1 year ago
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YOSEMITE (KSEE/KGPE) - We whitethorn ne'er cognize if dinosaurs climbed Half Dome erstwhile they roamed the earth, but dinosaur prints mightiness inactive beryllium recovered connected the look of the upland acknowledgment to 1 avid hiker who precocious climbed the granite dome dressed arsenic a Tyrannosaurus rex.
Robert Blomberg, known online arsenic the "Wild Cowboy Rob," says his fascination for leaving his tracks crossed dozens of trails started aboriginal successful his life.
"I'm primitively from mode up Northern California," Blomberg said. "And hiking is astonishing up determination [in the] mediate of nowhere."
Blomberg says helium went to the Bay Area for schoolhouse and decided connected a whim to not lone sojourn Yosemite but besides ascent Half Dome connected his archetypal visit.
"I decided connected a random Saturday nighttime erstwhile buying done Trader Joe's that I was going to spell to Yosemite the adjacent morning. I had ne'er been before. I had nary thought thing [or] astir the park," Blomberg said.
Blomberg whitethorn person gotten into Yosemite National Park, but securing a licence to ascent Half Dome was inactive a problem.
"Turns out, I was doing my probe and [found] immoderate radical person other spots connected their permits because, you know, immoderate of their radical couldn't marque it oregon something," Blomberg said. "So I was like, 'Alright, I'm going to spell up to close earlier wherever the ranger sits and speech to everybody who walks by and inquire if they person an other spot."
Blomberg says it was an unreal experience.
"That's what benignant of started my emotion matter with Yosemite. And ever since then, I've fundamentally hiked astir each way successful the park."
Blomberg tested his carnal and intelligence limits connected arsenic galore trails arsenic possible, with a grin connected his look and a cowboy chapeau connected his head.
"I decided to commencement hiking astir everyplace with a cowboy hat, and I was the lone 1 that had it, and truthful I benignant of decided that that would beryllium my tagline going forward," Blomberg said.
Blomberg says isolated from protecting him from the sun, the cowboy chapeau is an homage to his state upbringing - and it makes him blessed to spot the smiles the chapeau brings too.
In an effort to animate much smiles and proceed investigating his limits, Blomberg decided to fundamentally strap "sails" to himself successful the signifier of an inflatable dinosaur suit. On Oct. 19, Robert Blomberg and 2 different friends each dressed successful inflatable dinosaur suits to ascent Half Dome.
"So we got to the basal of the cables and it's like, ace windy too. Probably the windiest I've ever been connected Half Dome," Blomberg said. "These inflatable suits are besides benignant of similar sails trying to stroke america disconnected the mountain, you know, but we got to the apical and it was conscionable truthful hilarious."
Blomberg says the champion portion of the time was seeing the reactions of different hikers arsenic they laughed, took pictures, and smiled.
"As soon arsenic everybody connected the way saw us, they would conscionable interruption retired into the biggest smile," Blomberg said.
Blomberg says the extremity of his antics goes beyond proving thing to himself. He hopes by investigating his limits and keeping a affirmative cognition portion doing it, helium volition animate others to bash the aforesaid successful their lives.
"I've realized that not conscionable successful hiking, but truly thing I'm susceptible of truthful overmuch much than what my caput tells maine that I am," Blomberg said.
"You don't person to bash immoderate of these brainsick things. Just get extracurricular and propulsion yourself a small spot and you'll find that you're susceptible of truthful overmuch much than you adjacent thought."
Blomberg wants chap hikers to cheque retired lost.in.the.sierras connected Instagram if they are funny successful making friends and going connected "unreal" hikes.
