Written by Bob Johnson, (Vertical Bob), WVG’s Vertical Chairman, OG’s vertical person
This year the Willamette Valley Grotto (WVG) decided to have a joint vertical practice with the Oregon Grotto (OG). We like to have a vertical practice in the winter time, because that time of year is when the bats hibernate and we needed something to do then. Since March 15 was the date we decided on, we needed a place to do the vertical practice that was indoors.
This year Tom Peterson negotiated a great location for the event. Thanks Tom for asking them! The location was in the Portland Bindery, 3342 NW 26th had 30 foot ceilings! John Wendland, the President of the company, allowed us to place eye bolts in the rafter and to use their lift to help us tie the ropes up.
Twenty-three people attended and signed the Waiver of Liability document. We collected $60 in donations and it was given to John Wendland, the President of the company, as a token of our thanks for allowing us to use his warehouse. He said that we were welcome to come back next year. Thanks John! The event lasted from 9:00 AM to 5 PM and then we packed it all away.
Below are some more of the pictures of the event. Thank you Tom for the use of all your pictures in this writing. All of us had a great time and we are looking forward to the next time we do this.
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| The warehouse had an upstairs with a loading area opening where I could demonstrate the way to rappel over a cliff. There are two different ways where the rope could tie off, one at a higher place and another one on the ground. Both of these I wanted to demonstrate how I do them. The first set of pictures is where I was showing my way of going over the edge. In the right picture I have my left hand on my lower bars and my right hand will soon be at my hip. |
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| In the next set of pictures I’m showing how to go over the edge when the rope is on the ground. Here I have tied off my rack and I will next swing over the edge (basically it’s a controlled fall.) |
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| This next picture is after the swing over. I had two demonstrations planned for the practice. The above one at 10 AM and a rebelay at 1 PM. I rigged the rebelay so that it could be made loose or it could be made tight. I showed both ways. The tight one was a lot harder to do, so don’t make those. Not shown. |
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| The idea, in this picture, was to climb up the left rope, switch to the rope that I’m on and then rappel to the floor on the right rope. After that, you do it in reverse. I only saw two try it. There were 10 ropes to the 30 foot ceiling and 2 ropes on the rappel wall for the climbers at this vertical practice. We had a long climb on a 300 foot rope and several ropes with knots to pass and one tyrolean traverse to struggle with. |
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| Photo by Tom Peterson |
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| Photo by Tom Peterson |
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| Photo by Tom Peterson |
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| Photo by Tom Peterson |
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| After the practice was over, I had a little fun swinging on the ropes. Photo by Tom Peterson |
