Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The magazine was Bernard Newman's first in his long career as an editor, and
running the Leeds journal seemed to become a pre-requisite for a job at Mountain
magazine. I followed Bernard's first spell at Mountain for eight months in 1975.
The following year, Bernard and I collaborated on a sequel. This time it was more
ambitious, with a colour cover and some rather risqué articles and photos that in-
evitably got us into trouble. It turned out to be hugely popular with the UK climb-
ing fraternity with contributions from a by now extended LUCC that included the
likes of Jim Perrin and Rick Sylvester. Publishing even at the highest standards
can be fraught with unexpected disasters. In hindsight, ours was all too predict-
able.
We finally got the journal to print only days before heading out to the Alps, far
too late to organise distribution and invoicing. This would have to wait until the
following term. We left the journals piled in their boxes in our digs with strict in-
structions to leave them there until our return in the autumn. But the temptation
was too great for some conniving club members who stayed behind to climb in Bri-
tain. They loaded their vans with journals for excursions to Scotland, Wales and
Cornwall. Most of the stock - around 2,000 copies - was sold in climbing shops
and other outlets. The proceeds were rapidly pissed away into the tills of various
hostelries around the country or used to finance gear. Bernard and I returned from
the Alps to find a large printer's bill waiting and no magazines to sell to pay it.
As treasurer that year, Alex bore the brunt of criticism. The most telling shot
came from the main culprit, who suggested Alex had been 'unable to fiddle the
books competently'. The club was now not only in serious debt, it was also in
danger of losing its status on the university's list of recognised organisations with
the dire consequence of no further grants or the right to run 'fresher' days to sign
up new members. Alex would have to explain what he intended to do at the annual
club dinner, held that year at the Rose and Crown Hotel in Bainbridge, one on a
long list of hostelries that would eventually ban us.
Leeds dinners were rowdy events even by our standards. By the time the various
club officials were called to give their 'official reports', Alex had consumed more al-
cohol than normal. When Bernard, as club president, called for the treasurer to
speak, Alex staggered to his feet at the top table and pronounced: 'Sa finanshul
hituation issht bad. In fact issht very bad. No, issht wurst. Issht booggared.'
Pausing for a moment, Alex managed to focus long enough to spot me sitting
near the end of the main table. 'And sa reashun it issht booggared isht because of
shhat bashtard saht there,' he shouted, pointing at me.
Alex then grabbed his table knife in one hand and staggered towards me. Sup-
porting himself with his other hand on the table, he began spilling people's drinks
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