DAY 73

DAY 73
06.16.07
TREE 82

I hit another different park in Louisville today. Joe Creason Park is right across from the zoo and I ran cross-country races here. But I don’t remember it having such a wide variety of big, old, wonderful climbing trees. This project has really changed how I view parks, the value of parks, and how I walk through them. I parked by the playground and could have climbed the first tree I came to but decided I should have a good look around first. I didn’t get that much further from the playground before I found this big old tree on the edge of the woods. It looked like a good challenge with a nice path all the way to the top. And I was right, it was a good climb with some problem solving and tight spots. So tight in one spot that I just shoved my body through and broke off a bunch of dying twigs. At the top I got a call from Julio and had a nice perch to relax. The climb downwas easier, smoother, and faster thanks to the path I had cleared going up. And as I squatted on the lowest branch, I debated jumping, which would have been fine, but I chose to reposition and swing down to get more accustomed and comfortable with moving on a limb without good hand holds on other branches. It worked well and the landing was just inches from my hanging feet. Soft and no impact.

6-16-08:  This day, one year ago, Julio called me to confirm plans for the evening.  Michael Neureither was driving in from Lexington to meet up with us and hang out.  Will met up with us too and we ate at Molly Malone’s.  We had the worst service I have ever received.  It took and hour and half to pay the bill.  Michael is moving to Louisville in a few weeks.  Julio recently moved to Louisville.  Everyone should come back.  Live down town.  I am moving downtown today too!!!  We’ll all hang out, like old times, just not at Molly Malone’s.

I like how Julio and Mike are smiling, Will is giving the camera a sultry face, crossed arms… Nice!

So, let’s talk about yesterday, shall we?  I ate a nice steak dinner with my parents.  We grilled out, had nice trimmings, then I went out for a climb.  As I walked to the development across the street I was brainstorming how I could spice up my videos.  I didn’t want to just get to the top and talk to the camera while I panned around again.  When I saw the two trees I wanted to climb I knew what I wanted to do.  It was going to be a good challenging climb with a nice transfer.  Something I’d like to capture on video.  So I went back to something I hadn’t done in a while.  I set up the camera in the distance and took the video at 5x speed.  I put the camera on it’s side to get the tall tree in the frame… and well, the video is sideways. (sorry)  But I think it’s kinda neat because as I climb up it looks like I’m just crawling.  Anyway, it went well, the climb was good, besides the ant nest I bothered in a rotten limb.  At one point an ant dropped onto my arm and just bit down hard.  Thankfully these ants were very small.