DAY 140

DAY 140
08.22.07
TREE 57

I’m starting to get really busy getting my show ready, making pottery, trying to do some odd jobs for cash, and anything else that comes up. So today, when I saw that my tree was in Cox’s Park I tried to figure out another reason why I’d need to be in Louisville. But I couldn’t. So I just drove in, climbed, and drove back. And here is how it went:

Just before noon, the weather was in the high 90’s with high humidity. Just really hot. I parked my truck and hopped on some big stones as I walked towards the tree by River Road. I got to its base and checked for my ribbon. I had to move around but I finally caught sight of it. This nice climbing tree’s trunk splits into three main limbs at about chest height. These limbs then, ever so gradually, angle outwards from each other. I got up and picked the branch with my marker and began my climb to it. Some tricky spots but not too bad. Just a lot of securing my grip to pull my body up to reach a foothold. It is like doing ups over and over and over. At the top I pulled off my ribbon, and this time I really was at my limit for height. I looked for a possible transfer to one of the other main limbs but they were too far. Disappointed that I could no way to improve on the past climb, I decided to climb all three main limbs to the top. So down I went. Then up, then down, then up, then down again all the way to the ground. I got the very top each time. It really was a good work out for my arms.

8-22-08:  I can’t wait to share with you the pictures from my show last year.  That is what I keep referring to in my entries.  Many of you who read my blog were probably there.  As the resident coordinator at the Mary Anderson Center I got a show of the work I had done during my time there.  I chose to showcase the photos and journal entries from the first 90 days of the Daily Climb project.  I selected 38 days of the 90 I believe and was in the process of getting prints made and the walls ready.  And now, I am also getting ready for another show, only this time it is in Ohio and I am installing my human shells in trees.  The parallels from year to year are interesting.  Keeping a journal is a good record of your life, but then reading each entry exactly a year later is even more interesting.  I recommend trying it. 

I also would recommend climbing trees for physical fitness.  That climb from one year ago was an intense work out for my arms.  But when you are in a gym and you get fatigued you don’t run the risk of falling many feet to your doom.  With that risk I am able to push my muscles further with the aid of adrenaline and pure mental will to avoid injury and death.  I have become quite a bit stronger during this project and I am happy that is all a result of activities outside of a gym.  I simply just got sick of them, nor do I want to pay the monthly fee.  The world is my gym.  That goes for my climbing and parkour.  I like finding the continuities in my pursuits.

Enough of that, how about yesterdays climb?  Well, I was in quite the funk after working with Zephyr members installing artwork at five Commonwealth Banks around town.  I had a lot on my mind and had a head ache so I figured I should just go climb to clear my head and get my positive attitude back.  I grabbed my bike and went to Central Park since I hadn’t been there is quite some time.  When I got there I locked my bike on a bench and then quickly spotted a large leaning maple nearby.  It called to me.

Sorry, it’s a little blurry because the sun was setting and the light was getting low. 

I walked up the to the base of the trunk and noticed that there were a bunch of cicada shells attached to the underside of the branches and was compelled to shoot them. 

There were a nice sight but I didn’t want to disturb them so I knew I was going to have to be careful when I started climbing the tree.  The lowest limb was also a little high and out of reach for an easy entry.  I needed to run off the trunk to reach and it was going to be challenging.  I attempted the move five times before I had enough height and the proper hand placement to grab hold and stick.  Once I knew I had it, I went up to my feet and began the quick climb from limb to limb.  I started to notice that so many of the branches were damaged.  I couldn’t tell from what but this tree was suffering.  That explained the extreme lean. 

I climbed past the serious damage into the thinner branches hoping they were strong enough and they definitely were.  I got up very high and had a decent view of a nearby church.

I tried to find some other good views but Central Park is filled with so many large trees I couldn’t see much else.

So I focused my attention upwards and downwards.



Then I began to climb back down.  When I reached the spot with the large amounts of damage I noticed some more damage.  Only it wasn’t the tree it was my shoe.  The rubber on the front was sticking up and I poked my finger in.  It was a hole that went through to my toes.  Time for new shoes.