Did my share of technical and free rock climbing in my younger days. Folks still pounded pitons into the rocks, but that was changing with the new technology. Those were the days. You had the rocks to yourself as few even knew it was a thing. When there were others around I always learned!
Back a few decades, I did that shit. My last climb was in the Catalinas just to the north of Tucson. I think the route was a 5.11C called Voodoo Child on the Troll Wall. Got to the top, realized what I had done and said, "no more!". Wife was happy. We were in Tucson last summer, and my kid and I went up to Mt. Lemmon. We stopped along the way And I pointed out where the Troll Wall was. He looked at me and called me a "fuckin idiot!". Glad he has more sense than I did.
Extreme heights and speed used to be exciting to me. After my first son was born, it was over a year before I was able to get back on my motorcycle and I wasn't even able to get on a ladder to clean my gutters without damn near having a panic attack. I'm mostly back to normal now, but heights still bother me more than they should.
A good number of climbs that someone would free solo you walk down after you top out. Watch the documentary Free Solo, its about this guy Alex Honnold and he talks about bailing from the nose attempt a few times.
Climbing is great. Wonderful, even. I've never done anything worth even talking about, and now am totally limited to indoor "rock walls" which is more like climbing a ladder. And I'm a little more leery of heights at 43 that I was when I was 18. But free climbing something that that? NO. Hell, no. -Just A Chemist
Did my share of technical and free rock climbing in my younger days. Folks still pounded pitons into the rocks, but that was changing with the new technology. Those were the days. You had the rocks to yourself as few even knew it was a thing.
ReplyDeleteWhen there were others around I always learned!
so, you get high as a mountain, if you have enough crack...
ReplyDeleteIf a free climber falls in the wilderness and there is no woman to hear him, is he still wrong?
ReplyDeleteBack a few decades, I did that shit. My last climb was in the Catalinas just to the north of Tucson. I think the route was a 5.11C called Voodoo Child on the Troll Wall. Got to the top, realized what I had done and said, "no more!". Wife was happy. We were in Tucson last summer, and my kid and I went up to Mt. Lemmon. We stopped along the way And I pointed out where the Troll Wall was. He looked at me and called me a "fuckin idiot!". Glad he has more sense than I did.
ReplyDeleteExtreme heights and speed used to be exciting to me. After my first son was born, it was over a year before I was able to get back on my motorcycle and I wasn't even able to get on a ladder to clean my gutters without damn near having a panic attack. I'm mostly back to normal now, but heights still bother me more than they should.
ReplyDeleteThe man has faith in his abilities....
ReplyDeleteAlex Honnold is special.
DeleteThe camera crew are crazier... They may be roped in but changing your focus from the climb to shooting movies is nuts.
ReplyDeletewhy?
ReplyDeleteAMEN!
DeleteI used to do that, 40 years ago, but I woul NEVER climb without a line firmly anchored into solid rock.
ReplyDeleteFree Solo, great documentary check it out.
ReplyDeletenope,nope,nope,nope,nope,nope,nope,nope,nope,nope,nope,nope,nope,nope,nope,nope,nope,nope,nope (deep breath) nope,nope,nope,nope,nope,nope,nope,nope,nope,nope,nope,nope,nope,nope,nope,nope,nope,nope,nope,nope,nope,nope,nope,nope,nope,nope,nope,nope
ReplyDeleteI have noticed that these people are always climbing UP. How come we never see videos of them climbing DOWN???
ReplyDeleteA good number of climbs that someone would free solo you walk down after you top out. Watch the documentary Free Solo, its about this guy Alex Honnold and he talks about bailing from the nose attempt a few times.
DeleteI'm not sure there's a sport with a higher risk of death and a lower percentage of recovery.
ReplyDeleteClimbing is great. Wonderful, even. I've never done anything worth even talking about, and now am totally limited to indoor "rock walls" which is more like climbing a ladder. And I'm a little more leery of heights at 43 that I was when I was 18. But free climbing something that that?
ReplyDeleteNO.
Hell, no.
-Just A Chemist