Ed Hobbs - Passing of a Legend

[chris_girard]

I was really saddened to hear from Don Blair this morning about the passing of the legend, Ed Hobbs.

As most of you know (or should know), we have Ed to thank for bringing the modern lowering devices and arborist blocks to our industry and for bringing us out of the dark ages of rigging with natural crotches and taking wraps around trees (and no, I am not by any means knocking old school rigging).

He brought us the Hobbs Lowering Device, Hobbs Block, Bry-Dan Harness (which the modern harnesses are based on), etc.

Ed was a true maverick and made a huge impact on our industry and then quietly bowed out.

 

[flushcut]

Bummer! Godspeed Ed Hobbs may your chain never go dull in the afterlife,

 

[stig]

R.I.P.

Huge amount of respect from my side.

I owned what I belive was the second Hobbs device to come to Denmark.
It now works for PeteMctree in England.
Those never wear out.

 

[lxskllr]

While looking for something about him, I ran into this article on device abuse, with an amusing commentary on "euc men"...

How to Wreck Your Lowering Device

Ed Hobbs created a sensation at the 1979 Northern California Tree Trimmer’s Jamboree when he gave the first public demonstration of the first commercially feasible, ratcheting lowering device in recorded arboricultural history, aptly named the Hobbs Lowering Device. I was there. I was...

tcimag.tcia.org

 

[Jonny]

Very sad to hear. Much respect for his contributions to the industry.

While looking for something about him, I ran into this article on device abuse, with an amusing commentary on "euc men"...

How to Wreck Your Lowering Device

Ed Hobbs created a sensation at the 1979 Northern California Tree Trimmer’s Jamboree when he gave the first public demonstration of the first commercially feasible, ratcheting lowering device in recorded arboricultural history, aptly named the Hobbs Lowering Device. I was there. I was...

tcimag.tcia.org

Good article, Don Blair is a great writer, I always enjoy reading him. Educational AND entertaining.

 

[Jomo]

There's an old video about of Ken Johnson trying to destroy a Hobb's device and a GRCS by shock loading using a hoisted Volvo carcas 50 feet up a big burly euc.

The GRCS exploded in spectacular fashion, springs n gears flyin!

But the Hobb's held tough, though it did bend the rope feed to the spool a bit.

RIP Ed, you earned it.

Very sad news indeed.

Jomo

 

[frans]

That was a fun time, thank you very much Gerry Beranek for putting together this video. And in terms of Ed I worked one of his brydan saddles for many years. Also the Hobbs. I think I worked a Hobbs maybe for 10 years.

Jomo, Watch the video carefully to see who to give credit to for the video.
Ken was certainly right there helping. Ken provided his new Hobbs and his expertise. It was certainly very welcome.

 

[gf beranek]

It was a pleasure visiting Ed, back in '016, Along with some tree tramps he worked with over the years, in the Bay Area.

 

[chris_girard]

Awesome pictures Jer, thanks so much for sharing!

I became friends with Ed around 8-9 years ago and we would correspond through emails, and I could tell right away from them that this man was special and still knew more about rigging and tree work, than a lot of these "Johnny Come Lately" YouTubers will ever know.

 

[chris_girard]

That was a fun time, thank you very much Gerry Beranek for putting together this video. And in terms of Ed I worked one of his brydan saddles for many years. Also the Hobbs. I think I worked a Hobbs maybe for 10 years.

Jomo, Watch the video carefully to see who to give credit to for the video.
Ken was certainly right there helping. Ken provided his new Hobbs and his expertise. It was certainly very welcome.

Hey Frans, was that a big Youngs block that you and Ken hung in the tree for the shock loading?

Is that one of yours Jer?

 

[chris_girard]

I just rewatched it on YouTube.

That really looked like a fun day!

 

[gf beranek]

Breaking stuff for science. That's always fun.

 

[Normzilla]

It was a pleasure visiting Ed, back in '016, Along with some tree tramps he worked with over the years, in the Bay Area.

View attachment 118951View attachment 118953

I'm glad I got to meet him once. And the old climber to your right, with his hand on your shoulder. Him and I stay in contact. Just talking last night. And he told me Ed passed. I met up both at sequoia burger near sebastopool couple years back. Having a burger with my wife and mom. They told us some wonderful old stories of tree work and the good old days.

 

[gf beranek]

Always nice to meet good people, Norm.

 

[Normzilla]

Always nice to meet good people, Norm.

Absolutely agreed. And I love hearing the okd stories. Knowledge and experiences.

 

[chris_girard]

After reading some posts today on the TH, it made me think of the late great Ed Hobbs and how lucky I was to get to know him and to be able to call him a friend and mentor in his last few years.

Mentors and elders are so important to both young and old and I show them nothing but respect. I wish that others could do the same.

I have 2 really good mentors and friends whom I am so grateful for everything that they have taught me, as well as others over the years. They are Don Blair and Jerry Beranek. For too many years now, I have been saying that I will write a mentor article about them but haven't done it yet. Life tends to get in the way of writing sometimes. I don't even get a chance to post here as often as I would like.

My interview with Don is finished and now I just have to interview Jer! When the article is published in TCI Mag and Arb Climber Mag, I will be sure to post a link here on TH.

 

[gf beranek]

You keep so busy, Chris, you don't realize the time that passes.

Never a boring moment.

 

[chris_girard]

Boy, I hear ya there Jer!

I need to take time to smell the roses, before I'm gone and, in the ground, pushing up daisies!