[Pantontino]

Was it RW who was seeing The Mayor of Buoux's daughter at some point? Minor wad point?

I remember that when all the Brits left Buoux and went to the Verdon she came along. I think I've got a photo of her holding a weird insect somewhere.

Seems like a lifetime away - I suppose it was...(drifts off in wistful reverie)

[Jaspersharpe]

Was going to say that this thread is turning into a stroll down memory lane...........so while we're at it (and on the subject of wad ticks)........

In 1990 Smythe managed to find out that there were no British entrants to the Briancon Masters competition, an invite only thing for about 25 of the top boys (& birds) in the World. I think Ben, Jerry and Simon Nadin had been invited but couldn't be arsed.

Somehow he managed to persuade the organisers that it would be a good idea to let us enter (we were both 16) as up and coming young British climbers so a few weeks later there we were at the opening dinner, drinking wine with the best competition climbers on the planet as they wondered who the fuck we were. 

Needless to say we didn't exactly tear the place up in the comp but isolation was class. Two kids bouldering with Legrand, Lombard, Petit, Yuji, Jibe, Ellie Chevieux etc etc we had a right laugh especially Yuji thinking it was a good idea to do vicious mono cross through moves in warm up for a competition and nearly fucking his fingers (he went on to piss the comp IIRC). It was also the first time that I realised these lads weren't super human as I could hold my own with them bouldering (there was the little matter of them all being able to climb just as hard after 40 odd moves  ).

As proper wad ticks go the best moment was probably when we went back to the complimentary hotel before the final and as we walked down the corridor to our room a (half asleep) Francois Legrand came stumbling out of his room dressed only in a pair of brown Y fronts.

It was a surreal and top few days. 

[Yossarian]

did the y-fronts look like they had always been brown, or were they ones that he had coloured brown himself?

[Jaspersharpe]

Not that I inspected them that closely but I don't think it was a case of staining (unlike Jerry's shorts........ ).

[Will Hunt]

Saw the Earl yesterday at Caley. Didnt know who he was at first but saw his blog today. Shame I missed him on High Fidelity. Waddage to him!

[Stoat]

Belayed Bransby senior in Frankenjura. He had removed his trousers to reveal an enormous pair of brown Y-fronts to climb in and my mate had to shove him by said under garments past the initial moves. We and an army of Japanese cried with mirth as a red faced and very young Ben looked on.

Ignored by John Dunne in Freyer. We merrily got pissed in the Cafe Chamonix while he sat on his own in the campsite... the twat.

Bumped into Paul Pritchard when completely off my tits. My mate who had been to his lecture said that I made a complete cunt of myself.

Tricky Dicky off Eastenders and Bruce Foxton drink in my local.

One of my mates chinned Bobby Gillespie.

Another chinned the lead singer of Doctor and the Medics.

My sister got presented a £5 book token by Bernard Breslow for a Britain in Bloom competition and I was there. She cheated because my dad did the out-line!

Jason Myers once said "fuck ...he's strong" about me.

A fun filled life. You'd be amazed, but I've done other stuff as well.

[Stoat]

I have like everyone else met the diminutive gritstone god, but he did not deign to stroke my hair or inner thigh, I can only hope!

[Jaspersharpe]

Ignored by John Dunne in Freyer. We merrily got pissed in the Cafe Chamonix while he sat on his own in the campsite... the twat.

 

[El Mocho]

Belayed Bransby senior in Frankenjura. He had removed his trousers to reveal an enormous pair of brown Y-fronts to climb in and my mate had to shove him by said under garments past the initial moves. We and an army of Japanese cried with mirth as a red faced and very young Ben looked on.

I don't remember this although it does sound exactly like him. One time, when staying in a hotel, after repeatedly asking the people in the room next door to be quiet he walked down to reception to complain about the noise completely naked (no towel, nothing)

At the time of the Frankenjura trip brown Y-fronts were probably a better look than the trousers he would have been wearing - some of them used to put Pollits collection to shame (home made by my mum as he couldn't find any bright enough)

[andyheb]

went for a hopeful session at trowbarrow on sunday. Most stuff was wet so headed back after an hour or so but drove past mr john gaskins, re-tierd bouldering hero running down the road between warton and silverdale. would like to see this man start bouldering again. Always liked his low profile no fuss approach to climbing!

[Johnny Brown]

Has he really given up bouldering? I thought he just took a while off to climb full time, then went back to fitting it in like the rest of us?

[al]

saw dave graham in the liverpool tate a few weeks ago, studying a nice bridget riley, and stood behind phil oakey in the sandwhich queue the other day 

[Fiend]

Has he really given up bouldering? I thought he just took a while off to climb full time, then went back to fitting it in like the rest of us?

Was mentioned in one of Pantontino's articles about South Lakes lime a while back, in Climber I presume. The upshot was that it was definitely on the back burner compared to running and life in general.

[Stoat]

Ben

I seem to remember some weird trousers and the crag was Grun Holle, but it was the Ys that stand out! He seemed a top bloke and was proud as punch that you were burning us all off.

[Monolith]

saw dave graham in the liverpool tate a few weeks ago

Are you referring to the scouse DJ Dave Graham or Dave Graham Dave Graham?

[BenF]

Are you referring to the scouse DJ Dave Graham or Dave Graham Dave Graham?

Surely the DJ, he's the real wad tick for all top scals.    

[Moo]

I once asked johnny dawes if he thought lycra would ever make a comeback on the climbing scene, he said he didn't think people had the legs for it nowadays, too true.

Walked past renee zelwegrrergggerreeerrr dressed up in full garb as miss potter when they were filming in the lakes she was wearing a surprising amount of makeup.

[Monolith]

Are you referring to the scouse DJ Dave Graham or Dave Graham Dave Graham?

Surely the DJ, he's the real wad tick for all top scals.    

I'm really intrigued. I can't imagine yelps of sick, rad and psyche would go down too well in the tate?

[Jaspersharpe]

I'm really intrigued. I can't imagine yelps of sick, rad and psyche would go down too well in the tate?

Get it right Monolith. SYKE!.

[lagerstarfish]

I once asked johnny dawes if he thought lycra would ever make a comeback on the climbing scene, he said he didn't think people had the legs for it nowadays, too true.

Dennis Gray once complemented me on the way my legs looked - sticking out of skimpy running shorts, not lycra.

[webbo]

Dennis Gray once complemented me on the way my legs looked - sticking out of skimpy running shorts, not lycra.

did this not scare you or even scar you.

[Jim]

were you a young boy at the time?

[lagerstarfish]

Fortunately I was old enough and confident enough to have a laugh with him about it. They were nicely tanned legs, honed from a long summer in the Alps. Still looked shit in Ron Hills though.

[al]

Are you referring to the scouse DJ Dave Graham or Dave Graham Dave Graham?

unfortunately it was dave graham dave graham - he did look interested too, although not as animated as he is at the crag (seem to recall he is from an artistic family)

[saltbeef]

i made dave graham cough out his broccoli when discussing sexual exploits...