Previously Unposted Circa 8/2009

A barefoot climber? While rock climbing this weekend I was taking a shade break and chasing my Meanie around when 2 guys dropped a rope and were chatting at the bottom of a small climb. They'd dropped the rope from above and it seemed they hadn't known what level climb they were about to attempt. It was a difficult one they'd chosen with some small feet and a long reach or two but it isn't an impossible climb. The first one to climb was rather loudly proclaiming the difficulty and exclaiming how it was much steeper than he'd thought. The climber was so convincing in regards to the impossible feat that he was about to attempt that his belayer asked if they should set up something else. Barefoot Dude then started expostulating to Belay Monkey that he could try it because he'd been training a lot. And apparently with his Ipod turned up too loudly because he couldn't seem to hear himself if he spoke in a normal volume.
Climber Dude starts stretching out and again resumes his full-volume monologue about the odyssey of awesomeness that he was about to complete. At this point I hadn't paid much attention as I was chasing my bored and determined toddler around but they were providing a semblance of distraction as I was waiting for my next turn on the wall. So Climber Dude ropes up and starts to climb the route. After a moment or two I peek over and notice that homeboy has started the climb with no shoes!
Wow, I am impressed. The bottom of the climb isn't a particularly easy start and he seems to have cleared it with ease. Again he starts talking about how hard this is and how he can't believe that he can do it. Well if I wasn't impressed before I am now. To climb a hard climb barefoot is one thing but to provide a running commentary on your accomplishment while doing so is quite another.