TRs: Valuable or chestbeating fodder

[chelle]

Here's a question I posted on another thread. I am hoping to get more people discussing the issue and would love to see some more TRs...

 

ehmmic said:

klenke said:

I think Cracked's point was valid. If you want to speed climb for your own experimentation, then so be it. If you feel like telling us what you've learned about yourself, then it more often than not comes across as chestbeating.

 

Why does this crowd seem to think that someone sharing their trip and what they learned is cheastbeating? No wonder few people want to put their trip reports on this board. I for one think it is cool to hear what people learned and how they challenged their own limits. That's one of the reasons I read mountaineering books periodically. It would be so incredibly boring to just get the facts about distance, elevation gain, grade, and time. Kinda like reading a guidebook. Come on people, what are you so bothered about?

 

catbirdseat said:

I agree with ehmic. Posting a trip report is not in and of itself chestbeating. It is how you write the report that counts. The number of trip reports have fallen way off and I regard them as the most important aspect of this site.

Tod said:

I agree with ehmmic completely. Regardless of whether it is/was intended as chestbeating, it's very cool to hear trip reports where people pushed themselves beyond the norm. Without hearing about trips where people push the envelope, it's harder to push yourself and it's harder for the sport and technique to evolve and grow.

 

Personally, my favorite trips and trip reports to read are like "Challenger in a Day" or "Logan in a Day". I can think of a few trips similar to this I did in the last couple of years that were done because I read something on cc.com that inspired me to do it. Keep on writing boys and girls, it's cool sh*t!

 

BTW - Challenger in a day is doable, but I'd probably do it as Challenger and Whatcom in a day via Whatcom Pass. I haven't been via Perfect Pass, but the river fording, bushwacking and scrambling the impasse seems like it would take too much time. The trail is a cruise up to Whatcom Pass....

 

Tod

 

[Cpt.Caveman]

Everyone should write TR's about secret ice and brag photos on the internet.

 

Everyone should write TR's about every single pitch they climb.

 

Everyone should make internet posters of themselves on top of mountains and post them here every time.

 

Everyone should write about all the stupid jargon used to describe how they clipped up a 90 foot route.

 

I gain so much from all the above it's unreal.

[cracked]

Oh, come on, Ray. I started writing TRs and posting them online because I enjoy other peoples' websites so much. It's not all about chestbeating. Besides, your weekly photo thread isn't much different.

 

Ehmmic, your first quote, the one quoting me, was in response to a flippant comment that I made totally in jest. I was in no way serious. Climbing something in a day is simply a way to make a route harder, so it's more of a challenge. It isn't always to inflate egos. Wait, maybe ALL climbing is done to inflate our egos.

 

I like reading TRs, as it gives me something to do when I can't climb. So, everybody, write more TRs!

[catbirdseat]

I think that even on gaper routes there are things that happen on trips that can be either humorous, or informational. Not every person will see the humor. Not every person needs or wants the information. A Good TR targets its audience, but that is very difficult to do on a place like cc.com where tastes, ethics and experience levels run the gamut. As one who does the gaper routes, I target my TR's more to the gapers. The hardmen can get their jollies by reading TRs by BobbyPeru and PolishBob. My TR hero and I think of many people is UncleTricky, because his humor works across many, many levels. There's a universality about it. Uncle Tricky

[Cpt.Caveman]

A photo thread is much different. I am not telling anything. I am only letting others experience the view. Not how tough I am or how bad ass or how many pitches I did or I did the sit start to the route or all that shit.

 

I think you know what I am talking about cracked.

 

Never did I say people shouldn't write reports. I think I am making another point you are missing or ignoring.

[Ursa_Eagle]

I also think TR's are a very good thing. They can do a lot of things for different people. For one person, it may give them information on a route they plan on doing. For another, it can be nice reading about people cranking harder than they every will. For a third person, it could open their eyes to a mountain or route they'd never considered before. For a fourth, it may help them relive some of their best days. On that note, I need to post more TR's!

[dberdinka]

It's sad that this website seems to DISCOURAGE some people from writing TRs rather than ENCOURAGE them. I get bored at work, I want something interesting to read!

 

Short and to the point, purposely vague (Caveman ), poorly written, long and grandiose, full on chestbeating, whatever...I think we should be encouraging each other to talk about actual, real-life climbs we've gone out and done.

 

I plan on writing more of my own and supporting others who do so regardless of the content or style. This place has been kinda dead lately a little more content isn't going to hurt!

 

Yeah! I feel warm and fuzzy!!

[cracked]

I just reread your post, Caveman. What I gain from TRs is enjoyment, and perhaps some beta, if the climb is doable by a gumby like me. What I meant was, viewing photos is also for enjoyment, or perhaps beta, just like TRs. I haven't read too many beta maps for sport climbs, unless they were specifically requested. They don't bug me.

 

Not trying to get your goat, man.

[Ursa_Eagle]

cracked said:

Not trying to get your goat, man.

 

We all know that's stricktly erik's territory!

[Distel32]

Yeah TRs are fun too read. UT writes some killer ones!

 

I see them as a way to just let people know what you've been up to, tell about conditions, or just talking to people. Don't most of you talk to your friends or wives/husbands/gf/bf about what you climbed!???? Same thing here, just getting the word out.

 

I don't think there are that many chesbeating TRs on this site. Most of it goes on in other threads

[Cpt.Caveman]

I never took any offense to what you stated. I was only pointing you in the direction of where I am coming from.....

[Dave_Schuldt]

TRs are a great place for people like me to practice writing. My job doesn

t require much writing so this board helps. IF THE TR SUCKS DON'T READ IT!!!! And why post negative coments about one you don't like? What a waste of time. So what if someone wants to chestbeat?

 

So wank, chestbeat, brag and lie all you want.

[To_The_Top]

I personally would like to see more trip reports, they are fun to read (for the most part), inspire new ideas, but should leave some things to the imagination of the adventure.

[Juan]

I rarely post TRs anymore, but that's in part because I am not getting out too much. Too busy having kids. For what it's worth, I've always liked well-written TRs, provided they are fairly short and to the point, with a little humor. Think of Bill Pilling's style, with a joke or two thrown in for good measure.

 

I don't need to read about someone climbing Sahale Arm or the Tooth in summer, but if a person wants to write about basic climbs with little variability, so be it. I find greater value in reading about routes that are climbed less often, and I try to write the same. I consider such TRs more helpful to the climbing community at large.

 

I think you can write a good, pithy TR that will help others who need/want beta, are bored at work, looking for ideas on what to climb, or all three. Like Ray, I'm not into a move-by-move description of a route. It's hard to write well using that style.

 

That's my two cents.

 

John Sharp

[David_Parker]

If I post a TR, it is only to inspire others to go out and do a great climb that is in condition. I won't post a TR if it isn't the above. That's it!

 

Sometimes I'm inspired to write a long trip report so I can remember it and so if I bother to, then I'm happy to share it. Other times I'll just share the photos.

 

A smile is a good way to let someone know you're happy. It is contageous and it affects others in a positive way. I see a TR as a smile or grin.

[Dru]

Like everyone else I like to read but it doesn't mean I think anything written is good. I reserve the right to be critical and encourage others to do the same - only way to improve your writing is from feedback and personal reflection like you read something u wrote 4 years ago and are like "Ohmigod that sux."

 

A ass-kiss fest like on rec.climbing where any time one of the "old hands" writes a TR even if it about feeding their dog or some shit, 20 people post and say "oh nice TR, you the best" doesnt lead to any good writing.

 

This site has seen lots of TRs some good and some not so good. I say write more good ones and less bad ones. Pictures are good for people with no attention span. Funny is better than boring.

 

By all means post whatever you want but don't expect to post total BS and have everyone say it is wonderful. To praise shit is to diminish true gold.

 

The best TR I have seen in the last few weeks was Walk in the Freezer

[Paintrain]

Caveman,

 

You seem to have nothing worth saying on this subject. With such sarcasm, you must have lost the ability to read a tr. Or is it that you have just done and seen it all, so there is nothing left in the world that is interesting to you except posting sarcasm on internet forum boards.

 

That must be it.

 

You say all the pretty pictures and colors are what attract you to a TR, so if there are too many of those pesky word things, don't read them (especially those words longer than four letters).

 

For that matter, you should email R&I and Climbing (a picture to illustrate your point properly) and tell them to put only pictures in and stop all that superfluous writting stuff.

 

If you had a point other than stop "writing" trip reports and just post pictures, I like Cracked, am missing it.

 

For the record I like TRs, long walks on the beach, and flirting with geological disaster. New to the board - Howdy. Hopefully others are friendlier than CM.

 

PT

 

[dryad]

ehmmic!

And I would like to add that there's nothing wrong with some warm fuzzies. I personally find it just as interesting to read about someone's first trad lead or somesuch, as a report of an ascent of Mt. Scaryshit in super duper alpine style.

[Cpt.Caveman]

Paintrain said:

Caveman,

 

You seem to have nothing worth saying on this subject. With such sarcasm, you must have lost the ability to read a tr. Or is it that you have just done and seen it all, so there is nothing left in the world that is interesting to you except posting sarcasm on internet forum boards.

 

That must be it.

 

You say all the pretty pictures and colors are what attract you to a TR, so if there are too many of those pesky word things, don't read them (especially those words longer than four letters).

 

For that matter, you should email R&I and Climbing (a picture to illustrate your point properly) and tell them to put only pictures in and stop all that superfluous writting stuff.

 

If you had a point other than stop "writing" trip reports and just post pictures, I like Cracked, am missing it.

 

For the record I like TRs, long walks on the beach, and flirting with geological disaster. New to the board - Howdy. Hopefully others are friendlier than CM.

 

PT

 

Your reading comprehension is about as shitty as your post.

[JayB]

I'm largely in agreement with Dru, but also think that anyone ripping on TR's should keep their own talents in mind before criticizing those produced by others. This is especially true for folks that can't seem to produce a coherent sentence, average little better than a fifty percent success rate when attempting to spell "the" correctly, and still can't seem to get the hang of that tricky subject--->verb---->noun convention.

 

[Stefan]

IMHO. I like TR's. Even bad ones.

 

I know how difficult it is to write interesting and informative trip reports, the use of adjectives, and adverbs even to make a story compelling.

 

But when you write and put it out for public opinion, you put your ass out--wether it be in a book, magazine, or a website bulletin board.

 

I admire those people who hang their asses out. Even the chestbeaters.

[slothrop]

I pretty much quit posting TRs to this site because all I've been climbing lately is Crowded Climbs kinda stuff or crag routes and no one who is willing to post here seems to appreciate that sort of thing. Like cracked said, I started writing TRs because I saw what other Internet chestbeaters were doing and thought it'd be fun. I like to write, too, like Dave. If your TR can be informative about conditions, inspire someone to put that route on their ticklist, or just provide some good laughs or self-reflection, then I think it's worthwhile.

 

It's usually pretty clear from the thread title what kind of route a TR might be about, so those bored of Tooth Reports can skip 'em. It sucks that more gumbies don't post their gumby TRs because the vocal and elitist among us just can't be bothered.

 

Use the thread ratings to rate TRs. That might help the TR nazis to filter out the undesirables, too.

[bunglehead]

I like anything that's written well. Even bathroom graffiti.

 

[burgersling]

Marine Corps Shit house tennis

 

(on the left wall) Look left

 

(on the right wall) Look left

Edited November 14, 2003 by burgersling

[mattp]

Dru says he likes good trip reports but not bad ones. I agree. I bet everyone here agrees. But with the possible exception of the great Uncle Tricky, I bet we could debate for hours and hours about which trip reports we like and don't like. It is a shame people feel that they have to shoot down others for posting gaper reports or for chestbeating or whatever.