2 Pro Rapping Tips

Salamanizer Skiwrote:

It’s a simple procedure, and all questions around it can be answered by thinking a bit.

...but dude, you’re witnessing the outcome of “common core” and our products of the public education system. We’re so screwed! Lol!!! 

I'm sure you are not 'common core' and are super 'hardcore,' but it is the ambiguity of the initial description and lack of a good technical description that caused the guesswork by the other posters. 

Mark Hudonwrote:

Yeah, dang, it’s rather disheartening to tell you the truth. 

No, I’m sorry, I’m not going to draw a picture for you. 

Don't give up on us, Mark. We need you! Thanks for the tip. I needed this on Estrellita at EPC to accelerate all the slow parties rapping through us . . . or we should've woken up earlier!

Hope for Movementwrote:

I'm sure you are not 'common core' and are super 'hardcore,' but it is the ambiguity of the initial description and lack of a good technical description that caused the guesswork by the other posters. 

What ambiguity or lack of a good technical description? It was 100% clear. All the guesswork implies a lack of reading skills.

Marc801 Cwrote:

What ambiguity or lack of a good technical description? It was 100% clear. All the guesswork implies a lack of reading skills.

Part of the problem is technical writing/reading is a large part of my job... An example - the OP says "The very second the rope gets tied to their anchor, one of your team should get on it and get out of there." Then he goes on to say "Jordan and I use this technique a lot and we can arrive at an anchor and both be gone in about 5 minutes." Most would assume that the latter statement means that they were at the occupied set of anchors together at some point when they arrive there and then they can leave. In the first statement, one would assume that the 1st rapper would fix the line and start rapping again to free up anchor stance space before the 2nd rapper arrived at the anchor. I say assume, because there in ambiguity. There are other examples, but this type of writing almost always (and should) lead to clarifying questions or statements, hence the confusion from multiple posters.

Hope for Movementwrote:

Part of the problem is technical writing/reading is a large part of my job... An example - the OP says "The very second the rope gets tied to their anchor, one of your team should get on it and get out of there." Then he goes on to say "Jordan and I use this technique a lot and we can arrive at an anchor and both be gone in about 5 minutes." Most would assume that the latter statement means that they were at the occupied set of anchors together at some point when they arrive there and then they can leave. In the first statement, one would assume that the 1st rapper would fix the line and start rapping again to free up anchor stance space before the 2nd rapper arrived at the anchor. I say assume, because there in ambiguity. There are other examples, but this type of writing almost always (and should) lead to clarifying questions or statements, hence the confusion from multiple posters.

If they are simul-rapping, they would have to be at the anchor at the same time before one can get on the rope. If they are rapping sequentially, then they don't need to be there at the same time.

A nice touch for the first tip is to use one of your lockers. The other party therefore get something for free in exchange for being overtaken 

I understood right away and then second-guessed myself once everyone else was confused. Reminded me of a slinky going down steps. Each rap anchor is a step. Slinky (rope) keeps flipping from end to end down the cliff face. But this slinky is fast and can skip every other step.

Mark Hudonwrote: jordan fixes the rope and then drops down a bit on it to get out of the way. When I get to the anchor. I start pulling the rope and Jordan takes off. Now that we have a full rope to rap, (we are on a 60 and have been doing 30m raps) Jordan can past the next anchor and go to the one below that.

This added detail makes a huge difference! Thanks to Hope for Movement too.

Thanks again Mark--don't be discouraged. Just goes to show that no good deed goes unpunished. ;-)

David Coleywrote: A nice touch for the first tip is to use one of your lockers. The other party therefore get something for free in exchange for being overtaken 

Does everyone need to get paid for simply being nice? Nice, like simple common goodness?

Mark Hudonwrote:

Does everyone need to get paid for simply being nice? Nice, like simple common goodness?

Thanks for sharing Mark, I believe the vast majority who have read your post appreciate it and understand it clearly. Hopefully I’ll see you outside climbing again soon. Thank you, -Cam

Mark posts some sage advice and it goes whooshing over your heads faster than the rope being pulled.

This ain’t rocket science. In the very first post he mentions assessing the ability level of the climbers you’re passing. If they can’t figure it out with that brief explanation, it ain’t worth it.

Mark Hudonwrote:

Does everyone need to get paid for simply being nice? Nice, like simple common goodness?

I agree, their implicit reward is another party getting away from the anchor faster, no need to donate a locker to their cause.

Mark Hudonwrote:

Does everyone need to get paid for simply being nice? Nice, like simple common goodness?

Mark, not everyone. But sometimes gifts smooth feathers. 

David Coleywrote:

Mark, not everyone. But sometimes gifts smooth feathers. 

Why should feathers be ruffled? What happens when you’re rapping something big and pass a bunch of parties? Do they all get a ‘biner?

 What feathers have to be smoothed? They are in my way just as fully as I am in their way. They don’t owe me anything other than being polite and considerate and I don’t owe them anything other then the same. 

I have sometimes found that parties moving slowly are under stress and scared. Clipping into their anchor and whizzing past can increase this stress.

Last year on snake Dyke I followed a team up who wouldn't let me clip the bolts at the belays until they had left the stance on the each pitch. This often left me just standing for 10 mins at their feet as they sorted stuff out unprotected. The reason for this was they were stressing out from the unprotected climbing and the bolts not being new and shiny.

A random act at this point can help put a smile on faces. To be honest I'd probably only be leaving a carabiner not locker. 

So you stood there and offered to give them a biner and all of a sudden they let you clip into the anchor? 

David Coleywrote: I have sometimes found that parties moving slowly are under stress and scared. Clipping into their anchor and whizzing past can increase this stress.

Last year on snake Dyke I followed a team up who wouldn't let me clip the bolts at the belays until they had left the stance on the each pitch. This often left me just standing for 10 mins at their feet as they sorted stuff out unprotected. The reason for this was they were stressing out from the unprotected climbing and the bolts not being new and shiny.

A random act at this point can help put a smile on faces. To be honest I'd probably only be leaving a carabiner not locker. 

That is ridiculous.

Mark Hudonwrote: So you stood there and offered to give them a biner and all of a sudden they let you clip into the anchor? 

Close. We shared our food with them. Gifts whether physical or spoken can help to reduce tension. Singing can also work if you can sing really well. Tea works in much of the world. Smiles help, just wish I had better teeth. 

There does seem to be cultural differences as well which I'm noting the more places I visit

Cam Brownwrote:

That is ridiculous.

It certainly wasn't helpful, as we had a date with royal arches in the afternoon and crest jewel in the evening and had planned to simul SD. 

However we had some nice conversations with various people, climbers and walkers.