DAY 346
03.15.08
TREE 177
I spent the morning scanning the leaves I collected from the first 90 days. Then MaryLiz called and asked if I wanted to go to the gym with her. I said yes and got together my things for a workout, a tree climb, and stuff for tonight’s surprise birthday party for Casey. It’s rainy today and when I was driving to the gym Ryli called and warned me of Baxter Avenue being closed due to the St. Patrick’s Day parade. I had to get gas then figured out a way to get this gym the back way. By the time I finally got there I just wanted to park and go in but the lot was full. So were all the blocks. I drove around for a while till I found a spot behind Wallgreens, then ran in the rain to the gym.
Ryli and I worked out till I felt I just had to leave to have enough time to climb and then meet Norman to go to the party. I was also going to shower at the gym but felt too pressed for time and skipped it. I drove straight to Butchertown back to that tree by the chili-making company. I parked and changed my clothes awkwardly in the cab of my truck. I sat in my truck and looked all around for possible workers.
There were non that I could see so I got out and walked over to the tree. The tree, along with everything else, was extremely wet. Luckily the rain was just sprinkling if falling at all. No cars were in the lot and the lights were off in the building so I went for it.
I climbed up into the tree on a low branch and then began to move up the tree on limbs coming off the trunk. The trunk then split into three major limbs. The middle one had my ribbon waiting at the top. I had to climb up that left one a few feet then transfer over to the middle. I was careful but noticed that I wasn’t any more focused or scared than usual. I think I’ve climbed in the rain so many times I just automatically adjust and am comfortable with it. Lucky, too, was that they trimmed this tree the same time they trimmed the tree around the corner that I reclimbed on January 26th,
but it didn’t affect my path.
The last few moves at the top were a little difficult but not too bad at all. I took down my ribbon
and took pictures.
Such a grey day, the downtown skyline was so hazy in the distance.
I put the camera away and thought about the last time I was in this tree with the two guys in hard hats watching me and waiting for me to come down. I’m glad I chose to come here on a Saturday.
I climbed back down getting my pants pretty wet as I squeezed the limbs and slid down.
I dropped to the ground and was happy no one had seen me. I got back in my truck and went across the river to wait for Norman to meet me. Two hours later he finally showed up. I had all the time in the world and shouldn’t have been so rushed before. But no matter.. the party was really fun with a good band, lot of people, and some really funny videos of Casey.
All in all it was a really good day and I successful climb in some shitty weather.
3-25-09: It is so funny to remember how foreign Butchertown was to me then. That Chili place is a block from where I live now. All the buildings and view from that tree are so familiar to me. I bike past that place many times a week and that same white-haired guy that was so sure I was spying on his company is always outside hanging around. We make eye contact and I always wonder if he recognizes or remembers me.
Also, just a clarification: I nicknamed MaryLiz, Ryli, and use both above. Here’s why: Ma(Ryli)z.
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The Ides of March 2009. A Sunday where I planned to go to Zephyr to participate in the Ides of Mulch. The sculpture court needed a new layer and a pile was waiting to be spread. So I went and was the only one there. Apparently the person who planned it didn’t call anyone. I did a little work then went home and got ready to go to the gym.
On days where I do a lot of physical activity I usually put climbing off till late. I did so that Sunday and eventually forced myself outside after dark. I walked down Washington towards Adams. That becomes Spring Street and I took that all the way to Lexington Road. I had no idea where I wanted to go so at that point I headed right towards Breslin Park. I have looked there before and didn’t find anything, but I thought I’d give it a more thorough look. I headed towards the back wooded area as a huge leaning tree called to me. When I got there, this massive beast was in no way climbable. Not only was it too big, but it looked incredibly dangerous. I followed the path back and soon found I was at the wall on the edge of Cave Hill Cemetery. I could see the repeating white headstones and thought this would be a great spot to climb. All the trees were pretty small and had few limbs. I picked one I thought I could shimmy and went for it. Just a foot below the lowest limb, about 15 feet up the trunk, I ran out of juice. I panicked and started to slide down. I dropped the last few feet and stumbled but stayed on my feet. My arms were tight and fatigued. I was frustrated and knew I had to go find some easy tree.
I walked out the path the way I came back into the field of the park. I walked toward the intersection of Payne and Lexington
and just picked a little hackberry on the edge of the park.
I waited for there to be no cars and then started to climb up. It was pretty easy and not very tall so I was at my high point quick.
There was off and on car traffic and I always froze and leaned against the limbs whenever they went by. They got to be so frequent that it was getting annoying. I took pictures as best I could
and then was ready to climb down.
As I started to go, the cars became even more frequent and I was just paranoid at this point.
It took for ever to get down. But once I was on the ground I felt happy again and glad my climb for the day was over.
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