RRC Archives

It's been a drag a few times on that 'last morning ' when you want to squeeze in a few more routes before leaving. You may not be familiar with the area , so you check the guide book for something close which too often means crowded.
First trip to the New we ended up at some crag and a group of 5 had 6 ropes up.Moving around to the very last route we began racking at the base of this dihedral and Wham, climber # 6 of the same group drops another rope on us.
They were nice people and offered their ropes ,but we moved on. I guess that's the top-rope spot

pigsteak wrote:yo skeeter and sarah,

see the posts about climbing harder so you don't have to wait...problem solved!

yo piggie, I'm working on that, thanks

The Torrent "Siege" was in January and the temperature was about 30 degrees. There was a Louisville team, a Chicago Team - us (being me, Joe and James) and one straggler who happened upon us that we were more than happy to let join. Plus two other randoms (one Jay? has a nose ring and wicked tats on his feet)

All these teams showed up independently and decided to co-operate - we went up their ropes, they went up our ropes and we set up routes for each other depending on ability. Later most everyone decided to stay together and go boulder...everyone got to climb exactly what they wanted - we had fun and at no one's expense...that is what OUR idea of SIEGE is...

This is the way I have climbed since I started climbing outside and it's a great way to learn from more experienced people and never have we kept people off routes. When people walk by us at a crag - we always ask what they are going to get on and if they want in on whatever we're doing.

It's never a matter of being able to say we took over a wall - the mentality is to include AS MANY people as possible.

Sorry if it came off as bragging or a negative thing - we never look to push others out. If we want an uncrowded crag we know plenty of places to go.

Don't make me get violent

Spragwa - If I hear, "Let's take over the crag and not let anyone else climb on any routes all day!", and others reply, "YEA!!!!" then all I can assume is that that's the intention. I mean, I know you and figure you'd be considerate to others but really...how do I know what others like to do? I haven't climbed but with a select number of people in my life. Actually, I don't think WE'VE ever climbed together! Speaking of which...are we climbing together on Saturday?

spuzo - Take this as a scenerio: Some folks went to Torrent that day, wanting to climb, and just looked up the trail to see if some routes were open. Since all the routes were taken they left and went somewhere else. That's what most climbers do. Most climbers don't like waiting on a route or having to ask for permission to climb. Now it's no big deal that they left to go somewhere else...that's climbing...but if one of the routes that wasn't being climbed was clean then that may have given those ficticious climbers the welcome they deserve to go up and start climbing. Personally, when I'm going for an onsite I like to hang my own draws.

The results of the poll indicate that there is a problem with that attitude and that some people do lose out on climbing routes as a result. Instead of threatening to "get violent", maybe you should listen to what people are saying.

As for the "getting violent", it was just a joke. Please take it as such. I would like to keep this light.

As far as your scenario. I cannot make people leave a wall. They were not there with me and did not ride with us. The corpus of our group was James, Joe and I. As for the others. They showed up on their own. They climbed on their own ropes and were "courteous" enough to share. We returned the favor in kind. Thats all it was. Just a random meeting.

Here's my scenario for you. Let's say that you decided to become sociable. Or at least more so. You end up going to Roadside on a weekend. As you walk upon the "10" wall you see all the routes have ropes on them. Your heart is broken. But alas, you spy your good friend and her entuorage. It's Spuzo!

You being in a much more sociable mood walk over for a little parlay with your good friend Spuzo. The conversation starts with a big hug and a friendly pat on the ass. After pleasantries Spuzo asks what you are here to climb. You say you wouldn't mind giving Synchronicity a go but their is already a rope on it.

"No problem" says Stacy, "I know the guy who's rope it is."

Stacy yells over to Chicago Dave and asks if he would mind if her friend Michelle took a ride on his rope.

But wait! Artsay protests that she only likes to lead routes.

"No Problem" says Dave, "Pull the rope."

" But then your gear would be in the way" she protests again.

Dave rising to the challenge says He will climb and clean the route for her and she can have it after that. Dave fearlessly mans up and T/R's the route cleaning, pimping every move on his way to the anchors. As he is at the Anchors he yells down to Michelle.

"Would you like for me to leave the anchors?" Dave politely asks "It would save you a step or two, this is only 5.7 territory up here."

"No, I am a purist. It only counts from the ground up," she laughingly replies.

Dave finishes cleaning the anchors and "raps" down to the party ledge.

"It's all yours." Dave cheerfully replies, while letting his eyes course over her firm body. Pausing momentarily at her bare midriff. Dave admiringly nods his head in approval.

"Good luck!" he says, glancing away, embarassed that Michelle might have caught him in a lustful moment.

Stacy says "The route's all yours. Do you need a catch," she volunteers.

"I'm solo today, so yeah, would you mind?" Michelle replies.

"No, I don't mind, I'm all about the catch..." Stacy says enthusiastically.

Michelle gathers her gear and walks fluidly towards the crack focusing her energy and herself on the task at hand. Her Chi is in full effect.

Starting with a brisk hand jam Michelle negotiates the opening moves, like a tigress she stalks the next. Silkily flowing thru the moves she negotiates each stance like water flowing over rock. As she rises further and further on the route the crowd below becomes silent. Watching, awestruck as the huntress closes in for the kill. The anchors and success!

As she is being lowered gently to the earth she receives thunderous applause from the appreciative crowd of worshippers below. She reflects thoughtfully - "Today is a good day..."


THE END

Artsay wrote:...Personally, when I'm going for an onsite I like to hang my own draws....

i hope so. otherwise it would be a flash at best.

I think it's great to take over a crag.....when it's John's mega super secret crag!

ultra <blink>mega</blink> super secret crag. I think I need to slip him a tracking device to find all these ultra mega super duper secret crags of his.

M

(I love the blink tag!)

spuzo - This thread isn't about you telling me what a purist I am or judging me for how social I may or not be. And from your commentary you have neither met me nor heard anything about me because I am very friendly, social, and hardly a purist.

If I had to deal with all that crap you drew out so eloquently just to climb an overgraded sport climb that takes gear then I'd probably quit climbing. There are many other mentalities of what climbing is to other people and your view seems skewed by your minimal experience. Are you climbing for the social scene or to climb?

Horatio Felacio wrote:

Artsay wrote:...Personally, when I'm going for an onsite I like to hang my own draws....

i hope so. otherwise it would be a flash at best.

Not if I climb (without hanging), clean the draws, then down climb, rest (without stick clipping the first bolt), and send it on the replaced draws. Gumby...