Finally, I met the Man!

[MasterBlaster]

Excellent post!

 

[gf beranek]

Wow, thanks for the kudos everyone. Glad I could oblige you all.

Russ Riviere will be here in a couple of hours. I'll introduce him to the House. I'm sure he'll be jacked by all the response here.

 

[flushcut]

Sweet I just hope me family will allow me to be online. I mostly get on here in the early mourning when all are sleeping.

 

[SuperK]

Gerry,

How about an interview with all those guys from August or somebody just so we can all hear some great stories.....or a new book?!

 

[gf beranek]

Russ Riviere just left the house, and I had the wonderful opportunity to met his wife, Marlene. They've been married for 25 years now. We're meeting for breakfast in the morning, and then they will be on their way north home.

From all the people I hear he's interviewing it appears his book is going to cover the old west coast tramps from the 50s up to date. Well, the ones that are still alive anyway. It's going to be a broad perspective.

It's a heck of an endeavor. And I flattered he included me. Ha!

We'll all see how it works out. Given time.

 

[woodworkingboy]

Seems very cool, Jerry. I can only imagine that Russ must have loved visiting you guys if Terri was home as well.

 

[gf beranek]

Ah, Terri was at work, and she will be in the morning when we all have breakfast together. Sore subject with the Miss.

 

[mdvaden]

Thanks for sharing.

Maybe sort of fitting that there just happens to be a "BRUTE" in the lower right hand corner !! I like the name "Brute" ... sounds rugged like the gear and men who work with it.

 

[pigwot]

Jerry, It's nice to see living history, and to know it is a shared history and that the different threads of that history weave one into the other.
I feel as an East Coast Treeman I will always bow in adulation to the bigger-than-life size of you Western Treemen.
I know that my doing mainly residential, mostly predictable, deciduous, East Coast tree work doesn't compare to the strength, intuition, guts, and know-how employed by you 'old-timers' in the West Coast's very rough terrain, in difficult situations, with often less-predictable softwoods. It makes my experience seem more like playing in a sandbox.
My helmet is off to all of you in that photo and the thousands of others that have come before and after.

 

[Normzilla]

Ed Hobbs, that is.

The man who invented the Bry Dan saddle, Hobbs Block and Lowering device. One of the early innovaters that really changed the industry. Ed moved to Sonoma County 5 years ago, and I didn't even know it. Least not until a young fellow from Bellingham, Washington called me last week and said so. And so I drove down to Sebastapol Monday morning and met the Man, and a few more!

Ed also wrote the book 'Cadre of the Mews." If you familiar with it. A short autobio, about himself, and the crews he worked with over the years. A short easy read of people, times and places in the industry.

Now, in the image, Ed is the more distinguished older fellow in the background. To his immediate left is Russ Riviere,second generation treeman from Bellingham. Below right of Ed, is Tom Kent from Inverness, 56 years in the business. The fellow in the blue shirt is Martin Kutches from San Francisco, 45 years in the business. Behind me is Richard Engmen from SF also, over 50 years in the business. All Treemen. In every gathering of tree tramps there's always a braggart, and Richard was it. Him and Ed worked together for years.

Anyway, it was a highlight in my life to meet Ed Hobbs, and the rest of that gang. Great people, all of them. Just thought I'd let you know.

Oh, yeah, I shopped the image to get all our faces looking at the camera. Upon close inspection you may notice the artifacts.

Just seeing this. That's awesome, Richard sure talks about this meeting with you.

 

[gf beranek]

Yeah, I'd like to see Richard again.