Warren Harding once claimed that Climbing is just another self centered, assholish thing to do. Buildering.net ran a poll to see if climbers agreed. Half did. The buildering.net host stated that indeed Warren had been right: In the end, I’m going to have to trust the opinion of the source here. Mr. Warren Harding was a climbing legend. He made this little remark with over 70 years of life experience behind him. I can’t picture someone looking back on their life and wishing they’d have climbed more. Plus, Warren was an asshole. So I’ve heard. Who better to comment on the activities of assholes? My favorite childhood retort comes to mind …oh yeah? Takes one to know one.

Don’t we feel great about ourselves now?

A few years ago, after climbing the route that made Warren Harding famous (the Nose on El Cap), I felt as though I was finally starting to get this climbing thing right. And then I learned about Warren’s quote and wondered about just how right I wanted to get this, and what right even means in the first place when it comes to being a climber? Was I striving to become the perfect asshole? Does climbing have to be just another form of narcissism? Aren’t there any good people out there that also climb? For me, the connection between being self-centred and climbing is not easily broken. That’s the bad news, I’m afraid.

The good news is that I’ve done the hard work. But I can’t do this thing on my own. Here’s an opportunity to use climbing for some purpose beyond what Warren was talking about. It’s happening between April 19 and 27, and goes from Whistler to Vancouver (via the Grand Wall on the Chief). http://www.skiandbikefordarfur.blogspot.com

True assholes need not apply. Looking forward to seeing the rest of your there.

So you want to be involved in an adventure race?  That’s cool.  So you want to be involved in an adventure race and think that by incorporating some worthy cause into your race, that it some how negates your selfish desire to be apart of that race? 

 Hmmmmm, questionable. 

If what you’re suggesting is legitimate, I’ll be sure to remember to use it the next time I chose to do something selfish.

For now on, the next time I’m late for dinner I’ll tell my wife I was late climbing so I could raise awareness for the protection of baby whales.

Or, I’ll explain to people that I’m driving my SUV to raise awareness against illiteracy in our native communities.

Or when I go ski boating with my buddies, we’ll explain that we’re doing to raise awareness for the protection of endangered species.

The best part is we get to feel better about our selves, and “raising awareness” is free. But what do I know, I’m an asshole.

With regards to the critical mass, the devil is in the details. Leg 9, the final leg of our adventure relay, goes from Deep Cove to downtown Vancouver on cycle. And hopefully we will have a good showing. But our intent is by no means to interfere with traffic. Cyclists on our relay will be instructed to abide by the law, which means no corking, and sidewalks on the Lions Gate and Stanley Park causeway. Whether our cycle still qualifies as a critical mass, I’m not sure. Either way, it will be entirely legal. And if individuals show up that choose to cork, they may be met and dealt with directly by police. Sorry if the wrong message came across.

I feel no need to respond to the embarrassing comments of josh phelps. I’m confident that Gripped readership is sufficiently embarrassed on his behalf. My embarrassment stems from the fact that I identify (to some degree) with the climbing community, and to hear such twisted, callous nonsense come from within my community causes me sadness and disappointment. We, the climbing community, are best to not be distracted by such garble, and remain focused on a compassionate reality.

I will respond to the sensible challenge of Aaron, however. First, a minor clarification. The Outdoor Adventure Relay is a community-wide, cooperative, non-competitive event, not a race. Just a clarification. Aaron raises a good point about how we can justify just about anything under the banner of heaven (so to speak) to a self-serving end. That’s absolutely possible, I agree. Aaron, your point is well-taken. Integrity must remain the true litmus test here.

Let’s put it this way. I am dedicating 3 months of my life to the organization of this event. Why? First off, I will likely not go on any part of it: I will be on the outside, organizing people, media, tents, food, permits, rentals, speakers. Second, this relay is insignificant in the sense that it covers known, traveled, and moderate terrain. For those that know my track record, I have over a dozen big first ascents to my credit, including on peaks like Mt. Logan, Siula Grande, and Trango II. The purpose of the Outdoor Adventure Relay is not for me to get another tick, it’s to draw a connection for voters, consumers, and politicians—how our everyday habits represent complicity to severe human rights violations in Darfur. The point of linking these 9 legs is not to simply do something outside and claim that it’s for some higher purpose. The point is to have our own mini-Olympics, to draw the connection between our Olympics in 2010 to the Summer Olympics in Beijing and in turn the connection between China and its support of genocide in Sudan. The 9-day relay lead-up will (hopefully) cause the media to finally bat an eye to Darfur, and get its head out the toilet of Britney Spears. The media will hopefully be at the rally downtown Vancouver on April 27th to hear about how Canada promised plenty and delivered little to Darfur. They will also hear about how what ultimately is preventing countries like our own from mobilizing itself to take action are not a lack of good judgment, but an overwhelming amount of distractions with insignificant concerns in the greater scheme of things.

frimer
yay, I get to be the asshole!

but you know, i do suppose it could be noble what you’re doing here.
i’m not a big fan of focus groups though. who’s to say one’s better than the other. and by rationalizing everything focus groups typically come up with the wrong decision. (but that’s my own little rant.)
what might help your cause is perhaps letting someone else do the recruitment though…someone who’s ego isn’t quite so big. (Hey, look at me I’m dedicating 3 months of my life to this!)

but closer to home, meaning this thread, do not try to nab our attention with your well-versed Harding discourse then pull the old bait and switch on us.
That happened to me with another guy…turned out to be Amway.

AND do not tell us, as per your first post that our adventure activities are selfish, that we should participate in your race in order to (basically) shorten our time in pergatory
….then…THEN… promptly turn around and proudly boast of your accomplishments on Logan, Trango and your dozens of big first ascents.

perhaps having my head in Britney spears toilet isn’t the problem here….

i am starting to believe this is possibly another tick for you. and if you read my post properly and ignored my twisted sense of humor you would see that i did basically say the same thing as aaron.