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Stupidest thing youve seen? 17-Dec-2003 At 4:07:25 PM ness

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The next few stories happened at Lindfield rocks in NSW.

This group of youngsters decided to top rope a route. Fair enough I say - hell, the areas essentially a high-ball bouldering/soloing area, so they didn't want a ground fall. Good on 'em. Except for the fact they set up an anchor to a tree root sticking out of the ground. A very flimsy tree root. That bent everytime the climber fell, which was often. The amazing thing is, the belayer wasnt cliped into the gri gri , he just had it clipped to the tree root. I asked them to please belay their friend, if he was their friend, and one of them replied "I am belaying him, and anyway, how hard do you climb?" It was intimated that I was a chick, probably of the dumb variety, and that I should go away. The guy then informed me that he knew what the deal was and "climbed extreme in the gym". So I said. Okay then, let Darwin do its thing. Then my hubby Mikl said Nooo I couldn't/shouldn't do that and asked them what size their boots were as if they fit him he'll let them continue. I think they respected an older male climber and sort of listened to him. I was, of course, mortally offended.

One member of the same group then began abseiling on a prussic knot. Only. Without a rap device. The guy was yanking the knot down and then letting himself be caught when the knot snagged (thankfully). He just kept on jerking the knot down over and over again. When this crazy prussic action started happening I just left them alone (I'd already been told..). Mikl had another chat with them and when I next saw them they were all safely on the ground and avoiding eye contact with Mikl. Dunno what he said....

Ness