DAY 308
02.06.08
TREE 148
I came home after work and had made up my mind that I would reserve my new climbs that will take the place of the Portland, Oregon reclimbs for future travel. So when I looked at my climb calendar the next tree was right off Schrader Lane.
The tree I had climbed when I saw the large collection of turkey buzzards circling nearby. It was a windy day that sent the last of the fall leaves showering to the ground. Today was windy as well but much colder. No leaves remained and there were no birds in the sky. I pulled myself up into the split of the two trunks. I climbed up a couple of branches on the trunk nearest the road, then transferred over to the other. I looked up and saw the limb where my orange ribbon flapped in the occasional strong gust. A few small white snowflakes were coming down almost as if the cloud held them as two hands hold too many marbles and few fall between the fingers. A storm seemed to be on the brink.
I climbed up the limbs towards my previous height marker and the branches bent and swayed more under my weight as I got higher.
When I reached the ribbon I tore it off and stuck it in my pocket.
Then I decided to climb slightly higher onto a perch where three small limbs branched off from the lower section. I situated myself by gripping surrounding limbs which gave little support because they bent so easily. They felt like joysticks freely moving with no perimeter to stop its motion. I took out my camera with difficulty and did my best to take pictures while holding my body steady by wrapping the inside of my elbow around one of the three limbs I sat between.
As I shot pictures the wind began to pick up with a sudden violent surge that sent me rocking. I let my camera dangle around my neck while I held on and cursed out loud at the wind. I debated in a flash whether to stay put or ride it out. And as has usually been the case, I rode it out a few minutes. I heard no cracking and saw no unsafe bend below me as I swayed so I stayed put to enjoy the ride.
But at an even stronger gust I doubted the wisdom of my decision. After one particularly strong blow I quickly stepped down to the next lower limb. I finished taking pictures
and then climbed down. The wind continued to rise in strength and I felt the temperature drop. More snowflakes began to fly around me as I started to run home. My climb was over and I was ready to go inside. Very fun and very scary.
2-7-09: I feel I should explain the first sentence for clarity. Knowing that I could not get back to Portland, Oregon to reclimb the trees from that week in November of 2007, I decided that I would just climb a weeks worth of new climbs. It was on the day of the entry above that I decided to wait for a trip out of town to climb those new trees. I needed a certain number of trees to make up the full year.
I feel that it has been so long since I have been at the small ends of the branches high in a tree and been knocked around my gusts of wind. They’re fun. I hope I can soon.
—
I am in Boston now with Stefan, Laura, and Robin Cressotti. Stefan is a good friend from Amherst College. Laura also went to Amherst. They are now married and have their first daughter, Robin. She is 8 months and likes to stare at me. If she stares too long she starts to cry.
On Thursday of this week I had a flight to catch at 3:20pm. I had asked my dad to take me around 2pm. So during the night I awoke at 3am with anxious thoughts. I had done nothing to prepare for my trip leaving all packing to the morning of the flight. I was up for two hours, eyes wide, and mind running full tilt. My thoughts went from the trip and packing to my upcoming October show at Zephyr Gallery. I ended up turning the light on and jotting down things, lists, plans, and ideas in a sketch book before deciding to go back to sleep.
When I got up in the morning I got to packing and soon realized I had only an hour to climb a tree before my dad came to pick me up. I really wanted to climb before I left in case of a major flight delay or trouble finding a tree in Boston. I drove over to Cherokee Park having to stop twice on the way and turn on my emergency lights to reattach my muffler which kept coming off its hook. When I got to the park I kept passing up parking spots because they looked too icy and I did not want to risk getting stuck. I ended up just beyond Dog Hill, parked, and walked down to a group of trees I had visited before. The two sycamores in the grouping I had climbed but others seemed possible. I approached a hackberry tree and almost got started but noticed a major split in the trunk. It looked fresh and highly dangerous so, frantic and in a rush, I looked else where. In the distance some 50 feet, I spotted a tulip poplar, large, tall, and full of limbs.
I ran to it and saw that I could not reach the first branch by jumping or shimmying.
There is a smaller tree growing next to it close enough for me to wedge myself in between and climb up. It was then I realized I had climbed this tree before. It was too late to find another tree. I was already going up with a foot and hand on each of the trunks. As I reached for the first limb a woman was walking on the street looking at me. I smiled at her and she smiled back amused.
Then I climbed up. As I went, images of the day that I first climbed this tree popped into my head. It was a warm spring day and I had talked to Rachel on the phone after climbing. I went up in a rush almost to the top.
I did not reach my previous height due to a split in the branch that also seemed unsafe.
I took pictures quickly
then rushed back down, hung from the lowest branch and dropped to the snow. I took a couple last shots from the ground as a man asked how the weather was up in the tree.
I said, cold, and then ran back to my truck.
When I got home my dad was already there. He always gets places so early. But I was thankful for him taking me. The flights from Louisville to Charlotte, and Charlotte to Boston when okay. I was on US Airways and they no longer serve complimentary drinks. Sodas were 2$ each. Even water was 2$. I was appalled but I survived. I am looking forward to my month long trip in the East. So far so good.