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highminded
Jul 6, 2004, 9:15 PM
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A friend of mine learned a hard lesson in humility this weekend. I thought I'd pass it along for everyone's benefit.
He and partner were climbing at a crag that, because of the July 4th weekend, was much more crowded than usual. When they arrived at the 3-pitch, fairly easy 5.10A climb they wanted to do, there was 1 party already waiting at the base and 1 party just starting the 2nd pitch of the climb with a leader who was progressing, VEEEEERY slowly.
My friend and the other party waiting at the base started getting frustrated after it took the P2 party an hour to finish the pitch that normally takes about 30 minutes. Evidently, they were just as slow on each successive pitch, using the same slow climber to lead all the pitches.
My friend and the others at the base of the climb started making jokes about the climbers above and, unfortunately, things degenerated to the point where they were yelling insults and sarcastic remarks up at the slow climbers (who either didn't hear or chose to ignore it).
Before the slow climbers had finished P2, the other party got fed up and took off to do another climb. As soon as the slow party's belayer cleared the second belay, my friend headed up. There was more "interminable" waiting for on P2 and P3, while the upper party finished.
When my friend reached the top and anchored in to belay his partner, he saw the slow party, several yards away, sorting their gear. After they finished, they came over and appologized for being so slow. It turned out (much to my friend's horror and embarrassment), that the slow leader was blind, having lost both eyes, over the course of the past 5 years, to choroidal melanoma (a form of ocular cancer). The man's second eye had been removed within the past year and he was now trying to learn how to climb blind.
"They were the nicest people," my friend told me. "I can't believe I said the things I did to them. I wanted to cut out my tongue. Never have I felt so low and sh*tty. I'll never make fun of anybody ever again."
Thanks Guy! Lesson Learned.
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coldclimb
Jul 6, 2004, 9:23 PM
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Ouch! Now that's eating your words!
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mr8615
Jul 6, 2004, 9:29 PM
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Wow! Climbing 10a blind! That's awesome, props to that climber!
Mark
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sarcat
Jul 6, 2004, 9:30 PM
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Great story. Haven't we all made this mistake in some way or another then felt sh*tty?
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highminded
Jul 6, 2004, 9:37 PM
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In reply to: Wow! Climbing 10a blind! That's awesome, props to that climber!
Yeah, I know! Even with two good eyes I struggle with picking my gear. I can't imagine trying to do it by feel. It amazes me what some people can do when they put their heart and mind to it.
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punk
Jul 6, 2004, 9:37 PM
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Great lesson
But u sees I have everything and I still will be slower then he is b/c I SUCK
Best remedy to this is move on ....there is enough rock for everyone also learn how to climb HARDER the lines are smaller there
BTW is someone yelling at me for being slow I just climb even slower
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breaksnclimbs
Jul 6, 2004, 9:43 PM
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10a BLIND???? That is mosdefinitely bad a$$ !!
Oh, how we EARN those lessons we learn in life...
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chuffer
Jul 6, 2004, 9:51 PM
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That's a great story. Thank you for sharing it with us.
J
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dsafanda
Jul 6, 2004, 9:54 PM
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Crowded 3 pitch climbs and stressed out people from the Bay Area...hmm...sounds like a typical afternoon at Lover's Leap. Am I warm?
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highminded
Jul 6, 2004, 9:58 PM
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Just to clarify -- my friend said the blind guy wasn't a novice climber. He'd been climbing all his life. I don't think that diminishes his accomplishment, however.
I have to give him props for having a "No matter what kind of sh*t life throws at me, I'm not giving up" attitude.
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alpnclmbr1
Jul 6, 2004, 10:06 PM
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Great story, lesson, and inspiration in one post.
Thanks.
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dirtineye
Jul 6, 2004, 10:11 PM
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I recently had a chance to be a DOUBLE @$$, and somehow managed to keep feet out of mouth and bite tongue. Later on, I found out just how wrong it would have been for me to spout off in not one but two situations, back to back.
Sometimes we think we know what's going on, but we really have no clue.
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highminded
Jul 6, 2004, 10:29 PM
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In reply to: Crowded 3 pitch climbs and stressed out people from the Bay Area...hmm...sounds like a typical afternoon at Lover's Leap. Am I warm?
A gold star to you, Sir, for guessing correctly. I just checked with my friend and he said it happened on Deception Direct (which, as I check Supertopo, is actually listed as a 5.9 but my friends guide calls it an easy 10A; no big diff, really.) Jeez! I've climbed that thing before -- I can't imagine doing it with my eyes closed.
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muncher
Jul 6, 2004, 10:43 PM
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Pretty inspiring, imagine leading at that or any level compeltely blind, thats nuts. Just as impressive is the patience and tolerance they showed towards the people who were bagging them out. Glad to hear that you learned your lesson. Lets hope you don't forget it. Maybe next time you line up beneath a multi pitch route and see how slow the party ahead is moving, instead of slagging them off, pick a different route, or just chill out and give them some space. Few things are as they seem, assume nothing.
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dsafanda
Jul 6, 2004, 10:51 PM
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I suspected the Leap for a couple of reasons. Petch (Strawberry Lodge bar tender, super strong climber and Leap FA) runs a guide service at the Leap which includes an adaptive program for climbers with disabilities.
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scotto
Jul 6, 2004, 11:22 PM
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had the climber done the route before and was doing it from memory or did the second shout out directions? or did he just feel around and make his way up the route?
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roughster
Jul 6, 2004, 11:23 PM
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I have done Deception Direct before and it is nothing short of amazing and incredibly impressive that he could do the thin seam part without sight. Double Mega Ultra Props to that guy! I hope he goes on and blows away everything we "think" we know about people who have lost their sight and their capabilities.
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tradmanclimbs
Jul 6, 2004, 11:44 PM
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Ray charles and stevie wonder have allready done that. Verry impressive though. i recal a time when My partner was dissing the 2nd in front of us for haveing a hard time. the guy ended up struggleing in the same spot and useing a knee :lol:
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highminded
Jul 7, 2004, 12:09 AM
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In reply to: had the climber done the route before and was doing it from memory or did the second shout out directions? or did he just feel around and make his way up the route?
I asked the same question: My friend said they were using radios and the guy was doing a lot of "gear fiddling." My guess is it was a combination of all 3 (memory, assistance from second and feel). Having been a lifetime climber, he may have done it before. I imagine he was probably getting some direction from his partner too.
You know, there was a blind mountain/rock climber who climbed El Cap a few years back (the first blind person ever to do it). His name is Eric Weinmeyer. He wrote a book entitled "Touch the Top of the World," which I read a while ago. It's very inspirational. I also understand that there have been some paraplegic folks who have done it. I just don't know how!!! It humbles me.
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jt512
Jul 7, 2004, 12:34 AM
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In reply to: A friend of mine learned a hard lesson in humility this weekend.
Nah, he was just unlucky. The odds of the climber being a blind cancer-survivor are like 1:1,000,000. Chances are, the average climber could make fun of 100 gumbies a day for his entire climbing career without fear of inadvertantly taunting a single blind cancer-survivor. I say, therefore, taunt on.
-Jay
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tradmanclimbs
Jul 7, 2004, 12:41 AM
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Classic Jay :twisted:
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highminded
Jul 12, 2004, 7:01 AM
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In reply to: Nah, he was just unlucky. The odds of the climber being a blind cancer-survivor are like 1:1,000,000. Chances are, the average climber could make fun of 100 gumbies a day for his entire climbing career without fear of inadvertantly taunting a single blind cancer-survivor. I say, therefore, taunt on.
You could be right. But I don't have that much Karma to spare. :wink:
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mrtristan
Jul 12, 2004, 9:24 AM
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Ouch. Man... Great story!
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roughster
Jul 12, 2004, 9:34 AM
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In reply to: In reply to: A friend of mine learned a hard lesson in humility this weekend. Nah, he was just unlucky. The odds of the climber being a blind cancer-survivor are like 1:1,000,000. Chances are, the average climber could make fun of 100 gumbies a day for his entire climbing career without fear of inadvertantly taunting a single blind cancer-survivor. I say, therefore, taunt on. -Jay
Jay,
Many choice words came to mind when I read your response, but nothing I could say would change anything. I hope you have a lot of extra good karma to burn, but judging by most of your posts around here....
/disgusted
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justin
Jul 12, 2004, 10:16 AM
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cheers for recounting that story, one can't be too considerate or polite.
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