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FRB Archived Interview
Calvin Fidler
mid June, 2004

Age: 42 (Old)

Weight: 155 lbs.

Height: 5.10

FRB: Years bouldering on the Front Range?

Calvin: 13 with 5 years off in the middle. Why 5 years off? I started mountain biking a lot more, after 2˝ years off I started bouldering again, took a bad fall and broke my heel.

FRB: I've heard you're super sick on the Mountain Bike.
          What kind of mountain biking do you like to do and
          what's the worst crash you've taken while biking?

Calvin: I bike the way I climb, I love hard technical up hills. I always try to ride clean no touches, my goal is not A to B as fast as I can but from A to B and ride every thing. I also love high speed big hit down hills. I currently have two bike a cross country that has six inches of travel front and back and weighs 41 pounds and a down hill with 9 and 8 inches of travel that weighs 49.5 pounds! I ride it up before riding it down. The worst crash was on White ranch when they first put in the big erosion control burms on Belcher hill. I was going big off the berms then went to big! I started coming down front wheel first so I through my weight back and lost the bars while still in the air. Landed with my chest on the seat and my feel still clipped in, and still no bars or brakes. The bike flew off the trail with me attached. Thank god for body armor!

FRB: So... what's that tattoo on your arm all about?

Calvin: Exploding bicycle cranks, it represents the attitude you should do everything with go hard or go home!

FRB: What's the craziest thing you've seen on and
          off the rock while bouldering over the last 13 years?

Calvin: When Jade was working a problem at the Conifer cave, popped off and swung over your head and landed in a pile of rocks from about 15 feet up.

FRB: Where is your favorite place to boulder on
          the Front Range... why?

Calvin: Anyplace I haven't bouldered before! I love FA s. The development of the conifer cave was good fun and the trips to Rufus mountain I enjoyed a lot, especially the FA s on the wall you found (Hicky wall or Wizard wall). If I had to pick one it would be either Castle Wood or Horsetooth. Castle wood because of the verity and potential, Horsetooth because of the quality of problems. Castle Wood has every thing from the traditional Fount area to the horizontal climbing in berthed cave, with lots still to do. Best parts of bouldering is FA's, topouts and friends. Worst parts of bouldering chipping and bashing! I hate when climbers bash some ones else's assent of a problem! Especially if it's a FA or the second assent. In particular when Crag Lubben bashed Dave Twinam's second and third ascent of Meathook at Horsetooth. He said he used a local's beta and he didn't do it the same way Holloway did it. If the local Steve Mammen had done it first with the beta he wouldn't have bitched. Crag the problem stood unrepeated for 20+ years why didn't you do it your local, it's only V10 and OBTW he did it twice static no dino for the Meathook hold! Why not just say good send! Not the same beta as Holloway but good send! We are all out to have fun don't change the rating your V10 may be my V8 or my V12.

FRB: Shit. Who the hell is Dave Twinam? Is he some
          little high school tweaker from Boulder living the
          summers in RMNP?

Calvin: Dave is a Denver climber who was one of the strongest boulders I have ever seen. He was doing V11 when the hardest problem in the country was V12, and he had a full time job.

FRB: What is your best send... and what 5 problems would
          you recommend as must do along the Front Range?

Calvin: I have done 3 or 4 V10s but there not the best sends. I loved the top out on Maverick, Road Kill.
Best lines:
Suck it up (Still haven't finished).
Right Eliminator Aręte version, Moon Aręte
Halloways in Morrison, what an improbable looking line Tilt 5 Pound Bass.
Mr. wizard.

FRB: Any music you prefer to get you motivated to boulder?

Calvin: Rage against the machine Punk, Metal and oh yeah, Rage!

FRB: What's your favorite bar along the Front Range?

Calvin: Any one close to the climbing and has cold beer And if is a bar you can get in a fight all the better. Morrison Inn close to most Front Range climbing and riding.

FRB: Best place to eat meat?

Calvin: Sushi Den. My house after I kill something. Your barbecues.

FRB: Favorite indoor climbing gym ?

Calvin: Paradise Rock Gym for the people. Spot Gym for the features.

FRB: Word Association?

Calvin:
Beer - Always good better after you earn it.
Boulder - Aspen Co. Berkeley Ca.
Front Range - Every thing I like to do
Climbers - Different sport can no longer relate.
Eldo - Germ Free!
John Gill - Power!
Power - Never have enough
Hueco - Best road trips
Drugs - Outside of Adrenalin, beer and coffee, Stupid!
Morrison - Power, good time in the winter.
Downhill - Adrenalin rush
Old age - work harder at having fun!
Chalk - Mental preparation.
Tick Marks - OK, has anyone ever bitched about Gill arrows?
Chipping - Politicians, They don't have a problem sell out our futures either.
Insanity - Some times synonymous with bouldering.
Fight - Always good fun.

FRB: Anything you would like to add?

Calvin: For boulders how chip and mountain bikers that don't yield watch out for old guys some of them might kick your ass! Thanks Mike, Jade, Chris, Will, Amy, Bob, Rufus and Wayne for all the spots.

FRB: Thanks for the interview Calvin.

Calvin: You're welcome.

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