DAY 358
03.27.08
TREE 191 & 192
This time I didn’t make the mistake of waiting. I drove to the Oldham County High School track in the morning during school.
That way I knew where the kids would be… in class. When I pulled up there were three trucks parked on the inside of the fence. It seemed like I was suck again. I looked closer to find that it was just a few workers repairing the announcer’s box. I figured they wouldn’t care. Then right as I got out of my truck another truck pulled up by me. A fat guy got out and went onto the track behind me. I just ignored him and walked straight back to my tree. When I got there I remembered that I had to go to the outside of the fence to climb a little tree first to get to the big tree. I knew the fat man was approaching so I started to stretch against the tree. Once he waddled past, I walked over to the muddy opening in the fence and then up to the small tree. I looked around once more for where the workers and fat man were then climbed onto the little tree. I went up a few limbs and then reached over and transferred onto a branch of the bigger tree. The bark was all pretty slippery from the early morning rain. There were also many green spots on the bark that made it worse. As I moved up the tree I felt my pants getting wet as I shimmied up a side branch. I had to get up on this branch to reach up and get back to the main trunk and climb higher. Things went smoothly, no slips. Then I climbed up the rest of the way to the top with no problems.
I pulled off the ribbon
and then looked for the fat man.
Gone. He did one damn lap and left. That wasn’t worth the gas to drive here. He could have walked up and down his driveway a few times and it’d been the same. Anyway… I was glad he was gone, and the workers were too busy to notice me.
I took pictures of my view
and then collected some twigs with red buds on the ends.
They were pretty but very wet and they fell off easily.
I put one twig in my mouth and then sat a short while. It’s nice to climb in the morning after a rain. Everything fells fresh and clean.
I climbed down going back the way I came but a little faster. My clothes were patchy with wet and green spots and I had no red buds left on the twin in my mouth. I moved back into the small tree, dropped down a branch and swung down to the grass. I walked back across the track home free. Nobody could say anything now. It’s such a good feeling.
3-31-09: Maybe I was a little mean to the fat man. At least he’s trying. And maybe going to the track is the only way he finds the motivation to walk. I apologize for being so nasty to you, I don’t even know you. Perhaps he was even on doctors orders to walk, but only a lap. I should be thankful that he didn’t stick around to make me feel paranoid.
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March 27th 2009. Friday. I got ready for my trip to West Lafayette, Indiana for the weekend. The freerunners from Purdue, particularly Raven, organized a regional meet-up at the campus. 12 of the Louisville Parkour group planned to go and 10 of us met at the playground by Tumbleweed to carpool there. The weather had turned cool and there were predictions of thunderstorms Saturday and snow on Sunday. I rode with Mark, NJ, and Math. It was a good and quick trip with music and discussion of parkour.
We arrived at the Purdue campus late for the official meet-and-greet. But Raven met us and we established our housing situation. Then we decided we should eat and check out the campus. I told the group I’d catch up with them after I climbed a tree. I had spotted a tall sycamore just outside the parking garage on Grant
and I asked Mark if he wanted to stay back with me and climb too.
He agreed and we both walked over to the tree.
It had some strong and evenly spaced limbs going from bottom to near the top. I started first and hoisted myself up and Mark followed. I climbed quick and was soon at a fork in the trunk. I pushed up to the next branch and considered going higher.
I looked down and Mark was just below me. I decided no to go further and took out my camera to take pictures. When I took the camera out of my pocket I thought I saw something fall to the ground. but I put it out of my mind. Then I captured my view of the nearby building
and garage
and other views.
I tried to take one of Mark but he kept moving his head.
Thewind blew occasionally which also made it difficult to get clear pictures.
I didn’t want to take forever so I put the camera away and told Mark I was ready to climb down. He started to go and I followed just behind. He crawled out a low branch and then swung down to the ground. I rotated under and crawled out and gently set myself on the grass.
We then walked on and met some traceurs from Chicago. They were young and fearless and somewhat careless. They explained that they don’t like to roll on concrete so they would take big drops and land on their feet. It seemed to be a common excuse and bad habit.
Later, after meeting back up with the group I remembered that something had fallen from my pocket. When we returned to the tree by the garage they all helped me look for an object that I couldn’t even describe to them since I didn’t know what it was. Mark found it quick. It was an thumb drive I had haphazardly thrown in my pocket earlier that day.
The night I slept on the floor with some fellow LPK members. Tim,
Dick and Nj (who apparently love to talk with their hands),
and Math.
Some of them snored, it was cold, and the floor smelled of animal urine, but I was happy not to be outside in a tent. So far I was pretty excited about the trip and was looking forward to the following day of parkour.