DAY 71

DAY 71
06.14.07
TREE 77 78 & 79

I picked Will up after my meeting with the Late Seating crowd at Actors Theatre. We headed towards Waterfront Park looking for a decent tree to climb. I knew it would be a challenge because the development is all so recent and the trees are young and small. We parked at the playground with the boat structure, water, tonal tubes, and the huge Tumbleweed restaurant next door. We followed the edge of the water towards an area that looked like it still had some large trees. The first bunch we encountered has this group of 5 trees growing very close together and running into each other as they went up. I thought it a perfect chance for a tree transfer with a clear goal of this one branch in the largest tree. So up I went, Will watching. A pretty easy climb besides all the annoying little branches poking into me everywhere. I got up to the large branch, got a nice seat, and tied my ribbon. I didn’t feel all that high and I felt pretty secure. Will thought I was high and I bet I would have been more impressed by this climb had I not been climbing some insane trees these past 2 1/2 months. Not to say I didn’t enjoy the climb, but my standards for a good challenge seem to be ever increasing. I think Casey’s idea of applying for a grant to travel around to climb crazy exotic trees is a brilliant idea.

6-14-08:  If you look at the picture above, look towards the top to find the dark curvy limb.  That is the one I got to in the climb.  You can see how the little tree grows right up to that limb for a perfect transfer.  And Casey Hornung’s idea is to try to apply for a grant to travel the world documenting tree climbs on all different kinds of trees.  That was a big reason I wanted to learn how to climb with rope and harness.  I figured I would have a better chance getting money if they knew I was going to be safe.  I feel if I said I was free climbing and could fall at any point and die, they might think twice.  Plus I think it would be awesome to travel with a film crew, make a documentary… someday… someday.

I climbed at EP Tom Sawyer Park yesterday after a heavy rain.  I was drawn to a tree that was getting swarmed by horny cicadas.  The sound was much louder in this tree than other places in the park.  I had to be careful not to crush them as I climbed.  But I also had to be careful not to fall since all the limbs were so slippery from the rain.  So, I made another video similar to the ones I’ve been making.  I feel like I am getting into a little routine and I don’t want to think about that.  If you are watching my videos please tell me what you think of them.  Do you like them?  Would you like to see something different?  Also, I would really like to get into editing them, that is the next big step for my little films.