tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29070294.post8210505510921270730..comments2024-03-16T10:38:11.274+00:00Comments on Dave MacLeod blog: More thoughts from DevonDave MacLeodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02442169589581067050noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29070294.post-8949547151501348192009-01-23T12:19:00.000+00:002009-01-23T12:19:00.000+00:00Hi Dave - insightful comments, once again. It seem...Hi Dave - insightful comments, once again. <BR/><BR/>It seems to me that this is as much about being a well-balanced person, as the level at which someone climbs. <BR/><BR/>I find it interesting that some of the best climbers going around, McClure and Sharma among them, do not have an 8a,nu account. Surely not a coincidence that these guys exude a real joy in climbing, and something of inner peace for everyone to see<BR/><BR/>From personal experience, the least happy times in my climbing life have been when grade ticks and willy-waving comparisons have taken over from just going climbing. <BR/><BR/>Grades are quite important to me, but only to the extent that they provide a brilliant quantitative measure of how I'm improving, and how all that hard work is paying off. I've rediscovered the real joy in climbing since I stopped using online logbooks / ticklists to show everyone else what I've been up to. <BR/><BR/>Best regards<BR/><BR/>Tim NicholsonAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29070294.post-30523226996289622382009-01-16T10:52:00.000+00:002009-01-16T10:52:00.000+00:00You SHOULD get paid! Money is great and when you ...You SHOULD get paid! Money is great and when you make such a bad ass film that some country bumpkin' in Canada can watch and get psyched about climbing by watching it, i feel you deserve money for your HUGE effort to bring this to light. <BR/> Market the crap out of it even if you get to exploit grade chasers. They're the ones buying it even if they do not actually "get it." There are some that do, however, "get it" and either get psyched or nod they're heads in agreement. Those that don't, you hear about those a lot, (player haters) while they sit and get fat wishing they were you!!<BR/><BR/>I like the way you don't mention your E grade or whatever grade, and do focus on the PROCESS of climbing something like that and the mental battles and tactics and determination....Who the heck Shovels mountain snow from above a climb!!!LOL... Im looking to climb a 5.12c this year and im PSYCHED to do it. its impossible now, but the PROCESS is the same (similar) as yours, no? To create ourselves and rise to previously impossible levels. THATS what counts. Not a numerical symbol trying to explain such a HUGE multi-dimentional experience. <BR/><BR/>Jordan Pack <BR/>Salmon Arm, BC<BR/>CanadaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29070294.post-42563103373845725682009-01-16T00:58:00.000+00:002009-01-16T00:58:00.000+00:00Hi Dave,I apologies if my comment offended you. As...Hi Dave,I apologies if my comment offended you. As an Australian using the Ewbank system, the E grade mystifies me and I was trying to garnish some perpective on the system as a whole, not related to TWOL, or your and James's efforts.<BR/><BR/>After much thinking about it, I have formed the opinion that not only does the E measure the difficulty, but it attempts to measure the feeling the climber may have on the route. (being scared, pumped)<BR/>and also the situation the climber is in, (constant weather conditions,remote access)Something Aus grades do not really cover<BR/><BR/>While I still cant get a grasp on how this is applied to a scale; thinking about it has allowed me a good insight. The E doesnt promote competition or 'better than' comparision. <BR/>It promotes the adventure and experience a climber can have. It attempts to move the focus away from the number crunching of pure hardness of moves and allows the quantifying of a more holistic approach. <BR/><BR/>It advertises there is much more to climbing than an allocated number. We should remember that; I should remember that.<BR/><BR/>Sincerly<BR/><BR/>Jono Whitfield<BR/>AustraliaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29070294.post-83873869971004866302009-01-13T22:38:00.000+00:002009-01-13T22:38:00.000+00:00Dave, you are the Mr Miyagi of the climbing world....Dave, you are the Mr Miyagi of the climbing world. Wise words as usual.<BR/>Wax on, wax off!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29070294.post-25966836721653499822009-01-13T22:20:00.000+00:002009-01-13T22:20:00.000+00:00You're damned if you do and you're damned if you d...You're damned if you do and you're damned if you don't Dave. For those of us who understand the 'balance' you are trying to achieve, your climbing and your goals makes perfect sense. Well done.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29070294.post-58472121617634753122009-01-13T18:23:00.000+00:002009-01-13T18:23:00.000+00:00Hi Dave, it's good to see you agreeing with though...Hi Dave, it's good to see you agreeing with thoughts I expressed at my blog. The numbers/grading obsession has reached a new high or is it low?Peter Bealhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15576690594320743452noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29070294.post-82811884976868645652009-01-13T15:41:00.000+00:002009-01-13T15:41:00.000+00:00The reporting media using the peak of interest gen...The reporting media using the peak of interest generated by grade contoversy for commercial gain?<BR/><BR/>Reminds me of an ad that keeps popping up on UKC:<BR/><BR/><A HREF="http://img.ukclimbing.com/ads/i/2316.gif" REL="nofollow">Ad here</A><BR/><BR/>Seems to link to your site, Dave ;)<BR/><BR/>Tongue firmly in cheek, by the way, top film!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29070294.post-79999551734974818882009-01-13T15:18:00.000+00:002009-01-13T15:18:00.000+00:00Right on Dave. Great article. It's nice to hear a ...Right on Dave. Great article. It's nice to hear a hard climber such as yourself talking about grades being just that, grades. I don't climb to climb grades, I climb to climb. Period. Whether I'm leading a 5.8 or a 5.11, I love it all. <BR/><BR/>Climb on!<BR/><BR/>~JohnJohn Khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04868988392321141624noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29070294.post-28019664065400030052009-01-13T12:45:00.000+00:002009-01-13T12:45:00.000+00:00Hi Mike, I would have preffered it at the time, an...Hi Mike, I would have preffered it at the time, and in retrospect. But it wasn't my film. I dont think it's a big deal either, but some do.Dave MacLeodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02442169589581067050noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29070294.post-32896276387849155422009-01-13T12:25:00.000+00:002009-01-13T12:25:00.000+00:00Hello Dave... I think I'm one of those 'folk' you'...Hello Dave... I think I'm one of those 'folk' you're reffering too, though my comments were in jest, I don't think it's such a big deal. I'm intersted, in retrospect, would you have preffered it if that DVD had not have been called 'E11'? I ask as I know this is a cause of cycnism to some.<BR/><BR/>Best Regards MikeAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29070294.post-24827971950092995492009-01-13T09:59:00.000+00:002009-01-13T09:59:00.000+00:00Super, super article. The sniping on climbing webs...Super, super article. The sniping on climbing websites in recent weeks has left me feeling very disillusioned with reading about the sport, I've been beginning to feel that I really wouldn't like - or like to climb with - the majority of the people posting on these forums.<BR/>Motivation for climbing is something I wonder about a lot and find hard to explain to myself, and even more so to non-climbing friends. It's good to read your views.<BR/>As an aside, something that really confuses me is that in Britain, no-one seems to care about the climbing World Cup competitions. Surely if everyone is so keen to see top climbers in competition, that's the place for it?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29070294.post-16339713843515573242009-01-13T04:23:00.000+00:002009-01-13T04:23:00.000+00:00Well I, for one, am very pleased to see a world- c...Well I, for one, am very pleased to see a world- class climber doing what any climber should: pushing themselves as hard as they can, regardless of the grade. In my opinion grades should go back to what they were originally intended for, that is, a reference so other climbers can know if a certain route would be what they were looking for on any particular afternoon. <BR/><BR/>I enjoy looking at the climbing rags as much as the next person, but for a long time now it seems like they've turned into number chasers, only bothering to write about E10, 5.14, or 9a. In the end this makes for boring reporting and, as you said, fostering cynicism.<BR/><BR/>So cheers for just going climbing. That's what matters.Noahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03023027624422922897noreply@blogger.com