Are you in your PRIME?

I have always said that I wish I was 20 again and knew what I know now! I'd probably be in jail though!!!!
 
I think that prime think was some time ago .I can still get-er-done but I need to rest up sometimes .Then again I think I've earned that right .
 
cory said:
In your 30's is your prime because you still have loads of physical ability plus you have accumulated experience to put it to good use.

40's your physicality starts to go but you have even more experience so you still get it done in good fashion.

50's you've got massive experience, but getting out of bed is all but impossible;)
Click to expand...

That is it in a nutshell for me. I still do some climbing mostly technical trimming and small removals. My best days are behind me now and I am not afraid to admit that I can't or won't do the hard ones anymore.

I have been watching some young guys tear down a couple of big elms down the road from us . They have been at it for over a week now. They are getting the job done but they are making the work harder than it should be because they don't have the experience when it comes to rigging and roping. They could have saved themselves many hours if they put a rope in the tree instead of climbing each individual lead to cut it down. Last Sunday they had a small rental lift on the job for some limbs that were a little over the roof and close to the house.

They didn't need the lift if they knew how to rig. They went and cut down all the good gin poles to rope those limbs back away from the house. It is not my job ,nor were we asked to bid it so hopefully they will some day learn how to do a job the right way.

I don't have a clue who these guys are but at least they are wearing hard hats. The guy who climbs isn't using a climbing rope. I can't really tell by driving by if he is even using spurs or a buck strap, I hope he is at least using those tools. He does have a chainsaw lanyard. It looks like he is just shinning up the tree.

They are removing all the brush with pick-up trucks and a trailer. We have all done that but all I can think of is all the hard work that I can't do anymore because I am not in my prime anymore and have to rely on others to do it for me . I am just thankful we have a boom truck, chipper and other machines to help move that big wood.
 
I'm 32, and honestly, since I started climbing a couple years ago, I'm in the best shape of my life. I've lost 20 lbs. Nothing hurts. I ride my bike pretty hard every day. I feel better than I did when I was playing high school football, and I owe it all to tree climbing. It was, is, and will remain my motivation to stay in shape.

As far as production climbing, I know I am a total rookie. But like others have said, it's not work to me, it's fun. I would do this for free.

Anyways, I'm taking my ISA arb exam on the 24th, and plan to start doing more hazard tree removals around the area. This is a great board, and has been a good thread. Enjoy your sunday guys!

~Sam
 
prime is relative. for me prime means pain free.
If i hit the ground runnin and laughin as opposed to exhausted and hurtin.
Jerry calls em"culprit trees" keep your eyes open and pay attention to your gut feelings.
I climbed big trees as a kid so have alot of hours in as a climber my prime would have been around
11 seriously with out a care and no fear. As an arbclimber you can only get better as the tools and techniques will allow.
Cheers
 
As a faller ; my prime was when I could hold my 394 with a 36" bar and chain, in my right hand by the grip and reach out and start a boring cut. On purpose. Without straining. . I used to Never loose hand shake's. Could hand over hand climb 25' up a 1" chocker with White Ox gloves on. I could load full 55 gal drums of gas or bar oil in the back of a 3/4 ton crummy just by rolling them onto my knee, picking them up and giving them a belly bump. At quitting time I could walk 1500' up out of a v notch none stop all week long after burning 2 1/2 gallons of gas thru an 064 or 288 . That was 20 years ago. However. I've injured most parts of my body quite a bit and I no longer live in the mountains. I always had strong muscles, but my tendons and ligaments were more fragile. Lots of back and hip injuries.
For climbing in my 20 s I could belt and spurs 80' one way in 30 seconds on boomstick size timber. Not anymore. I still outwork the 20 year olds easy and still keep a bushlin saw busy for 6-6.5 hours a day. But it really is hard getting out of bed in the morning. .
I would love to go back to bushlin. But I don't know if I could keep up. I'm pretty scared of the saying " This ain't a school for the young or a home for the old. "
 
Stouter than I ever was, prime or not. Only part of that which was ever within my capabilities was the walking out of steep units a long ways non-stop, after traversing it all day long. I could probably match the spur climb, too...maybe :).

Hats off, bro.
 
I tipped off the prime spot about 4 yrs ago...one too many soft tissue injuries playing competitive field hockey...high hamstring tear that still gives me gyp.
Shoulders took a beating playing hockey as well, I was the goalie, diving saves and landing a bit wrong...I was feeling the right one after yesterday's work, where's the Voltaren...dammit, where are my glasses, I can't see the labels, :lol:
 
Ibu and Asprin. Asprin during the day, Ibu in the evening.

Bangin nails, framing ruined my hands. Once I started running spring mounted 394 s and 288 s my hands really improved. . Even with good wood handled framing hammers my hand got messed up. . . I think part of it was how I held the lumber also. But, even now by the time I hand drive a 24' wall together and nail in the window and door framing I almost can't hold my hammer.
 
Oh well. I'm still alive and have a lot to be thankful for. . A lot of the guys I cut with that were my age are long dead now. And I can still truly enjoy what I do. And I'm still pretty good at it.
 
Sucks to know the better years, performance-wise, are in the rear view...but I'm having a ball in retirement, so there are compensations. Plus, I don't have to perform full time, I can pick my battles and still win most of them since recupe time is available.
 
Recupe time...oh so important these days!
I'm glad I work for myself, and we pretend to be semi-retired...bid my own work and take time off when we need it.
 
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