History of Sport Climbing?

Mark, one bit of solace...you probably have a bigger left bicept than Bob.

JEFF

Sam Lightner, Jr. wrote:Jared, thats true IF the wrestler knows all that submission shit... But to keep with your point, MMA frowns upon three things that work in a good bar brawl; groin hits, eye gouging, and fish hooking.

Know all that submission sh*t? I don't even know what fish hooking is. You sound dangerous Sam. I'll keep a respectful distance :)

Scott M. Mossman wrote:I have to say that back when I could climb 5.10, a lions share of the non triviality of climbing 5.10 was placing tenuous gear while standing on tenuous holds. If I could have just clipped preplaced protection, the moves would have been just as hard, but the experience would have been more trivial

Yah, same here, Scott. That's why I couldn't relate to Langston's argumenet earlier that he's defeated by moves, only moves. Clinging, finding, placing, (and too often re-placing) and trusting some gear makes everything else harder for me. Obviously that's part of the thrill--but it's also part of the appeal of sport climbing.

In honor of such diversity I have once again used the pig/tiger avatard; just don't make me go kung fu panda.

I haven't seen Bob's, but Mark's left bicep is pretty special.

Bob, I appreciated your missive on climbing and life.

It's massive!

JF

j fassett wrote:It's massive! JF

That's what she said!

Say hello to page 16.

Shawn Mitchell wrote: You sound dangerous Sam. I'll keep a respectful distance :)

You have to be kidding... you are the one with 7 kids. ANyone that can take that kind of punishment 24/7, day after day, is a man not to be reckoned with. Lets keep a distance from each other for fighting and just have a drink or a climb some time.

Deal!

I am getting ready to buy some quickdraws for my kids to go climbing outside. Also I live in the suburbs and I am going to be driving my minivan. Please don't hurt me. We have top roped in Castlewood (thanx Tom your guidebook is excellent) and bouldered at Morrison. My kids love to climb and are amazed at some of the cool places and views they have seen. I am just happy I can share in their wonder and enthusiasm for being outdoors. I feel lucky that the suburb I live in is so close to so many great places to climb. I am just happy that they are outside meeting nice folks and being able to experience this great sport(please note I am way too out of shape and chicken to do it). I think any time a person gets to experience frustration, sweat, enlightenment, and ecstasy all on the same climb they are lucky. So if you see an out of shape old guy following two kids say hi and don't be mad, be glad that at least two kids have a healthy respect for the outdoors.

Thanks for the positive responses. I took my son to Morrison this morning and we were treated to the sight of the smoke from the thousand plus wildfires from Cali pouring over the mountains. He got one step higher on Brasher's and I will be taking both kids back tomorrow to go climbing with some of the guys from our rec center climbing gym(They are great enthusiastic climbers who encourage outside climbing and climbing in general). We will have much fun and we may (gasp!) sport climb. They also go out and trad climb and show others how to do it so they are equal oportunity teachers. I am just happy the kids have met so many cool psyched climbers as role models. Those cool role models should sound familiar because they are you. Thanks peeps.

What is really cool about that is that we all know just how much is behind the door your kids are only just starting to open.

All the famous and not so famous places they will see for the first time.
Sounds like they are being taught by non-extremists too which is good.

A lot is happening in Douglas County right now, so keep your ear to the ground!

Ken Cangi wrote:"The results clearly show that the happiest societies are those that allow people the freedom to choose how to live their lives," Inglehart said.

Bob D'Antonio wrote:Something really seem to go wrong after the murders of JFK, BK and MLK.

We agree here - self-interest, avarice, greed, unbridled consumption, and a wholesale disrespect for the world around us - and it's exactly that same imperious and selfish 'something' that unavoidably hangs over the majority view and overall tone of this thread.