DAY 21

DAY 21
04.25.07
TREE 24

Well, my sleeping schedule is still on West Coast time. I go to bed around 2 AM and get up around 10 AM. And this morning it wasn’t the sun that woke me, it was the sound of wind. Maybe it is the old house or the trees just outside my window, but it just sounded incredible. I jumped up, skipped breakfast and headed out for a climb. This time I headed away from Route 150 towards the field with the water tower. Just off the truck path was a little clearing surrounded by pretty young but somewhat tall trees. I thought these perfect to catch wind and cause sway. The tree I chose had plenty of branches but most of the bottom ones looked dead and weak. I stuck to the branch/trunk crotches and carefully made my way up, up, up to the very top. I tied my ribbon and climbed a little bit higher. Then waited. The wind would blow a little with decent gusts here and there, but from the sound I heard in bed I expected a little more. But it was still a great climb with good movement.

4-25-08: I still get excited when the wind blows. If it’s a really gusty blustery day I try to get to the top of a tree and get tossed around. Good times.

Yesterday I went to E. P. Tom Sawyer State Park to climb a tree. The place was packed with people because of sporting events and the hot air balloon race. Near the parking lot was a sycamore tree with a kite stuck in the very top. I figure this would be a perfect use of my skills to retrieve the kite and I thought I’d film the climb. I attached the camera to my side at the belt. Unfortunately it flopped over most the time so what you see is the world upside down. I also couldn’t reach the kite or get it down by shaking it because the kite string was tangled. So much for my good deed. What was interesting (but also awful for my allergies) was the huge clouds of green pollen that flew off the leaves and seed pods anytime I brushed up against them. I was covered by the end of the climb.

Then I walked from small tree to small tree to practice my brachiation.  In the process I made up a new game.  It’s not really a game but an activity but this is how it works.  You hang from a branch facing the trunk with both feet on the trunk.  Then you start to rock side to side to build momentum to move your hands to the next limb.  Your momentum will continue to build as you start going around the trunk from limb to limb.  It’s really fun and I had a lot of kids very impressed.  I was trying to name it and am having trouble.  Watch the video and then take my poll to help me.  If you have a better name please tell me in the comments section.