Dechristo

Does it matter whether your education is extensively formal? Doesn't much of it come from the public anyway?

how embarassing

What a cruel thing to say. Who taught you to say that, Carl?

or, at least, most of 'em smell like it.

thankfully, yes

Nice montage, ScottP. I've been fortunate to see/hear almost all of 'em...I count myself fortunate to have bought Chuck Berry a beer. I saw that first photo of Duane with the acoustic and almost immediately heard the strains of "Little Martha", which acoustic guitar virtuoso Leo Kottke, who often covered the song in performance, once called "the most perfect guitar song ever written".

self-promotion?

yes, that is Eric, and it's also true he's sometimes referred to as "Funny Eric".

There was a time when I longed to make Farrahmoan.

Do you believe the moon landing was faked?

Semantics. "Authentic" was my term and used here in my description because I figured it was being read by a largely uninitiate audience unfamiliar with the history and culture of "the biker". You're correct in your description and attribute of the "1%er" term: it applies mostly to those who have immersed their lives in the rough and raw biker culture, where brother and enemy are determined solely by club affiliation. In many ways, in my experience, they have the same profile as most any slice of humanity: there are folks I'd trust my family's life to and others I wouldn't trust with a nickel - it's just a different flavor, but wholy respective of their own law and no other. There are only a few remaining who've lived through it all over the last fifty years or so. It is they that Frank (and here, I) refer to as "authentic". Aren't you "special" for even knowing the "1%er" reference.

He's a personal acquaintence of Sonny Barger. When Frank loaned me his copy of Sonny's book, there was a personal inscription from Sonny inside.

In the early seventies McLaughlin was as well known as any rock guitarist.

My friend, Frank, is what's right with this world. Even though he's lived in Colorado for 35 years, he still has a New York (Long Island) accent you could cut with a knife. He's one of the "1%ers" as he calls it (the one percent of Harley riders that are authentic, original bikers), covered with tattoos including a green worm crawling out of his ear.

a buddy of mine takes those sometimes because of his heart meds (so he says), but hates them. He says it feels "unnatural". Plus, he says, he doesn't like how you can't get rid of the thing. He says, "I could beat the gahdam thing with a stick and it wouldn't go away."

yeah, well, I've gotta have some or I won't be able to bring the right gear

I've rigged the swivel chair thing. You gotta be willing to sacrifice a belay butt seat

yeah, gahdammit, give us some foreplay

I don't think the loading is much different between rappelling and top roping. The issue here is having a back up. There is little difference to none in load while top roping or rappelling with the exception of if and when it's real purpose in safety were to come into play: to catch someone peeling off; which, is the dynamic load I'd be concerned about popping out a v-thread. There's no way I'd want to top rope from a v-thread without some kind of back-up.

think I'll drop by the Patagucci store next time I'm in Denver

just tryin' to deal with the spina bifida and spondylosis in the lower back

What's an IFC machine and how much dey cost?

and slide

I think he played bar chords, mostly