Romano's Adventures from the Gym Series: Part 1 & 2 & 3

**Ironguru** · 01-30-2010, 10:32 AM

Best Bodybuilding Quote in part 2:

"It was work a bodybuilder could do."

We're one tough lot!

**John Romano** · 01-30-2010, 10:56 AM

Originally Posted by sassy69

Sitting on the edge of my seat waiting for part 3!

Truest me, the third act is a nail biter!

**Baldiewonkanobi** · 01-30-2010, 12:53 PM

Thanks John, why don't you leave us HANGING ??

Baldie

**John Romano** · 01-30-2010, 06:22 PM

Originally Posted by knockout ted

I remember hearing about John Bachar dieing after falling on a solo climb. At least he died doing what he loves. RIP

Very sad. I lost touch with those guys. You telling me about Bachar was the first I heard. Here's a pice on him. They quoted Jonh Long:

http://www.climbing.com/news/hotflas...har_1957-2009/

Bachar's soloing was legendary. When he climbed with partners he was the favorite lead. When I climbed with Long and Bachar that day at Joshua, they took some time to goof around after lunch on a seriously undercut boulder. They were giving each other "problems" to work out. The roof of the undercut was about 5 feet off the ground. The face of the rock above the undercut was angled overhead by about 100 degrees, and continued for about another 10 feet, topping out on a buttress to the rock wall we had been climbing earlier. They would take turns hanging parallel to the ground from the outside edge of the undercut in the most Twister-esque tangle of arms and legs. This demonstrated the problem. Then he would get down and the challenger would replicate the hand and footholds demonstrated. From there he would "solve" the problem by executing a series of moves from that position across the undercut and up the overhanging face. Once both hands and feet were up on the face, the problem was solved and they'd jump off.

The solutions to these problems I couldn't even dream about. To me, just getting into the start position was impossible. They must have done this 20 times each. As each guy demonstrated the problem, the other guy would bust on him like crazy saying what a pussy he was for designing such a pansy-ass problem and then waxing poetic the ease of solving it while he worked it out. They were hilarious... and it was constant. It is always an honor to be in the presence of people who do something so difficult so well. And have so much fun doing it.

**sassy69** · 01-30-2010, 06:24 PM

Originally Posted by John Romano

Truest me, the third act is a nail biter!

In a sick way I'm really enjoying the installment approach to the story. Its something I'm looking forward to every night!

You're a great storyteller John!

**robert da strongman** · 01-30-2010, 06:36 PM

Originally Posted by John Romano

Very sad. I lost touch with those guys. You telling me about Bachar was the first I heard. Here's a pice on him. They quoted Jonh Long:

http://www.climbing.com/news/hotflas...har_1957-2009/

Bachar's soloing was legendary. When he climbed with partners he was the favorite lead. When I climbed with Long and Bachar that day at Joshua, they took some time to goof around after lunch on a seriously undercut boulder. They were giving each other "problems" to work out. The roof of the undercut was about 5 feet off the ground. The face of the rock above the undercut was angled overhead by about 100 degrees, and continued for about another 10 feet, topping out on a buttress to the rock wall we had been climbing earlier. They would take turns hanging parallel to the ground from the outside edge of the undercut in the most Twister-esque tangle of arms and legs. This demonstrated the problem. Then he would get down and the challenger would replicate the hand and footholds demonstrated. From there he would "solve" the problem by executing a series of moves from that position across the undercut and up the overhanging face. Once both hands and feet were up on the face, the problem was solved and they'd jump off.

The solutions to these problems I couldn't even dream about. To me, just getting into the start position was impossible. They must have done this 20 times each. As each guy demonstrated the problem, the other guy would bust on him like crazy saying what a pussy he was for designing such a pansy-ass problem and then waxing poetic the ease of solving it while he worked it out. They were hilarious... and it was constant. It is always an honor to be in the presence of people who do something so difficult so well. And have so much fun doing it.

John...would you say that is something common with people that train/ compete together and respect each other within the sport?

**John Romano** · 01-30-2010, 07:30 PM

Originally Posted by sassy69

In a sick way I'm really enjoying the installment approach to the story. Its something I'm looking forward to every night!

You're a great storyteller John!

That's why kids love me!

**John Romano** · 01-30-2010, 07:35 PM

Originally Posted by robert da strongman

John...would you say that is something common with people that train/ compete together and respect each other within the sport?

I see it a lot in various pursuits. I never saw it as much as I saw it when John Long and I were hanging out regularly and he was introducing me to members of a a little group he was in called the Stone Masters. I don't know if it was because they were in a sport that was clearly death defying, or because to be good at it you were really an exceptional human, or maybe a little of both, but the elite level rock climbers I met were relentless in their chiding of each other.