The Dirtbag Dad

Moving Woolworth's Flash Mob Tribute to Mandela

A touching Mandela tribute from a least expected place: Woolworth's.

Mandela Tribute at Woolworth's

Brought a tear to my eye.

This is especially poignant when you consider the USA's civil rights movement sit-ins at Woolworth's lunch counters in 1960:

Greensboro Woolworth Sit-ins

Much good change since those times. Brave people across the board.

How Did I Get Into This Mess, Anyway?

My journey toward climbing

In the early 90's I was doing a lot of solo backpacking in the Sierra. I was gravitating toward non-trail hiking and peak bagging. Some of that peak bagging was starting to get a little "airy" for me (if you know climbing grades, this was probably 2nd or 3rd class terrain at best). So I decided I needed to get some more skill so I'd feel more confident.  Then I'd be able to decide better about what I was getting myself into.

My pal and I played hooky from work a few times and took a bunch of classes at the Yosemite Mountaineering School over a spring and summer. On a lightly rainy April day in 1994, guide Doug Nidever showed us how to boulder on these invisible (to me at the time) "rugosities and nubbins" that make up the surface of Yosemite granite. What the heck, it worked! Next day, Dave Bengston (now head of the Mountaineering School) showed us different kinds of crack-climbing techniques and some very basic anchoring. Then he took us up our first real technical climb: Oak Tree Flake and Bay Tree Flake linked together 

I was hooked.  The view was sublime and I realized that very few people, relatively, ever got to see Yosemite Valley from that vantage point.  Many thanks to Doug and Dave, even though they have no idea who I am at this point.

Who Am I?

Love this little film.  Portions of the footage are from the beloved Joshua Tree National Park:

 

A Quick Post for the Road

I'm heading out for a week in Yosemite Valley tomorrow (with a way-station of a couple of days with my brother-in-law in Fresno). I'll be participating in Facelift (my second time), an annual event where you get to clean up the valley. This mostly involves walking around one of the most beautiful places on earth picking up trash. No worries, we get issued Orang-a-Tongs: orange grabbers that are capable of easily picking up miniscule amounts of trash (usually toilet paper!). It's a lot of fun (really!) and it's quite rewarding on multiple levels.

In the evenings there are great programs and connecting with other friends (new and old) from the climbing community. The great thing about climbing is that you can very easily and regularly hang out with the giants of climbing. I'm talking Kobe Bryant level here folks. But without the entourage and the attitude. Note that the giants of climbing don't make the Kobe bucks; they are usually living in vans (not down by the river... unless it's a choice bivy spot).

I'll have the mobile posting station with me. With a bit of luck, I may actually get something out. It's going to be fun. I'm not sure exactly how (there are always delightful surprises), but you can count on it. I know it in my bones.