DAY 355
03.24.08
TREE 190
I drove over to the Oldham County High School track to reclimb the tree by the back left fence. When I got there it was crowded with athletes, coaches, and parents. I didn’t even get out of my truck. I just turned around and drove right back out. Only I turned right and went down 146 to the post office by Thornton’s instead of going home.
This seemed to be the next closest place to park to get to the tree in the middle of the grass field that I had first climbed on Christmas day. The best place to park is by the soccer fields but they were too crowded with athletes, coaches, and parents. They were every where I wanted to be.
I walked in the grass straight towards the fallen limb of the tree. As I went I noticed the smell of salsa. I also noticed beams of sunlight coming down through the clouds.
It was amazing. I hoped it would last until I got up in the tree to take pictures. As I got really close to the tree I got whiff of another smell, sweet like syrup. Jam, maybe? It was a weird mix to have salsa and syrup competing in my nose.
I looked around at all the rush hour cars going to and fro. None were cops so I began my crawl up the fallen branch. I went up quick and reached for another branch just above me so I could rise to my feet. Once I got towards the middle I moved left to the next leader branch. I went up a little higher then transferred two more times to get to the leader with the ribbon on it way up at the top. As I went I kept an eye out for the snake skin I had seen last time.
I never found it though. Strangely, I did find what appeared to be hardened sap in the crooks and damaged crevices of the tree, yet it’s not an evergreen. I went up the leader branch with the help of little offshoot limbs. Soon, I was at my high point and like most of my second climb experiences, I had no place to go higher.
I took my ribbon
and luckily still had some great sun and clouds to make beautiful pictures.
I also saw a whole other field behind Thornton’s with more athletes, coaches, and parents.
They are just thick out here. I stood a while longer watching the cars go by always wondering if I had been seen.
It was cool but pleasant and I was happy and exactly where I wanted to be. But, life and a lack of comfort called me back and I climbed down. I attempted to go a different way but I had little choice than to reverse my previous steps. Once I reached the top of the fallen limb I positioned myself for the backwards cat crawl. I hesitated and then decided to just climb down and drop from a live branch. It was quicker, safer, and different from last time.
3-30-09: I put this last picture at the end because I wanted you all to look closely at the strange dark green lines in the grass. Can anyone explain how these might have gotten there? Could they be old mole trails that held more water making the grass just above them more healthy? That’s my guess.
Also, I didn’t get a picture of the sap I was referring to. But it looked like the color of amber and I wasn’t aware that hardwoods did this. I also can’t tell you what type of three this is.
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March 24th 2009. Tuesday. Drew had been so busy with work I couldn’t get him out to do another Yancey photoshoot till this night. I really wanted to get some 4×5 film shot and I wanted a great tree. Since I fell out of the large tree at George Rogers Clark Park on our first outing, I figured we’d try it again. We packed up the gear and I threw on my lightsuit. As we were setting up I wasn’t happy with the angle we had picked the time before. I walked right and found the perfect angle. I was getting really excited about this shot. Drew set up the tripod and then began the long process of tweaking and adjusting the 4×5 camera. This is hard in the dark and I did my best to help when he asked for it. Once he was set I got ready. I was a little nervous since last time I fell out of this tree. My only fall ever. I wasn’t going to climb the same way so I figured I’d be fine but there is always that nagging in the back of my mind that it happened once, it could happen again. I switched my lights on and he gave me the go-ahead. I pulled myself up and crawled in upside down a few feet then pulled myself up to my feet. Then I walked over to the straight part of the 30 foot branch. I got down to my knees and began to the slow scooting process to the trunk. My heart was pounding and I took my time. At the trunk I climbed up to the next major limb and then scooted up. The branch started to curve downward and I realized I took the wrong offshoot part of the branch. The lights on my body make it so that I can only see about 2 or 3 feet in front of me. I had to backtrack a few feet and then go down another set of limbs. It took some maneuvering but I scooted down then rotated under and went the rest of the way hanging from my hands. I could tell the ground was close and dropped. It was a great shot, maybe a little long, but I didn’t fall.
Not knowing how these pictures were going to turn out we needed a couple just be sure one would be close enough to use. None might come out, but having two would be better then one. Drew adjusted the settings and I took a break. I got some water and took a picture of the tree as my arms recovered.
Then we went for it again. I turned my lights back on and started the climb when he gave me the signal. I did the exact same climb only this time I didn’t make the wrong turn at the top. On the way down the last limb I had rotated under and was crawling down when I grabbed a small limb and lost my grip. I dropped to the ground only this time I only fell four or five feet. I rolled back on my back and Drew asked if I was alright. I got up laughing that I fell out of this tree again. And again, I was fine. I am excited about these images and can’t wait to see the results.