dennyg
Jun 16, 2006, 5:09 PM
Post #26 of 26
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Registered: Mar 20, 2004
Posts: 374
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In reply to: When I used to climb at Carderock I'd heard a shorter section of cliff down by the river referred to as Stannard's Playground. There are a few good boulder problems down there. Perhaps John can enlighten us?
Why thank you Climboard. once you said that, I knew who to ask. John
( all these Johns are getting confusing). But JohnG is my go to guy for information and dam good storey's, while wasting away the evening hours.
So JohnG, hope you don't mind me posting this email. Once again, good information.
Denny,
I can't say I have been climbing as much as in the recent past. I had to
cancel last summer's trip due to tendonitis and I never got to Seneca in the
Fall. I've gone back to consulting and the hours make it less easy to get out
after work. Life changes and it gets complicated. I still climb most weekends
and as often as I can get out after work.
I wondered if John Stannard would ever reappear, I knew he would be near
retirement age. I used to see him every day at Carderock, it was a big deal
when he finally talked to me. He was shy but most climbers didn't have anything
to say that would interest him. He published a newsletter called "The Eastern
Trade" about climbing equipment especially nuts. His essay on clean climbing was
reprinted in an early Chouinard catalog. He used to host the climbers' New
Year's eve party in DC, not many remember that.
The crags over the hill at Carderock used to be called "Stannard's
Playground" (aka TB some initials scratched on the rock). I was down there on
Sunday because Carderock was so crowded. Nobody goes there by the look of the
place. The trails and the start to Orangutang are overgrown. I pulled a bag full
of trash from fishermen out of there. These days I still take a bag with me
every time, like John used to. Hopefully someone else will do that in the
future. When we did all the restoration work at Carderock John built the steps
going downhill from Sterling's Crack to the edge of Jan's Face.
He climbed "Totem" at Seneca. Like Foops it is a substantial overhang and
was the hardest climb at the crag for quite a while. He used to go to Seneca
regularly though the Gunks were more to his liking. He figured once that he had
spent a thousand days climbing there. He was a mentor to John Bercaw, they put
together a photo/topo guide to Seneca that PATC published.
>Subject: stannard
>
>Hi John
>
>How have you been. Shame we haven't run into one another lately. I've just
>been climbing everywhere, but Seneca.
>Seems I started something, I can find no end. Maybe you can shed some light.
>
>Thanks
>Dennis
Finely an ends to my ways
I hope I'm not embarrassing anyone. I realize what it is like, to be in the limelight (no don't follow the light John). Can't say I care for it also. But, isn't better to smell the flowers then to be pushing them up. Get while you can boy's. I do so, enjoy a good storey of days gone by. One day, that's all we will have. So, keep on keep-ping on.
Thanks to my buddy David for starting this. I sometimes wonder if he is just a good-friend or my guarding angle. I do so pale, in the company.
Did you guy's enjoy those Albannach...
http://www.albannachonline.com/downloads.htm
If that don't get your blood flowing...I can jump up and down on your chest. Shameless, are I knot. Yes, I enjoyed yours as well. Thanks.
Till the nex
mee
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