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who woke up in winter bumbly gaol?

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 French Erick 30 Nov 2012
Once, I read winter tales avidly. I was convinced that if I read enough, knowledge would stick into my mind and crystalise into experience.

Then, for I am but a lucky bugger, I met folks that were willing to pretend I had experience: sublty, they gave me a bit of the experience I believed I had in the first place.

This enabled me to see that in fact, experience and knowledge were not sufficient. Dedication, hard-work and talent were also necessary.
That is when I woke up from my beautiful climbing dream and woke up in winter bumbly gaol.

Now, being a bumbly is fine. But being a winter deprived bumbly is bad.
I bitterly condemn anyone that will make the best of the coming conditions.

I have to admit however, that I made my bed and must thus lie in it. Plenty people out there proving that they can raise above bumblydome and enter the ethereal demesne of winter enlightment.
They achieve that state, not because they are lucky, but thanks to chosing and willing themselves to do so.

BTW, I'm aff it since bothy night 2 weeks ago... can't even blame that for this ramble. Not seeking flattery either, just wondering out the f**k did I climb myself in that runout position! Dreaming the live, must I be.
 jonnie3430 30 Nov 2012
In reply to French Erick:

What is enlightenment these days? Is it still VII or has it gone up to VIII and does it depend on axes and leashes used?

What did you do to yourself?
OP French Erick 30 Nov 2012
In reply to French Erick:
fruited my loin.
seem to be unable to hold a job, be a decent father and go to the hills. I'm bitter because a lot of folks do manage... it forced me to face up to a few basic facts: 1) I got to climb cool stuff thanks to who I climb with.
2) I'm as soft as the proverbial 3) I'm a lazy.

As for the grade chasing, I need to change my profile. The route is not what it is labelled despite being an excellent climb.
 jon 30 Nov 2012
In reply to French Erick:

Did you ever do Astroman and the Rostrum?
OP French Erick 30 Nov 2012
In reply to jonnie3430:
> (In reply to French Erick)
>
> What is enlightenment these days? Is it still VII or has it gone up to VIII and does it depend on axes and leashes used?

No it doesn't. Only fools would not climb with best available kit. Isn't VI the new IV anyways?
The difference is that top end climbers, are no longer just climbers they're intelligent, self critical athletes. They train smartly and aim carefully.

OP French Erick 30 Nov 2012
In reply to jon:
No,
They're my summer aspirations. I need to get the cash for that first. Roatrum possibly. Astroman, I'll need to grow into manhood first.
ice.solo 30 Nov 2012
In reply to French Erick:

rise to it for f*cks sake!

like all who escape jail - they find life outside is often just bigger and harder. you got into jail because you wanted what your werent prepared to work for, or because your passion outweighed your forsight - now its time to stop trying to squeeze the amazing out of the ordinary and only seek it where it is found in abundance.

enlightenment is nothing more than the bravery to not compromise. thinking its more than that is fear of hard work.
as it says in the hadith: it cannot be found by looking, nevertheless, all those who find it, looked.

full points for what is probably going to be the most interesting post on winter climbing all season. id wish you luck - but luck has nothing to do with it.

when you reach the mountain top, keep climbing.
 TobyA 30 Nov 2012
In reply to French Erick:
> Plenty people out there proving that they can raise above bumblydome and enter the ethereal demesne of winter enlightment.
> They achieve that state, not because they are lucky, but thanks to chosing and willing themselves to do so..

How many years have you worked in the UK Erick, because you remain so resolutely... so wonderfully... French.
 hedgepig 30 Nov 2012
In reply to French Erick:
Climbing is a long game. There are many gnarly old climbers still going strong. It is possible to survive early parenthood and get back into the game. Keeping the dream at simmer may mean you are more eager and effective than you were before. (and the sprog may turn out to be a really good climber too).
 Jamie B 30 Nov 2012
In reply to TobyA:

> How many years have you worked in the UK Erick, because you remain so resolutely... so wonderfully... French.

You've obviously never spoken to him and heard his somewhat unique blend of French and Glaswegian!

 AlH 30 Nov 2012
In reply to Jamie Bankhead: Yes I've never decided if it should be Fraswegian or Glench!
OP French Erick 30 Nov 2012
In reply to TobyA:
It's not all bitterness indeed. French I was born, French I will die. However, 10 years of UK life has taught me a few things well: #1 self-irony.
Will you ever become Scandi? Are you even even trying to? What would be the point of shedding so much of what you are, methinks.

To Ice.solo: Aye I could do tha', but I do care about my family, hence the frozen pickle. As many folks out there, I am my worse ennemy. On the TobyA slant of things, how is it to be a Brit climber in Japan? I'm assuming (righlty or not, who knows) that you climb with locals?

To hedgepig: you should not encourage my self-pitying (but thanks all the same). Those thoughts come and go... a bit like manflue
 spearing05 30 Nov 2012
In reply to French Erick: Manflue? is that the bit you exhaust waste gasses out of?
OP French Erick 30 Nov 2012
In reply to AlH:
You 2 are making me chuckle. I am also worried about what will become of my "Fraswegian or Glench" with some Black Isle special Brew.

Being hoplessly me, all of these questions fry my mind at the same time:
is there life elsewhere (I'm reading Sagan).
can I make that little 3rd year brat shut the f**k up.
does size matter.
what is for lunch tomorrow.
who the Picts really were, shall we ever know.
will i ever man up enough to climb Astroman.
how should one deal with punctuation online (and do i use ... too much).
ad nauseam.

I do feel that my earlier sombre mood is evaporating though.
 DaveHK 30 Nov 2012
In reply to French Erick:

Gie yersel a shake.

And then go and do some pull ups. The routes will still be there, make sure you're in nick when they are.
OP French Erick 30 Nov 2012
In reply to spearing05:
I am a wining Frenchman and a pedantic one too: isn't that supposed to be the manofold? =0 (although I'm not sure about the spelling)
OP French Erick 30 Nov 2012
In reply to DaveHK:
I am doing just that... the pull-up! 10 everytime I pass the shed (twice a school day) with a cross raised knees combo. It gave me real stomach pains at first.

As for the shake, is it the life 5min pull me up type? Or more like, speak to the mirror, slap face type... I much prefer option 1.

What are up to tomorrow BTW? Got people lined up?

Good rambling, disjointed thread. My ukc persona is really suiting my real one to a t!
 DaveHK 30 Nov 2012
In reply to French Erick:

In the van...Skied tonight. Ski tomorrow and climb on Beinn Eighe on sun with Karl.
Ridiulous amount of snow on cairngorm.

If you're reading Sagan then skip to The Pale Blue Dot to put your troubles in perspective.
 Heike 30 Nov 2012
In reply to French Erick:

I am with you! Trying to escape gaol as soon as possible. It's a tough one, but I can sympathise wholeheartedly.

Once there I was climbing everyday god sends trying to achieve as much as I could, now, I am still trying, but I have less opportunity ( as my opportunity has halved in terms of winter climbing due to the wee man). I have to hold down a proper job to bring in some money too!

However, I can't agree with the statement "Now, being a bumbly is fine", It's so 'unfine' in my opinion and I shall soon escape again from bumbelydom fingers crossed and thumbs pressed (German influence here)
OP French Erick 30 Nov 2012
In reply to DaveHK:
swines...
I need to give my bike a bit of TLC anyway (burst a gear cable- single speed since Tuesday).

They're just troubles of the mind...does it mean they exist?

What did the avalanche risk feel like?

On + side just under half of required monies secured. Access babes here you come.

Close to finishing Sagan, not seen blue dot yet...hope I did not miss it
 Heike 30 Nov 2012
In reply to French Erick:
> (In reply to AlH)
> You 2 are making me chuckle. I am also worried about what will become of my "Fraswegian or Glench" with some Black Isle special Brew.
>
> Being hoplessly me, all of these questions fry my mind at the same time:
> is there life elsewhere (I'm reading Sagan).
> can I make that little 3rd year brat shut the f**k up.
> does size matter.
> what is for lunch tomorrow.
> who the Picts really were, shall we ever know.
> will i ever man up enough to climb Astroman.
> how should one deal with punctuation online (and do i use ... too much).
> ad nauseam.
>
> I do feel that my earlier sombre mood is evaporating though.


Oh and with regard to that, at least you didn't have to listen to 25 student presentations to real life clients this week, some of the student groups were so embarrassingly underprepared and even offensive that I was wishing to melt into the ground there and then!!
ice.solo 30 Nov 2012
In reply to French Erick:

you owe it to yourself and you owe it to them. i have a family and the best you can do is not be a watered-down has-been who gave it all away. broken fathers are a terrible thing. its a similar bravery that has you being head of a family that has you climbing - where anything but your best is not acceptable. dont be sacred of just having fun.

i climb with people from all over the world, and being a foreigner (not a brit tho) in japan is a huge part of what has me here. climbing with locals keeps the perspective big, minimizes me imposing my own culture on what is essentially intrinsic to all humans.
that said 70% of my climbing i do alone.
you too are a stanger in a strange land: we have alternatives others dont, both in place and mind.

choose another enemy to make your worst, theres plenty out there. mediocrity is a good choice if i may offer one.

'frozen pickle'! gold. sums it up perfectly, may have to borrow the term.
 Erik B 01 Dec 2012
In reply to French Erick: beautiful words.. sir. real climbers (and humans), just like the postman of saltcoats, are few and far between.. ps are you aware he is an ex royal marine? god help any ned that tries to knock his letters..! re Gaol, f*ck it!
ice.solo 01 Dec 2012
In reply to French Erick:

jesus erick, we are ALL soft compared to her. SV is more cosmonaut than anything, she makes herzog look soft.

soft is denying you are facing hard choices, whether in life or on icefalls. youre obviously not, youre just at one of those points where anybody playing the game for real passes thru. questioning is all part of the deal and a sign it means more than just playing games.

 Erik B 01 Dec 2012
In reply to ice.solo: hmm was liking yer philosophy.. until that last post.. what is it with climbers? that they insist on convincing themselves (and others) that their selfish chase is somehow more important than life? always reminds me of the self obsessed rambling of a heroin addict
ice.solo 01 Dec 2012
In reply to Erik B:

apologies my passing thoughts as one family man in a foreign culture to another questioning how it relates to his climbing aspirations didnt satisfy your needs for philosophical security as well.



 JLS 01 Dec 2012
In reply to French Erick:

>"knowledge would stick into my mind and crystalise into experience"

Like!
 Erik B 01 Dec 2012
In reply to ice.solo: shame this site is dated, otherwise yed get a thumbs up from me sir. thanks for your input, and sorry I misread
 ring ouzel 01 Dec 2012
In reply to French Erick: You know full well that we dont allow special brew on the Black Isle!! Maybe a trip to the seaside would help? About 400m downhill from your house should do it. I'll stick the kettle on and this time you can peruse my guide books.
OP French Erick 01 Dec 2012
In reply to ring ouzel:
Little ball of energy finally cooled down to a more inert state. May be later this pm? I don't know your exact address either. A street number would suffice sir.

To Erik: Postie is a breed of his own...always knew about his murky past.

To Ice.solo: I have doubts and misgivings, like most. I probably came across as more desperate than I am in this post but I take your point: I am having a wobble and will have to "gie masel a shake" to quote someone from the post.

JLS: why are you on your pc? go to Chris Hoy's or go climbing! Send my regards to your dear ladyfriend too.

The thread has managed to entertain me some though.
 TobyA 01 Dec 2012
In reply to French Erick:

Don't worry, there was no bitterness there! But your style, even in irony, is wonderfully French - and all the better for that!

I was trying late last night to see if I could remember something in French along the lines of "keep the faith" or "chin up old bean", but my appalling French failed me. In Finland they'd just grunt a bit and tell you to find some sisu, and you will be fine.
 JLS 01 Dec 2012
In reply to French Erick:

My appointment at Hoy's place wasn't until 1pm. Had time to kill and it's alway fun to listen a thoughtful Frenchman wresling with the little questions life throws at you.
 Alex Slipchuk 01 Dec 2012
In reply to French Erick: baby Amber age 22 days finally asleep, dad smiling, dreaming of routes. This thread certainly cheered me up today, so have others today also
 ring ouzel 01 Dec 2012
In reply to French Erick: 23 and you are all welcome!
 ring ouzel 01 Dec 2012
In reply to ring ouzel: Or I could come up if the little one is asleep
OP French Erick 01 Dec 2012
In reply to ring ouzel:
Aye just came down from story time. Do come up if you want.
In reply to French Erick:

I have always enjoyed climbing you, you are a good friend and always welcome for dinner.

As bumblies go, you have well exceeded my (initial) expectations, your 'scottish winter ethics' are well learned. You introduced me to Cruachan, and for that enriched my southern highlands heritage!

Now if only the other Erik, would get back out amongst it, that would be quite some day??

Stuart
OP French Erick 02 Dec 2012
In reply to French Erick:
Be all reassured... I did not fall on my own blunt rebel blades this weekend! That would require warrior discipline and bravery

I do, however, personally and deeply hate anyone that made the best of today though... must have been an absolute cracker!
 James Edwards 02 Dec 2012
In reply to French Erick:
I was out in the fisherfield with roger today. It was very nice, before you ask, we were on a crag unsullied by axe or crampon (until we arrived that was; it is very much sullied now).

Anyhow, roger said that you live on the Black Isle? I live in conon bridge, where abouts are you?
James
In reply to French Erick:

Erick,

Arrochar dawned a beautiful, crisp, windless day........

Gangnam Style V,7

Stuart
 hwackerhage 02 Dec 2012
In reply to French Erick:

Hi Eric, sorry to hear about your misery but I was sharing it this weekend: I suffered a cold and had to cancel the SMC dinner and the climbing before and after!
 Heike 04 Dec 2012
In reply to hwackerhage:
Oh, we were wondering where you were. Looking for around for the younger members of the club....
OP French Erick 05 Dec 2012
In reply to Heike:
got the pass for the weekend and dave's away. Anyone wants to hook up on Saturday? Feeling like going to mainrechean or sgur ruadh. Anyone keen?

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