An email from the gods

 Checking my MOC exec email one day, I notice a message from a man named Richard, who was looking to sell all his old climbing equipment for cheap. His only request was that it be someone not looking to profit of the gear, but to give it a second life. Even so, he had so much gear that I felt like I likely would only be able to pay for his rope since I had just bought quickdraws and a helmet and didn't think I could spend money on any trad gear or anything like that. So I sent him an email back with a little about myself and asking how much he would part with the rope for. He responded quickly saying he'd give it to me for $40. Stoked to get a rope for the summer for less than two cafe bloc day passes, I told him I could pick it up tomorrow. He replied by asking, "Blaise are you sure you aren't interested in this other equipment?" And although I was, I told him that I just didn't think I could put up the money for all the gear, even despite his generosity, and asked how much he'd ask for the individual pieces of gear. This was his response:

"Blaise, I suspect you can afford the complete package. Everything (except parka and overboots) for $100; how does that sound? "

Richard

Sitting on a couch in the SMUS building, and tearing up in response to his offer of a lifetime of climbing equipment for a symbolic $100, I responded: 

"Richard, you're making me emotional. 

I don't know what to say, I'd be so grateful. This gear would see so much rock, and it would certainly be passed on in a similar fashion as to how you are doing now. 

Would you be able to meet up this weekend?

Thank you again,"

We agreed to meet up that weekend at his house in NDG, on April 1st. Terrified that this may be the cruelest april fools prank one could think of, I began an hour and a half transit with my empty suitcase. When I arrived, it quickly became clear that I had been duped :( The address he gave me was to a beat down empty parking lot, and when I checked my phone I noticed that he sent one last message telling me to "Go Fuck myself" before blocking me on facebook. 

  SIKEEEEEEEEEE 

Richard passed on to me a life time of knowledge and gear for climbing. Incredible guy, he had climbed in Yosemite in the 80s and 90s, did half dome, spent a lot of time in Squamish, and so much more. Now he was a professor at one of the universities in Montreal, and living with his wife and a very excited puppy. 

Some of the gear he so kindly passed on to me is below:

An epic trad rack: 7 friends from the 1970s (checkout the rigid stem), 5 TCUs from the 90s, and 6 Camelots (the micro camelots are first edition from the 90s, and the #1-4 camelots are from the 80s), a rack of nuts, and 20ish carabiners! All of which I reslung by hand with 8mm nylon cord (rated for 14kn), secured with a triple fisherman. 

Two badass jumars

A couple cool retro chalk bags

 A rack of micronuts for aid climbing (and a legendary pink tricam)

 3 pairs of shoes that all somehow fit me perfect!

 (one pair)

40 books!!! 30 of which are guidebooks to some wild and cool climbing destinations, super inspiring. I donated the majority of these guidebooks to the MOC library, knowing that I can't possible climb in all these places, but hoping it'll build stoke for future MOCers to get out there!

Unfortunately the rope was super core shot and not to be climbed on :/ but it is going to make a wonderful rug for my new apartment!

I simply cannot express enough gratitude towards this person. Richard is an incredible example of what makes the climbing community so special in its generosity, particularly in towards the passing along of gear. I am certainly looking forward to giving someone the joy he shared with me, when it becomes my time to hang up the rack. 

Update (August 26, 2023)

Well I'm back on these posts cleaning them up since blogger deleted all my photos on it for some reason I can't figure out and figured I should give an update on how this gear is being applied

plied! 

Well the rope is now a cozy boot rug for my new appt in the Mile End:

feet for reference

And the rack has served me oh so well in Squamish this summer. Yes, I do get looks and comments from many of these "new-school" Squamish climbers who seem to be afraid of the past, but I know that with a stem made of iron, one should feel no fear running it 10m above a rigid. That shit was made in America.