The WCE's Hui Shan North-Face expedition plans that were
proclaimed recently by Gorzo the Mighty, have of course been
deferred until such time as the unfinished-business in Manitoba
has been finalised.
However, preparations for the daring ascent have begun, with the appointment
of Bill "Boots" McGrundy to act as pre-preparation climbing co-ordinator.
A long-time WCE resident, Bill is a gritty, nuggety New Zealander, with
a lengthy record of mountaineering credentials behind him.
He is an alumni of the renowned Sir Edmund Hillary College of
Climbing-Up and Falling-Down.
In a quiet leafy lane behind his New District apartment, "Boots"
has been collecting vast quantities of white styrofoam. "You know", he said,
"that padding-stuff they put inside new TV cartons, and such-like".
In the laneway, Boots has built an exact, 1/8-scale mock-up of
Hui Shan, and is using it to test the crampons, ice-picks, ropes, and all the other
equipment that will be needed for the real Hui Shan ascent.
Boots also said that he'd heard rumours of the possible re-naming of the
forbidding peak. "These are just unofficial rumours that've been
doing the rounds down in the 1912 Bar District though", he hastened to add.
"Some people have claimed that the first person to sucessfully attain the summit,
at the old Longguan Pagoda, will be given the honorific-prerogative of
re-naming the mountain, either after themselves, or anyone, or thing, of their choosing".
"Boots" paused reflectively, then said "who-knows, the WCE might possibly
have a 'Mount Poop', or a 'Mount Harry Belafonte', although speaking
for myself, I think the name 'Mount Cherry Soda' has a certain majestic grandeur about it, don't you think?".
Bill reiterated that any re-naming possibilities were merely the subject of
rumour and gossip at this stage, and that the WCE would have to wait until the
Leaders and administrators return from Canada.
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