New climbing shoes review. Mad Rock Shoes.
Charlie Lee
I just went to climbing competition and tried several Mad Rock Shoes on an
artificial walls. These shoes are by far the best climbing shoes I have
ever worn in my life.
Many people don't really realize why there are two layers. I will
try to explain.
1) Edging requires harder layer, but softer layer is need for smearing.
2) When you are high stepping, outside harder layer will hook into a hold.
Unlike traditional shoes which latch into holds by friction only, Mad Rock
Shoe's harder layer latches into the holds. This is extreamely useful for
overhang as well, where your legs are barely on the wall.
Try following if you have Mad Rock shoes vs Traditional shoes. Grab a Mad
Rock dual layer shoe by the hand, lightly hold 45 degree on a hold and
pull down. You can feel the shoes latching into the hold just like a
crimping with your hands. Other traditional shoes falls right off.
Charlie
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
The best definition of a gentleman is a man who can play the accordion --
but doesn't.
-- Tom Crichton
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Charlie Lee charl...@anemoi.com
Software Engineer Email me for PGP 6.5.8 key
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =-----
http://www.newsfeeds.com - The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World!
-----== Over 80,000 Newsgroups - 16 Different Servers! =-----
Lg
> I just went to climbing competition and tried several Mad Rock Shoes on an
> artificial walls. These shoes are by far the best climbing shoes I have
> ever worn in my life.
I just saw these shoes recently and thought, "What a gimmick!"
>
> Many people don't really realize why there are two layers. I will
> try to explain.
>
> 1) Edging requires harder layer, but softer layer is need for smearing.
I don't think edging "requires" a harder layer. I believe any good
rubber, with strong feet, technique and a little flexibility is all
you need. For instance, I got these ol bad rides called Verticals
(complete w/ neon green lacing-which makes me climb faster) which I
call my elf shoes. One day I hopped onto a hard 10 face climb w/ edges
to see if I could with these shoes. They worked fine, we went right on
up and people watching just shook their head.
> 2) When you are high stepping, outside harder layer will hook into a hold.
> Unlike traditional shoes which latch into holds by friction only,
If the shoe ain't broke why fix it?
Mad Rock
> Shoe's harder layer latches into the holds. This is extreamely useful for
> overhang as well, where your legs are barely on the wall.
Now I can see that if this is the kind of climbing you're gonna do a
lot of then these shoes can benefit you.
>
> Try following if you have Mad Rock shoes vs Traditional shoes. Grab a Mad
> Rock dual layer shoe by the hand, lightly hold 45 degree on a hold and
> pull down. You can feel the shoes latching into the hold just like a
> crimping with your hands. Other traditional shoes falls right off.
>
> Charlie
But if you keep your feet inside the shoes where they belong and apply
a little pressure and balance, you stick. Don't get too caught up with
all the gimmicks. Climbing is very rather simple. At least I like to
keep it that way.
Lg
Tim Stich
camera selection; I dumped my Olympus Stylus Zoom in favor of ye olde
Olympus XA for climbing photos. But I still enjoy embracing new
technologies and won't poo poo them until I have bought, used,
tediously de-bugged, analyzed, and finally written off. I don't buy
many pairs of climbing shoes like some people that come to mind (shoe
obsessed Dawn!) but I think I have some money for buying a pair of
these Mad Rocks. Unfortunately, I don't do the finding my size by
mailing back shoes that don't fit game. These shoes are going to have
to find me first so I can see if they are wide enough, fit the way I
want, etc. If I end up getting a pair, I'll give you a 35,000 miles
down the road report in addition to the first test drive one.
-Tim Stich
Martin Gofelder
email is pse...@fakeemail.com. I am am here too tell you about the
double-good awesomeness of this gimikky new products. This is not a
paid commercial...at least not so far as you can prove.
The shoe: It slices, it dices, it sticks on overhangs... but wait,
there's more!
etc.
Pseudo Nymm
PS ask about the free ginsu knives
Charlie Lee
If you want to spend $150 per pair of shoes instead of $70 go for it. I
rather spend my money on something else. Considering I spend $45 to get my
shoes resoled. At $70 I would just get new shoes that performs same or
better than most $150 shoes.
Charlie
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chihuahuas drive me crazy. I can't stand anything that shivers when it's warm.
Mark Heyman
> artificial walls. These shoes are by far the best climbing shoes I have
> ever worn in my life.
>
> Many people don't really realize why there are two layers. I will
Only reason I'm replying to this one is that Mad Rock has "inspired"
so many almost glowing user reviews recently. Reviews that read like
an advertisements. Really irritates me. Clearly Climbing magazine
didn't think they were all that special, and I doubt very much if they
warrant the hype being spewed. That hype it isn't going to sway any
regulars here, just annoy us. Yes, I've read enough to be on the verge
of a commercial use accusation.
If the shoes are even decent, and Climbing Mag thought they were, a
far more effective advertising campaign could be written. I didn't
bother with this post on RC.com, but the board there needs it too.
Mark Heyman
Shilajit T Gangulee
: If the shoes are even decent, and Climbing Mag thought they were, a
: far more effective advertising campaign could be written. I didn't
: bother with this post on RC.com, but the board there needs it too.
So for some reason you trust a magazine more than lots of peoples'
personal testimonies? Odd, because I find the mag's reviews to be just
as off-base just as often as online reviews by people. I guess if it's
in print then it must be true.
Tim Stich
Do the knives cut climbing ropes well? I'll take a set. Thanks!
-Tim S.
Charlie Lee
I believe Rock and Ice magazine gave 5 stars. Only other shoes who got 5
star was sportiva at $160.
Charlie
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Boy, life takes a long time to live."
-- Steven Wright
Melissa
Melissa
Sorry about the last boo-boo post...
I don't care if Charlie is a MadRock mole or whatever, these shoes are great!
We crudely tested the friction cooef. of the rubber, and it did better than 5.10
which did better than Boreal or Sportiva. I got the $69 Pheonix as a
replacement for my $150 Aces that I preferred to have resoled w/ 5.10 rubber for
another $35...(That's $185). They have nice support but feel less like stiff
planks than the Aces. They carry them at Shoreline, so if you are in the Bay
Area, you can go try them on there.
If you are one of those people with a lot to say about the overpriced climbing
industry in classic threads such as the numerous Barrabes discussions, I'd say
make a statement and consider buying low priced, high quality stuff instead of
high priced, also good quality, fancy name brand stuff.
Tim Stich
La Sportiva will drop their U.S. prices to compete. But if you are
comfy with those $140 price tags for Mythos, hey, don't let me bother
you. I'm still reasonably happy with my Rock Pillars despite some
minor delamination on the toes (approx 2-3 mm). They still climb
mighty fine. $50 in Prague, maybe $75 online I suppose.
-Tim Stich
Steelmnkey
because of the disparity of prices out of Spain and US climbers opting to go
internet ordering (way simplified, I'm sure). Wonder who's next?
The interesting thing is that a year (or more?) from now, Boreal Spain may be
offering models of climbing shoes that don't exist now. But how will US
climbers order one when they can't go down to their local shop to try one on
for size? Interesting dilemma...
A long time back, I recall Greg Lowe came up with a shoe design that basically
had a sole constructed like wire brush that would stick to anything. But it was
like a golf ball that can be hit 400 yards by any ol' 7-Eleven clerk. Kinda
ruins the game...
G.
Lg
> rather spend my money on something else. Considering I spend $45 to get my
> shoes resoled. At $70 I would just get new shoes that performs same or
> better than most $150 shoes.
>
> Charlie
Even when I did pay regular prices . . I had no qualms to pay 150
bucks for a bombproof shoe that I could do everything in: o.w.,
cracks, power friction, multi-pitch up the wazoo and even run down
descents in 'em. I expect a lot from my shoes and I doubt that a 70
dollar shoe is gonna give me the performance I demand. Even with your
review of hooking some holds in the gym and the hand in the shoe
sticky test, I'm still not convinced that these shoes "performs same
or better than most $150 shoes." I guess if you were to do about 50 or
60 multi-pitch climbs of varied terrain and then found them to perform
the same, I'd say hmm, I gotta try those bad boys for sure. So if you
could report back in September, as is Tim (right Tim?), I and I'm sure
others would like that very much. Thanks.
Lg (firm believer in- you get what you pay for)
Mike Garrison
>
> Even when I did pay regular prices . . I had no qualms to pay 150
> bucks for a bombproof shoe that I could do everything in: o.w.,
> cracks, power friction, multi-pitch up the wazoo and even run down
> descents in 'em. I expect a lot from my shoes and I doubt that a 70
> dollar shoe is gonna give me the performance I demand.
Why not? The $150 shoe must be better because it costs more?
> Lg (firm believer in- you get what you pay for)
You know, you usually pay for what you get. But sometimes
you get a lot less than what you pay for. Let the buyer
beware.
-Mike
Mark Heyman
<br...@no.email> wrote in message
news:mhtravso9b3tpttpk...@4ax.com...
> On 28 Apr 2003 18:16:19 -0700, lg...@hotmail.com (Lg) wrote:
>
> I guess all those Europeans who pay about half what you do for the
> exact same shoe only get half the performance and half the life out of
> them?
>
> Brad
No, that would be 1/4 the shoe.
Nate B
"Lg"
> I expect a lot from my shoes and I doubt that a 70
> dollar shoe is gonna give me the performance I demand.
Dude - turn off your television.
- Nate
Mark Heyman
"Shilajit T Gangulee" <s...@mail2.sas.upenn.edu> wrote in message
news:b8jjsc$f07f$1...@netnews.upenn.edu...
No, not at all. I trust a lot of people here. That's why I stick around. I
haven't seen any regulars post that they thought the shoes were great, have
you?.
Actually just the opposite. Mad Rock is presumably paying for it's
advertisement in Climbing, and Climbing gave the shoe line mostly B s for
overall value. I figure the real value is lower and Climbing didn't exactly
want to print it that way.
Mark Heyman
Mark Heyman
"Melissa" <Melissa...@newsguy.com> wrote in message
news:b8js3...@drn.newsguy.com...
OK, maybe and only maybe now were up to 1. Pretty strong recommendation too.
I never knocked these shoes because of price. I just don't like all gimicks
or hype.
As to the friction tests we'd love to here about them. If you have com e up
with anything worthwhile there are plenty of mags and sites that would love
to make a full article available to it's readers. I tried to do some
scientific testing a year or two ago, when I had a multimillion dollar
material classification lab which specialized in plastic and rubber
available . Even sacrificed a few days severance pay. to complete those
tests. Jules supplied the rubber, and I had a deal with her to let her
"publish" the results. Given my limited time a never got are results that I
thought worth making public. Anyone really know a resoler as good as she
was, seriously. Strange how much you can miss someone you never met.
Mark Heyman
Mark
Michael A. Riches
m_he...@hotmail.com wrote on 4/28/03 10:32 PM:
> Anyone really know a resoler as good as she
> was, seriously. Strange how much you can miss someone you never met.
>
>
> Mark Heyman
> Mark
Haven't found one yet...There was only one Jules, I know I still miss her...
Ratzzz...
Sue
tims...@yahoo.com (Tim Stich) wrote:
You can have my Mythos when you pry them from my cold dead feet. or
something.
85 bucks a pair in Amsterdam. I have friends...
Sue
Melissa <Melissa...@newsguy.com> wrote:
I got the $69 Pheonix as a
> replacement for my $150 Aces that I preferred to have resoled w/ 5.10 rubber
> for
> another $35...(That's $185). They have nice support but feel less like stiff
> planks than the Aces.
Melissa. Just about any shoe in the world woud feel like less of a plank
than the aces.
Will Niccolls
> rather spend my money on something else. Considering I spend $45 to get my
> shoes resoled. At $70 I would just get new shoes that performs same or
> better than most $150 shoes.
>
> Charlie
$45.00 for a resole? You're getting ripped off. Send them to Rock and
Resole in Boulder. $28.00 for a half sole and they do the best job I've
ever seen, and they stand by their work. I send two pairs at a time and
shipping adds 7 dollars, so thats $63.00 for two pair.
Oh, and I like the Mad Rock designs, and bravo on the price, but they don't
seem to fit me well, the pairs I tried were similar fit to 5.10's--they
seemed narrow.
Will Niccolls (unaffiliated with R&R)
Andy Gale
Mark Heyman wrote:
> "Shilajit T Gangulee" <s...@mail2.sas.upenn.edu> wrote in message
> news:b8jjsc$f07f$1...@netnews.upenn.edu...
>>So for some reason you trust a magazine more than lots of peoples'
>>personal testimonies? Odd, because I find the mag's reviews to be just
>>as off-base just as often as online reviews by people. I guess if it's
>>in print then it must be true.
>
>
> No, not at all. I trust a lot of people here. That's why I stick around. I
> haven't seen any regulars post that they thought the shoes were great, have
> you?.
>
> Actually just the opposite. Mad Rock is presumably paying for it's
> advertisement in Climbing, and Climbing gave the shoe line mostly B s for
> overall value. I figure the real value is lower and Climbing didn't exactly
> want to print it that way.
Rock and Ice also gave fairly high marks to some of the Mad Rock shoes.
Both magazines just gave one of the models their Best Value
designation (not the same model). I figure that's worth something.
I'm guessing not many regular posters have tried the shoes. They've
only just come out, afterall. Hence the lack of endorsements here. It
seems to me no data does not equal bad data, which you seem to have
assumed. I'm curious to try them myself.
Andy
David
"Andy Gale" <ag...@scripps.edu> wrote in message news:3EAECE58...@scripps.edu...
> I'm guessing not many regular posters have tried the shoes.
I tried to find my size at a couple of shops. I guess that doesn't count. Hopefully
they will be easier to find soon. Actually I did find my size, but in Flash, not Phoenix.
They seemed fine on the indoor wall at the shop, but I was looking for an all-day
shoe, so I bought another pair of Mythos instead.
People I climb with that have Mad Rocks really seem to like 'em.
David
Lg
> Lg wrote:
> >
> > Even when I did pay regular prices . . I had no qualms to pay 150
> > bucks for a bombproof shoe that I could do everything in: o.w.,
> > cracks, power friction, multi-pitch up the wazoo and even run down
> > descents in 'em. I expect a lot from my shoes and I doubt that a 70
> > dollar shoe is gonna give me the performance I demand.
>
> Why not? The $150 shoe must be better because it costs more?
Just my experience that cheaper shoes that I've had have fallen apart faster.
Lg
Hah haahh, yea that's right, I'm cracking up.
Lg
Jason Liebgott
sometimes been good, sometimes bad.
On a one to five scale (1 = terrible, 5 = THE SHIT) of "falling apart" -
and price is Retail
Just a quick list of ones I can remember -
Ace : 5 ($150)
Altia (last production version) fiveTen : 1 ($160)
Newton : 4 ($148)
Anasazi (velcro) : 3 ($139)
Muria : 3 ($146)
Mythos : 4 ($137)
Zephyr : 5 ($100)
This is not a comfort or how much I liked them, just which shoe was in what
shape after 3-6 months.
Personally I like the idea of a climbing shoe with rubber on the tops and
the bottoms, so I 'm gonna try out that madrock shoe some time. Might save
some shoe laces...
jason
Lg
And then? . . .
Mark Heyman
> > "Shilajit T Gangulee" <s...@mail2.sas.upenn.edu> wrote in message
> > news:b8jjsc$f07f$1...@netnews.upenn.edu...
>
>
> Both magazines just gave one of the models their Best Value
> designation (not the same model). I figure that's worth something.
> I'm guessing not many regular posters have tried the shoes. They've
> only just come out, afterall. Hence the lack of endorsements here. It
> seems to me no data does not equal bad data, which you seem to have
> assumed. I'm curious to try them myself.
>
>
> Andy
Yes they did, and they were the least expensive model none of the gimmicks!
II they had been available I would have checked them out before I shelled
out $140 for a pair of Katanas.
All they need to do is produce a good shoe for the right price, and it will
sell itself - with help from a bunch of us, including me. The current hype
still turns me off.
.
Mark Heyman
Rob Migliore
That's if you ONLY need a half resole. Rand work or toe caps can add another $7-$20.
Marco Steve
Jason Liebgott wrote in message ...
FWIW... the Hooker would probably be a 1 or 2 on that list. I liked
everything about that shoe, but it broke rather quickly. And it's also the
first time I've ever broken a shoe instead of just worn it out (right
through the midsole). Then again, they were a size too big so there was a
lot of torsion on them when edging.
Bobby
shoes. This is currently a trial period to see how they sell.
According to the employee I spoke with he said that this is only
taking place at two stores. For shits and giggles I tried on a pair of
the Mugen. They seemed to fit my foot ok, usually wear 5-10 products.
They are sized very small. This is one of my big grippes with shoe
companies is sizing. Why can't all shoes label with a size be that
size. Even within the same company different shoes have very different
sizing. Yes, I know some shoes should fit differently, but I should be
able to get my foot into a size 9.5 regardless of the type.
Bobby
michael mulholland
> This is one of my big grippes with shoe
> companies is sizing. Why can't all shoes label with a size be that
> size. Even within the same company different shoes have very different
> sizing. Yes, I know some shoes should fit differently, but I should be
> able to get my foot into a size 9.5 regardless of the type.
true. but it was once, and not all that very long ago, worse. much
worse.
back when i was just starting climbing (age 12) and for a few years
following, EB's where the best and often only game in town. a couple
years later i was guiding out of north conway, NH and on rainy days
H/SWMBO made us starving guides work in the store. hell, if i wanted to
do retail i'd would have been wearing a paper hat and saying 'you want
fries with that! - and be making more doing it arghhh. but i digress.
surprise?
well, people always picked a rain day to get their new rock shoes - read
EB's. and often did it in north conway or some other climbing mecca as
the local stores had plenty, unlike the 4 pair at Al's Sporting goods
back in Sippenwisset or wherever. the shop i guided for had hundreds of
pairs, at least early in the season.
before i complain loudly about the gyrations these 'clients' put me
through, i must admit that i too did the same drill when i needed shoes.
as such some other dope had to suffer as i did. karma.
the EB game took a minimum of 4 hours, more typically 7 or 8 hours (why
rush? the only other option most climbing rats could afford was sitting
in a puddle in their worn out tent.
the game was played like this: say like me you're a US size 9. EBs are
french so that should translate into FR size 43. you'd think that
trying on a couple pairs between 42 and 44 would yield a proper fit (or
at least close) in short order. dream on.
for the trolls who made EBs were either sadists or morons. most
climbers of the day believed with religious conviction that they were
both. you would open a fresh pair of size 43 EBs - fresh out of the
crate straight from france - and be able to fit your size 43 foot into
the left shoe with enough room to fit a grapefruit. meanwhile the right
shoe would be so tiny that you could not fit 3 fingers in. or vice versa.
or you'd have what was obviously 2 left shoes, or two rights. the
remain third of all EBs in the shops were neither left nor right - they
were 'middlers' - perfectly symetrical on both sides. some 'middlers'
bowed out on both sides like the outside edge of a right and the outside
edge of a left shoe in one shoe. perfect if you had the feet of a
grizzly. others 'middlers' bowed in on both sides, essentially two
inside edges. perfect if you had the feet of a lizard.
so what you would do was open ever (damned) last box of EBs, toss all
the 'middlers' in a corner (unless you worked in a circus sideshow),
then try on every last one of the left shoes and then every last one of
the right shoes. where i worked this meant at least 300 shoes even late
in the season.
but why rush? the only option was sitting in a wet tent listening to AM
radio - for if you had a few dollars you were already at the bar anyway.
i guess i should wrap this rant up. well, eventually my peers (or
better said, my betters - for they all were. better, that is) "stopped
worrying and learned how to love the bomb" as the subtitle of my fave
film goes. we figured out two things. [1] wake very very early and if
it looks like rain drag your tent off into the most unfindable corner of
north conway environs you knew of and hide there (sitting in a puddle
listening to bad AM radio.) if you failed at that (sheesh), then bite
the bullet and when dragged into the store to play retail queen simply
pull out every single box of EB's and dump the contents in a huge mound
in the middle of the store. then hide by sitting low behind counter -
ideally close to the perlon/webbing melter so at least when you closed
your eyes it smelled like climbing.
so. well. "sucks" is relative. or something like that.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
i just can't help one last burp. there was something more dreaded then
even the EB clientele. and that was "the retail hard men" -- you know,
the narcissistic and self-deluded clowns who hung out in climbing shops
loudly prattling about their hard guy experiences with this piece of
gear or that. 'yeah a #3 friend really saved my ass when i pulled the
lip of separate reality out in 'da valley' (really? amazing you were
able to drag that remarkable beer gut out that far) or 'if i can't get
russian unobtanium ice screws i just solo - this domestic shit is, er,
shit" (wow, stunning info larry). that and reviewing anything placed in
the new route book ('ah hell, i soloed that crack years ago).
you know, the kind of weasels who prattle on and on about their
daring-do on newsgroups... oh... oh my...
oopsy
climb hard, fight nice
^,,^ [akc: dogboy]
~~~~~~~~~~~~OB:OtrPplQuoteWad Follows~~~~~~~~~~
"I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work."
-Thomas Edison
"The mistakes are all waiting to be made." -Savielly Tartakower, a chess
grand master commenting on the game's opening position
"If everything's under control, you're going too slow." -Mario Andretti
~~~~~~~~~~~~OB:OtrPplQuoteWad Ends~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tim Stich
shot thrown in. The days of EBs and the apparant lack of quality
control in that product will never be forgotten now.
-Tim S.
A. Cairns
michael mulholland wrote:
snip
> the remain third of all EBs in the shops were neither left nor right
I liked EBs because after one side wore through the rubber I could switch
left and right.
> the narcissistic and self-deluded clowns who hung out in climbing shops
I'd like to read more stories from retailers making fun of customers and
products. Why don't the climbing magazines do this? I'm the sort of customer
who is embarrassed by new gear I don't understand (everything since pins and
goldline) and can barely work up the nerve to reveal my ignorance and ask the
staff about it, but when I do I usually learn all sorts of interesting stuff.
Nice post, Mr. american kennel club dogboy. It sounds like rain has worked
its warping way on your perspective. Why not relocate to sunny SoCal? It
always smells like climbing, there.
Andy Cairns
^,,^
> I'd like to read more stories from retailers making fun of customers and
> products. Why don't the climbing magazines do this? I'm the sort of customer
> who is embarrassed by new gear I don't understand (everything since pins and
> goldline) and can barely work up the nerve to reveal my ignorance and ask the
> staff about it, but when I do I usually learn all sorts of interesting stuff.
Andy
fwiw, it's immediately obvious even to occasional climbing shop staff
(something i haven't done for many years now) those who are sincere and
those who are poseurs buffing their foreheads to a high gloss. the
latter is easily ignored and even easier forgotten.
as for the former - the majority of bloaks and bloakettes who simply
need some gear or are checking out what is new or changed - there is
absolutely no reason to be embarrassed by ones 'ignorance.' none of us
are born knowing anything about this shiny gadgetry (though i believe we
are born knowing how to climb, it just takes work to relearn it later).
no reasonable shop bound climber caught on the wrong side of the
counter will mind a weeze to fill you in on what they know about the
latest rock or ice toy.
this is especially true at what are to my mind the best shops, the ones
staffed by people who climb hard and have loads of experience. Boulder
Mountaineer (CO) and IME (NH) come to mind. Many of the people doing
counter duty at shops like these also guide and work on local rescue
teams. I'd much rather get the product poop from someone who has used a
piece of equipment - as well as most all similar products, then someone
who doesn't climb much and has just heard the manufacturer rep's rap.
No matter how well intentioned they might be (and most seem to be). REI
and the like seem especially well stocked with climbing gear salespeople
who haven't had much air time. At least to my small mind.
But then i rarely buy gear in stores, haven't for a bunch of years now.
i'm fortunate (or enough of a klingon, or both) to climb with a bunch
of friends who are both good enough and acclaimed enough (not everyone
who is the former is also the latter, of course) to get box after box of
gear sent to them. mucho gratis (i think i just mixed both languages
and epochs. oops.) this in return for an occasional hiney shot which
then gets plastered in all matter of rags. fwiw, it was common for
vendors of climbing gewgaws to simply print a photo of one of my pals
without so much as mentioning it to them. most of my pals would
complain loudly, insist that it never happen again (then demand a
half-ton of additional gear as penance/ransom. occasionally they got
it. the vendor would more often ignore them then do the same to some
other climbing obsessed (and hence entirely uninterested in advertising
or self promotion) soul.
on rarer occasion still, way off in a corner of the photo, invariably
hanging off some truly nightmarish micro-belay (like a pair of #2 RPs in
opposition), looking exhausted, very spooked and with that 'oh pleeze oh
pleeze fall -no NOT fall - rather retreat gently off that pitch my
brother for there is surely no chance that i will ever be able to follow
it and i really really don't want to jug up a rope hanging on some
squeaking fay pro like this... one can see (if one has a magnifying
glass and knows precisely what to look for) your wee dog his own self.
ah but just as often the microdot image of my bugged out eyes was
blotted out by something important like "Spectra is a trademark of
Dupont" or the like.
though i did end up with great mounds of real climbers excess. so much
so that i could often pass much of it on down (or rather, across) the
food chain (for us detritus there is only sideways, no down, in the food
chain). of course it was never the very best of stuff -- the edelrid
ropes and sportivas and koflachs and chouinard stuff never fell off the
table into this dogs drooling jaws. of course this too had its upside
-- it gave me the bail out line "sure i'd love to lead that 5.17b XXX
headwall, but, er, i don't have any microwidgets on my rack. but i see
you have a bunch, so why don't you lead it. huh'kay?
> Nice post, Mr. american kennel club dogboy.
um, thanks, i guess. i was just decompressing after writing a eulogy
for a good friend who died sunday night. and while he was an excellent
climber - stunning natural balance and great feet - he did not die in
the mountains as too many of my pals have apparently chosen to do. no,
for him it was too much alcohol on top of either too much or not enough
rx meds. not sure on the latter and now doesn't seem the right time to
pepper his fiance for details. i know only that he collapsed at a goth
club and was doa minutes later at an ER. woosh. gone.
we were both dogs, he by fluke of name - me by fluke of nature. he was
unflaggingly polite and generous, a man of unswerving dignity and,
though the words would embarrass his native humility, a man of deep
compassion. i mourn his loss for a thousand selfish little reasons.
but there i go again. and here, in this post, i've gone again again.
i'm cycling here. lather, rinse, repeat.
> It sounds like rain has worked its warping way on your perspective.
oh yeah, that's it. the rain. the rain made me the drooling eccentric
i am. absolutely. yup. sheesh.
> Why not relocate to sunny SoCal?
because it is invested with californians. but then the same is true
here. at least up this way somebody's got the thermostat under control.
your dog can't take heat. (though is always up for a dog in heat.
er, never mind)
> It always smells like climbing, there.
is _that_ what that smell is? huh. and here i always thought it was
just a mix of car exhaust and Pacco Raban.
canis fidelis est,
^,,^ [akc: dogboy]
~~~~~~~~~~~~OB:OtrPplQuoteWad Follows~~~~~~~~~~
"Remember what you have seen, because everything forgotten returns to
the circling winds." -from a Navajo chant for the elderly
"Walk joyously though this world of sorrows" -a popular Tibetan buddhist
adage; commonly attributed to Lama Dhanjzo [8th century, CE]
"There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is
a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle."
-Einstein ("Journals & Juvenilia")
~~~~~~~~~~~~OB:OtrPplQuoteWad Ends~~~~~~~~~~~~
to end on a lighter note (which has always been my note of choice) be
sure to check out
http://www.aurobora.com/bman/
why? no good reason i can think of...
nafod40
> no reasonable shop bound climber caught on the wrong side of the
> counter will mind a weeze to fill you in on what they know about the
> latest rock or ice toy.
>
It's kind of fun to walk into a store like that, and say, "Here's my
problem (going to climb such-n-such a climb...) here's what I already
have, what else do I need?" Even if you think you already know the
answer. It gives them a load of respect immediately, and they usually
try to deliver in return. Works in ski/computer/bike/music shops too.
I find I learn a lot more by listening than talking, generally.
Mike
Geoff Jennings
sea kayaks, is how people tend to buy things for the dream trip they plan
(which 99% of them never do) rather than the reality of the paddling
they'll do 99.9% of the time. There are many folks out there paddling
expedition boats around the bay.
Like buying an Indian Creek rack and carrying it at Stoney Point.
Geoff
Sue
<roc...@alltel.net> wrote:
>
> > Nice post, Mr. american kennel club dogboy.
>
> um, thanks, i guess. i was just decompressing after writing a eulogy
> for a good friend who died sunday night. and while he was an excellent
> climber - stunning natural balance and great feet - he did not die in
> the mountains as too many of my pals have apparently chosen to do. no,
> for him it was too much alcohol on top of either too much or not enough
> rx meds. not sure on the latter and now doesn't seem the right time to
> pepper his fiance for details. i know only that he collapsed at a goth
> club and was doa minutes later at an ER. woosh. gone.
>
> we were both dogs, he by fluke of name - me by fluke of nature. he was
> unflaggingly polite and generous, a man of unswerving dignity and,
> though the words would embarrass his native humility, a man of deep
> compassion. i mourn his loss for a thousand selfish little reasons.
>
> but there i go again. and here, in this post, i've gone again again.
> i'm cycling here. lather, rinse, repeat.
I'm sorry about your friend.
I did want to second the thought about the nice posts. You write
beautifully. Most here do not, myself included. I wish my creative
gifts were not so confined to my visual cortex. I hope you are working
on the next great novel.
> on rarer occasion still, way off in a corner of the photo, invariably
> hanging off some truly nightmarish micro-belay (like a pair of #2 RPs in
> opposition), looking exhausted, very spooked and with that 'oh pleeze oh
> pleeze fall -no NOT fall - rather retreat gently off that pitch my
> brother for there is surely no chance that i will ever be able to follow
> it and i really really don't want to jug up a rope hanging on some
> squeaking fay pro like this... one can see (if one has a magnifying
> glass and knows precisely what to look for) your wee dog his own self.
> ah but just as often the microdot image of my bugged out eyes was
> blotted out by something important like "Spectra is a trademark of
> Dupont" or the like.
love it.
kellie
> >
>
>
> I did want to second the thought about the nice posts. You write
> beautifully. Most here do not, myself included. I wish my creative
> gifts were not so confined to my visual cortex. I hope you are working
> on the next great novel.
>
However, do not believe Sue when she says she does not write
beautifully. To see for yourself, do a search for "goldie hawn" "how
not to pick up chicks in the gym" or any post of hers with the word
"skip" in it.
Kellie
Sue
kellie...@urscorp.com (kellie) wrote:
> or any post of hers with the word
> "skip" in it.
You have no idea how intensely flattered Skip would be by this
statement. However it is Skip himself that is entertaining. I have to
share this recent gem he found:
http://www.pk.org/pottedmeat.html
The climbing tie in is that Craig recently bought "potted meat food
product", at the dollar store for 3 for a dollar. wall food?
kellie
>
> You have no idea how intensely flattered Skip would be by this
> statement. However it is Skip himself that is entertaining.
Considering that I only met Skip once for an hour or so, it's amazing
how fondly I remember him. Every once in a while Russ and I still
remind each other that "there's nothing about Skip that Skip doesn't
like."
Mark Heyman
> > > Nice post, Mr. american kennel club dogboy.
>
> I'm sorry about your friend.
> I did want to second the thought about the nice posts. You write
> beautifully. Most here do not, myself included. I wish my creative
> gifts were not so confined to my visual cortex. I hope you are working
> on the next great novel.
> love it.
Ditto Ditto Ditto. It was a pleasure to read.
But, If he's not careful he'll be flamed for using to little punctuation!
Mark H.