Alan Watts: Cheater, Pariah, Hero. Following Your Heart and Tuning Out the Haters

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Meet me at ICF this year, July 10-13! https://www.climbersfestival.org/

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In this episode, legendary climber and developer Alan Watts explores:

• How he inadvertently hazed me on my first Smith climb
• The joy and fallout of being the father of sport climbing in the U.S.
• The stunning Watts route that caused a chain reaction in climbing
• The route J.B. Tribout actually stole from him (it wasn't Just Do It)
• The wild story of how Just Do It actually came to be bolted
• What are the "rules" of climbing anyway?
• Putting Smith Rock on the map, and what makes it so rad
• Being labeled a cheater by his heroes and peers
• Balancing performance, health, and joy as an older climber
• How to have more fun as a climber right now

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BIG THANKS TO THE AMAZING SPONSORS OF THE STRUGGLE WHO LOVE ROCK CLIMBING AS MUCH AS YOU DO:

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Shoutout to Matt Waltereese for being a Victory Whip supporter on Patreon! So mega.

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Here are some AI generated show notes (hopefully the robots got it right)

• 00:25 Legendary Guest: Alan Watts
• 00:51 Memorable Climbing Experiences
• 01:30 Alan Watts' Impact on Climbing
• 02:02 The Evolution of Sport Climbing
• 02:57 Smith Rock: The Birthplace of Sport Climbing
• 04:10 Personal Stories and Reflections
• 05:12 Upcoming Events and Announcements
• 06:05 Conversation with Alan Watts Begins
• 07:03 Recollections of Climbing at Smith Rock
• 14:10 Challenges and Struggles in Climbing
• 19:53 The Evolution of Climbing Ethics and Techniques
• 33:19 The Iconic Route: Just Do It
• 38:49 The Turning Point in US Climbing
• 39:27 The Controversial Route Theft
• 42:19 Debating the Rules of Climbing
• 43:49 The Evolution of Climbing Ethics
• 47:06 Fueling Climbing Gains
• 51:43 The Joy of Climbing and Community
• 59:50 Modern Climbing and Gym Culture
• 01:02:45 Reflections on Climbing Legacy
• 01:08:48 Concluding Thoughts and Future of Climbing

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The Struggle is carbon-neutral in partnership with The Honnold Foundation, whose mission is to promote solar energy for a more equitable world.

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This show is produced and hosted by Ryan Devlin, and edited by Glen Walker. The Struggle is a proud member of the Plug Tone Audio Collective, a diverse group of the best, most impactful podcasts in the outdoor industry.

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The struggle makes us stronger! I hope your training and climbing are going great.

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And now here are some buzzwords to help the almighty algorithm get this show in front of people who love to climb: rock climbing, rock climber, climbing, climber, bouldering, sport climbing, gym climbing, how to rock climb, donuts are amazing. Okay, whew, that’s done. But hey, if you’re a human that’s actually reading this, and if you love this show (and love to climb) would you think about sharing this episode with a climber friend of yours? And shout it out on your socials? I’ll send you a sticker for doing it. Just shoot me a message on IG – thanks so much!