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phillycheese
Jul 26, 2005, 3:20 AM
Post #126 of 264
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Registered: Jun 11, 2002
Posts: 584
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What about the stupid things that people say who are not Lacanian psychoanalytic philosophers: "What exactly is Jouissance?" I swear if I had a nickle for every time... some people are such dumbasses. what do you expect people who don't know about climbing to say? i'm glad i'm not called an idiot every time i ask a question about any specialized topic such as snow skiing, scuba diving, postmodernism, economic theory, etc. BTW: i only read the first few posts due to laziness and boredom with the topic so excuse my redundancy if this has already been covered with nauseating excess.
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sustainedclimber
Jul 26, 2005, 3:49 AM
Post #127 of 264
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Registered: Jul 9, 2003
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In reply to: I work in a store that sells climbing equipment and most of the people who buy it are buying it to do something other than climb. Including but not limited to: paint something high on their house, do roof work, make a tether for when they are out on their sailboat, hang their keys off of "real" biners...you get the idea. The all time worst was someone came in to learn how to climb. The first thing he asked was how "crabeneirs" worked. I proceeded to show him Don Mellor's instructional book on climbing, and Freedom of the Hills. I too work in a store that sells climbing equipment, and a couple of days ago I had a terrific one: customer: do you have any of those clippy things me: you mean carabiners? What do you need it for? customer: my daughter needs it to hold her water bottle, she used to have one but lost it. me: We have full strength ones for climbing but we also have keychains, both could be used to hold your daugther's water bottle. customer: Well, that is what they're meant for, right? I decided to not say anything because there was no way to not get really angry. "The customer is always right" is the motto of retail...God I wish I was climbing right now. -Josh
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harihari
Jul 26, 2005, 6:29 AM
Post #128 of 264
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Registered: Jan 7, 2004
Posts: 182
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This limo pulls up in the Grand Wall parking lot and four middle-aged people get out. A woman comes over to me as I'm racking and says "I know it's called rapelling when you come down, but what is it called when you go UP?"
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jt512
Jul 26, 2005, 5:04 PM
Post #129 of 264
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Registered: Apr 12, 2001
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In reply to: This limo pulls up in the Grand Wall parking lot and four middle-aged people get out. A woman comes over to me as I'm racking and says "I know it's called rapelling when you come down, but what is it called when you go UP?" You should send that one to the Climbing mags.
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bigeyedfish81
Jul 26, 2005, 5:38 PM
Post #130 of 264
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Registered: Feb 1, 2005
Posts: 24
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Although im a newb to this sport and have only led single pitch 5.6, i have become "The mountain climber"...yep, alot of mountains in Southern Illinois...
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blake_wrinn
Jul 28, 2005, 8:18 PM
Post #131 of 264
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Registered: Jul 22, 2005
Posts: 26
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In reply to: While practicing some soloing skills at a nearby area, two middle-aged women happened to pass underneath, stop, and silently stare. From a quick glance, I could tell they were serious outdoor enthusists :roll: ...all the way from the fanny packs to the unscathed trekking poles held in each hand to help with the incredibly difficult terrain which had an elevation change (besides the rock) of what I think was about 10 feet. In fact, I was rather impressed that each of their wiener dogs managed to make it up the trail with them (which I might add, had matching doggy sweaters). After staring for quite a considerable amount of time, one of them decided to break the uncomfortable silence that they had let fall on themselves. I'm sure it was the more outspoken of the two of them...probably the one who considered her sense of humor to be God's gift to the world... Woman: "So what exactly are you doing up there?" Myself: "I'm rock climbing." *pause* "Nice dogs." W: "Thanks, they're wiener dogs. Oh, I see..." (the second woman leaned over and whispered something...probably what to say next) W: "So, is that a rope you're using?" (while she is staring at my rope that is threaded through numerous peices of pro...why is it that non-climbers only know about ropes?) M: "Yep, it sure is." W: "Are you worried it's going to break?" M: At this point I wanted them to just leave, so I said somthing I probably shouldn't have - "Yes, all the time." W: *gasp* "Well, then why the hell are you up there!?" M: "Because I enjoy doing it." W: "Are you sure?" Thats GREAT!
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p0bray01
Jul 28, 2005, 9:21 PM
Post #132 of 264
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Registered: May 17, 2005
Posts: 148
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I was struggling with the crux of my ONLY 5.11 i have tried and a cute little girl walked up to my belayer and whispered..."has he ever climbed before? He's not doing really good.) OR Three little boys came up to me during my Umpteenth time at a local crag and said "wow you have a lot of gear, have you ever climbed outside before? I mean like for real and stuff?" I patted him and the head and said....once or twice. :? :wink:
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iclimbtoo
Jul 28, 2005, 9:59 PM
Post #133 of 264
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Registered: Feb 10, 2002
Posts: 645
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About two weeks ago I met this really gorgeous girl. When she tells me she always wanted to try rock climbing, and then found out I was a climber, she wanted to go. So yesterday we made plans to hit a gym nearby. Only one problem...she is more dense than a teaspoon of iron on Jupiter. So by the end of our time there I learned that she had a knack for climbing, was really fun to look at, and was really dumb. While debating what qualities were more important with one of my buds who came in (He was saying that he would try hitting on her if I wasn't going to), we naturally jumped to our near future climbing plans. As she came over to join us, I said, "Yeah, I'm heading up the Olympics with one of my friends to do some hiking this weekend." She turned, looked at me, and quizzically asked in all seriousness, "Really? What city are they being held in this year?" My buddy and I had no more to discuss. Neither of us would pursue anything BUT climbing.
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alex234
Jul 28, 2005, 10:00 PM
Post #134 of 264
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Registered: May 19, 2004
Posts: 89
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after workin as a belay monkey the one that always pisses me off the most is when people refer to being lowered down on tr as rappelling. Always bothered me for some reason
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jt512
Jul 28, 2005, 10:03 PM
Post #135 of 264
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Registered: Apr 12, 2001
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In reply to: "What happens if you fall?" "Does it hurt when you do that?" We have another thread for that: The rc.com Hall of Flame. Any moderators care to explain why that one is in Community but this one is in General? -Jay
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iknowfear
Jul 28, 2005, 10:23 PM
Post #136 of 264
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Registered: Sep 8, 2004
Posts: 670
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Funniest thing so far: A 'hardish' wannabe teenage Hip-hopper coming up to me while I'm gearing up to Climb (a Bridge in my home Town is equipped...http://www.rebetez.com/pont.php). so he starts: you going to climb that ? me: yeah, i'll try. him: why do you risk your life? me: its perfectly safe, you see ...(long explanation how all this works, how everything is safe yada yada yada) ... him: But it COULD go wrong, and you end up dead? ! me: yes, but so can driving a car. him: but still, your not even getting payed to risk your life... me: no, but its fun. by now, hes really nervous and anxious about my imminent death. :-) so he lights a cigarette and says: I really (deep inhale) really cannot understand (deep inhale) how someone can risk his life (deep inhale) like that (he starts walking away) Me: Is that a cigarette that your smoking? ... I'm still not sure wheter he got the irony in his statement.
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renohandjams
Jul 29, 2005, 5:24 PM
Post #137 of 264
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Registered: May 24, 2005
Posts: 616
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In reply to: In reply to: When non climbers ask how I lost my front teeth. Kathy "How did you loose them (my front teeth)?" Me "I was lead climbing and placing my own protection" Kathy "Oh you were smashing metal in the rock with your hammer." Me "Ah, NOPE, cams and nuts, they come out without hurting the rock." Kathy "What happens when you fall on them?" Me "Nothing, they hold just fine." Me "I fell with the rope in my mouth and it ripped my teeth out." Kathy "Did you have a rope?" Me "Yes, I just said that, go away now." Considering that you forgot to spit the rope out when you fell, you are hardly in a position to be suggeting that someone else is stupid. -Jay I disagree. Jumping into trad without any leading experience put me in a situation where something like that could happen. You're a sport climber and you've been doing it for years, it seems stupid to you that someone could fall and not think "Oh I still have the rope in my mouth, I'll relax my tense jaw", but without the falling experience my first fall leading trad was 20 feet at the crux of the climb and all I could think was "I'm gonna die, and then twenty minutes later I starting thinking about my teeth!". The fall wasn't expected at all, if it had been, even being a trad noob I would've let the rope out, instead I just went instantly, not expecting it, no time to react. I'm not the only one, there are others that have done the same and sent me some comfort for this huge ordeal of $4000+ grand, imagine the rack I could've bought with that on my prodeal? This thread is about nonclimbers, they really don't know if missing teeth is normal or not, they assume it is, so your comment is unfounded because nonclimbers think it is normal to have missing teeth if you are a mountaineer. I just think it is funny that they assume if I'm lead climbing I'm bashing in pitons and bolts instead of following a crack with cams and nuts.
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marinaaxid25
Jul 29, 2005, 5:49 PM
Post #138 of 264
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Registered: Apr 12, 2005
Posts: 130
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"Is it hard?" "Don't you need a partner for that?" "You use a rope, right?" (So far, I've only come across these three ques.)
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jt512
Jul 29, 2005, 6:09 PM
Post #139 of 264
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Registered: Apr 12, 2001
Posts: 21904
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In reply to: In reply to: In reply to: When non climbers ask how I lost my front teeth. Kathy "How did you loose them (my front teeth)?" Me "I was lead climbing and placing my own protection" Kathy "Oh you were smashing metal in the rock with your hammer." Me "Ah, NOPE, cams and nuts, they come out without hurting the rock." Kathy "What happens when you fall on them?" Me "Nothing, they hold just fine." Me "I fell with the rope in my mouth and it ripped my teeth out." Kathy "Did you have a rope?" Me "Yes, I just said that, go away now." Considering that you forgot to spit the rope out when you fell, you are hardly in a position to be suggeting that someone else is stupid. -Jay I disagree. Jumping into trad without any leading experience put me in a situation where something like that could happen. You're a sport climber and you've been doing it for years, it seems stupid to you that someone could fall and not think "Oh I still have the rope in my mouth, I'll relax my tense jaw"... I guess you still don't get it. The problem was that you didn't think about the consequences of falling with the rope in your mouth ahead of time. Every time I put the rope in my mouth I tell myself I'm going to spit it out if I fall. When you climb you need to know when you are safe and when you are not. You're not safe with the rope in your mouth; you're not safe above a ledge; you're not safe clipping the second bolt. Being unaware of when you are at risk gets you hurt, as you found out. -Jay
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olderic
Jul 29, 2005, 6:52 PM
Post #140 of 264
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Registered: Oct 17, 2003
Posts: 1539
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In reply to: I just think it is funny that they assume if I'm lead climbing I'm bashing in pitons and bolts instead of following a crack with cams and nuts. I know who I am going to vote for in "who is the dumbest". Their perception of climbing is pretty accurate for some eras but I don't think there has been an era yet where it was S.O.P. to jump off (excuse me - fall without warning) and keep the rope clenched in your teeth...
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blitzkrieg_climber13
Jul 29, 2005, 6:53 PM
Post #141 of 264
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Registered: Mar 22, 2005
Posts: 288
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why would you climb a rock for fun?
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smax
Jul 29, 2005, 7:08 PM
Post #142 of 264
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Registered: Apr 14, 2005
Posts: 30
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"Would you ever cut off your arm if a big boulder fell on it, like that one guy?"
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woland84
Jul 29, 2005, 7:29 PM
Post #143 of 264
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Registered: Feb 25, 2005
Posts: 53
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In reply to: In reply to: When non climbers ask how I lost my front teeth. Kathy "How did you loose them (my front teeth)?" Me "I was lead climbing and placing my own protection" Kathy "Oh you were smashing metal in the rock with your hammer." Me "Ah, NOPE, cams and nuts, they come out without hurting the rock." Kathy "What happens when you fall on them?" Me "Nothing, they hold just fine." Me "I fell with the rope in my mouth and it ripped my teeth out." Kathy "Did you have a rope?" Me "Yes, I just said that, go away now." Considering that you forgot to spit the rope out when you fell, you are hardly in a position to be suggeting that someone else is stupid. -Jay Damn right Jay
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markc
Jul 29, 2005, 8:04 PM
Post #144 of 264
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Registered: Jan 21, 2003
Posts: 2481
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In reply to: I just think it is funny that they assume if I'm lead climbing I'm bashing in pitons and bolts instead of following a crack with cams and nuts. Why would that be funny? I'm being completely serious. Their mind is trying to connect the information you're providing with its informational warehouse. If all they know about climbing is pitons and hammers, that's what they'll picture you using. Very few non-climbers I know have any idea about climbing protection. They don't need to. I don't know a damn thing about skydiving. If I meet someone that skydives, all I have to bring to the discussion is images and knowledge from popular culture. I'm sure there is special equipment and terminology that I would be completely unaware of, but I'd hope the more knowledgeable person would give me the benefit of the doubt.
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johnny_b_goode
Jul 29, 2005, 8:32 PM
Post #145 of 264
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Registered: Aug 16, 2004
Posts: 44
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In reference to a quickdraw--"Arent those things supposed to have the little spinny locking things so that the rope doesnt fall out and you plumit to your death?"
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rudym
Jul 29, 2005, 9:41 PM
Post #146 of 264
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Registered: Oct 8, 2003
Posts: 16
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(this refers to the earlier part of the thread that got all political) I am getting really sick of people projecting their political views onto everybody else because they like climbing, music, subarus, dogs, nikes... "ohhhh - we have this one thing in common... if I say something degrading and not even funny or original about george bush everyone will share an annoying liberal commie chuckle and think I am very clever and freethinking for being the first person ever to insult the president" I dyslexicly swear to dog that I never gave a rat's sphincter about politics of any sort but every time somebody makes one of those generalizing statements and expects me to share a conspiratory giggle I just want to duct tape that person to a humvee and force them to listen to conservative talk radio for all eternity while I skeet shoot peregrine falcons. Oh - silly things nonclimbers say if I tell them I went climbing and they ask me if I had a good time "hiking". And I say "No - it sucked - all 5 teva-wearing minutes" Most of the time it's cool... but if I have PMS like some of the people on this site I might scream "WHY DON'T YOU LISTEN... did I ever say I went HIKING... we are not COMMUNICATING... I CAN't BELIEVE YOU WOULD ASK ABOUT HIKING WHEN I CLEARLY STATED THAT I WENT CLIMBING... DON'T YOU EVEN CARE ABOUT A THING I SAY!!!"
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ctardi
Jul 29, 2005, 9:49 PM
Post #148 of 264
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Registered: Oct 8, 2004
Posts: 1278
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In reply to: I am getting really sick of people projecting their political views onto everybody else because they like climbing, music, subarus, dogs, nikes... "ohhhh - we have this one thing in common... if I say something degrading and not even funny or original about george bush everyone will share an annoying liberal commie chuckle and think I am very clever and freethinking for being the first person ever to insult the president" I dyslexicly swear to dog that I never gave a rat's sphincter about politics of any sort but every time somebody makes one of those generalizing statements and expects me to share a conspiratory giggle I just want to duct tape that person to a humvee and force them to listen to conservative talk radio for all eternity while I skeet shoot peregrine falcons. Oh - silly things nonclimbers say if I tell them I went climbing and they ask me if I had a good time "hiking". And I say "No - it sucked - all 5 teva-wearing minutes" Most of the time it's cool... but if I have PMS like some of the people on this site I might scream "WHY DON'T YOU LISTEN... did I ever say I went HIKING... we are not COMMUNICATING... I CAN't BELIEVE YOU WOULD ASK ABOUT HIKING WHEN I CLEARLY STATED THAT I WENT CLIMBING... DON'T YOU EVEN CARE ABOUT A THING I SAY!!!" STFU, NEWB! someone had to say it.
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airborne_r6
Jul 30, 2005, 4:52 AM
Post #149 of 264
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Registered: Jul 30, 2005
Posts: 83
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I think the funniest thing about this entire thread, and at least one other one like it, is how many of these things I have said or asked myself before and as I started to climb. I was in the store buying a harness and ATC and was wondering what the "mattresses" were for. It wasn't until I picked up a magazine and saw pictures of bouldering, something else that I didn't at all understand, that I realized they were protection from low level falls.
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climbtothebeet
Jul 30, 2005, 5:32 AM
Post #150 of 264
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Registered: Jan 31, 2004
Posts: 232
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well, i was at robbers cave on a spring break trip, a hilbilly and his wifewalk by, my dad (who loves to climb with me) says "hey, try not to step on that rope" the hillbilly grinds his foot on the rope and says back "this rope??" well, being as my dad is a very built man and still young enough to beet the crap out of anyone.... i was expecting hillbily burgers.
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