On their shoulders

[Cliff Heindel]

Mr. Pigsteak- have your subtle spraying abilities no limits? i.e. : 'when i'm cruxing i hate it when i have to high step right off a low left gaston right hand two finger sloper..'

but i'll bite.

one day i hit the ground and couldn't get back up. an unknown number of people helped me to survive and none of them have been any help at all in taking credit for their time and sympathy. a partial list, in no particular order:

-Wolfe County EMT and Tim Smith (anonymous crew)
-True North's Jeff Kennedy, Chris Hayes, Jake __?
-RRO w/Ryan Adams, Eric Cox

OTHERS!

Good Karma is coming to get you.
Saving the Earth 700 acres at a time gets Honorable Mention.

[Bruisebrother]

Before this thread dies out I want to Thank the Pig for starting it. Also for leaving his route developing reputation in S. Ill. and coming to the Red to help all of us to better enjoy our battles with gravity in the verticle. Thanks to Martin Hackworth for introducing me to the verticle. He came North and proposed to the Manimal and I that if we showed him the methods of coming down (alpine skiing) he'd teach us the way to go up (trad climbing). This was in 87'. Many people didn't know how to take him. Martin was Martin like Terry was Terry. A belated Thanks to him for his work in the Red and especially for apologizing to T-Bone and I just before he left us for his attack on team Muir when his feud was with Rick. Thanks to the Captain/Static for his longevity in the communiy and doing a damn fine job taking up the reigns that Shannon dropped. Thanks to T-Bone, the Sultan and the rest of the Indy Mafia for taking me under thier wing when the Bruise Brothers spread out across the land. Thanks to Karla, Jared and J.J. for what we had. Thanks to Trable for allowing me to show him the way. To Paul Heist for sharing some of his life with me before falling to his death at Eagle Point Buttress. And finally Thank You to my wife Stacia for cleaning hundreds of routes behind me for many years and leading many herself. Thanks one and all and the many I didn't mention they know who they are!

[JB]

I'd include the Chaney's for their RRO (pre-tackett) efforts, especially Chris's sister for giving me her Smootie-Os. Steve and Jill have been there quietly through most all of this as well. Wes makes us all look good in pictures and is inspiration when going from "Team SUMO, the most well traveled 5.6 climber in the world" to all the crushing he did after that!

Otherwise, i just ditto what the others have.

I would talk about Johnny and Terry... but i can't. Suffice it to say that the cragging scene around where I am could use Terry's lectures and Johnny's mentoring. I am planning on trying to bolt a few routes here and hope that I can be both a mentor and a "call you on your shit" type. I barely dare aspire to such things.

Nice thread... makes me miss ya'll.

[anticlmber]

i'd like to say thanks to the souder/koenig duo, Lday, mr strachan, the manimal, and some newer blood, ow and ray for throwing the bold guantlet out there for the rest of us to try and attain. i think most have grown scared and some of us may never have the testicular fortitude but i thank you all for showing the possibilities of "clean" climbing.

and like stix said, i tjank all that have made it home. the players, the haters, the tourists and the locals. from slack-jaw to michigonad and fuckeyes as well, brothers, sisters, and inbreeders have made me smile more than i've cried and cry from more laughter than can be healthy.

fukkers


oh and a big thanks to all the nice truckers that helped fund my tenure down there.