford Alpine Club" (1999), suggest that Al Baxter wrote these lyrics in the late 1940s:
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Songs: most popular during the first 2 years [1946-47] were
"Gory, Gory What a Helluva Way to Die," lyrics by [Al] Baxter,
inspired by Larry Taylor's paratrooper song "Blood on the
Risers"; "Here's to the Next Man that Dies," lyrics by Baxter;
and Larry Swan's "Tibetan Marching Song."
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The lyrics for the first stanza and chorus are given on p.67;
they match the lyrics in the online page.
The source is given as:
Al Baxter, "Gory, Gory", "SAC Songbook",
Melody: "The Battle Hymn of the Republic"
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GDavis
Trad climber
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Damn, I hope I look as good as Royal when I grow up! He looks like he's either going to tend to his garden or repeat The Salathe Wall.
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jstan
climber
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Anders' photo would not have come to pass were it not for Ken and Anders' determination that it would happen. After thirty years I of course wanted to meet Royal and Tom. I am not brain dead, or so I would claim. But you see to meet them you have to take their attention away from the youngsters lined up five deep to meet them. Young people who have dedicated themselves to something, and who have come halfway around the world, for this one moment. You can see it in their faces. You also have to realize that this kind of situation demands far more from Royal and Tom than did any of their climbs. In a word, it is draining. There is a tremendous need for people to get what they seek without being disappointed. The pressure is immense. Truly immense. There is simply not enough time.
The truth is we all went through the wars together. We and thousands like Doug and Curt Johnson were all there working hard when this country successfully threaded the eye of the needle no one believed could be threaded.
But together - we did it.
All of us.
We needed a miracle.
And a miracle is exactly what we got.
It was quite a moment.
And, of course, Anders knew exactly what was happening.
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MH2
climber
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^^^^^ Nicely said.
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Mighty Hiker
Social climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 3, 2009 - 12:25am PT
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It was mostly circumstance, plus a hint or two from Erik (MisterE) that did it. I was sitting beside Erik in the audience - it was at the 2007 FaceLift, an evening show of "The West Face of Sentinel", with commentary from Tom and Royal. It seemed like a good opportunity for a nice group photo, and with a bit of effort it happened. The first time the three had been together in person.
Sadly, I either forgot to take a picture of Erik and Royal, or did but it didn't come out. It was the first time they were together since 1965, when the unbelievably cute photo of Erik in the following thread was taken.
http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.html?topic_id=447392&msg=483307#msg483307
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MH2
climber
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From Brian Hench:
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Found the lyrics to Gory, Gory. Not sure if they are accurate or not.
http://www.angio.net/~lukesos/Personal/ScratchBook/TidBits/Climbers_Song.html
*
There are enough differences between that and the published version I have to vouchsafe the claim that it was produced from memory, but a good memory.
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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
sorry, just posting out loud.
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Book arrived right before I headed to the East Side. I was up each night, after our evening mixers, reading it, savoring the intensity of trying to find meaning in the vapid wasteland we call Los Angeles.
Thank you Royal
With being from So Cal, disaffected by the suburban sprawl, and plasticity of Orange Co, finding climbing as a saving grace to the angst of teenage years where team sports were for the herds, there was much of your story that resonated with me.
To those thinking about buying it. Just do it.
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Tamara Robbins
climber
not a climber, just related...
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Sep 15, 2009 - 10:46am PT
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Just returned from a Cataract Canyon 5-day with my partner Jeff, during which we read To Be Brave every morning in camp or floating downstream. I am utterly in awe at what I've read thus far. Dad's writing seems to have reached a new level of eloquence. What a marvelous read!
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rick
Social climber
california
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Oct 30, 2009 - 09:16pm PT
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Sacramento area folks-
I wanted to let you all know that Royal Robbins is coming to American River College (ARC) in Sacramento on Tuesday December 1st, 2009 for a College Hour Talk titled "Becoming A Climber" at 12:15-1:15pm in Raef Hall 160. This event is free (parking costs a buck) and open to the public and there will be copies of his great new autobiography To Be Brave for purchase and signing after the talk.
ARC is at 4700 College Oak Drive, Sacramento CA 95841. Take your lunch break then and come out. Feel free to email me if you have any questions.
Hope to see you there,
Rick
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james Colborn
Trad climber
Truckee, Ca
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Oct 30, 2009 - 10:12pm PT
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Read the book in two nights of before bed reading. Great stuff. Can't wait for the other books.
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Mighty Hiker
climber
Vancouver, B.C. Small wall climber.
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 30, 2009 - 10:58pm PT
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I stopped in Modesto at the cafe on the way to the FaceLift, to see if I could get a copy, but it wasn't open. They didn't have it yet anywhere in the Valley, though the Ansel Adams had ordered some. It's not in stock at any Vancouver book store, but maybe one of the climbing stores? Worst of all, the public library hadn't even ordered a copy yet - I've now sent a suggestion that they do so asap.
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Mighty Hiker
climber
Vancouver, B.C. Small wall climber.
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 30, 2009 - 11:32pm PT
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I like to buy local where reasonably possible, even if it's a product that originated elsewhere.
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robdan
Mountain climber
London
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Feb 28, 2010 - 05:43pm PT
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Superb first book in the series of the autobiography, flew through it. Anyone know when part deux is due out ?
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SuperTopo on the Web
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Let us know!