The rush and crush of this Type A glorifying culture alternately can put you unto either a manic, frenzied, high energy state or can lock you down into a fog of numbness and blithering social media ramblings. Or worse. Yet, every now and then, you are jerked from this modern, material-world schizophrenia by something that wakes you up like a stiff cup of joe on an icy backcountry morning.
I'd been meaning to watch this John Long (Largo) interview with Jim Bridwell (the Bird) for going on a year. Today, I finally saw the light and gave 15 minutes over to it. Fifteen minutes well spent. More actually, since I rewound at certain points to make sure I had clearly understood the line of the Bird's story.
From John Long's introduction to this short film on Adidas Outdoor:
Jim had an appointment for dialysis treatment in 30 minutes so we had little time. With no planning or prep, we hastily set up cameras in Jim's back yard and I (John Long) started asking him questions. Jim immediately went to questionably the most controversial event in climbing history: Cesare Maestri's purported 1970 ascent of the Compressor Route on Cerro Torre, in Patagonia. The day following this interview, Jim, critically ill from Hepatitis C, dropped into a coma. And one of the seminal figures in modern adventure sports passed away soon thereafter.
Between these two characters, there is 110% guaranteed gripping and compelling storytelling. This one is priceless. Bridwell is in top "balls to the wall" form right up to the very end.
I'm grateful to have as friends several individuals who knew Jim well. And I'm also grateful to have heard him speak in person a couple of times over the years. He and Mark Twight are amongst the finest climbing-oriented speakers I've encountered. His Cerro Torre Compressor Route story is as spot on in this interview as it was when I first heard it over 20 years ago.
If you really want a deep, deep, comprehensively researched and clearly laid out dive into Maestri's and other Cerro Torre climbs, check out the overly humble but never overly hilarious Kelly's Cordes' masterpiece The Tower: A Chronicle Of Climbing And Controversy On Cerro Torre.
By the way: FYI folks—the original Type A's are the ones prone to heart attacks!
How's that for a long title?
I just finished listening to an episode of one of my top, go-to podcasts: the Enormocast. The Enormocast is focused on climbing. It definitely covers areas most non-climbers won't have any clue as to what being discussed. Yet, to paraphrase its host Chris Kalous, there really isn't anything else to talk about! And even if so, why would anyone even want to talk about something other than climbing? The beauty of Chris is that while talking about only climbing, he manages to cover a lot of other really interesting human aspects within the context of climbing. And he does it quite well.
While this episode with big wall climber Cheyne Lempe is about a big wall expedition to the extremely remote and cold Baffin Island, it's really about a lot more that just the climbing. It touches on journeys, generalized anxiety (as a medical affliction), and quite a few other thought-provoking topics.
I too have generalized anxiety. It’s not been all that long that I’ve been able to name it specifically, but as Cheyne touched upon, it’s been something that’s been part of my journey and growth pretty much my whole life. It’s only recently that I’ve begun to see how it has been at play in the past. Sometimes with mental health disorders, people tend to take a negative view, e.g. “I suffer from x.” I don’t quite see it that way. For me, anxiety can be both my greatest curse and greatest gift. As I’ve become friends with anxiety, gotten to know it better, and really have owned it, I’ve seen how I’ve let it channel me into the abyss of despair and paralysis. But I’ve also seen how it has helped me achieve incredible commanding heights. Much of this is about your brain and how it’s wired. Anxiety people have minds that think a lot… to the point of potentially harmful overthinking! I can use my brain to scare and talk myself out of everyday actions that otherwise could give me immense benefit. Or I can learn to flip the downward spiral and use my mind with all of its thoughts and ideas to spin them into great creations.
One of my favorite observations: A hammer is a tool. In and of itself, it’s neutral. It’s what you use it for that has impact (yeah, bad pun!). You can use a hammer to build a home for someone who really needs a good, safe shelter. Or you can use it to bash their skull in. Same hammer, different outcomes. One good, one bad. The hammer is neither.
If you're interested, check out the www.enormocast.com!