New and Experienced climbers over 50 #22

Seeing that picture of the Bonatti biner brings a memory of what to me was an amusing incident way BITD, when attitudes about climbing style, especially what was considered free climbing were very different, especially in Europe. I hope you’ll indulge me in this reminisce.

It was the summer of 1967 and my partner, Bill Conrad, and I had taken the telepherique  up to the summit station on the Aiquille du Midi with the intention of climbing the Rebuffat route on the south face. However, when we arrived, the summit area was socked in and it was raining ( I have no memory of why this wasn’t obvious before we shelled out the $ for the ‘phrique’). Anyway we retreated to the cafe in the summit station to see if we could wait out the weather for a bit. There were only 2 others there, clearly climbers—-big, very robust and muscular sorts. After a short time, they signaled to us to join them at their table. They introduced themselves as Pierre Mazeud and Roberto Sorgato—( whom we later learned to be a couple of the best climbers in Europe at the time). After some brief conversation ( Pierre spoke English, Roberto did not) they started eyeing our gear. We were very proudly carrying some of the latest US gear, including some relatively newly available aluminum Chouinard ‘D’ biners. They asked to take a look at them. After handling one for a minute or 2, Pierre gave a somewhat dismissive ‘snort’ and said, “ interesting, but I prefer the Bonatti, producing a very large biner from his pack and saying, “ you can fit your whole hand in it”—while demonstrating with his own quite ‘meaty appendage’. We silently and mutually decided that it wouldn’t be ‘politic’ in the situation for us to say that in the US we tried to avoid pulling on biners!!!! Soon after they headed back down to Cham, while Bill and I did the climb—which turned into an epic, especially for me, but that is another story.

Great story, Alan.
Glad you got to climb the route.  

Lori, I am firmly in the camp that nothing should enter my space except clean air and food.  No scents, no candles, no oils, nothing.  The only thing I want to smell is the outdoors when the windows are open and nothing when they are closed.  This has served me well over the years.

Even with food, I don't want lots of additives.  Minimum vitamins, no fake chemicals, just food.  Yeah, some of it may not be grown in the best way but at least it isn't doctored.

Alan Rubinwrote:

Seeing that picture of the Bonatti biner brings a memory of what to me was an amusing incident way BITD, when attitudes about climbing style, especially what was considered free climbing were very different, especially in Europe. I hope you’ll indulge me in this reminisce.

I would indulge you anytime for your stories. They’re great!

Alan Rubinwrote:

Seeing that picture of the Bonatti biner brings a memory of what to me was an amusing incident way BITD, when attitudes about climbing style, especially what was considered free climbing were very different, especially in Europe. I hope you’ll indulge me in this reminisce.

It was the summer of 1967 and my partner, Bill Conrad, and I had taken the telepherique  up to the summit station on the Aiquille du Midi with the intention of climbing the Rebuffat route on the south face. However, when we arrived, the summit area was socked in and it was raining ( I have no memory of why this wasn’t obvious before we shelled out the $ for the ‘phrique’). Anyway we retreated to the cafe in the summit station to see if we could wait out the weather for a bit. There were only 2 others there, clearly climbers—-big, very robust and muscular sorts. After a short time, they signaled to us to join them at their table. They introduced themselves as Pierre Mazeud and Roberto Sorgato—( whom we later learned to be a couple of the best climbers in Europe at the time). After some brief conversation ( Pierre spoke English, Roberto did not) they started eyeing our gear. We were very proudly carrying some of the latest US gear, including some relatively newly available aluminum Chouinard ‘D’ biners. They asked to take a look at them. After handling one for a minute or 2, Pierre gave a somewhat dismissive ‘snort’ and said, “ interesting, but I prefer the Bonatti, producing a very large biner from his pack and saying, “ you can fit your whole hand in it”—while demonstrating with his own quite ‘meaty appendage’. We silently and mutually decided that it wouldn’t be ‘politic’ in the situation for us to say that in the US we tried to avoid pulling on biners!!!! Soon after they headed back down to Cham, while Bill and I did the climb—which turned into an epic, especially for me, but that is another story.

I was in Fontainbleau in 1970, and my French friends showed me a boulder problem on a severely overhanging bolted wall.  The deal was you had two carabiners for your hands, and you could clip them as you pleased. The bolts were pretty far apart, and deadpointing with a carabiner was super low percentage.  Strange contortions were required, and tricky tricks clipping one biner to the other so that both hands could yard on the same bolt.  Footwork was still footwork, but there was very little to stand on. 

I couldn't do it, but now understand, lo these fifty-two years later, that I was doomed by my small American carabiners.

Jan Mcwrote:

Lori, I am firmly in the camp that nothing should enter my space except clean air and food.  No scents, no candles, no oils, nothing.  The only thing I want to smell is the outdoors when the windows are open and nothing when they are closed.  This has served me well over the years.

Even with food, I don't want lots of additives.  Minimum vitamins, no fake chemicals, just food.  Yeah, some of it may not be grown in the best way but at least it isn't doctored.

I suspect most of us here live and play so much outdoors that there's little danger of being overloaded with chemicals, scents, etc.  Still, it's easy to make mistakes, and I sure did.  I recently talked to the doctor who gave me the first Environmental Pollutants test 10 years ago when I was also not well.  He was comparing the two and said "Hey, your current test looks just like your last one! Where are you getting all this toluene and xylene?"  Head smack.  I've been burning prayer candles all these years... daily.  

When I was hiking over at Comic Book I indulged by pinching off a leaf of white sage and bringing it home.  It's taken some time to get Tony to recognize this as a good smell... vs. all the sprays and fabric softeners he grew up with.  I think of dirt as anything greasy or stale... he thinks of dirt as ... dirt.  Anything I track in feels good to me. 

I climbed for a number of years in Colorado with a Frenchman living in the US (who I think got dual citizenship after a time).  Good guy, and a very solid sport climber.  I only saw this happen once, but I swear it's true.  He's leading a route at his limit, and I could swear he grabs a draw just for a second.  He comes down happy to have sent the route.  I called him on the fact that he had grabbed the draw, and he freely admits it's true, but says he barely used it, so it still counts as a send.  What could I do but nod and smile.

GO  

the ole French free move!

Interesting Rich--not your typical boulder problem!!!! During that same 1967 trip I encountered a similar (though undoubtedly much easier) type of 'problem' in Fryer in Belgium. What I remember most about that, beyond having to pull very hard on the biner, was how incredibly polished the rock was from all the feet flailing and smearing for any purchase---I can't even imagine what it is like now!!!!

M Mwrote:

the ole French free move!

Oh, yeah.  For sure.

always use fat draws. they make better handles. alpine dynema slings are a bit painful to grab but they are useful in other ways...  like a quick step ;) 

Alan Rubinwrote:

Interesting Rich--not your typical boulder problem!!!! During that same 1967 trip I encountered a similar (though undoubtedly much easier) type of 'problem' in Fryer in Belgium. What I remember most about that, beyond having to pull very hard on the biner, was how incredibly polished the rock was from all the feet flailing and smearing for any purchase---I can't even imagine what it is like now!!!!

Polished, yes. We did the East face of the Fleischbank in the Wilder Kaiser. It put up in the first decade or so of the 20th century, some of the rock was like slippery porcelain. 

Lori, candles are part of regular rituals for me also. These are what I use for Shabbat on Fridays. For Channakuh, because there are so many candles, now and then I've popped for straight beeswax, if I can find any the right size. At least the house smells great!

Just had to show off a recent farmer's market purchase, too. These are starting to age a bit, but his table is perfection! Dunno if he's high school or in college now, but the grower is a really young guy. I hope he's able to keep his passion going!

I have a tenderloin steak thawed out, from a rancher near City of Rocks. Dunno exactly where, but Cassia county at least. That, saute a piggy amount of mushers, maybe bake up a local spud, pick some green beans....

And then there's these guys.

That's the last of the peaches. It'll be a piggy peach fest all week!

Best, Helen

Climbing wise, I finally have enough years in that I am positive City of Rocks has gotten harder on a few things. Rollercoaster and the Bigtime/Little Time etc starts are all becoming harder. Once my friend pointed out the color change, where decades of feet and hands have worn rock down, that lighter rock is obvious to me, too.

So, see, if I top rope, after a rope gun follows the line up?

I can justify my rambling all over the face as saving wear and tear on the 'proper' route, right????

Hank, great to see you guys on here! You are a great example of the climbers who are having the most fun are whatever the rest of that quote is, lol! You still burro race?

And, hang in there Lori. Lotsa peeps out here who are sympathetic.

Best, Helen

No candles burning in our house. I'm too afraid of fire. They last longer as decorative objects.

wendy weisswrote:

No candles burning in our house. I'm too afraid of fire. They last longer as decorative objects.

Right, same here.  Our kid made some nice beewax candles when she was in elementary school and we still have those as decorations.  Along with the many decorative candle stands my wife had collected over the yearrs.  We converted to LEDs for the most part, incl the 'candle' in our carved pumpkins! :)
We are probably down to dining by candlelight just for Xmas and New Year's Eve.  

The nose-to-tail movement has been gaining.  I do still eat beef liver, especially now, but am holding back on all the rest.  Except this protein shake does have it all... and supposedly, if you drink it daily, you will look like Brian. 

It's been interesting to stand back and watch Brian build his business and his life over the last few years.  He started as a not-too-healthy city guy with a wife and kids, all of whom were also unhealthy.  They moved to a ranch in Texas, became largely keto/carnivore, and dedicated to the Barbarian lifestyle.  Wife is now a holistic dentist, kids have never been sick a day, and you can see what it did for Brian.   

It's not something I could do, or even think of as healthy.  But reading the thousands of reviews for his products, people who have recovered from very difficult illnesses and injuries... is pretty compelling.  I don't aspire to be an 'alpha male', but I do aspire to climb again.  I still don't have the recipe... maybe it is truly just to stay the course, take one day at a time, and hold the vision. (?)  Mainly at this point it's just to take massive amounts of iron every day and hope it sticks. 

(The diabetic nutritionist I have been working with finally suggested I buy a 'beef protein powder'.  I did that but could never bring myself to try it.  I have ordered "The Whole Beast" and am willing to try it at least once.)   

So while I may not be diving into the head-to-tail diet fully, I do think he is right on with his lifestyle suggestions, most of which we have now here, such as turning off the wi-fi at night, grounding, making sure sleep is optimal in a black room.   ancestralsupplements.com/ab…

There is only one way to get to look like Brian and that is to work out ruthlessly and to get really thin.  Of course the first part makes the second part a lot easier.  But this is NOT the result of diet, it is the result of hard work.

Lori Milaswrote:

The nose-to-tail movement has been gaining.  I do still eat beef liver, especially now, but am holding back on all the rest.  Except this protein shake does have it all... and supposedly, if you drink it daily, you will look like Brian. 

I think you are going to look totally awesome with a beard like that. 

Jan Mcwrote:

There is only one way to get to look like Brian and that is to work out ruthlessly and to get really thin.  Of course the first part makes the second part a lot easier.  But this is NOT the result of diet, it is the result of hard work.

Bet he couldn’t climb worth beans.  

Thank you Andrew.  Maybe I will go for that look.  It would suit me.