No, I'm not sure. What I am sure of, is I wore them in 84 as a Ropes Course Director in the Gunks. How and when I picked them up, I don't remember. I just assumed they were 83's because I had them before I got to the ropes course and got my Patagonia at the sports store next to the cookie store, about 15 miles away from Site, and I know I got the Patagonia in July of 84, when I first went on Staff.
But if there wasn't an 83 model, then - *shrugs* - it must have been the 84. I got it on the West Coast somehow, I think when I was riding my motercycle (an old Honda 175) up from Tucson to San Francisco, to Santa Rosa, to try and get hired at the west coast Site of the ropes course people. Which they eventually did. And promptly shipped me to the east coast around July 1.
But how and when I picked up the Oakleys... I have no idea, just that I had them when I showed up to the east coast ropes course.
Jesse Wendel
Seattle
Modified to add:
The interesting thing is, since I was a kid, I've always known, way before it was hip or cool, what the genuinely best stuff was. To wit:
I had:
An Osborne 1 computer.
An original Compaq Portable.
Oakleys, before people knew who they were.
Patagonia, before anyone except climbers were wearing them.
Same for my Black Diamond climbing harness
The original Norton Utilities.
The original MACE Utilities
I confess, I missed the boat on the original Macs. Stupid, stupid me.
I was a paramedic and a flight medic. Spent close to 10 years in big-city inner-city neighboorhoods. Spotting the best medical gear to come - Lifepacks for example, or which helicopters or hoists are better than others - puts lives on the line.
And more, much more.
I'm not especially cool or hip myself. *laughs* But I am able to select quality stuff, in the areas it matters to me.
Coming up next... The RED camera.
Here's a big hint on how my thinking goes about leading edge products. I bet on people who "take care of people" and who understand design, not just on stuff.
Lots of people can come up with stuff. Very few people understand design, and almost no one not only understands design, but is also passionate about taking care of people. When you find one such person, buy their product...
What makes RED stand out is, Jim and the RED team is committed to making a camera that takes care of the concerns of shooters. Period. Once you get that, you get why they're able to leap several generations at once. *smiles*
later...
Last edited:
