DAY 191
10.12.07
TREE 113
On my way downtown to go to this show I stopped at U of L to climb a tree. I had waited all day and by this point it was late and dark. But I wasn’t supposed to be at the show till about 10 and it was only 8, so I had plenty of time to climb. And I knew I was going to have to either have long exposure photos or use my flash so I brought my little bendy tripod. I parked at the corner of Eastern Parkway and 3rd Street. I crossed the street to the playground and pissed behind a tree by the railroad tracks. When I was finished I walked towards the basketball courts and BAM! This huge tree hit me. Not physically… but with an enticing allure. It’s a humongous cypress. The trunk is probably 6 – 8 feet in diameter and all bumpy with the limbs growing up and out of it.
I walked around the perimeter looking for my entry. I tried one spot but the bark was too slick and I had no decent holds. I went around to the other side where there was a large, bulbous growth of trunk sticking out.
I got on that and looked left then right. No branches were close. I got an alright hold then worked for a while to get my other hand on something. I could get to a hanging position from my hands but couldn’t progress. I dropped and looked for over-hanging limbs. Nothing. I climbed a nearby fence and was able to touch small, weak limbs but couldn’t reach any strong ones. I tried the front side of the trunk again, then the back. Then again to the front, and again the back. My arms were getting extremely fatigued. I called Will and told him to come see this tree that I was going to climb, no matter how long it took. I got back on the bulbous growth and considered jumping for a small, distant limb but it was too ridiculous and I was too tired to trust that I could hold on with one arm. I was starting to get hot and discouraged. I took off my hoodie and had a flash of brilliance… use my hoodie as rope. I quickly climbed back up on the growth, got into position and swung it over the nearest limb. I adjusted it so both sleeves hung over and I hung from it. Something wasn’t right and I couldn’t let go to grab the limb. I was getting desparate and I had to do it soon or my arms were going to give out. I tied the arms of my hoodie together then hung from them again.
With a quick motion I reached with my hand and grabbed the limb the hoodie was tied to. I got it! I was in. I got my feet up and rotated up. I’ve never tried so hard to climb a tree. I conquered it and was thrilled. The adrenaline made my strength return and I continued to climb. It was dark but I was going to risk whatever it took to get up high in this tree. Even the next step was a challenge but I figured it out. Up from there was another strange, bulbous growth in the center of the tree.
I qucikly noticed a hole and used the light of my cell phone to check for animals in the den. Nothing… thank god! I could relax. I looked around for more climbing but I was done.
I took some pictures and Will showed up.
I was extremely proud of this one. It’s just so huge and I made it. I climbed down to a low limb, crawled upsidedown to almost the end, hung and dropped about 10 feet. What an amazing and satisfying climb. I don’t know how I’m going to climb it again. I better be sure to have strong clothes on.
10-13-08: Oh those pictures of me in the tree. I am so bad at acting natural. At one point I was just being stupid. I was acting like different things were going on, like the top left one is me just limbing up and saying “hey.” The one below that is me discovering the hole. I have no idea what I was trying to do with the one where I am staring at the branch. I was just having fun with my camera. It was such a cool spot in that tree and it took so much work to get up there I just wanted to hang out for a while.
Also, I did untie and take my hoodie down at the end. I didn’t say that in the entry. My sleeves were a little longer after that.
And I don’t remember what “show” I went to that night. Oh well.
Saturday was Casey and Jill’s wedding in New Albany. It was located at Casey’s parents’ place and it was a beautiful sunny afternoon. Hot almost. I chose not to climb before hand because I wanted to climb there. The ceremony was nice except for when the guy officiating it started without Jill. Oops. They got married and we all moved to the tent for the reception just feet away. There was beer, bar-b-q, and the wedding party was introduced. Casey and Jill rode in on his scooter which was perfect. They had their first dance, we ate, the cake was cut, more dancing was done and I needed to climb. The sun was almost gone and I was getting toasted.
I walked over by one of the houses on the property and found a huge oak whose trunk splits about 4 feet from the ground. I figured if I could wedge myself in there I could wriggle my way up to the nearest branches. With determination and what Norman called “beer muscles” I got up in and slithered up to the branches. It was tough and not so good for my nice clothes, but who cares. I worked my way up the one side of the tree until I noticed the other side would be better to get higher. I went down a branch and transferred over. Then more climbing up. It was freaking hard. I wasn’t willing to stop until I reached the top. I wanted to get a decent shot of the reception and people below. And after much effort I made it. I was bleeding and sweaty, but I was at the top, or damn near close to it. I started to shoot pictures.
Unfortunately I didn’t have the best view of the tent and the activity below. I zoomed and did the best I could.
When I finally saw the above picture on the computer I realized it was of some of the only guests I knew. Norman, Hallie, and Lori are all in it. A nice happy accident.
Then I took some pictures of myself. One is of me giving Casey and Jill the thumbs up for their day.
I called Casey on his cell from the top, told him where I was, dedicated the climb to the two of them, then told him I’d be down soon to rejoin the party. The climb down was hard, but easier than the up. It was one of the most difficult trees I’ve climbed, but not as hard as the tree at the top of this entry.
The rest of the night only got crazier and fuzzier. But I had a great time and was glad to be a part of Jill and Casey’s special day. Here’s to you two.