DAY 126
08.08.07
TREE 40WOW! I finally answered my question: What happens when you climb a young skinny tree and it starts to bend? Well I’ll tell you. At least on this tree, out in the sanctuary close to the neighboring subdivision. It is a wonderfully pleasant and exhilarating experience. At first, I just climbed up on the side of the tree to prevent bend. I grabbed my blue ribbon in haste as I felt the tree release itself from a leaning hold on a branch from another tree. I scrambled and slid down glad I didn’t fall. But then I stood there, thinking that this couldn’t be it for today’s climb. The climb took all of a minute and it was nothing to write home about. I asked myself again… what if? So I prepared for a possible quick fall with the weight of a young tree right over my head. I planned to drop and immediately jump or roll backwards. Mentally ready, I started to climb again only this time on the other side of the trunk to encourage bend. I got a little higher than just before and I felt it start to move. With the trunk at slightly more of an angle I climbed a little higher then let my feet hang. A second of silence… then it started to move. Slowly it began to arch over, then it sped up slightly and I was ready for the big crack. Or a swift drop, but no, that slow drooping continued, like slow motion, or like Mary Poppins dropping to the street with her umbrella. The tree gently set me on the forest floor as if landing on a cloud. I let go expecting a snap back, but unfortunately, the tree was now stuck hunched over. I expressed my gratitude for the gentle yet fun ride, I took some pictures, and reveled in my accomplishment. Again, I am so happy I ventured forth and took the risk. Now I know a little more about trees and how they interact with me.
8-8-08: I have done this a few times since and if you recall from previous entries I have been prepping you for this entry. This was a memorable one. And in other trees, they do go back… sometimes. Mostly they do. I think this one was damaged from a tree falling and hitting the trunk. If you look closely at the second image, the really long one, the picture of the tree from the first climb before I bent it over, you can see the big fallen trunk next to it and the big bend in the little trunk. It had visible damage too. Which I guess makes me really smart for climbing it, huh? I have also used this technique to get into larger trees. I climb a young tree and then bend it to a larger one. Works like a charm. I wish I could have gotten that on video. Especially my facial expressions. I think I was totally freaking out. Then immediately relieved and happy. Anyway…
Yesterday I did as I have been doing a lot lately and that is biking to Shawnee Park on the River Walk Trail. It is my new favorite place. Only, instead of climbing a tree off the trail, I went all the way to the park and climbed a big old white oak. And when I say big, I mean it.
Maybe you can’t tell from this picture…but it’s large. It also has these nice long branches that bend close to the ground. It makes for easy entry.
You seen that one branch in the center bottom of the above picture? It stops just about my chest level. I hopped up and got to my feet and then crawled up to the large straight part, then down to the trunk. Luckily there were vertical limbs that made nice hand holds so I could stay on my feet and walk.
Once at the trunk I had to really work to get higher. I tried going around to the right… but that was a dead end. So I went left and made it to where there is a major split in the trunk.
I also saw a hole in the trunk that was an animals home. I don’t think anyone was home.
After the split, I got up to another large limb that went way out, but I couldn’t use it to get much higher. I tried by walking my hands up on the trunk and walked my feet up on the branch. Once I got to the next branch near my hands I couldn’t make the transfer. I just couldn’t get a good grip. I was too high to risk a jump, so after a few minutes of trying, struggling and failing, I inched back to the base of the branch my feet were on. If I couldn’t get higher in this tree, I was going to go out on one of these long limbs. I picked the one I was already on.
I crawled very slowly and carefully up this branch and it took a lot of concentration and balance. It was definitely the most scary part of the climb… no, I take that back. I will get to that soon. After the hard part, crawling up, the branch leveled out and I could get to my feet. I went a little further and the branch split. It made for a nice seat so I took it. This was my high spot and where I took most of my pictures.
Looking down at the newly mowed field.
Looking down.
That was the branch I walked to the trunk on.
And that was the limb I entered the tree on.
Looking back at the trunk.
And me sitting with my wiggum on.
All while I was sitting there taking pictures some of the biggest black antskept crawling on my legs. That was extremely distracting. I think the bigger the tree, the larger the ants. When I was done shooting I knew it was time to climb back. I was not looking forward to that. The crawl up this branch was scary. In reverse it is worse. I don’t go head first, but backwards, feet first. It makes looking for the next foothold a little difficult. That was the scariest part of the climb. One bad hold or slip of the foot and I could fall. I had to go very slow and be very calculated and careful. It takes complete focus and causes a lot of sweat to pour out of me. Then in runs in my eyes and stings. That really sucks. Plus, while I was in the middle of my concentration, another big ant started to run around my hand. I couldn’t even twitch, I had to stay still and just do what I was doing. Finally, I made it back to the trunk. The rest of the climb down was easy. I stopped to take a few pictures along the way.
I went back out the long limb, down the drooping branch, and dropped to the ground. That was one fun and intense climb.