DAY 46
05.20.07
TREE 52My ability to spot climbable trees is increasing. Probably as much as my ability to climb them. My preferences are also getting more particular. I like to climb high and as high up in the tree, towards the highest leaf, as I can. I prefer the trees with one main trunk that continues all the way up. The ones that branch earlier, I tend not to go as high. Today’s tree was on the edge of the woods. Nice and tall with just little, sparse branches towards the bottom. I am becoming more comfortable with those little branches. I made it up pretty high with a lot of upper body pulling. My perch was pretty comfortable and I made sure to rest my muscles before climbing down. I also trust my abilities more and allowing myself to lean out over nothing, dangle with no foothold, and leave some of the work to gravity. I used to be more scared going down. Now it’s reversed, once I’ve gotten up, I know I can get down.
5-20-08: That was one of the first trees where I had to work to get to the first small limb. Then once I was hanging from it, work my way up onto the limb to get a foothold, then stand up and reach of the next limb. It takes serious balance and thought. Now I do that move without even thinking about it. Fear used to cripple me but it’s amazing how repetition and practice can make that fear just fade away.
I am very sore today, and was yesterday from parkour on Sunday. I got up early yesterday morning to help move pottery equipment for Sarah Frederick, then I helped Julio Driggs move into his new awesome apartment at the Henry Clay. I was pretty tired but there was a break in the rain right after dinner so I parked at Ballard High School to climb. I walked around the campus looking for a good tree but most were just too small. You’ll see in future entries all the trees I have climbed at Ballard. I am running out of good options. But then as I walked along the biology pond out front, I saw a nice tall tree across Herr Lane behind McDonalds. I knew that was it, so I headed straight for it. It was a great climb. It shows that by a quick glance from a few hundred feet away, I could immediately see it was a good climbing tree. Here is a picture and stupid little video I made:
The ominous dark clouds made for a nice shot.
