DAY 135

DAY 135
08.17.07
TREE 52

I went out past the hermitage toward my tree in a pretty good mood. A photographer from the Courier-Journal had just left. He took pictures of me and my work for a feature article Ron Cooper has decided to do on me. It is really great, I just wish it was going to be published in all the Couier-Journals, not just the Southern Indiana Neighborhoods section. Anyway… I had just been in a tree so I was all pumped and ready. I found the tree with ease and walked right up, grabbed the first branch, and in one motion jumped and muscled up onto my hands. I pulled my feet up, reached for the next small branch and from there flew up the tree. I was really feeling good and moving confidently and efficiently. I like that this tree provided some difficulty and wasn’t just another easy climb. I got up to my marker, took it down, then with some difficult maneuvering and tricky footholds, made it up a little higher. The view was nice and I took a few shots but I was also ready to go into town to Zephyr’s 20th Anniversary show and hang out with friends. So I quickly scrambled back down knowing which limbs to trust and made it to the ground. It really got me hot and sweaty but made my mood even better. A really fun climb.

8-17-08:  Look at me wanting more than just a featured article in the Indiana Weekly.  Am I never satisfied?  According to the Enneagram scale I am a 4, or a romantic.  One thing about romantics is that they are dreamers, idealists, and the grass is often greener on the other side of the fence.  It was a really nice article though.  I would link you the article from last year but apparently you have to pay for archives?!?!?

I’ll also show you the pictures I took while I was getting my picture taken in the tree.  For some reason the photographer really wanted shots of me standing on a branch taking pictures.  And since I am bad at faking things, I had to actually take pictures.  Nothing to spectacular really.

I had justed climbed a tree right by the house at the Mary Anderson Center. 

Also, little did I know that I would soon be an apprentice member of Zephyr Gallery only months from this entry.  Pretty cool.

I am really excited about this climb from yesterday, Saturday.  I was out doing parkour at the waterfront with some fools then went down to the great lawn to see the spectacle that was people entering the My Morning Jacket show.  So many people and such a long line.  I saw a bunch of old friends and some people I hadn’t since high school.  After there was no one left to walk with as they waited in line I went to go get my camera to climb a tree.  But in my apartment I got a call and ended up talking to Ben Griggs for a really long time.  By the time I was finished it was really dark outside.  I hopped on my bike and the tree that I was going to climb popped into my head.  I few weeks ago I was in between buildings downtown by the belvedere.  I had first spotted this nice tree in the front by Main Street but it was rush hour and there were security, it was just not a good option.  But tonight, so many cops would be down by the river, no one on the streets really, and great downtown lights to shoot photography.  I booked it down to the BB&T building and locked my bike on a railing.  Then, knowing I could still get in big trouble for this, I approached the tree quickly but stealthily.  When there were no cars or pedestrians I jumped up and climbed up that tree as fast as I could.  I had to be quick because they had huge spot lights shining from the ground up the tree.  I was completely visible to anyone passing by.  Once I reached the top, though, I was pretty much out of peoples’ sight.  I took out my camera and rapidly shot pictures.  I didn’t want to stay up there any longer than I had to.  But I got some awesome shots.











Once I was done shooting I immediately began to climb down.  I waited for cars to pass then would drop down a branch or two.  At one point a horse and carriage was coming down the road.  I waited till they were just beyond the tree and then figured they would be the thing to draw attention from people so I took the opportunity to climb the rest of the way down.  I dropped to the ground and ran back out of the light and to my bike.  My heart was racing as I unlocked my bike.  I had this thought that I needed to get away fast since there is still a chance I was spotted and security could be on its way.  I got on my bike and took off towards the river.  As I went past the BB&T building I saw a security officer walking towards the front of the building.  That was a close one.  It is very exciting to do something you know you’re not supposed to and to just get away with it.  Not always, but with climbing trees.  Come on people… stop telling me it’s a liability. 

And one last note… a little celebration.  If you add the days in a year plus 135 (which is todays entry number) what do you get?  That’s right, 500.  That means todays climb (which I will discuss tomorrow) is my 500th day in a row of climbing a tree everyday.  Keep the streak strong! (I say to myself.)