|
moeman
Dec 22, 2002, 3:40 AM
Post #1 of 50
(33419 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Nov 1, 2002
Posts: 1417
|
Yes, I know he is a legendary King of the yosemite dirtbags, but who is he really? Whats his real name and what has he climbed
|
|
|
|
|
climbsomething
Dec 22, 2002, 4:10 AM
Post #2 of 50
(33416 views)
Shortcut
Registered: May 30, 2002
Posts: 8588
|
Chuck, Charles Tucker. He's climbed El Cap
PTPPete can tell you more, I only intended to steal some of his thunder
|
|
|
|
|
flamer
Dec 22, 2002, 7:01 PM
Post #3 of 50
(33416 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Oct 22, 2002
Posts: 2955
|
Whatever you do, Don't let chongo corner you with his Lecture on "strings". Unless you have hours to kill and can sleep with your eyes open! Hey could someone pass me that hypadermic?(sp?) I need to mainline a little heroin... thanks chongo.
josh
|
|
|
|
|
elcapbuzz
Dec 22, 2002, 7:24 PM
Post #4 of 50
(33416 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Aug 24, 2001
Posts: 460
|
Josh...... is that you??
Haa haa, the whole crew will slowly trickle their way into rc.com. Why not, huh?
Hey, I've told you about this page I'm working on. It's not done, but check it out:
http://geocities.com/elcapbuzz/thumbnails.html
Cheers mate, Ammon
|
|
|
|
|
flamer
Dec 22, 2002, 7:37 PM
Post #5 of 50
(33416 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Oct 22, 2002
Posts: 2955
|
Ammon- Yes I am josh Thompson- BUT! I'm not the JT in your pic's. There are a few of use out there... tell Brandon L. I said hi though! It seems as if we have some mutual friends.
josh
|
|
|
|
|
tuffrock
Jan 23, 2003, 4:44 PM
Post #6 of 50
(33416 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jan 23, 2003
Posts: 2
|
Josh, Carrie says hi! Where have you posted your famous photos?
|
|
|
|
|
apollodorus
Jan 26, 2003, 7:13 AM
Post #7 of 50
(33416 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Feb 18, 2002
Posts: 2157
|
I wholly concur with Flamer's assessment of Chongo's propensity for extended discourse on the subject of quantum physics, relativity and string theory. When I was the audience, he was doing it while editing his physics book on the computer at the same time.
He was part of the Lunar Eclipse speed record team:
http://www.speedclimb.com/yosemite/Elcap.htm
[ This Message was edited by: apollodorus on 2003-01-25 23:18 ]
|
|
|
|
|
passthepitonspete
Jan 26, 2003, 7:13 AM
Post #8 of 50
(33416 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Oct 10, 2001
Posts: 2183
|
Chongo is the STUFF OF LEGEND, but what has Chongo actually climbed?
Man, that's a tough one.
OK, maybe Ammon knows more, but here are some of the highlights:
5 day [no sh*t!] ascent of Steck-Salathe on N. Face Sentinel with Yung-Hee Lowrie.
"Solo" of Tangerine Trip - but rumour has it he hitchhiked a few pitches with passing parties.
Both these ascents occured before I came on the scene again in '95.
Fall '95 - 15 day solo of Eagle's Way
Now, y'all gotta correct me on these dates, but over a nearly two-year period from fall of '99 to fall of '01, attempted to solo Sea of Dreams, with ropes fixed all the way to Big Sur - 1500' up!
I am quite sure he started fall of '99, cuz I loaned him some of my Hybrid Aliens. I had to jug up to Laura Scudders in the spring of '00 to grab them for my ascent of Muir. I was so scared jugging his fixed ropes! In many places he had three fixed, they were all so bad. One jug on one, one on the other, Grigri on the third.
In the spring of '01, I made an ascent of Sea of Dreams. We met Ammon and Gabe on Big Sur. Chongo jugged up for our famous keg party. Lincoln came over and had a beer with us afterwards.
Chongo is perhaps the [b]smartest[/b] and possibly the [b]laziest[/b] person I know. But it is this unique combination of [b]indolence[/b] and [b]brilliance[/b] that has allowed him to produce some of the bitchin'est inventions in Big Wall Climbing.
He is the author of [b]The Complete Book of Big Wall Climbing - Volume 1 - The Ground Manual,[/b] a tome of over six-hundred pages that will teach you everything you ever wanted to know about big wall climbing.
I'm Chongo's [b]Editor,[/b] but more importantly, I'm one of the people who actually goes out and tests his inventions, thus sparing him the effort.
Chongo is [b]Dr. Piton's Wall Doctor,[/b] and he is also my [b]friend.[/b]
|
|
|
|
|
jgill
Jan 30, 2003, 4:38 AM
Post #9 of 50
(33416 views)
Shortcut
Registered: May 18, 2002
Posts: 653
|
Has anyone here read Chongo's book on quantum physics?
|
|
|
|
|
zzsean
Jan 30, 2003, 5:21 AM
Post #10 of 50
(33416 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jul 7, 2002
Posts: 42
|
Pete, post pictures of the Heart Ledges Kegger! that was a definite great time!
Hauling that Keg in to the base sucked big time tho.
|
|
|
|
|
indigo_nite
Dec 5, 2003, 6:48 PM
Post #11 of 50
(33416 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Mar 3, 2002
Posts: 365
|
more ?s: (just out of curiousity as he seems one of the more interesting yosemite characters)
is he school educated in quantum physics or self-taught? what was his school background?
how'd he get into climbing? is aid/wall his speciality?
where does he live? (if this info does not get him into trouble... I just heard stories)
how did he get into slacklining?
is red his favorite color (during summer 2003, I spotted him a few times by a red polar fleece and backpack at the cafeteria)?
how can a wall climber be lazy? what is his attitude when approaching a wall climb (style, speed, just get up eventually)?
|
|
|
|
|
iamthewallress
Dec 5, 2003, 7:07 PM
Post #12 of 50
(33416 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jan 2, 2003
Posts: 2463
|
In reply to: is he school educated in quantum physics or self-taught? what was his school background?
The quantum stuff is from books and talking with people who played Physics in a former life. Jose Pereyra had a degree in physics, I believe, and was his main influence and co-author before he passed away last year.
In reply to: how'd he get into climbing? is aid/wall his speciality?
Chongo's climbing specialty is hanging out with the climbers. But other than that, yes, aid/wall would be his specialty. I don't think he's roped up in a couple of years though. (Not for lack of trying by some of us.)
In reply to: where does he live? (if this info does not get him into trouble... I just heard stories)
His physics book is called "A Homeless Guide..." Use your imagination for the specifics.
In reply to: how did he get into slacklining?
His physics book is called "A Homeless Guide..." Use your imagination for the specifics.
In reply to: is red his favorite color (during summer 2003, I spotted him a few times by a red polar fleece and backpack at the cafeteria)?
He'll probably be there the next time you are. I'm sure that you can ask him.
In reply to: how can a wall climber be lazy? what is his attitude when approaching a wall climb (style, speed, just get up eventually)?
I think that Chongo's attitude at the moment is to avoid approaching the wall altogether. His attitude in the past seemed to be much more about spending most or all of his time approaching, planning, and bivvying at the base and as little as possible actually climbing. Getting up was not necessarily a priority. Developing ways to expend the least effort to accomplish each task was.
My favorite Chongo wall climbing story involves a helmet that he rigged with a jug on the front of it so that he didn't have to hold his own head up. Two of my friends were watching him just his lines from the meadow. Every few strokes he'd throw his arms out to the sides and take a rest on his helmet. :lol:
|
|
|
|
|
iltripp
Dec 5, 2003, 7:10 PM
Post #13 of 50
(33416 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Oct 6, 2003
Posts: 1607
|
Has anyone heard Chongo's theory on why the future is pre-determined? Pretty interesting stuff and complicated too, but it makes a convincing argument. I don't know enough physics to disprove it, but I'm sure there's a flaw somewhere.
|
|
|
|
|
indigo_nite
Dec 9, 2003, 6:24 AM
Post #14 of 50
(33416 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Mar 3, 2002
Posts: 365
|
In reply to: My favorite Chongo wall climbing story involves a helmet that he rigged with a jug on the front of it so that he didn't have to hold his own head up.
jeez. that's classic. I don't know aid so I can't fully see the picture but the concept is pretty funny.
|
|
|
|
|
studs
Dec 11, 2003, 12:13 PM
Post #15 of 50
(33416 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Nov 10, 2003
Posts: 103
|
Chuck is a god.He gave the Fish and I like a case of tuna when we were starving in the bad old daysand we didnt know him from Adam.
|
|
|
|
|
diesel___smoke
Dec 15, 2003, 6:36 AM
Post #16 of 50
(33416 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Aug 9, 2003
Posts: 507
|
Meet Chuck if you have the chance while you're in the Valley, he's pretty much always in the Yosemite Cafeteria in the mornings, typing away on his laptop in the corner with friends. He's full of wisdom and insight. Chongo doesn't climb anymore, rather devotes his time to his passion of physics.
"I may not rock climb anymore, but boy... I sure know how" - Chongo, Told to me and a few others while talking with him.
Chongo is character and a part of Yosemite history, feel privileged to be in his company, I certainly did.
|
|
|
|
|
alpnclmbr1
Dec 15, 2003, 7:00 AM
Post #17 of 50
(33416 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Dec 10, 2002
Posts: 3060
|
In reply to: When I was in the Valley this Summer I talked to another long time Valley vet. and I asked him about Chongo since I had met him a couple times and heard a lot of stories. His response was that the current Chongo, Chongo Chuck, is not the original Chongo, but rather the original Chongo was one of his brothers. The way he told it made you undestand that he didn't like this change and thought Chongo Chuck was not the "real" Chongo. I am not trying to trash on Chongo Chuck, he was a great guy the couple times I talked to him and I always wanted to share the campfire with him, but I never got the opportunity. I just want to get the facts straight. Anyone know...? -n
I first met the "Chongo Brothers" in J-tree in the late eighties.
I seem to recall his bro being named Dave???
|
|
|
|
|
brutusofwyde
Dec 25, 2003, 8:54 AM
Post #18 of 50
(33416 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Nov 3, 2002
Posts: 1473
|
In reply to: Has anyone heard Chongo's theory on why the future is pre-determined?
No, but we will. :D
Brutus
|
|
|
|
|
deleted
Deleted
Dec 25, 2003, 4:36 PM
Post #19 of 50
(33408 views)
Shortcut
Registered:
Posts:
|
chongo is a bum. he's also an idiot. his book on quantum physics is mostly wrong. he's picked up on a few ideas about quantum physics and manipulated them in order to fit a view of the world that justifies his bum-like existence. when you try to tell chongo that he's got einstein wrong, he won't listen, so it's a one sided conversation. anytime there is a one-sided conversation, the person can't be all that intelligent because only intelligent people listen. he'll start snapping his two fingers and ask you if you think it happened at the same time or not. what chongo hasn't understood is that the speed of light is constant and that the reason that time is relative is because it is relative to the speed of light--in other words, things slow down as they approach the speed of light because they get more massive. chongo somehow thinks that we're all traveling the speed of light relative to something, which of course, is impossible. But the thing that is mostly wrong about his theory of quantum physics is that he believes that if people only understood quantum physics then they wouldn't believe in god--that somehow, science provides more of a free will to people. But he contradicts himself again--if there is no free will (chongo believes quantum physics says everything is predetermined, again, wrong), then how is that liberating?
his writing is also really terrible. he hasn't grasped the essence of what it means to be simple. he complains that no one ever buys his big wall book, but that is because it is 100 bucks. the reason he can't sell it for less is because the book is printed on 1000 pages. if a real editor went through his writing, his big wall book could be cut down to 100 pages, easily. then he could sell it for 25 bucks and everyone would buy it. But chongo won't listen to that either because he has some sort of hyper-sense of self importance to justify his squalid existence.
chongo has sort of a cult following around the valley. it's kinda cool to talk to chongo... overall, he's a really nice guy, and i'm glad that there are people like him in the world because it gives it color. just don't sit down at the cafe with him and talk...you'll be in for a one sided conversation and you'll hear him bitch about why no one buys his book but you can't tell him why because he won't listen.
he also needs to stop using the phrase "bitchin'"--that's so 90s.
|
|
|
|
|
flamer
Dec 25, 2003, 6:32 PM
Post #20 of 50
(33416 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Oct 22, 2002
Posts: 2955
|
In reply to: he also needs to stop using the phrase "b----'"--that's so 90s.
Maybe he could start saying "Tits" instead.
As in "Wow that Tits".
It's sooo 80's but I think it's making a comeback!!!
josh
|
|
|
|
|
andypro
Dec 25, 2003, 8:20 PM
Post #21 of 50
(33416 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Aug 23, 2003
Posts: 1077
|
In reply to: what chongo hasn't understood is that the speed of light is constant and that the reason that time is relative is because it is relative to the speed of light--in other words, things slow down as they approach the speed of light because they get more massive. chongo somehow thinks that we're all traveling the speed of light relative to something, which of course, is impossible.
I'd be careful who your calling wrong wiht statements like that. The speed of light is absolutely NOT constant, and can be proved as such with simple off the shelf university physics lab equipment.
Time is the relationship between distance and motion. You change either, and the relativity of light to one, as compared to the other, changes.
And thigns dont slow down as they approach the speed of light. What kind os bass ackwards statement is that? Perception of the surroundings relative to itself changes the percieved speed, but the object is not slowing down. It's still approaching the speed of light.
And mass does NOT change. It's momentum that changes (i.e. the WEIGHT) More speed gives more momentum, so a higher moment of weight, the mass stays the same. This is how a seemingly massless photon can have momentum, and thus act with a force on outside objects.
Traveling at the speed of light relative to something else is not impossible either. If you are travelling away from a point at half the speed of light...and something else is travelling the exact opposite direction at half the speed of light, relative to that second object, the first is moving at the speed of light, as long as there is a perception of the second object to be not moving (by, say, a 3rd object on a parallel course, travelling int he same direction at the same speed).
I'd be careful what you say with a derrogatory tone. You never know who might actually udnerstand what you think your talking about.
|
|
|
|
|
alpinestylist
Dec 25, 2003, 8:43 PM
Post #22 of 50
(33416 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Feb 22, 2002
Posts: 193
|
Just to add to the chongo mythology...
I met folks that knew him when he lived in a cave in Josh, and sewed on a foot powered machine.
Heard he lived in Mexico for like 10 years ducking the man...
all fireside stories, who knows. I met him when he was fixed on South Seas many seasons back.
Everything that is said in this thread is true. He is this and that. Aren't we all?
He adds some more spice to the yosemite expecience. Chucks always been supercool when I'm around. I dig his funky jive about physics.
Meet him, and make up your own mind,
Brent
|
|
|
|
|
strongerthanyesterday
Dec 31, 2003, 2:54 AM
Post #23 of 50
(33416 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jul 15, 2003
Posts: 213
|
I didn't know who he was when I met him. But he was totally cool and extremely kind. I hope that life is good for him whereever he is. 'nuff said.
|
|
|
|
|
micahmcguire
Jan 9, 2004, 11:28 PM
Post #24 of 50
(33416 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Apr 18, 2002
Posts: 889
|
I have heard of him, real hardcore climber, real stinky hippie. Sounds like a cool bloque. I found a years-old gear cache under El Cap last spring, most of the stuff was way-past too rotten and old to use, but a few of the cams and biners looked decent, so I nabbed them. I brought them home and examined them closely and there was the name "CHONGO" etched into them. Thanks buddy. Sorry if I harked your stash, but it was so damn old (and didn't you recently get in some trouble over those stashes anyways?)
|
|
|
|
|
jhump
Jan 9, 2004, 11:36 PM
Post #25 of 50
(27999 views)
Shortcut
Registered: May 7, 2002
Posts: 602
|
He invented the world's only $90, GPS equipped, Spud Gun/Poop Toob.
|
|
|
|
|
|
1
