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The Brotherhood Of the Traveling Stopper...

Travis Dustin · · Mexico Maine · Joined Jan 2012 · Points: 1,665

Where is the TS!!! It needs to come out to NH!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tony B · · Around Boulder, CO · Joined Jan 2001 · Points: 24,665
rogerbenton wrote:FYI- The stopper was sent out a week and a half ago, according to the tracking Peteoria got it last Wednesday 6/19.
LAME...
Throw Peteoria in the flames of Mordor if there is not a post within the week!
rogerbenton · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Sep 2011 · Points: 210

Holy shucks I actually forgot about this.
Pass that thing!

Johnny Y · · California · Joined Nov 2012 · Points: 1,383

This is a really cool idea! Can't believe I only found out about this today. But considering the consistent display of lameness it doesn't seem like I missed much. However for those who actually lived up to the monumental task - the TRs were awesome, and it restored a bit of faith in the brotherhood. But for f-sake it's been almost a year and this Peteoria dude has been climbing all over but where is the stopper? I would love to bring it deep into the High Sierra this summer but don't have concrete plans yet, so I am going to ask when I do. Hopefully by then it will be freed from Peteoria's manpurse.

Tony B · · Around Boulder, CO · Joined Jan 2001 · Points: 24,665
rogerbenton wrote:Holy shucks I actually forgot about this. Pass that thing!
It seems he has deleted his posts asking for it. Contact him and ask him to put it in circulation, if you will.
I will be climbing again in June, in far away places, and claim advance dibs on that. I want my one ring back for that- it was precious to me.
Joseffa and I will post up from Norway's Fjords in July when I return.
Tim Stich · · Colorado Springs, Colorado · Joined Jan 2001 · Points: 1,520

I guess you'll just have to start a new stopper line, Tony. The old one has ended with the death of the king in an ambush. That one is lost.

JasonP · · Clemson, SC · Joined Oct 2013 · Points: 30
rogerbenton wrote:FYI- The stopper was sent out a week and a half ago, according to the tracking Peteoria got it last Wednesday 6/19.
Post up his home address so someone can pay him a visit.
Eliot Augusto · · Lafayette, CO · Joined Dec 2013 · Points: 60

Awww man. I want to use it now. Just found out about this thread, which before today was posted before I started climbing. Great idea.

Mike · · Phoenix · Joined May 2006 · Points: 2,615
Tony B wrote: ...Throw Peteoria in the flames of Mordor if there is not a post within the week!
Well he just posted in THIS THREAD a moment ago, so he is still active here.
Peteoria Holben · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2010 · Points: 60

OOOOWIEEE!

One of the most obvious aspects of obscure routes is that they don't get done every day! My apologies for making ya'll wait.

The forums are like a wave, they come and go. When one isn't living life to the fullest, its the MP forums that heal, stroking the ego via fake internet friends. Or in my case fake internet enemies since I've held the stopper hostage for so long!

Way back when I got this stopper, I was studying for my CPA exams and needless to say I was all over MP. I saw a trip report & immediately hopped on this great form of encouragement to explore my own backyard. I was psyched! And then I passed and was even more psyched! I was so psyched I bought a van and headed to the west coast. My couch-surfing stopper cruised along with me through Utah, Tahquitz, J Tree, the Valley, and Tahoe. Unfortunately it asked the paparazzi to withhold taking photos and no TR came about. I was busy writing a TR about my 6 day bike ride from San Fran to Los Angeles. Then winter was coming so I left for warmer temps. Yangshuo & Getu Valley China, Tonsai & Laoliang Thailand all offered great sport climbing and the stopper sat in a very obscure box for a while. When I came back, winter was still here so I cruised over to Ouray where I did lots of ice climbing and sport tooling. The thin cracks of Bird Brain Boulevard would have offered excellent stopper placements, but per the rules classics are out!

So here I am back in the CO front range looking for obscurity. Aid climbing immediately came to mind. The stopper likely hasn't seen any weight put on it in a while! That'd be obscure. As I was pondering climbing at Dude's ranch for fun, I remember an obscure spire off in the distance. Lazy Squaw Spire, this is it!

March 6, 2014: Lazy Squaw Spire - SQUAWK!

As I started to get harassed by my close-knit, loving community of internet climbers, the pressure was building to finish what I had started. High winds and cold temps greet me in the morning. Alex and I head out to Golden Gate Canyon State Park. We find the spire, find some legal parking & start walking in.

Poof! My leg postholes just as we are beginning the approach. Hmm, should I be wearing snow pants? Boots? Flotation? I live in my van & have the gear to be comfortable, but was it really necessary to turn back already? Nope.

The approach took about 45 minutes with snow ranging from ankle deep to mid thigh high. I should have whipped the skis and skins out, or at least some snowshoes! We get to the spire and walk around it. Winds are tremendous and we're wet from the lack of snow gear. Good ol' obscure adventure!

I rope up and start climbing, stopping to place my first bit of gear. I test a .5 & BOOM! The rock it was camming explodes, suggesting I find a different placement. A few more moves & I've found some nice temporary housing for the stopper! Finally!!! It's a perfect thin crack with solid rock on both sides. Lovely!

The climb had a huge alpine feel to it. Raging winds prevented communication. The snowy approach helped us earn the summit. My lack of long underwear brought about that cold that can only be experienced in alpine like settings. Special memories of having to down climb and remove a cam since my friend couldn't feel his fingers nor pull on the trigger.

After sending, it was still early and we were eager to keep climbing. We went to Eldo and did Hair City, the Bastille, the Wind Tower x2, and Cob Rock in Boulder Canyon to wrap up this episode of the brotherhood of the traveling stopper.

Who's next!?

Me leading Squawk! Look close and see the stopper on my harness;)

Alive & well!

A cold Alex wondering if his nuts are smaller than BOTS!

Mike · · Phoenix · Joined May 2006 · Points: 2,615
Peteoria wrote: ... Who's next!?
I'll take it, and will post up in a timely fashion, unless Tony wants to call dibs for the big trip.
Tony B · · Around Boulder, CO · Joined Jan 2001 · Points: 24,665
Mike wrote: I'll take it, and will post up in a timely fashion, unless Tony wants to call dibs for the big trip.
Glad it was revived and served the purpose of getting someone out for something new and different.
I'll pass, but take an advance dibs on the thing in Late June/early July for it's homecoming.
Peteoria Holben · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2010 · Points: 60
Mike wrote: I'll take it
PM'd
Mike-R · · springfield, Mo · Joined Dec 2011 · Points: 45

How can i become apart of the brotherhood?

Ryan Kempf · · Boulder, CO · Joined Jul 2011 · Points: 371

easy.... get in line.

ChefMattThaner · · Lakewood, co · Joined May 2013 · Points: 246

I will take pre-advanced dips on the stopper for after Tony B's early summer trip.

Forthright · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Oct 2011 · Points: 110

I never even got it, then almost got blamed for keeping it...

Ryan Kempf · · Boulder, CO · Joined Jul 2011 · Points: 371

Peteoria, have you sent the stopper to Mike yet? This thing needs to keep moving. And as far as advance dibs, I think Tony is the only one with that privilege.

Chef rule #4 dude

Rules man...Rules

Mike · · Phoenix · Joined May 2006 · Points: 2,615
Ryan Kempf wrote:Peteoria, have you sent the stopper to Mike yet? This thing needs to keep moving. And as far as advance dibs, I think Tony is the only one with that privilege. Chef rule #4 dude
I received it a few days ago & wil be climbing with it today.
Tony B · · Around Boulder, CO · Joined Jan 2001 · Points: 24,665
Ryan Kempf wrote: ...as far as advance dibs, I think Tony is the only one with that privilege.
Yeah, and only on the account of the fact that it is my stopper.
Thing needs to show some life around here and after 2.5 years has seen, what???
2 trips per year?
I'm beginning to think this here aging cripple (2.25 more months PT before climbing again) needs to show the site how to have an adventure.
So meanwhile - climb, place it, post it, the post-mark it!
Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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