UKC

We've got a new feature about the man who did them all; have a look at <a href="http://www.ukclimbing.com/caff/features/index.html">UKClimbing's features page</a> and see the newest feature, top left.

Lots of lovely pictures and clues on how to do Dominator (V12/13)... and Mick Ryan even remembered to use the camera.

Charles

In reply to Charles Arthur, UKC Editor:

As an aside Charles - and by the way thanks for putting this up.

This report was refused by the UK mags - probably because they all hate me OR because Tim doesn't live in Sheffield and doesn't have bog sponsorship dollars behind him......maybe all three.

I'm sure Pantone will have something to say.

Anyway thanks Charles - I've got two more in preparation.

M

In reply to Mick Ryan:
"bog sponsorship dollars"

How does that work then?

In reply to Mick - Rockfax USA: Good article Mick, nice to see you making a positive contribution to the site.

In reply to Chris Fryer:

Chris: Check out the features on the Rockfax homepage and you'll see that I've been making a positive contribution for quite some time.

And you make want to look to the right to the sidebar there's a 224 page book Rockfax USA have just published - I had a little to do with that as well.

bog - sorry - big - I'm shaking a little from strenuous excercise....my freakin' knees....

cheers

M

In reply to Mick - Rockfax USA:
"bog - sorry - big - I'm shaking a little from strenuous excercise....my freakin' knees...."

In the words of the Avalanches - "please lie down on the couch, now what does that mean?"

In reply to Chris Fryer:

"please lie down on the couch, now what does that mean?"

2,000 ft of knee trembling descent Chris

In reply to Mick - Rockfax USA:

Nice one! Reads better than a lot of OTE articles...

In reply to South Devon Rock Hugger:
Anything is better than that rag.

In reply to Mick - Rockfax USA: There is no possible 'humurous' play of words on the theme of Panton that I haven't already heard in my playground years.

Pantone...oh dear. Michael Ryan must try harder.

Mick, why are you still bleating about this? I don't speak for OTE, but you know (because I emailed you the relevant text) that I have already reported Tim's achievemnets in my Climber column way back in the summer. I thought the internet was supposed to be fast?

The pictures look great, but next time try and get them in before the cobwebs settle.

Look, let me help you put your toys back in the pram. You know I can hear the knots in your head creaking as they tighten; this is not a good thing and will only lead to stress and sleepless nights.

Anyway, as if I give a shit who is, or isn't sponsored, or where they live: I am the champion of the underdog, and I will forever question the authority of the Sheffield mafia.

Cheers again, Simon.

In reply to Simon Panton:

Dear establishment figure SP,

I'm not trying hard at all. I'm just very trying.

No need to be on the defensive Simon. I emailed the story well before you were informed.

Don't worry it's not your fault.

You may not give a shit who is sponsored or not but your masters do....it sells ads....which pay your fees....which feed you and your offspring....gettit.

As you know - I like giving you guys a good kick up the backside. It helps you improve - and you do concede that you need to improve, dontcha?

Don't you just hate complacency.

What has happened to your punk routes Simon?

M

In reply the mags slander:

Does anyone else think that the internet columbs will be the death of the mags. I remember someone saying earlier this year that he tought the mags were getting really crap, the reply was that the mags were contribution based and these were getting thin on the ground?

Could this be due to the fact that its much easier to get stuff published on the net? There seams less bitching behind the scenes over what articles compliment the feel of a site than a mag.

I've written a couple of articles for a Scottish climbing site, these were contribution based(i got paid nowt). These were published no problem, although they would need a bit work for the press i wonder what the response would have been from o.t.e., climber etc.

In a whole i feel that we shouldn't have to pay for access to climbing info, and therefore those who write shouldn't get paid!
If a top climber was to write something about his fav venue, it quite an easy task, of what real value does he feel his articles worth?
It would be diffrent if it was a guidebook size task though, as this takes ground work.
(BTW im taking about the net here, the phone bills cost enough)
Dave. Scotland.

In reply to Mick - Rockfax USA: Of course I detest complacency, but I don't get it Mick, what do you want me to do?
Have you never made a compromise in your life? I mean, just how 'punk rock' is Rockfax. You point the finger as if you're innocent, yet you popularise and promote an increasingly commercial notion (i.e. the desire to climb rocks), just like I do (and just like those supposedly evil mag editors do).
How can you be more punk than me? I do this in my spare time. You do it as a job.

Answer that and stay fashionable!

Cheers, Simon

In reply to Simon Panton:

Oh dear Simon

Me fashionable. Fashion doesn't come in to it. Never ever has.

We fly in the face of fashion. (cheers - Julian)

I just try to do a good job - as does Rockfax UK (a great deal better than me). We actively listen to people, the people who we serve - not the other way around.

Our integrity is this: we beat our own drum, no one beats it for us. ....and everyone can join in the beat.

We never feel or hear the crack of the whip about our heads. And if we do, it is ourselves who are weilding it.

We have humility (yes that's hard to take from me), we despise arrogance (ditto) and pretension and cronyism.

Only the paranoid survive (I'll qualify that - a little paranoid is good, it wards off complancy).

As an aside - I applaud magazine people like you, Ian Smith, Parnell, Craggs and others who have the balls to come on here and face your masters (I mean readers).

Mick

In reply to Charles Arthur, UKC Editor:

Well done to all involved, a great article and some excellent photos.

Just helped me pass some time prior to finishing for Xmas.

Mick - when's the collaboration with JCT then?

In reply to tommytwotone:

You know T-cubed, that is one of my life's ambitions. Maybe I'll have to do some more groundwork first. We'd probably be unstoppable......ina fluffy-acidic kind of way.

M

In reply to Mick - Rockfax USA:

forget it. in your dreams mate.

In reply to Mick - Rockfax USA:
Come on Mick! I know it makes you feel all rebellious with the "too radical for the mags"! hype but I thought you were better than most at cutting through the bull.

A lot of posters on the 'net here seem to love kicking the mags (OTE for some reason seems to be the football of choice am I missing something from the history of Rock Talk being a recent poster). My view with anything is if you don't like it get involved and change it or shut up. As you did with Rockfax (respect).

As for slagging Simon whats the deal there? There must have been more talented unknowns from all over the country checked out by Simon in his column than there are contributers to Rock Talk. The dudes on pulse. Target those who really need a helpful boot up the derierre.

Ps Isn't Bishop the Yankie Luvvies equivilant of Sheffield?