|
|
Forums:
Climbing Information:
Climbing History & Trivia:
Re: [alejozuloaga] who's yabo:
Edit Log
|
|
trundlebum
Nov 8, 2007, 12:02 AM
Views: 40261
Registered: Aug 18, 2007
Posts: 35
|
I could write a number of my own 'Yabo' stories
Yes yabo soloed the first non top rope of Spiderline in Josh.
He soloed 'Short circuit' first (I think)
He most likely is the 'air time' king, with enough personally logged air time for a full commercial licence.
He once took a huge screamer up above heart ledge, he told me, he was about 120 feet out no pro, he came off and was stopped (once again miraculously) about 10 feet above the ledge. His rope had looped a flake during the fall. He sprained his ankle and wanted to continue but his partner (with whom was trying to do a speed ascent of either Salathe' or the Triple direct not sure).... Bailed immediately after he saw that.
Yabo told me he soloed 'The Good Book' on the right side of the 'Folly' and fell out of the end of the 10.d layback.
(how do you do that and live?)
having had known Yabo, I am not sure if it is correct to say:
"After cheating death so many times, he eventually took his own life. "
Yabo was very a disturbed individual. He was tormented and wanted to go. that is part of why he soloed. Oft He was seen yelling and punching himself in the face until he was completely black and blue.
I think yabo was not cheating death... more like he was simply tormented by life. He finally just did himself in, but it always just a question of time. I don't think anybody expected to see yabo as an old man.
To say "Yabo was as bold as Bachar"
I would say... hardly. Bachar is not mad. He makes very calm and calculated decisions.
Yabo was completely driven by maniacal emotional levels and a super weak ego.
He would do almost anything for recognition.
Yabo told me his father was a psycho, marine drill instructor type, that constantly belittled him and told him he was a disgrace.
If his father had 1/2 a clue that Yabo's travelling, climbing and emotional expeditions would bury 1/2 the marines I have met.... he might have had a little more respect for the mind he is partially responsible for corrupting.
Most of my stories involving Yabo regard our interaction after a women came between us. He would hunt me in the valley and constantly threaten me etc...
One spring time, my first night in the valley, I was in front of the bar. I saw yabo and thought 'rut row'. Sure enough he came right over and started to harass and threaten me.
At the time Bob Scarpelli was standing right there. He listened to yabo for a minute or two, then told'm something to the effect of, "you touch a hair on my buddy's head, if he tells me you so much as lay a hand on him, I will kill you and bury you in a shallow grave."
Yabo immediately split. I thanked Mr. Scarpelli but asked why he did that as, at the time we were not all that good buddies.
Bob replied that he was just so tired of Yabo's incessant, maniacal ravings...
Over the years I have thought of Yabo many times.
Memories of him waking up in the rescue camp lockers (the old metal crematorium boxes) and immediately popping a warm beer.
Seeing him training, running through the valley meadows with a fully loaded rucksack etc...
One thought I keep returning to:
"although Yabo was (obviously) his own greatest threat, and even though he verbally threatened me (for years)...
Yabo was actually a pretty compassionate guy under it all. I never knew him to act out his aggression towards someone else. I never knew him to hurt (other than emotionally the women he got involved in.) another person.
Do I sound like I respect Yabo ? Well in a way I do.
To me yabo represents that dark, ugly side of fear and insecurity, that we all battle every day. He was like a physical manifestation of a story book, or more a human owners manual. You know the chapter "how to not let your mind get the best of you and torment your whole existence" <--- Yabo was the little picture/graphic at the chapter start.
Yabo was like walking bundle of pure ego. He would not think twice to tell someone they were wrong, or a whimp etc... In a twisted sort of way he exemplified (to me) all the ego and drama that climbers like to pretend they are not personally affected by.
Yabo freely admitted it !
I've attached, what I think is just the all time classic pic' of Yabo. The image is from George Meyers picture book "Yosemite climber'
(This post was edited by trundlebum on Nov 8, 2007, 12:04 AM)
|
|
Attachments:
|
wheatthin.jpg
(130 KB)
|
|
|
Edit Log:
|
|
Post edited by trundlebum
() on Nov 8, 2007, 12:04 AM
|
|
|
|
|
|
