I've known Bob for years and years, and a close look at our past accomplishments will tell you something about how prepared to climb Mt. Rainier we are:
-We worked as a team in the late 1980's to create the wondrous Sputnik-like party treat known far and wide as "Cantelope-and-Carrots."
-Celebrated Bob's 30th birthday by flinging ourselves into a Canadian abyss with nothing but a stretchy cord wrapped around our ankles.
-Worked as part of a small team in the mid 1990's to curate what was then known as the Thursday Evening Drinking Club at Seattle's Virginia Inn. Wrote A.E. Housman poems on the bathroom wall (c.f. "Terrence this is Stupid Stuff").
-Successfully summited Vermont's Bald Hill (vertical rise approximately 200 feet), Summer 2003, despite occasional clouds of black flies, exposed roots and stones on the climbing route, small children in tow, and fierce summit winds of 5 to 10 MPH.
Known for his joviality (except when he's hungry) and perseverance, when Bob was shown an image of the Mt. Rainier climbing route, he said:
"HOLY F%&*, IT’S STRAIGHT G*& D^%$ UP!"
When confronted with the list of possible things to pack for the climb, this paragon of fortitude responded:
"There it is - the poop bags - my biggest concern, having to take a dump at 14,000 feet."
I mean, never mind the fierce and unpredictable weather, or the hidden crevasses, or the altitude sickness, or the fact that people, you know, occasionally die on Mount Rainier (sorry Michele and Lauren). Bob has other worries.
"…it’s just that you get up before dawn, start hiking up this huge ice cube, then it’s six-ish and well, time to go. . . ."
Recently, about training for the climb, he was more succinct:
"My legs hurt."
All in all, he'll be a reliable counterweight comrade to have on the line when I fall into that bottomless crevasse. Thanks for doing this Bob!
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