DAY 117

DAY 117
07.30.07
TREE 29

YES! I did it. This climb made me feel so much better. Last time I got all scared and didn’t climb further when I saw the possibility. I think from that day forward I made a conscious effort to take the risk. Always go higher, it’s worth it. It really does make for really enjoyable climbs that feel like an accomplishment. Again, this tree right off the parking lot by the retreat center was an easy up and in. Then I followed the large branch up to my orange marker. I ripped it down and with a hunger and determination to overcome what I had previously avoided. The forked branch came out right over my head. I grabbed a hold, walked my hands forward and swung my feet towards the trunk to a small branch for a foothold. EASY! Why had I second guessed it before? So once on the main trunk I began climbing. So many nice strong branches, the perfect tree. Up and up I got to the top. I kept going and was probably just a few feet from the highest leaf. A beautiful view on a gorgeous day. Getting this high has just made my day and totally redeemed this tree. It makes the reclimb ever so sweet to be able to see self-improvement in an easy way. I took some time up there along with some pictures. Then I climbed down with ease. Branch to branch, I really trusted those limbs and felt very comfortable. The transfer back to the side limb was a little precarious but I did it fine. I really had to trust my hands’ and arms’ ability to hold on. I swung down to the ground. A great climb, so happy I got up to the top.

This picture shows you the side branch I started on and you can also see the V shaped limbs I used to transfer back to the main trunk.



7-30-08: I wish that little white car in the first picture came out with more detail. That is Ardis Moonlight’s automobile that she decided to paint. Not white, but she painted twigs and leaves all over it. You definitely know it’s her when you see that thing chuggin down the road.

Also, that water tower is empty and old. It has a Sprint tower thing attached to the top. One night Norman, Casey, and I were hanging out and we decided to climb it. Casey stayed on the ground cause he had his dog and didn’t want him to freak out. So Norm and I went up the ladder. It was quite a climb because the distance, but not nearly as fun as a tree climb. We got to the top and scared a bunch of pigeons. They all flew around to the other side of the tank so when we walked around to the other side, they freaked again. We basically just chased them around in circles. Then we climbed up the tank to the top where the cell tower thing was and climbed on it. We had a really great view and it was too bad I didn’t have my camera on me.

Yesterday I rode my bike to the belvedere on the water front.  I had been biking back one day and say some trees up there and I thought I’d go see if any of them were good for climbing.  All the trees there are young and short and many are river birches which are so good for climbing since they don’t have many limbs.  So I ventured between some large buildings towards Main Street.  There were a few maples in front of the US Bank building that seemed good, but I was too nervous to draw attention to myself.  It was rush hour and there were a lot of people.  So I went back in between the buildings and climbed a smaller tree… not sure what kind it was.  I timed my entry carefully because just feet away, on the other side of a window was a security guy sitting at a desk with monitors.  People were also coming and going through the lobby.  I waited for a break and went up quickly trying to keep the tree between myself and the eyes of the security guy.  Unfortunately this tree didn’t provide a very high climb.  Many of the limbs were dead and I didn’t want to break them and have someone notice me and get angry.  I took some pictures of the surrounding buildings and then quickly climbed down. 

The security guy