[shark]

Is it me being a cynical old fuck but does anyone else think this UKC news item is whiffy, a wind-up or just plain weird ? i.e unheard of old scrote with no trackrecord cited, seiges a pegged Edwards route that is so obscure that its not the UKC database at a crag so esoteric that it doesnt have a moderator, until he reaches the point where he headpoints it without clipping the pegs and claims an E8/9 ascent with Alan James likening it to the ethical dilemmas in the Cad saga and trying to make some comedy out of his lycra and eating Wispa bars en route. WTF?

[Paul B]

the boots are somewhat special too.

[danm]

I've given up on "that" channel after the amount of abuse directed at the keen one got ridiculous. News items like that confirm it was a good decision. Is it OK to say that, mods? 

[tomtom]

same shit different day...

I believe the Dutch have a word for news stories during a story drought.. which loosely translates as 'cucumber news' (i.e. man who grows huge cucumber makes the headlines...).

Personally, I thought the 'ENVIRONMENTAL CATASTROPHE, END OF THE WORLD, WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE' headlines because someone puts two bolt studs on the top edge of a cliff... was a 'little over the top'. Jesus, if someone wants to whinge about how man has altered their environment, take a look at Plymouth town centre...

[Muenchener]

Absolutely ... "unheard of old scrote making inflated grade claims at obscure venue" is totally out of order ... unless it's abroad of course 

Best make hay while the sun shines then, sunshine. You won't have the chance much longer: Sonnie will be lining up to repeat & downgrade your Squamish 5.15s

[Serpico]

Odd no doubt, but on the same topic did anyone notice/understand this post?

[duncan]

No idea about the route or the climber. 

I can't see the connection with The Cad saga myself, unless it is subtly trying to draw a parallel between a "dark horse" ascent and Cathcart's widely doubted solo. 

The Cad history is mostly incorrect.  Ron's original bolt (Troll self-drilling caving anchor - as described in Rock Athlete - very distinctive 70s technology ie shit) was still there in late 1984 well after Cathcart's alleged ascent (in 1981?). 

[chris_j_s]

Odd no doubt, but on the same topic did anyone notice/understand this post?

Noticed it? Yes. Understood it? No!

I assume it was intended to be ambiguous in order to troll but it doesn't seem to be working yet!

[Grubes]

Odd no doubt, but on the same topic did anyone notice/understand this post?

What a hero ... 

[Fiend]

Who has got the bigger cucumber eh....

[lagerstarfish]

Burn the witch!

Cucumbers that size must be The Devil's work.

[duncan]

The Cad history is mostly incorrect.  Ron's original bolt (Troll self-drilling caving anchor - as described in Rock Athlete - very distinctive 70s technology ie shit) was still there in late 1984 well after Cathcart's alleged ascent (in 1981?).

Yeah I was thinking that also. That it was someone else who chopped the residual bolt?

Fawcett's original bolt was virtually useless by 1984 - hard steel bolt, aluminium alloy hanger and salt water are not a happy combination - and it was replaced not long after.  I've no idea who did this.  Nick Dixon climbed it without clipping the new bolt (in 1986?) and the hanger of the replacement bolt was chopped sometime later. 

The stud is still there today and can have a wire looped over, a truly British compromise!

I'm pretty sure this is the sequence of events, can any other oldies remember this far back?

[SA Chris]

Odd no doubt, but on the same topic did anyone notice/understand this post?

Whatever you linked to is gone now.

[GCW]

No surprise there!

[granticus]

Is it me being a cynical old fuck but does anyone else think this UKC news item is whiffy, a wind-up or just plain weird ?

  Pissed me right off, particularly because there is some kind of fUKCed up ethical point being made about not using pegs, when the guy used the pegs for protection on a previous ascent and to pre-practice the route, so he basically had the route dialled...     If you want to make an ethical point climb it ground up, on sight and without using the pegs. 

[Probes]

The Cad history is mostly incorrect.  Ron's original bolt (Troll self-drilling caving anchor - as described in Rock Athlete - very distinctive 70s technology ie shit) was still there in late 1984 well after Cathcart's alleged ascent (in 1981?).

Yeah I was thinking that also. That it was someone else who chopped the residual bolt?

Fawcett's original bolt was virtually useless by 1984 - hard steel bolt, aluminium alloy hanger and salt water are not a happy combination - and it was replaced not long after.  I've no idea who did this.  Nick Dixon climbed it without clipping the new bolt (in 1986?) and the hanger of the replacement bolt was chopped sometime later. 

The stud is still there today and can have a wire looped over, a truly British compromise!

I'm pretty sure this is the sequence of events, can any other oldies remember this far back?

I clipped 'the bolt' in around 1995 and it was a strange wire ring affair, not a hanger. Needless to say it didnt inspire any confidence.

I too read that news item yesterday and thought WTF, this weird.

[shark]

Is it me being a cynical old fuck but does anyone else think this UKC news item is whiffy, a wind-up or just plain weird ?

  Pissed me right off, particularly because there is some kind of fUKCed up ethical point being made about not using pegs, when the guy used the pegs for protection on a previous ascent and to pre-practice the route, so he basically had the route dialled...     If you want to make an ethical point climb it ground up, on sight and without using the pegs. 

The article poses so many questions its hard to know where to start but these spring immediately to mind:

1. Who is this guy - he must my age and I've never read or heard about him so what's his trackrecord?
2. If he wasnt making an ethical point why did he do it and then go on to publicise it
3. Can you really grade it that much higher (assuming it is E6 in the first place) if the pegs are available to clip if you get wigged out?
4. To what extent did Alan James verify the ascent, quality and the difficulty
5. Why is Alan James making such a meal out of reporting it with confused and inaccurate analogies to the Cad
6. Are the Medwards pegs hammered into drilled slots/holes (effectively bolts) or in natural placements
7. Is it really E8/9 and a four star classic ? or another route that Nic Sellars will repeat and downgrade to a two star E5

[Serpico]

The article poses so many questions its hard to know where to start but these spring immediately to mind:

1. Who is this guy - he must my age and I've never read or heard about him so what's his trackrecord?
2. If he wasnt making an ethical point why did he do it and then go on to publicise it
3. Can you really grade it that much higher (assuming it is E6 in the first place) if the pegs are available to clip if you get wigged out?
4. To what extent did Alan James verify the ascent, quality and the difficulty
5. Why is Alan James making such a meal out of reporting it with confused and inaccurate analogies to the Cad
6. Is it really E8/9 and a four star classic ? or another route that Nic Sellars will repeat and downgrade to a two star E5
7. Why does this bother me so much?

[shark]

7. Why does this bother me so much?

  To quote a great Italian poet: This is really a journey inside myself, my mind, my obsessions, my weaknesses and my worst demons. I learnt something new about myself, and what I found out is a monster 

[Jaspersharpe]

Odd no doubt, but on the same topic did anyone notice/understand this post?

Mehdwards. 

[Probes]

Is it me being a cynical old fuck but does anyone else think this UKC news item is whiffy, a wind-up or just plain weird ?

  Pissed me right off, particularly because there is some kind of fUKCed up ethical point being made about not using pegs, when the guy used the pegs for protection on a previous ascent and to pre-practice the route, so he basically had the route dialled...     If you want to make an ethical point climb it ground up, on sight and without using the pegs. 

The article poses 1 question its easy to know where to start as it springs immediately to mind:

1. Is it complete made up bollocks?

[metal arms]

Is it me being a cynical old fuck but does anyone else think this UKC news item is whiffy, a wind-up or just plain weird ?

  Pissed me right off, particularly because there is some kind of fUKCed up ethical point being made about not using pegs, when the guy used the pegs for protection on a previous ascent and to pre-practice the route, so he basically had the route dialled...     If you want to make an ethical point climb it ground up, on sight and without using the pegs. 

The article poses no important questions and no-one cares.

[rginns]

same shit different day...

I believe the Dutch have a word for news stories during a story drought.. which loosely translates as 'cucumber news' (i.e. man who grows huge cucumber makes the headlines...).

Personally, I thought the 'ENVIRONMENTAL CATASTROPHE, END OF THE WORLD, WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE' headlines because someone puts two bolt studs on the top edge of a cliff... was a 'little over the top'. Jesus, if someone wants to whinge about how man has altered their environment, take a look at Plymouth town centre...

 

[fried]

The only thing I want to know is why so many replies to nonexistent posts.

[shark]

Jesus, if someone wants to whinge about how man has altered their environment, take a look at Plymouth town centre...

Ah the South West  It's luverly down there