pope

On the other hand, ain't nothing wrong with a fad...provided it opens doors equally to both genders. On my last trip to Squamish I noticed that the majority of folks camping out were there for the bouldering. I recall thinking, "I don't get it." But the other thing I noticed was how many beautiful young females were in camp...I mean, compared to the old days, I don't see how the modern climber/boulder monkey can concentrate on the mountain given all the possibilities for mountin'. Eh?

Bouldering is serious fun, a way to get a little fitness, something to do when you're intimidated by big mountains. I don't think bouldering is lame, I just don't understand the fad. And I think you know what I mean.

I've just been informed that my comments are entirely out of line and to respond to any of your questions will likely result in the rebanning of Pope. I think I'm going back into voluntary retirement again since the degree of lameness around here hasn't diminished by even a proper fraction.

Why don't you just say, "Hey, Jackass: we don't do that around here."? What else does one see at Alphabet Rock? Perhaps a long-standing top-rope problem which has been bolted, given a name ("Hind Quarters") and two stars in Kramar's guide. This is really pathetic. I agree that it's harmful to rap off a tree without slinging it first, but does one dubious practice justify another? Aren't you just looking for ways to justify the unfortunate direction that climbing is going? And now that you bring it up, I've been examining Viktor's Leavenworth guide lately (mostly while sitting on the pot) and I noticed that the Regular Route on Careno Crag has been revised to include the bolts which used to be a (shameful) variation on the first pitch. This is no longer advertised as a variation....IT IS THE REGULAR ROUTE! Furthermore, Viktor gives a controversial route like Condorphamine Wankulation about ten stars! This might be the first guide book I've read that has absoutely zero discussion about ethical considerations in the opening pages. Why? Could it be that there are no ethics in L-town these days? Ol' Viktor's even got a route he put up called "Boltering". I just had to come out of retirement on this one.

I'm out of here too. This time I mean it. Seriously, those who have something valid and/or humorous to add are discouraged from participating. Those who remain are increasingly dull. I have unsuccessfully attempted to persuade those who banned Dwayner to reconsider. I have endured insults, bannings, threats.....and worst of all, tedious and unskilled attempts to justify leaving countless bolt trails on our cliffs. Yes, the writing is on the wall. We now have about 19 moderators (multipled by three avatars each)....that makes nearly 60, which exceeds the number of people participating on a regular basis. Jon and Tim, my advice to you is this: if you want CC.com to return to its greatness, you should allow unrestrained conversation. When that happens, e-mail me and I'll consider returning. Until then, best wishes.

Watch out MattP!

As have the plans for invading Iraq.

"The threat of terrorism will not expire when provisions of the Patriot Act do." This is why we need cameras IN EVERY CORNER OF THE GOD DAMNED COUNTRY so that the activities of terrorists (and perverts, and needle junkies, and pinkos, and atheists) can be monitored. Sure it costs money. But we have a budget (which will cut taxes, provide increased health care, improve education and crack down on performance enhancing drugs in athletics) that has accounted for this expense. America will do whatever it takes.

What? Drilling on Mars? Have we already reached critical mass with the bolting that goes on here? That happened faster than I would have predicted. Mentioning Mars, maybe one of our long-haired readers could help this guy out:

Alpine Buddy, his post (which I quoted) is itself a barb. I was under the impression that this particular column would be cleansed of such juvenile contributions. You should direct your emotions toward the source of the problem.

Genuine, honest, heart-felt objections to the feverish pace of bolt-trail blazing are only considered to be "talking shit" by those who wish to bolt whereever and whenever they wish.

RED ALERT: THERE IS SPRAY IN THE RC COLUMN! PETER?

Anybody think Bush will take California? The conservative talk-radio spray this morning seemed pretty negative on Bush's approach to the illegal immigration situation. Outside of essentially importing cheap labor (which would make a small business owner happy), I'm not sure I understand what Bush has to gain with his approach. Do you think this will earn him a larger fraction of the hispanic vote?

Just what does Lealand do for me? Educate me please.

He's the former husband of an aging pop star. You're bent out of shape. Hmmmm.

He died while abseiling, literally "roping off". He should have been "roping up". Get it?

plunge

Bird isn't as big a hit with the females. And let's face it: climbing magazines is for the females. You want to sell mags, you feature some old, charming mountain climber who might potentially satisfy every little girls "Santa" fantasy.

Maybe. On the other hand, Jim has a certain charisma that might better explain his celebrity status. When I was I high school punk, just getting curious about the freedom of the hills, I saw Doweewee's slide show at the local college in which he reviewed his Patagonia triumph. He was competing with an Everest guy who was the first American to climb Big E w/o O2. (F.A.C.M.E.W.O., not to be confused with Jim Whitaker: F.A.C.M.E.). Anyway, Doweewee put on a superior, highly entertaining show and subsequently had a multitude of babes seeking his autograph (I think your mom was there), while the Everest dude stood in his shadow. It's the magic of Big Jim Doweewee. I can't explain it, but I've witnessed it.

Exactly. He's going to say whatever it takes to make the little shits who read these magazines happy so that he can continue to make a living off the cesspool that our great sport has become.

Pretty soon, the old RC column will consist of Petey composing posts to which only he will bother to reply. Now and again he'll have to perform his moderatorial duties and remind himself he's off topic. Maybe he'll even send himself a PM in which he admonishes himself for spraying in the RC forum. Maybe he will even ban himself! You'll notice that Pope's question in the recent Jim Doweewee thread survived. Old Petey P has better sense than to mess with me.

There's probably a few Ph.D.'s on this site but so what. It seems to matter more to those without than to those with. Bust your butt and get your own if it's an issue to you. Lord Bosco, Ph.D. Lord B, don't get too bent out of shape. The jabs about Dwayner's education level are coming from somebody who once boasted something to the effect, "I have as a friend a Harvard grad who insists I'm smarter than she."

Isn't he still making a living through climbing?

OK, quiz time for Peter. How many front points are on a mono-point crampon?

I'm nearly certain that a misunderstanding over the "Jumping the Shark" thread got him banned. In this thread, Dwayner criticized some of the truly inane chatter one too frequently finds on cc.com, and I suspect that a couple of powerful characters interpreted this as an attack on their creation, on the website itself. But if you go back and read that crap, that clearly wasn't Dwayner's intent. And Will, Minx, etc. may note that this I didn't start a "bring Dwayner back" thread. Instead, based on what I'm reading, a number of cc.commies have decided to hijack this thread and voice their opinions on the subject.