On one of my first days in The Valley I remember climbing "Reeds' Pinnacle Direct" with Mark - a classic 5.10a hand and fist crack - and thinking I had arrived. However, looking down from the belay I saw Bachar and Kauk free soloing the route, which sort of put things in a different perspective. After some chit-chat, I mentioned they could use our rappel rope, and my mind was blown with, "thanks, but no need, this is way too casual." (Of course, there were other historical badasses in the 1970-80s; certainly Hot" Henry Barber was one of them, as he proceeded to blow peoples doors off in Yosemite, as well as the Gunks, North Conway, Britain, and Australia.)
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