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Steve Petro.

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AloneAbalone Knight · · Barrie, ON · Joined May 2008 · Points: 25

Gosh!

I received a copy of his new Crack Climbing instructional book yesterday.

Everyone seems to think a small spindly climber is better for levitating up rock, but I was surprised with the photographs of Steve that were in there. His biceps and shoulders were as big as my head!

Was this really the case or is it simply an illusion?

The reason I mention it is because I'm always paranoid about how heavy (not necessarily fat) I am but here is a chap who obviously has great technical skill and power and 'appears' to be a very muscular build...

Kind of goes against the grain. Thoughts on this?

Cheers, Graeme.

Peter Spindloe · · BC · Joined Jan 2001 · Points: 3,390

No illusion, he's built. You'll see pictures of him in various instructional books and there's a video of him climbing Fiddler on the Roof in Freemont Canyon I think. He's practically just campusing on finger locks -- very impressive.

Hank Caylor · · Livin' in the Junk! · Joined Dec 2003 · Points: 643

Wikipedia BURLY, Nitro will be the first thing that shows up.

Seth Murphy · · Fort Collins, CO · Joined Jun 2003 · Points: 195

Being an EX division 1 linebacker will have that effect on you.

Sam Lightner, Jr. · · Lander, WY · Joined Apr 2006 · Points: 2,732

That should be Mr. Petro to all of us until told otherwise.

Petro was known as "The Demon" when he was a linebacker at a Cali school ( I think Fresno). All American. He would have gone pro but the scouts thought he was to short to last more than a few years in the NFL... so he shrunk down to climber size, or something akin to that.

Petro was well known in the Wyoming oil patch as NOT the guy to mess with. THe oil patch was rough, but he was rougher.

One time, back in the rap-bolt/anti rap-bolt wars, a well known climber had publicly stated he was gonna chop one of Petro's routes. We were at the crag together and petro went to talk to this individual about it. The guy had been proclaiming he was not gonna back down and that he didn't fear Petro at all, etc, etc. ... thats not good. Petro disappeared around the corner to see the guy and Skinner and I waited to hear screaming. Silence.
Petro came back about 4 minutes later.
"What happened" Todd asked.
"Nothin'" Said Petro. "I took my shirt off and he said he was sorry for the misunderstanding."

AloneAbalone Knight · · Barrie, ON · Joined May 2008 · Points: 25

I for one now have an idol who was not 135lbs!! Hurrah for heavy muscular people!

By the way - I've only glanced at the book, but it appears to be a very good read and nicely put together. I've not seen any reviews but as a crap crack climber, I'm almost certain it will help me a great deal!

All the best, Graeme.

camhead · · Vandalia, Appalachia · Joined Jun 2006 · Points: 1,240

ok, ok... place your bets.

who would win in a bar fight between Petro and Scarpeli?
this is very important.

john strand · · southern colo · Joined May 2008 · Points: 1,640

I would win ! These guys are both pretty docile, especially BOB. One time I was climbing with these two AND Hidetaka Suzuki What a combo !!!
I don't know Steve that well but BOB- a real trip, the best at wide ?? maybe ?? but he's pretty cool in my book

john

Sam Lightner, Jr. · · Lander, WY · Joined Apr 2006 · Points: 2,732
camhead wrote:ok, ok... place your bets. who would win in a bar fight between Petro and Scarpeli? this is very important.
This was almost decided many moons ago in Joshua Tree. Apparently one of them set up a toprope that was not to the other satisfaction, safety wise. There was an arguement, and they had to walk back to the car on separate routes for fear of a Godzilla/Rodan type skirmish.
Seth Murphy · · Fort Collins, CO · Joined Jun 2003 · Points: 195
camhead wrote:ok, ok... place your bets. who would win in a bar fight between Petro and Scarpeli? this is very important.
They're actually good friends. In the past they always tried sandbagging each other on climbs. Steve owns the fingers, and as we all know, Bob owns anything wide. Too funny.

But to answer your question, I think the world would implode upon blows being thrown by either. And we'd probably have to shoot both of them before either stopped swinging.
John Davis · · Cheyenne, WY · Joined Mar 2008 · Points: 5

Out there somewhere, there's a badass pic of Mr. Petro standing in front of several tons of oil drilling pipe he'd stacked on its end. The caption reads: "Strength equals Safety."

Petsfed 00 · · Snohomish, WA · Joined Mar 2002 · Points: 989
camhead wrote:ok, ok... place your bets. who would win in a bar fight between Petro and Scarpeli? this is very important.
I've never heard any stories of Petro still standing after getting cold cocked with a pool cue, so my money's on Scarpelli.

But just because I think he can take a little bit more punishment. I imagine the fight would go on for a couple of days, leveling whatever city it happened to occur in.

You know the only reason Scarpelli is so good at offwidths is because #1 camalots are good fingers for him.
John Bradbury · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2007 · Points: 380
camhead wrote:ok, ok... place your bets. who would win in a bar fight between Petro and Scarpeli? this is very important.
Bob without a doubt.
Sam Lightner, Jr. · · Lander, WY · Joined Apr 2006 · Points: 2,732

Brian, no one has ever been stupid enough to hit Mr. Petro with a pool cue.

I think we need to keep in mind the level of punishment a division 1 linebacker who is 5'6" has to take every single day.

Clyde · · Eldo Campground, Boulder CO · Joined Jul 2008 · Points: 5

Amazingly, when the Boulder Mountaineer went bankrupt, the owner had the audacity to rip Petro off. Knowing full well that he wouldn't be able to pay, an order for several thousand bucks of WC Friends was placed. Not sure how it turned out but Steve was livid at OR. Either very stupid or ballsy. I sure as hell wouldn't want Nitro pissed off at me!!

SteveBechtel · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jan 2008 · Points: 0

"I could kick Petro's ass."

-Sam Lightner, 1996

Brian in SLC · · Sandy, Utah · Joined Oct 2003 · Points: 21,711

Used to see Steve a number of years back at the body shop on "Gunn Avenue" in SLC, climbing the fat rope, sans legs. A thought that run through my head was that it seemed like you could carve some really thick steaks out of his shoulder muscles.

Was a story I wasn't sure was true I'd heard about him here in SLC, at the crags with his son. So, a couple years back at the OR shoe I asked him about it, and, he related it verbatim to what I'd heard. Which, in itself, was pretty funny.

Seemed like he was walking up to the crag with his son to go climbing, somewhere's up in one of the local canyons, and ran into a party of three that were smoking dope. He asked them politely if they'd stop, because he was with his son. One of them mouthed off (something to the effect of "go eff yourself"). Steve tossed down his pack, whipped his shirt off, and told them he was going to fight them, and, that they'd better try hard. Needless to say they complied quickly and very apologetically with the original request.

-Brian in SLC

Petsfed 00 · · Snohomish, WA · Joined Mar 2002 · Points: 989
Sam Lightner, Jr. wrote:Brian, no one has ever been stupid enough to hit Mr. Petro with a pool cue. I think we need to keep in mind the level of punishment a division 1 linebacker who is 5'6" has to take every single day.
I didn't say the perpetrator was even a faint approximation of sober.

Mind you, Bob's brawls are legendary. The story goes that when he got hit with the pool cue, he just turned around and drawled "Boy, you shouldn't'uh done that", before sending the blotto billiardeer to the hospital.
Sam Lightner, Jr. · · Lander, WY · Joined Apr 2006 · Points: 2,732
SteveBechtel wrote:"I could kick Petro's ass." -Sam Lightner, 1996
Thats just outright bullshit... Bechtel was the one who said it. He used to talk about how hot Lisa was and how if she could just see the light he would be able to "step in and show her how a real man works it."

And by the way, in '96 I probably could have.
Tony B · · Around Boulder, CO · Joined Jan 2001 · Points: 24,665
Brian in SLC wrote: Seemed like he was walking up to the crag with his son to go climbing, somewhere's up in one of the local canyons, and ran into a party of three that were smoking dope. He asked them politely if they'd stop, because he was with his son. One of them mouthed off (something to the effect of "go eff yourself"). Steve tossed down his pack, whipped his shirt off, and told them he was going to fight them, and, that they'd better try hard. Needless to say they complied quickly and very apologetically with the original request.
Let's see here, threatening strangers with violence because THEY were setting a bad example for his kid.
Doesn't sound like he set any better of an example for behavior than the dopers did in the end. That's too bad.
Sam Lightner, Jr. · · Lander, WY · Joined Apr 2006 · Points: 2,732
John Langston wrote:Not to change the subject but since we're talking about unfounded rumors about Wyoming boys... I heard that Sam Lightner once said he wouldn't walk more than 10 minutes to a crag because his legs would get too muscular and he wouldn't be able to send hard. I also heard he was frequently seen with women carrying his gear.
If God had intended for us to walk he wouldn't have invented SUV V8's
Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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