180 Foot Tall by 48" DBH Ponderosa Dismantle

The story of Jake reminded me of the Polynesian harpooner, Queequeg, in Melville's "Moby Dick" A very interesting character how he took to his trade. He was the mate that shaved with his harpoon.
 
Rico, keep posting. It is the diversity and experience of the members here that make it what it is. Virtually no two climbers will be in total agreement on how things should be done and, of course, believing that their way is the right way. It makes for some very thought-provoking discussions. For as long as I have been working and climbing trees, I still learn much from this site.
 
Rico, your story about Jake and his mentorship has elements of Zen and the martial arts...sure you realize that.

The zen aspect of what you reference seems to apply to all disciplines..."discipline" being the key. Tea ceremony, music, tree cutting, swordsmanship, medicine, sailing.....there are planes/levels of discernment and revelations that are only open to persons who continuously practice something and then who are "open" enough to connect the dots. I think there are profound understandings about activities we do that are available...some folks can tune into levels that others only get a glimmer of. To be able to tune into those levels at will is mastery.

He taught me to hear and feel my hinge. To hear and see that dead top or widow-maker coming to get you. To feel that 7/8' manilla flipline as you were spurring up a 7 footer. To hear and feel your wedges as you were beating over a back-leaner. I just don't understand how you guys can truly hear, see, or feel with all that gear on. He also had an ability to tap into, and get his nervous system firing on all cylinders when it was go time. You could literally watch him get locked and loaded! I would like to think I picked up on some of it. I grew up in the woods and the logging lifestyle. The woods are my church, and working in them has a spiritual element to me. I don't want to get to deep on you, but I hope some of you can get a better understanding of where I'm coming from.
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I found your sharing of this to be intriguing. Things got sideways a bit but THIS (above) is what really got my attention...thanks for relating that.
 
pantheraba said:
Rico, your story about Jake and his mentorship has elements of Zen and the martial arts...sure you realize that.

The zen aspect of what you reference seems to apply to all disciplines..."discipline" being the key. Tea ceremony, music, tree cutting, swordsmanship, medicine, sailing.....there are planes/levels of discernment and revelations that are only open to persons who continuously practice something and then who are "open" enough to connect the dots. I think there are profound understandings about activities we do that are available...some folks can tune into levels that others only get a glimmer of. To be able to tune into those levels at will is mastery.



I found your sharing of this to be intriguing. Things got sideways a bit but THIS (above) is what really got my attention...thanks for relating that.
Click to expand...


This stuff is interesting. I've related over the years some of my logging exploits in the past. And these comments by you and Rico bring up some very valid points. When I was full tilt highballing it through my 20's working mostly all production crews the work and the life became very ritualistic to me. And thinking back it's what separated the cream, from well, all the rest. In camp I recall every aspect of my living becoming finely tuned for one purpose, logging. From the moment I woke to the moment I went to bed, every aspect of the day became more and more honed and ritualistic almost with one goal in mind. Production.

I remember those days very fondly. Espescially the isolated camp work. No internet, no phones, no distractions. The mind and body had a better chance to come together to focus. No tear in a piece of gear/clothing went unmended and no boot went unwaxed.

Now I'm not saying we all wandered about like monks. But there was an aspect of focus to the work that as I recall only the real high end guys had.
 
This stuff is interesting. I've related over the years some of my logging exploits in the past. And these comments by you and Rico bring up some very valid points. When I was full tilt highballing it through my 20's working mostly all production crews the work and the life became very ritualistic to me. And thinking back it's what separated the cream, from well, all the rest. In camp I recall every aspect of my living becoming finely tuned for one purpose, logging. From the moment I woke to the moment I went to bed, every aspect of the day became more and more honed and ritualistic almost with one goal in mind. Production.

I remember those days very fondly. Espescially the isolated camp work. No internet, no phones, no distractions. The mind and body had a better chance to come together to focus. No tear in a piece of gear/clothing went unmended and no boot went unwaxed.

Now I'm not saying we all wandered about like monks. But there was an aspect of focus to the work that as I recall only the real high end guys had.
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Justin...that's the kind of thing I am talking about. A high level of discipline/focus...I suspect many of us have been around it but don't always recognize it. I wonder how many really achieve it.
 
My apprentice was just talking about that today.
When we go to our " logging camp" on one of the southern islands, we work from dawn to dusk.
The last job we did, we put so much wood on the ground, I can hardly believe it.

I got a call from the forwarder operator, asking about the amount, so he'd know how many machines to send.
So I told him 800 cubic meters, max.

Got a call from him the next week, that I was way low.
End result was about 1100 CM.
Doing the long days, we simply had less start up and end of the day waste time.

We were just LOGGING!

Mathias, my apprentice, was talking about the near zen like mind set you get, when you log those long hours.

He came out of that a changed man.

That is when we offered to hire him when he was finished with school and gave him a 10$ bonus for hours spent logging.


That trip turned Mathias from a 30 year old kid into a 30 year old pro logger.

I absolutely LOVE when that happens.
 
rico11764 said:
When I first viewed the video I noticed some issues I thought worth mentioning. I figured I would start with the undercut/backcut issues first, then move on to the other issues later. Maybe some around here could learn a thing or two? It wasn't long before some of the "experts" around here were making justifications for subpar cutting. A few continued with their witty comments about my lack of PPE (stig, murphy4trees). I then tried to give a little backstory as to why I do what I do. Its old-school wisdom that has keep me healthy and pretty for decades! The shit works. Deaf ears for the most part. Instead I was told to shut the frig up, but keep posting pics (been a long time since I let a grown man speak to me like that). I'm gonna honor Mick's request, and do just that!
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No disrespect intended... Please take none... really wasn't directed at you personally... Just a general comment on the subject ... Each to their own..
 
I've worked with and learned from a lot of disciplined people in the land of almighty discipline. In thirty years I've yet to see someone not fulfilling their duties on a job. A place where it isn't uncommon for someone to sacrifice their lives and loved ones for their work...have to live apart and just pound it out year after year. Even seen guys get pissed because their wives called them at work. The thing is though, that's only a part of the story. Aside from how religiously and well that they do their jobs, or masterfully might be a better word, once they punched the time clock at the end of the day, they were out of that frame of mind. No reason to take themselves so seriously or get worked up after the duties are done. I found that a great quality as well , and harder than one might think to get a handle on to do that yourself once entering the new world. I see it as a work maturity. It might be a good lesson for the treehouse too, after all, thanks to the good graces of MB, it's our lounge here. So, pass the pitcher! God I was serious yesterday until five and it was hot! :lol:
 
Take a break...

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So finally put this piggy to bed, or log deck anyway.
Had the big iron at my disposal all week. Excavator moved it in 8-10' pieces across the creek and to a log deck. Saw man on each side for double cutting. No real reaching over it. Less trouble than standing on it or climbing over it being neck high on me anyway on this terrain. Decked logs all day from previous visits. Dingosaurus, a loader and excavator.
We'll probably burn these with a bunch more over winter. Unless we get a chance to bring a couple home for slabbing.
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Nope, fire or termites. Thing is full of metal 4 plus feet up the high and low side. Served as a fence post and mining rigging attachment point back in the day.
 
CurSedVoyce said:
So finally put this piggy to bed, or log deck anyway.
Had the big iron at my disposal all week. Excavator moved it in 8-10' pieces across the creek and to a log deck. Saw man on each side for double cutting. No real reaching over it. Less trouble than standing on it or climbing over it being neck high on me anyway on this terrain. Decked logs all day from previous visits. Dingosaurus, a loader and excavator.
We'll probably burn these with a bunch more over winter. Unless we get a chance to bring a couple home for slabbing.



Caption: "I have slain thy enemy, now it time for a beer!"
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