DAY 129
08.11.07
TREE 46I headed out to Hogan’s Fountain in Cherokee Park remembering that day I came out here and first climbed tree #46. After that tree I kept climbing more and I fully intend doing that again today and I was excited. Next to the bathrooms I hopped into the tree noticing a few cicada shells as I pulled myself up. A pretty easy climb with many paths to chose from. I got to the top, grabbed my ribbon and got slightly higher. Then I moved to another branch to get a little higher yet. I took some pictures of what I could see from my view then looked down. Like a drug, I find I need ever more excitement to sate my craving for a satisfying climb. I try to increase my challenge and try things I first view as crazy or impossible. I saw a branch that went out over the roof of the building. I climbed down and swung out onto the roof. It was very steep. I considered going across to the other side of the roof to another tree but this area of the park was so crowded I chose not to. But I did go back into the first tree but on a different limb. I think I remember thinking about doing that the first time but thought it was too risky. Well now I’ve done it.
8-12-08: That leaf just above it neat. It’s the siamese twin of leaves. It didn’t come from the tree pictured above. Like I said in the entry, I went and climbed another tree after this one. That is where the leaf came from. I chose not to take pictures or write about it because it was freeingto climb without responsibility. I wanted to feel that I didn’t have to document everything about tree climbing. Though, that climb, that second tree, was a better and more exciting climb. I went higher and it was harder to get up and down. I think that might have been the same day that I had a back flip mishap off the bleachers. Near that second tree was a softball field. I was all pumped up from the good climbs that I thought I would back flip off the lowest level of the bleachers. This is something that I do from time to time… back flipping off things that is. So it should have been routine, but it had been a while. I stood on the edge, readied myself and jumped. In mid-air I freaked out and twisted which ruined my rotation and my hands hit dirt… then my knees and toes. It scared me quite a bit and hurt a little too. It busted my climbing high a little. It also made me question my ability to do a back flip. But I soon did it again successfully. It was just a strange moment of fear.Now to Sunday’s events. The real reason we all went to St. Louis was to go to the City Museum. http://www.citymuseum.org/home.asp This place is hard to describe. MaryLiz had often described it as a multi-story playground for adults. Some rich, crazy guy bought this old warehouse building in downtown St. Louis and placed all these things he had collected in it. Such as old planes, a school bud, and tons of building facades, collumns, gargoyles, etc. Then teams of artists came in and made elaborate mazes and structures that looked like caverns, trees, and twisted metal spires. Everything there is meant to be explored, climbed on and through, slid down, and generally played with. MaryLiz said it was for adults, but there were a ton of little kids there too. And some of the little tunnels to crawl through were very hard for me to get through and seemed made for small children. It was often a claustrophobe’s nightmare. We spent like 5 hours there running around like crazed children ourselves sweating our asses off. I am very glad I went. At one point, during a resting break, Drew asked if any of this would count as a tree climb. Unfortunately, no, and I was starting to wonder when I was going to get to that. We left the City Museum and went to probably the best Vietnamese restaurants I have ever been to then we began our drive back to Louisville.
It got dark and was getting late and I knew I was going to wait till I got back and climb somewhere downtown. I got dropped off about 11pm and I went right up stairs to drop off my bag and went righ tback outside. I walked down Market Street and a tree on the corner of Hancock and Market caught my eye. I had noticed it before but it was kinda small. But for tonight it was perfect.
I got easily into the tree. You can see the trunk splits into branches very low. I started to crawl up a little higher and heard a rattle. I stopped quick and looked up towards the noise. It sounded like an animal… a scared animal. I did not want to get attacked. But, after waiting a few seconds and shaking the branch to try and get another reaction and getting nothing, I figured it was safe to proceed. I picked my branch that lead to a high spot and climbed up. This is a kind of tree that is common around downtown Louisville. It has these neat seed pods that have three leaf-like sides that come together to form a sort of pyramid. Insideare the seeds. If you shake a branch the seeds rattle inside. That made me realize that I may have just scared myself. When I first touched a branch I may have just made the seeds rattle and I thought it was an animal. I am the animal. Anyway, I did my best at the top to take some pictures. The ones with the flash worked the best, but I got one that I thought was particularly nice, though blurry.
I was right next to I-65 but I didn’t get high enough to get a good picture of the passing cars and their lights. There were only a few lights around that aided on my photography.Then I climbed back down and was not ready to go back home. The night was nice and cool and quiet. I walked down Clay to the extreme park. Quickly the atmostphere went from quiet and desserted to bustling with activity. That place always has people there. I took a spot on the rail and watched the different groups practice their extreme sport. One kid was skateboarding on the halfpipe. He was pretty good and trying for a reverse 540. He never got it before I left but it was nice to see all these people watching and supporting his efforts.
Climbing a tree everyday
