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John Calvin Morris, Architect : The Redneck Sophisticate c.1988
JCM — aka John Calvin Morris — was a true genius. He was called, lovingly, the “Redneck Sophisticate.” I first met Mr. Morris in the fall of 1987, when I was just 17 years old. I had run away from home and moved to Blairsville, Georgia. It was my dream to become an architect, a…
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I’m Back!! Where I’ve Been, & Where I’m Going.
Greetings, Fellow Humans! There are three reasons for this post: to come clean with you about my criminal past, to announce the publication of my memoir and podcast, and to set the stage for what comes next. “Rumours of my death have been greatly exaggerated.” — Mark Twain PART 1: CRIME & PUNISHMENT Let’s start…
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Why do we Climb Mountains? Part 2
This is my attempt to articulate my personal reasons that answer the question: “Why do we climb mountains?” I forewarn you: I am a total master of rationalization — finding possibly logical (and sometimes magical) reasons to develop passionate motivation to do the things that I really want to do, but that might be seen…
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The Myth of Gear: Its not the Weapon, its the Warrior
a meditation on the Myth of Gear in modern climbing culture: over-reliance on equipment (especially by novice climbers) in the twin worlds of mountaineering & rock-climbing. You might have heard of the debate on big mountains about “expedition-style” vs. “alpine-style” ascents. In short, the first is how they did it in the olden days —…
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Why do We Risk Our Lives to Climb Mountains?
My recent adventures on the slopes of Mount Whitney (see 1 the initial summit & 2 the redemption mission), and the dancing with death that were a result of both, has me deeply thinking about the why of mountaineering. And not just for me — for Alex Honnold, for Scott Fischer — for anyone who chooses…
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Redemption: Whitney Gear Retrieval Mission : Doing it Right
I returned home from my Whitney Adventure in a state of almost total and complete shock. I had lost five pounds in 48 hours; I’d also lost my phone, and abandoned all my gear — my entire base camp setup — at 11,000 feet. I knew I had to get back — and soon —…
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Mount Whitney Mountaineers Route is Very Real. Adventure. (Winter 2024)
“There’s a razors edge . . . . between genius and madness. That’s a sharp, . . . . hard edge to ride.” — Barry Blanchard — top high-risk Alpinist This is a story about one human summiting and descending one mountain. In this case, the human is me. I am an acrobat, athlete, amateur…