UKC

I just stumbled across this old piece from John Long via Supertopo and thought it might be worth sharing.
I can't remember ever reading 2 pages of more powerful climbing related prose.
Loved it.

E

In reply to Enty: Go on then, share it.

In reply to Enty:

You might want to post the link?

In reply to Papillon:

http://www.rockandice.com/lates-news/john-long-what-ive-learned?page=2

That's twice I've done that this week

E

In reply to Enty:

Here's the link to the first page

http://www.rockandice.com/lates-news/john-long-what-ive-learned?page=1

Great writing, as usual - Thanks for putting this up

In reply to csw:

Doh - I didn't even get the link right. Superb stuff IMHO.

E

In reply to Enty:

If it's any consolation, I deleted the first attempt because I forgot the link too

In reply to Enty:

Wow, that's some of the best climbing writing I've ever read. Can't explain why but the guy has a really solid way with words.

In reply to Rigid Raider:

If you like that, check out "The Only Blasphemy".

http://www.rockandice.com/lates-news/the-only-blasphemy

Or as a spoken word piece, with nice pics:
http://www.rockandice.com/video-gallery/the-only-blasphemy


"Straightaway, Bachar suggests a “Half Dome day.” Yosemite’s Half Dome is two thousand feet high, call it twenty rope lengths. So we’ll have to climb twenty pitches, or twenty climbs, to put in our Half Dome day.

"Bachar laces up his boots and cinches the sling on his chalk bag. “Ready?” Only then do I realize he means to climb all two thousand feet solo, without a rope. To save face, I agree, thinking: Well, if he suggests something too crazy, I’ll just draw the line."

In reply to seankenny:

Curious - as the comments say, that isn't the version one is familiar with. Guess it's been tidied up and republished a few times. Always awesome, though.

jcm

In reply to johncoxmysteriously:

Awesome indeed. Tidying up is any writer's prerogative, of course, especially one like Long who is much more in the oral tradition. Who wouldn't like to hear him tell this story around the campfire on one cold high desert night?