This is such a positive piece of writing about the climbing community (the Red and the people). It has introduced climbing and our community (us, the climbers), to the general public in a way that I have yet to see in a newspaper. The photo (with our own Tackett), is a front page jug, one, that I am sure that the non-climbing public "went for"!
It talks about the "real climbers" (no mention of the dirt bag this time or "rock stars"), the people who give. We (our community), all know what Rick and Liz have contributed! The volunteers, we (our community), are the backbone of our community! The reader, learns that it is the people of this community that builds our own trails to the crags and "installs" the routes that we climb. We are the only recreational user group that does this! Shannon Stuart-Smith taught me this years ago! That new knowledge made me look at this in a more holistic way. We, the people of the climbing community, are personally responsible for our own well being! It's just us, the "real climbers" of our community, that care enough about our "health", to keep us breathing, holding on, depumping just enough to keep moving.
The article gives the reader a "before and after" picture of the land. It gently mentions (assigning no blame), the abuse of the previous inhabitants and their impact. The reader then is actually informed (in this article), about some of the actual costs, in dollars, that the Webers have contributed. This makes it "real" to everyone reading the article!
The reader is made aware that this sport is growing at a very rapid pace. Supply and demand. (Some of the people do all the supplying while others just are just demanding. That's my two cents. That was not even hinted on in this article)!
The article informs the reader that the Red is world class! It mentions access issues and informs the public that our community is pro-active. We, as either
private individuals (the Webers, the Myers, Grant Stevens, and John Hyatt), are actually purchasing the very land we climb on, or as with RRGCC, (thanks Dr. Bob and all the others now giving!), are doing likewise, but pursuing a different approach. These two different approaches are on a convergent path! People, when these paths finally merge, and they have to, for our "well being", it will be a lesson for the global climbing community!
The article goes on to mention the climbing media and that we have guide books.
And it comes to a close talking about the routes, how they have to be "set up".
I liked it when Weber said that some ["setter uppers" are better than other "setter uppers"]! I hope we can find more good "route setters".
Well done Sarah!
Terry Kindred