DAY 155
09.06.07
TREE 69
Barry Bernson came again this morning to film the rest of the story. They got some still shots of my work in my show and some footage of me hanging a few others. Then they went to get some footage of the tree from day 9 back by the Great Barn. 
Once out there they asked me to climb it, so I did. On the way down I went to the end of that lowest branch and where it forks I rolled forward and somersaulted to a hang then dropped. I am pretty happy they got that on tape.
Anyway, I am busy with getting ready for the show with lots to do. I took a little nap because I’ve been staying up late and getting up early. After the nap I grabbed my camera and headed across the parking lot to the tree right behind the Mount St. Francis vans. 
They weren’t parked there the first time I climbed and now they were in the way. The limb I used to pull down and monkey in was now over the van. 
I considered getting on the back bumper to aid in reaching but decided against using help. I just jumped and once I had my weight on it, it came down on the roof of the van… oh well. I went hand over hand to the trunk then easily got up onto the branches. I went up a few feet then hit that break in limbs where my options run out. 
But I knew my path and quickly scurried up the limb, transferred to another, then walked it back in to continue to climb. Having done it before it wasn’t really as scary. I climbed up and up choosing the path with the best possible height. I wanted to choose the path with my ribbon but couldn’t find it. Once I transferred to another limb and hit my high point I took some pictures. It was a good view. 
Then I noticed my ribbon. 
A body-lengths down on a totally different branch. I had to climb back down to where all the major high limbs split from the trunk and climb back up to my ribbon. At that spot I rested since it was so comfortable. I stood on a horizontal, strong branch that forked so I could stand with a comfortable wide stance. 
After enjoying the mobility and free movement in this treetop I climbed down, out the branch then back in towards the trunk to the lower limbs. Then I walked out a different branch away from the van. I balanced and lowered to a crouch. Then I swung down sideways, dropped my legs, then released my grip. This was a fun climb and a good improvement on the first climb.
9-7-08: A day behind here but catching up. I like that picture with the van where you can see "CAUTION: CHILDREN." I always read that as "be cautious around our children, they’re crazy." Or the signs in neighborhoods that say "SLOW CHILDREN AT PLAY"
I read these as "watch out for these playing children as they are slow… physically and mentally."
So Friday was my mom’s 60th birthday. I had worked all afternoon installing art for Zephyr Gallery in a corporate office. Then I went straight to Cafe Metro to have a birthday dinner with my parents. Then food was excellent. Then I went home and Drew and I picked up MaryLiz and went downtown to the Gallery Hop. There was some nice art but the night was getting dark, plans were trying to be made and I had yet to climb. We just got out of the Pyro Gallery and I saw all these huge white monkeys in the small park across the street. 
This is one of the monkeys but envision this guy and a couple more outside around trees. I should have taken a picture of them, but didn’t. I wanted to climb one of the trees nearby them to get some interesting pictures of them but there was a security guard and I just didn’t want to cause any trouble. I saw a path behind some buildings next to the flood wall. It lead back to a patio area behind the Louisville Science Center. There I found my tree and scurried up the trunk. The shimmying hurt a little but I reached the split in the trunk and was able to maneuver to my feet. Then I went up to the next highest limb and stopped there. The light from the buildings and glow from the city made for some really cool shots.
And this next one is by far one of my favorite shots. The colors and lighting turned out so interesting. 
I called MaryLiz to let them know where I was because I went much further than what I had told them. They soon came and found me.
Then I slid down the branch I was on, then slid down the trunk to the bench that surrounds it. It was a little painful but a good climb. I was ready for the rest of the night. Perhaps a little dirty, but ready.