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Removing bolts to create trad paradise 9-May-2007 At 1:59:18 PM RJC

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I'd be inclined to just leave it as it is, accept and embrace what's already been done, move on, and just agree on a future poilicy and actively maintain it. Hopefully. But with no governing body as such...what is the outcome of not playing by the rules?! This has to be clear. The number of people that will come online and argue this and that is one thing. The number of people that will do something or anything about it is another. We are fundamentally lazy and driven by peer pressure and don't seek out conflict! We just want to go climbing! Those that are not, and shout the loudest, generally get what they want. That's the way of the world. We shouldn't be getting all pompous and elitist about it, striking ascent records out etc. That is censorship. It's like you're holding up some shining torch to show us dumbf*cks the way. Do you think ethics are a new thing?! Integrity is nothing new. Ditto ignorance. We are all philosophers, just that many of us don't think about it...perhaps our kids will be contemplating the same with regard to one of your areas of development?! But it's pretty obvious that you've tried to be inflamatory.

I think Pembroke is a good example. Yes there is fixed gear - threads, pegs etc. but I think there is a subtle difference between this and bolts. It's like arguing the difference between right and wrong with a child. Clipping manky pegs is good for the soul! And if said fixed gear deteriorates then the route is climbed without it. And if said route is more dangerous then so be it. And if it doesn't get climbed because you are a pussy then so what? Get over it. And if the world looses a route - big deal. There are plenty of them out there already. I think it all comes down to asking ourselves why we actually climb in the first place? In the context of our arena, it's pretty obvious it's a transient and selfish activity - these rocks will still be here for a while, so lets just leave them as we find them, as best we can. Convenience chokes all the life out of us as it is.