The last in our series of conversations recorded in Lander, Wyoming this summer, with Kris Hampton of Power Company Climbing. Kris is our first repeat guest, and we discuss climbing friendships, the Olympics, hip-hop and much more.
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I just listened to the truly enjoyable and engaging episode with Kris Hampton. I used to listen to his Power Company podcast a lot a few years back and I’m realizing how much I miss his voice: he has a genuine wisdom, wit, and realness about him. Plus he has a great voice for audio.
One segment struck a chord: you all were talking about the romanticized storytelling of the Stonemasters and figures of that era. I’m adjacent to but not part of that world, though one of my good friends is a Stonemaster (he was at first humble about this and John Long confirmed that he absolutely is one). And here’s what struck me about your conversation… John Long is indeed a great story teller. What I’ve always admired about him is that he describes himself as a “writer who happens to climb.” John also introduced me to one of my all-time favourite bon mots: “Never let the truth get in the way of a good story.” And considering that, your conversation with Kris makes all the more sense.
I’ve been peripherally—mostly a fly on the wall—close enough to the lives of these guys (and they are pretty much all guys) to see beyond the well crafted and engaging stories. Just like all of us, there are also complex stories of challenges along with hardship, along with the larger than life triumphs. Sometimes the triumphs are the rare shining episodes along otherwise dusty, rutted roads. And there are more than a few characters in this world who seem to only desire to experience dusty and rutted roads.
So, I agree… we do need these stories. Especially for the latter generations. These are the kinds of stories that can help each of us figure out what it means to be a human, why we are here, and what we’re going to do during out limited yet miraculous existence. I’m not talking about stories crafted by marketing teams to “enhance and grow” a brand. Just stories for the sake of telling them, with no primary financial motive underpinning them. Yes, we need to pay the bills, but in the end, if we end up using what we love to simply “be” as a means for “doing” our work, then something is lost. The Climbing Zine is honouring that tradition and I’m really glad you are out there scrimping and scrapping to make it keep on happening. Thanks for being your to your own self.
See you down the road…