DAY 166

It’s warming up again. I walked down the drive to the lake wearing a long sleeve shirt and a hoodie. I debated taking them off but just walked through the woods to the base of the sycamore and started to climb. I grabbed a hold of the vine so I could reach the first branch.

Once there it wasn’t too fast but not too hard either. I had to be careful not to step on the leaves of the virginia creeper vines because leaves under shoes on branches are like banana peels in streets in cartoons. I wound around in circles going from limb to limb. Up like a cork screw until the branches started to get smaller and the trunk split. Of course, I took the limb to my ribbon and as I went was surprised by the difficulty of some of the passes.

But I didn’t struggle or get stuck. At the top I wished there was music and a party going on like last time I climbed this tree.

I wanted to make this climb more interesting so I climbed down a little and transferred to another major branch and went up. I don’t think I got any higher but I had a nice vantage point.



Then I climbed down. Same as up only easier and a little more dirty because a white dusty substance got all over my clothes. It made me sneeze later and thinking back, I almost always cough or sneeze in sycamore trees. At the bottom branch I got down to the vine and realized I forgot to get a leaf. I set my foot on a little tree growing right next to the sycamore and readied myself for a jump. When I lept, I didn’t go up. The branch broke and shot down. Luckily I had a good grip on the vine and didn’t fall. I just pulled myself up with my arms and grabbed the closest leaf. Then back down on the vine. A beautiful tree but nothing too great to stick out amongst all these tree climbing experiences.

9-18-08:  The party I was referring to happened on Father’s Day of last year… the first time I climbed this tree.  It wasn’t really for father’s day, it was for Ohio Valley Creative Energy.  Either way, sometimes I like to think that there would be a party at the bottom of the tree when I get down.  And sometimes I like to think that people like tree climbing too.  Maybe not as much as me, but at least a little.  I also like to think that all this climbing and blogging and sharing is helping people to appreciate trees and tree climbing.  And maybe, one day… someone may go outside, see and tree and decide to climb it.  I do know that a few people I know have and I really appreciate them for doing so.  

Now to another tree climb… of course.  I worked on Zephyr’s deck with Norm all day then went back to the house.  I vegged a little while to rest then before the sun went away I rode over to George Rogers Clark Park to survey their damage and climb a tree.  I was tempted to climb some of the damaged trees but with all the people at the park I did not want to alarm anyone.  So I went up the hill and found a nice welcoming maple tree with no damage. 

I figured it would be an easy climb with a decent limb to hang upsidedown from.  I leaned my bike up against the trunk and jumped in.  I climbed up but was a little disappointed to find no horizontal limbs.  I went up as high as I could go and do as I always do, shot pictures.  The ones of the low sun were actually quite nice.



I take a lot of pictures so it takes a really special experience or an especially unique view to stand out.  These are nice, but not my favorites.  I was talking to my friend Rickey about my photos.  I told him that I’ve taken over 6,000 pictures in this project and I’d say I have 20-25 really good ones.  That means that only 1 in 300 images I really like.  I often post a lot since I want to share my experience visually but I realize they are not all strong images.  Here are some others from this climb that I think are just okay.




As I climbed back down I was feeling very loose and agile.  I was moving all through the branches with easy and my back was not bothering me.  I felt very comfortable and at home in the branches.  When I got to the lowest limb I saw my opportunity to hang.  I hooked my knees over the part by the trunk and lowered myself.  I let my muscles relax and my arms dangle.  Then I began to look around.  I saw a couple and their dog approaching and they were definitely eying me.  I unhooked my legs, righted myself and began to rotate around the trunk from limb to limb.  My limbdy-limb game.  It just felt good.  Climbing up and down is good but games and mobility within the tree are great additions to the experience.  I’ve said enough.