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The Brotherhood Of the Traveling Stopper...
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Elanor (TS#1) arrived over the weekend. She's racked and in my pack, waiting to play her part in my trip this weekend! |
Andrew Krajnik wrote: Elanor is the lost stopper that died in Ryan's possession years ago. |
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Ah yes, thanks for the clarification. I mis-remembered the earlier post. Looks like we may be dealing with some potential rain this weekend, but we should be able to get on the rock at some point. (Thankfully, Baraboo Quartzite is impervious to water!) |
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My stopper is cursed. I've climbed one day outside since I got it. Both weekends I had planned for the black are down the drain. Part of me wants to solo up some 5.6 choss pile no one would even think about climbing and anchor in with the stopper, just to make sure it gets used. With the luck I've been having I'd probably get the rope I didn't bring would get stuck somewhere. |
Eliot Augusto wrote: My theory is that a jealous pink tricam somewhere put a hex on this whole thread. That, or you're a bunch of pikers being outdone by a broken down sixty year old lady.... :-) |
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So, I just had a full trip report typed up, complete with annotated pictures. I hit "Post Reply", and was taken to a page with the message, "we've hit some rough trail"... The post is gone. Any idea what might have caused the problem? The TR was about 9200 characters (so under the 10,000 limit), but had a lot of pics. Is there a limit to the number of picture you can add to a single post? (BTW, per BHOTTS rules, you can't call next until after the TR, so this post doesn't count) |
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Luckily, I had written the TR in Google Docs, and pasted it over. I'll be able to reconstruct it (just need to add back in all the hyperlinks and photos, and re-do some edits I made to the original text). I was just stunned to see that the post vanished completely. The "back" button didn't work, unfortunately. If you copy and past from the forum entry, are pics and hyperlinks preserved? (i.e. would I be able to copy to another document before hitting "send, and have all my work preserved?) |
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Andrew, the same happened to me. I think k there is some photo limit, fine, but it doesn't tell you a thing, it just dumps your work. Entirely. I'd suggest posting it in little bits, part one, part two, etc. It made a complete hash of mine, upthread. Good for you, though! OLH |
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OK, this TR is going to go out in installments. Don't claim the Stopper until after the last installment. (I'll make it clear when TR is complete; next post after that one gets the Stopper.) Hopefully, I can get all sections posted today; I'll do my best. |
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Resurrection, Chapter 2: The Stopper Lives On! Part 1: The Fellowship of the Brotherhood of the Travelling Stopper Mere weeks after its first journey, the newest Stopper (aka “Resurrection”) has officially completed its second trip; a feat that took years for the stopper-that-shall-not-be-named (aka “Elanor”)... OK, I guess it shall be named, but its name is cursed, and brings chills to those who know its tale... but that story has already been told, and our focus today is on its successor. “Resurrection” is undoubtedly a stopper to be reckoned with. It’s true that its latest adventure was likely not the most exciting for the stopper itself. It’s easy to gaze at the scratches and grooves in this ancient piece of gear, and imagine the epic journeys in which it has played a part. But, alas, inanimate objects tell no tales, and this stopper pre-dates the Mountain Project, so the origins of this unique piece have been lost to the annals of history. No, this adventure, from the Stopper’s point of view, was likely mundane, but in the eyes of the Climber entrusted with continuing its tale, it was truly a grand journey. You see, aside from carrying the Stopper on its next excursion, there were 2 main goals in mind. First, to execute the Climber’s first ever trad lead. The Climber and his family became ensnared by the wiles of this enchanting sport 22 months ago. His journey began with top-roping in the gym, but quickly progressed to indoor sport lead. This still was not enough, so the Climber sought outdoor locales in which to expand his experiences. For what is indoor climbing, but practice for the real thing? He took an anchor-building course, started building his rack, and took several trips to Devil’s Lake, setting anchor after anchor for top-rope, using only trad pro for his anchor placements. A sport-climbing trip to the Red River Gorge followed, and then another to Red Rock Canyon. Having completed dozens of outdoor sport climbs, and having placed over 60 pieces of pro (though never on lead), he felt that it was time to lead a trad route. The second goal in the Climber’s mind was photography-related. The Climber, though an engineer by trade, had a passion for photography, and longed to capture climbing photos worthy of the sport; mere butt-shots, while sometimes interesting in their own right, simply wouldn’t do. The climber was determined to produce images that might convey the excitement and gritty determination involved in sending a difficult line. An ascender and aid ladder were procured, and the trip was scheduled. Friends were invited, the stopper arrived, and a Fellowship was formed. The Fellowship started as the Climber, his wife, and their twin 7-year-old sons. However, many of their friends were interested in joining the excursion, so the group soon swelled to 13 climbers and one bystander. They ranged in age from 7-and-a-half to 51 years. Some were married, others were single, some had children, while others did not. Some had been climbing for years, others only started a few short weeks ago. One of their number used to climb 20 years ago, and just got back into the sport last year when his sons began to show interest. They were a diverse group, but with one common characteristic; they loved to climb. Their gear included 6 ropes, a triple rack of cams, 3 sets of nuts, some well-used hexes… and the Travelling Stopper, “Resurrection” itself... To be continued... |
Andrew Krajnik wrote: Yay!!!! And you can tell a story! Double yay!!!! Best, OLH I heard from Nick on the posting issue. I'll try to cobble up a version of our problem and send it to him to look at. |
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Resurrection, Chapter 2: The Stopper Lives On! Part 2: To Lead, and to Protect The setting for this chapter of the Stopper’s tale was Devil’s Lake, Wisconsin; it was relatively local to the Climber, and he was familiar with a number of the climbs there, so it was an easy choice for a 3-day weekend. The Fellowship set out early on Saturday morning. They headed to the Bedroom Amphitheater on Devil’s Lake’s East Rampart, and proceed to set top-rope anchors on Foreplay, Orgasm, Orgasm Direct/Second Coming, Cerebration, Hare-brained Scheme, and Second Balcony.  Ready to set anchors in the Bedroom.  The Climber and his wife set anchors in the Bedroom  The Climber's son takes in the view  Once the anchors were set, the Climber rappelled down the face and began to prepare to complete 2 of the Fellowship's objectives in a single effort; to lead a trad route, and to place the Travelling Stopper, thus fulfilling his duty to its sacred order. He chose Foreplay, for a number of reasons. First, it was a route he’d climbed before, and he was confident in his ability to climb it on the sharp end, while also protecting it well. Second, the name of the route resonated with its role in this tale; this would be merely the preamble to his brief time with the Stopper in his possession. It's as though they were just getting to know each other, flirting coyly, trying to determine in what direction their relationship would go. The Climber tied in, conducted his safety checks, and started up the rock. As he reached the first stance where he wanted to place protection, he was delighted to find that none other than the Travelling Stopper itself fit perfectly into the crack in front of him. It nestled in like a lover curling into bed with its mate.  The Travelling Stopper #1 ("Resurrection") in its natural habitat  The Climber leads his first trad route at 5.5 while his 7-year-old son projects a 5.11a It’s true that a passive piece is often not the ideal protection for the first placement on a climb, being non-directional. However, the Climber could already see where his next piece would go. That next piece was destined to be a cam, and the moves to get to the placement were easily envisioned, so the Climber clipped the Stopper, and continued up the rock. He finished the route with little difficulty, but with great satisfaction. Two objectives had been completed, halfway through the first day of the trip. After lowering and cleaning the route, the Climber was feeling ambitious. He moved over to Second Balcony, which he had never climbed before. Dare he hope to complete his first onsight trad lead in the same day? Could it be possible that the Travelling Stopper could help him do so?  The climb was only a 5.4, but onsight and on the sharp end, the Climber experienced a whole new thrill. The moves flowed well, and the protection was good (including another placement of "Resurrection"). After placing a cam to protect a pull around a small roof high up, the Climber paused to calm his nerves, then executed the move. It was well within his ability, but pulling a crux above the last piece of pro was a nontrivial undertaking, and the Climber wanted to avoid any foolish mistakes. As though fated, the route was sent, and the storied Stopper helped to protect the ascent. With 2 main objectives (and one bonus objective) complete, the climber began to think about the final goal for his quest: photography. To be continued... |
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Resurrection, Chapter 2: The Stopper Lives On! Part 3: The Fellowship Attempts Orgasm Having completed a pair of trad-protected lead climbs, the Climber turned to Orgasm, a classic climb at the Lake with a huge notorious roof to negotiate. The Climber had climbed this route before, but the moves from the roof to the face had eluded him, and he had yet to make a clean ascent. While he did plan to make another attempt, his more immediate concern was the last of his main objectives: photography. He pulled his camera and ascension gear from his pack, and frogged up an adjacent route while his friend tied in to top-rope the classic 5.8. After working out the particulars of moving up and down a rope, the Climber settled in to capture some images of the attempt.  The Climber preparing to shoot action photos  Joseph chalking up under the roof   Joseph making progress on Orgasm  Enthused by the results of his photographic experimentation, the Climber descended and decided to make his own attempt at Orgasm. Many off-color jokes were uttered, witty retorts were returned, and the Fellowship was in high spirits. The Climber quickly reached the notorious roof on the route, and worked through the moves to transition onto the face with no falls or takes. Alas, today was not the day for him to achieve Orgasm without assistance. He slipped when reaching for a critical hold, and fell. Undeterred, he got back into position, made the reach, and finished the route. At this point, the Climber felt he had achieved his goals for the day, and once again jumarred up the rope to get some more images of his friends’ own efforts on Orgasm.
 The Climber's wife on the undercling of the roof  The Climber's wife exiting the roof    Randy searching for holds on the face   Day 1 wrapped up with a group photo to commemorate the experience, and the Fellowship packed up their gear, descended the bluff, and headed out for some much-needed sustenance.
 The Fellowship after a successful Day 1  To be continued... |
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Resurrection, Chapter 2: The Stopper Lives On! Part 4: Some Bided Time, a Classic Climb, and the Quest is Complete Day 2 began late morning as the Fellowship waited for weather to clear up. This time the destination was Two Pines Buttress, on which the Climber had never climbed. The Fellowship had reduced in size, so only 4 ropes were set: The Grotto, Vacillation, Full Stop, and Moderation. Being completely unfamiliar with the routes, the Climber decided to execute no leads this day. Unfortunately, none of the anchors yielded placements for “Resurrection”, so the fated Stopper bided its time with the rest of the unused rack, waiting for its next chance to shine.
 Like the Stopper, the Climber's son patiently bides his time, waiting for his turn to climb  The Climber's other son climbs Vacillation Day 3 was to be a short day, so the remaining members of the dwindling Fellowship set their sights on Pedestal Buttress; a close approach, familiar climbs, and plenty of excellent gear placements for timely anchor-building. Once again, the Stopper was brought to bear, this time in a top-rope anchor on Birch Tree Crack, a classic 5.8 crack climb. Other routes included Pedestal, The Beginning, and Chimney’s End.  The Climber's wife climbs Birch Tree Crack, while anchored by the Travelling Stopper The day was short, to allow for travel times and other obligations, but the remaining members of the Fellowship still managed to have their fill of climbing on a number of great lines. Exhausted, they pulled their ropes, cleaned their anchors, and hiked back to the parking lot, their minds buzzing with pleasure at the memories of their shared experience. Perhaps this was an anticlimactic way to end a trip for a piece as revered as the Travelling Stopper. However, this narrator likes to think that "Resurrection" would much rather get out on the rock, than to wait on a rack, in some dark closet, accumulating dust, and drifting into obscurity and anonymity. Though their time together was brief, the Climber was truly thankful to have had the opportunity to play his part in the mission that is central to the Brotherhood: to climb, to revel in beauty of this wonderful sport, and to share that experience with others. As for Resurrection, it had fulfilled its role as well, and now waits to begin a new chapter, in the hands of the next bearer. End of Resurrection, Chapter 2: The Stopper Lives On! Stay tuned for Resurrection, Chapter 3. Who’s next? |
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Andrew, if it's still available, can I be next for Resurrection? |
Carson Darling wrote: Per the rules, you were first to respond, so you will be the next bearer. PM me your address, and I'll mail it out tomorrow. |
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Wow! Great job, Andrew. Good fun, nice storytelling, quite nice photos, too. Glad you had such a great crew to have fun with! Best, OLH |
Tony B wrote: Well, so far, so good. I had it in my possession for 11 days, and it's on it's way to Carson today. It sounds like he's embarking on a trip this weekend, so things are looking good! |
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I've got plans to be in northwest Washington & BC climbing for the next three weeks, so I'm sure I can keep the pace going! |
Old lady H wrote: Thanks, Helen! We had a blast, and the Stopper just added to the excitement for me. If it wasn't' for the Stopper, I probably wouldn't have posted up a trip report, and that was a lot of fun to do as well. |
