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Just finished reading Full of Myself. I stopped climbing regularly a few years back and it's inspired me to get back into it. He manages to capture the experience of climbing like no one else I've ever read.
However, I imagine it would be a tough read for anyone who a) isn't a climber and b) doesn't already know a fair amount about him and the climbing scene in the 80s.
There's a lot of his unique bonkersness in there. Marvellous.
may have to look at that..i've also not climbed in years.
he was/is? bonkers..
I'll put it on the to buy list. Never been a proper climber, but I love his way of describing things and general nuttyness.
Saw this last week, which was the first I knew about the book.
Thanks for tip. DIdn't even know he'd written a book. He was one of my heroes in my climbing days. I still have a copy of the Stone Monkey video somewhere. I might have to dust off the VCR in the attic.
I haven't yet but will do. I lived opposite The Dawes in S7 for several years and knew him well at the time. I can't think of anyone else who is so consistently bonkers!
Yep, I've been re watching vids of him climbing. The way he moves is unique - and he makes the impossible look easy.
There's tales about Peaty's brother in there too.
I'd like to get a digital copy of Stone Monkey, last time I looked there wasn't even a torrent for it 🙁
You can get it from his site
Best Forgotten Art is a good watch too.
Read it a while back. It took me back to Wales in the '80's. Bloody scary driver!
Cheers Cheezpleez for the heads-up. I'll have to get a copy.
Haven't climbed since 2004. 🙁
like the look of him.....gone try and get a copy of the book to read.
reminds me of living with some climbers in Bristol back in the 90s - all their banter about being "in bulk" and "dynos" etc.
oddness
i tried climbing but my legs were too heavy and it hurt my fingers
Good book.
Some friends of my stepdaughter met him at Stanage a while ago.
They didn't recognise him until he opened his kitbag and tried to flog them a few copies.
😀
Favourite Dawes moment: walking back from Burbage South and him asking if there 'were any climbs over the moors there'. We had quite a chat, neither falling out of 'helpful climber' and 'enthusiastic newbie' character. Bonkers.
I really enjoyed it; I liked his use of language and the way he's not shy about admitting he was a wee bit arrogant when he was younger.
I was also the owner of the red bobble hat he borrowed (softcore helmet!)to climb "Cure for a sick mind" (I was getting repeatedly spat off the crux of "Cystitis by proxy" that day and decided I never wanted to climb on slate ever again!)...fame at last!
I leant my lesson. I only tried C by P once then buggered off up the Pass.
He pulled a lamp off the wall of the bar of the Royal Vic Hotel in Llanberis, then blamed one of my housemates. Top man!
The footage of him on The Quarryman was totally inspiring for a fellow shortarse climber.
Many years later I still have toe caluses from my five ten slipons. My 5.10 shoes these days are much more comfie. The bike ones 🙂
The route he climbs one-handed in that video ^ - "Downhill Racer"? Froggat?
E4?
I actually wore out my VHS copy of Stone Monkey - truly inspirational stuff.
The moment in the book where JD is camping with Moffat + Moon at Boux and helps the two german lassies put up their tent etc: This is pure sublime comedy; haven't laughed so much in ages. 😀
I had a chat with him on his book tour. I also had a few chats with him in Pete's Eats when I had a summer climbing In North Wales. Top bloke. He is much more convincing in the flesh...
I read his book last year, it's a great read and quite an inspiring story. A true genius on the rock and an bit crazy and eccentric off it.
Buy it and read it, he is a unique individual whose outlook on life is way off normal and it's what makes him so interesting.
He called into my room at university and said 'Can I borrow this shirt?'
That was in 1984.
Yup, still waiting for it back...
I met him in a quarry last night and he managed to sell me a copy. A very entrepreneurial young man.