Friday, May 12, 2006
Fixed one thing and wiped out the whole post.
wes would truly have a problem posting to this blog with the word verification - dammit!
See ya!
wes would truly have a problem posting to this blog with the word verification - dammit!
See ya!
I didn't find the Summit Journal Chat until September of '97. I had just seen Bruce Herrod's summit photo published in Life magazine, I was so touched by his gorgeous self-portrait on the summit of Everest that I just wanted to write someone about it. I don't think there is or ever will be a summit photo from Everest with that kind of beauty. The Beauty and The Mess.
The caption beside the photo says: "The climber has removed his oxygen mask to pose with momentos of other conquerors; it is five p.m. - not enough daylight, he knows, to return to the safety of camp - but he is clearly on top of the world. For his girlfriend, Sue Thompson, who spent the past year in greif and rage, the picture provided some belated comfort. "Being able to look at the world as he saw it that day has lessened my anger," she says, "now I feel immensely proud of what he did".
Sue Thompson wrote in to SJC:" For magoo: Glad to know someone saw Bruce's summit photo in Life!"
dave wrote back to Sue: "Sue Thompson: Thanks for your support. Sorry for your loss. Like you, the feeling of helplessness in May 1996 was very frustrating. Seeing Bruce's summit shot and the secret plans climbers made in '97 to get his camera did certainly make my day".
Much, much later on a trip to Seattle, where I met Carrie and Lori (and took a nice trip to Mount Rainier, remember the 30' snow?), I asked David Breashears to sign my Everest: Mountain without Mercy. I had Bruce's picture tucked in it and I showed him, we spoke about it for a minute. He signed my book: "For Magod. David Breashears". It was a little later that I realized that it was David and others that retrieved Bruce's camera and thus the picture.
Also tucked away in this book, I have a Valentines Day card from Kim (she makes the best cards), she wrote: Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage".
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The winds are picking up here again in my little town in Texas. You may have seen the article on the front page of cnn.com
http://www.cnn.com/2006/WEATHER/05/10/texas.storms.ap/index.html That was a few miles from my house, I'm indeed a lucky one! Going through this tornado has left me with a certain kind of trauma, hard to describe, I guess it's the feeling of every nerve ending being full on for a time. After it was over and an eerie calm came over our town, in came the helicopters, I was laying there thinking - just go away, leave us alone, let us get some rest.
May 10, 1996 remembered.
The caption beside the photo says: "The climber has removed his oxygen mask to pose with momentos of other conquerors; it is five p.m. - not enough daylight, he knows, to return to the safety of camp - but he is clearly on top of the world. For his girlfriend, Sue Thompson, who spent the past year in greif and rage, the picture provided some belated comfort. "Being able to look at the world as he saw it that day has lessened my anger," she says, "now I feel immensely proud of what he did".
Sue Thompson wrote in to SJC:" For magoo: Glad to know someone saw Bruce's summit photo in Life!"
dave wrote back to Sue: "Sue Thompson: Thanks for your support. Sorry for your loss. Like you, the feeling of helplessness in May 1996 was very frustrating. Seeing Bruce's summit shot and the secret plans climbers made in '97 to get his camera did certainly make my day".
Much, much later on a trip to Seattle, where I met Carrie and Lori (and took a nice trip to Mount Rainier, remember the 30' snow?), I asked David Breashears to sign my Everest: Mountain without Mercy. I had Bruce's picture tucked in it and I showed him, we spoke about it for a minute. He signed my book: "For Magod. David Breashears". It was a little later that I realized that it was David and others that retrieved Bruce's camera and thus the picture.
Also tucked away in this book, I have a Valentines Day card from Kim (she makes the best cards), she wrote: Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage".
------------------
The winds are picking up here again in my little town in Texas. You may have seen the article on the front page of cnn.com
http://www.cnn.com/2006/WEATHER/05/10/texas.storms.ap/index.html That was a few miles from my house, I'm indeed a lucky one! Going through this tornado has left me with a certain kind of trauma, hard to describe, I guess it's the feeling of every nerve ending being full on for a time. After it was over and an eerie calm came over our town, in came the helicopters, I was laying there thinking - just go away, leave us alone, let us get some rest.
May 10, 1996 remembered.
Um, it vanisihed, like, you know, into, um, thin air.
Apropos n'est pas?
Apropos n'est pas?
What happened to Magoo's Thursday post about Bruce Herrod ?
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
I don't think I found the SJC until spring 98. I think that I was looking for info or comments on a climbing car dealer and posted a link for the group to the online diary of the gentleman.
It was too much longer that the whole, "Wes is missing" drama unfolded and forever shattered my youthful idealism regarding this new technology. However, it was during that time that I found the forum and Enews and was introduced to Jochen's research on M&I that in turn led to the '99 discovery of GLM's body.
It was after that that I began my trend of posting off-topic.
It was too much longer that the whole, "Wes is missing" drama unfolded and forever shattered my youthful idealism regarding this new technology. However, it was during that time that I found the forum and Enews and was introduced to Jochen's research on M&I that in turn led to the '99 discovery of GLM's body.
It was after that that I began my trend of posting off-topic.
Tuesday, May 09, 2006
Here's hoping that tomorrow will see the return of many old cyber friends.
I see that some have been posting about their first days on the SJC and what the SJC meant to them. I've been ruminating about this lately, and perhaps, I'll continue to chew on it a bit more and post some thoughts in a few days.
I see that some have been posting about their first days on the SJC and what the SJC meant to them. I've been ruminating about this lately, and perhaps, I'll continue to chew on it a bit more and post some thoughts in a few days.
Monday, May 08, 2006
Hi All - I haven't checked the site in a while and logged in to find lots of activity the past few weeks...and posts from old friends! It's good to see the activity level up here, but what else can be expected on this 10-year anniversary of SJC? I don't remember when it was exactly that I stumbled upon OO's original SJC but I know I lurked for a looooong time before I finally had the courage to post. I had never participated in any kind of internet chat room before so I was very nervous when I first posted. My first post was a summary of an event that I had been to at The Mountaineers in Seattle that involved some of the characters of the 1996 Everest season. I needn't have worried so much, as I received a warm welcome, which encouraged me to become a regular participant of the site. At the time I never imagined we'd still be in touch 10 years later!
Hi Terry,
LOL. Now let's not start any false rumors. :-) The truth be told, I only met Ken once - at the Union. Plus, the last time he posted here it seems that he has been doing a lot of climbing - so it is not beyond him. But thanks for the chuckle.
On the otherhand, he really is "our" Ken.
Good to hear from you. All the best,
Rose
LOL. Now let's not start any false rumors. :-) The truth be told, I only met Ken once - at the Union. Plus, the last time he posted here it seems that he has been doing a lot of climbing - so it is not beyond him. But thanks for the chuckle.
On the otherhand, he really is "our" Ken.
Good to hear from you. All the best,
Rose
PBob, rereading " The Point " takes me back. I remember when you first posted it and how it stirred me. After that I started to do some scrambling with my son. The BEST of times. First time, actually, was on Ha Ling Peak with Alex, Bruce and his 2 y/o ' talking machine ' in '98.
We met at the Base. I wore blue, Bruce wore grey and carried a water bottle. Bruce explained that he had to kinda kick his ass into gear with a really fast start. I lied and said I preferred a more measured start. Thus Mr. Athelete and Mr. Corpulent and the Kids started off. Bruce began with a sprint uphill with 30 pound Annie on his back. I put out my cigarette and as Alex pleaded with me to get going, we headed off.
We all summitted that day, though I remain convinced that Bruce and Annie MUST have been short-roped in order to have arrived at the summit 2 hours before me ! As for my team, they are all bound by confidentiality agreements, so you will have to accept my version of how I got to the top, unaided.
The day ended, as I recall, with ice cream in Canmore.
We met at the Base. I wore blue, Bruce wore grey and carried a water bottle. Bruce explained that he had to kinda kick his ass into gear with a really fast start. I lied and said I preferred a more measured start. Thus Mr. Athelete and Mr. Corpulent and the Kids started off. Bruce began with a sprint uphill with 30 pound Annie on his back. I put out my cigarette and as Alex pleaded with me to get going, we headed off.
We all summitted that day, though I remain convinced that Bruce and Annie MUST have been short-roped in order to have arrived at the summit 2 hours before me ! As for my team, they are all bound by confidentiality agreements, so you will have to accept my version of how I got to the top, unaided.
The day ended, as I recall, with ice cream in Canmore.
Sunday, May 07, 2006
Rose, so now it's " my Ken ". You two are an item ? Je suis desole !
Hi Everybody,
PBob, good to hear from you.
I was in the midst of moving here when I read about the '96 tragedy in the newspaper. I've always been fascinated by Everest and why people climb -something still beyond my ken. The story was about two experienced team leaders who died - Scott and Rob- but what caught my eye was the web address for the website that was following the team on the mountain. I pulled it up and started to read the dispatches - just riveted to the screen. As I packed up to move, I left my old computer which was outdated even then and expected to get a new one once I was settled. It took a few months - unlike my previous employer, the computers in my new office did not have access to the internet (imagine that??). It took a while, but I finally got a new computer at home and figured out how to get connected to the internet. This was about October of 1996. One of the first things I did when I got online was to go back to that site to see if anything was added. At that time I found the link to the Summit Journal Chat and followed the discussion. At that time there were actually two different discussion forums about the May tragedy. At some point that I don't exactly recall one of the lines was shut down (no notice) and the other one stayed up as Summit Journal Chat. It was the first time that I had ever posted to an internet site. I don't recall what I said but was sure that the experts there would know that I was just a flatlander who had no business discussing mountaineering. As turned out, I felt welcomed as I think we all did when we first entered the site. I guess we all know what happened after that. I sure do wish some of the folks who used to post there would stop by to say hello. :-)
Best regards,
Rose
PBob, good to hear from you.
I was in the midst of moving here when I read about the '96 tragedy in the newspaper. I've always been fascinated by Everest and why people climb -something still beyond my ken. The story was about two experienced team leaders who died - Scott and Rob- but what caught my eye was the web address for the website that was following the team on the mountain. I pulled it up and started to read the dispatches - just riveted to the screen. As I packed up to move, I left my old computer which was outdated even then and expected to get a new one once I was settled. It took a few months - unlike my previous employer, the computers in my new office did not have access to the internet (imagine that??). It took a while, but I finally got a new computer at home and figured out how to get connected to the internet. This was about October of 1996. One of the first things I did when I got online was to go back to that site to see if anything was added. At that time I found the link to the Summit Journal Chat and followed the discussion. At that time there were actually two different discussion forums about the May tragedy. At some point that I don't exactly recall one of the lines was shut down (no notice) and the other one stayed up as Summit Journal Chat. It was the first time that I had ever posted to an internet site. I don't recall what I said but was sure that the experts there would know that I was just a flatlander who had no business discussing mountaineering. As turned out, I felt welcomed as I think we all did when we first entered the site. I guess we all know what happened after that. I sure do wish some of the folks who used to post there would stop by to say hello. :-)
Best regards,
Rose
