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Other Legend Sightings


Beck

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No shit, there I was...

last night i was at a social picnic down in Tacoma ... Me and my friend Fran M. are listening to an older climber (retired) ... he's telling us about how he was testing the effect of blood acidity and altitude back in the day, and that taking baking soda or antacids seemed to have positive effects on regulating carbonic acids in the blood, along with other muscular effects... sounded very intriging, Fran and I are like, "well, we'll try anything to help at attitude"

Well, after he leaves, my friend Fran M says " do you know who that was? Larry P. the founder of MSR!" the Man behind the stoves!!

Too cool... anyone else run into any local legends lately?

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Saw Steve Swenson coming off of the Torment-Forbidden traverse last weekend.

Met Vern Tejas on McKinley.

Met Phil Ershler on Aconcagua.

Went to the opening of IMAX Everest and sat in the same row with Big Lou Whittiker, brother Jim, Swensen, David Breshears (had dinner with him as well), Tom Horbein, Ed Veisters.

Climbed with Lynn Hill at Little Si.

Carried jblakley's climbing shoes and gym bag.

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I saw JBlakely up in Boston Basin last week, he actually allowed me to follow him around and swat horseflies off his chiseled physique.

I saw the Magnificient Bastard coming down off of the West Ridge, scrubbing his thighs with pumice, trying to remove the filthy stain of shame.

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Cobra, that's beautiful. We should have some kind of turd competition at the big cc.com bash at Bridge Creek camp (see Beck for details). I've got a special high-fiber diet involving celery, pine needles, together with a special ingredient which keeps everything glued together without retarding the delivery process.

Anyway, I saw Paul Myhre interviewed on King-5 television last night, but that's not the amazing part. What struck me as particularly unusual is that the interview was not conducted at Gustav's. Guess it requires a brush fire to get that guy away from the tits-n-butts-beer one may experience at that joint.

[This message has been edited by pope (edited 08-16-2001).]

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Dru - Yeah, he was taking the day off.

Beck - He was a cool guy. Very down to earth, introduced me to his wife, and even a week-end hack like myself could talk to him. Was not arrogant or condescending at all.

[This message has been edited by Wopper (edited 08-16-2001).]

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quote:

Originally posted by pope:

Cobra, that's beautiful. We should have some kind of turd competition at the big cc.com bash at Bridge Creek camp (see Beck for details). I've got a special high-fiber diet involving celery, pine needles, together with a special ingredient which keeps everything glued together without retarding the delivery process.

Anyway, I saw Paul Myhre interviewed on King-5 television last night, but that's not the amazing part. What struck me as particularly unusual is that the interview was not conducted at Gustav's. Guess it requires a brush fire to get that guy away from the tits-n-butts-beer one may experience at that joint.

[This message has been edited by pope (edited 08-16-2001).]

I will get a saucy one ready. I think it will top yours.

 

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Beck started this thread with an account of meeting Mr. Pemberthy. In about 1975 or so, he began publishing his theory that taking antacids would help prevent the symptoms of "Acute Mountain Sickness, Type R" (R for Rainier, and the reference was to the fact that mountain climbers combine exertion with the rapid ascent to altitude). Doctors and physiologists argued with his blood chemistry theory, and in 1979 I worked on a study, funded by the Natoinal Science Foundation, wherein we took over 70 people up Mount Rainier to see if we could get them sick. Half took antacids and half took sugar pills. We didn't disprove the antacid theory, but we found no support for it. We also documented, for the first time, the correlation between lung volume and adaptation to altitude exposure. So I guess you could say we tried to chip away at the legend of Mr. Pemberthy, but the legend lives on.

Not only was he responsible for the original MSR stove, but he made the first ice screws that could be screwed in with one hand and I believe he started the discussion of "positive pick angle" on ice axes. He also invented an ice climbing tool that was dismissed at the time but remarkably similar to one being sold by Patagonia now -- what is it, the "beak" or something?

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