How'd it go today?

[wiley_p]

Laying in my rack still. Finished up an Aeriel rescue class yesterday. Went wel,l all the attendees were stoked. Now to go pull some gear and go Cutthroat fishing. I just wish my joints were just a little looser this morning.

 

[Porkbrick]

i like your cutting board/table Stig, looks like a lot of fun. i'm going to be running our areal rescue program at work now. i figure ill spend the day prepping and building a rescue dummy so we don't have too take turns playing rag doll in the tree.

 

[stig]

It's possible to sleep in a saddle?

Asolutely!

When sleeping in a giant sequoia I used my Sequoia saddle ( yuk....yuk... yuk...), just took out all the hardware and carritools first.
Quite comfy.

Now I use a rockclimbing saddle that is no bigger than a G-string and just as sexy.
I don't even notice it at night, but taking a fall in it might not be too comfy.

We use a long sling as connection point to the hitchclimber, so we don't have to bring that into the sleeping bag.

But in reality, falling out of a treeboat hammock, takes a LOT of work.

 

[rangerdanger]

Beautiful climb and tree there Stig!! I'm envious you guys have something like that nearby to go and climb! Spectacular looking tree there!

Day 2 of rest and relaxation here. Cleaned the inside the of my car and took her to the car wash today to keep her lookin sexy haha. Then went TV shopping and picked up this new guy.


Been researching TV's for a few days, wanted a bigger one to put in the basement when I move down there in the next week or two, and this is one of the better reviewed ones out there, plus I got a good bundle deal on it. I gifted my other 32" LCD LG to Mom and Dad, they've been wanting a new TV to replace their old classic tv in their bedroom, so Dad is especially happy now haha. They're laying new carpet or tile in the basement next week I think, so can't wait for that. I'd like to pick up a good home theatre system as well in the next few weeks to go with the TV and have a sweet 'man cave' set up going on down there lol.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

I still have yet to sleep in a tree. That looks like a great time Stig. Big ol oak!

 

[MasterBlaster]

I remember giving my parents their first color TV. Good on ya, Adrian!

 

[Porkbrick]

meet Manuel, our newest employee. He will be helping with our aerial rescue training on wed.

 

[SkwerI]

He looks damn near worthless as a climber.

 

[MasterBlaster]

I've seen a lot of those!

 

[Porkbrick]

he does lack enthusiasm for sure. on the plus side, he never complains and he works real cheap.

 

[MasterBlaster]

He'll never spring for buying lunch, I'll bet!

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Does not look as motivated as some for his first day. Well, give him a week and see if he even hangs around

 

[sawinredneck]

He looks like I feel!
I just got a report from a weather spotter, it's raining 7"s an hour East of here! Now that's a toad strangler!

 

[Husabud]

Keep yours eyes on him. I have seen it too many times. No matter how many times you pick him up he's just gonna fall flat on his face. Bwhahaha

 

[Jack]

Kinda looks like some guys I've seen after a bachelors party

 

[SkwerI]

Woke up this morning without any work scheduled so I got busy running errands. About 10:30 I got a call that there was a tree down at a McDonald's 3 miles from my house and could I get over there with a saw? I said I could be there with a saw in 15 minutes or with my bucket truck in 30-40 minutes. He called me back and said I needed the bucket truck. Ended up being a decent size oak (30" dbh) that had split and half of it was in the parking lot next door. The other half was cracked and swaying. Took me 4 hours to get it on the ground because I had to crane out every single piece and pile it up in the parking lot. The guy's crew showed up about 2 hours in so that sped things up having someone to unhook the picks and tidy up on the ground.

I had just parked my bucket truck and was leaving the storage yard when a guy came out of the woods and flagged me down. It was a climber I've sort of known for many years, a hot shot with big moves and big drug problems. He wanted my card but I said they were in the other truck. He was living in the woods because he was homeless and then asked if I could spare a few bucks. Damn, it's hard saying no to a fellow tree rat but he's been in and out of rehab for years and it just doesn't help to feed that behavior. I've helped him in the past when he was sober and had all the right words to say but I guess sobriety wasn't for him.

 

[Husabud]

That's a bummer. I, on two occasions, have had the same guy, who doesn't remember we used to climb together, come up to me asking for work as a groundie cause his knees aren't right anymore. I hate to say no, his memory or not as he was a great climber, but he himself has been in and out of rehab. This biz is crazy. I just lost my ground guy a few weeks ago cause he couldn't keep the bottle out of his mouth or the pills away from his liver. I cannot afford that kind of liability. I picked another kid up and it turns out he is a pill head also, Bye. I am sure we have all been down one road or another that we're not proud of, but doesn't it end when or if you grow up?

 

[Tucker943]

Addiction is powerful and horrible. I grew up around tree workers since birth. By 10 years old i had a strong sense that tree work is plagued by addicts. Other trades also but they weren't relevant to me. Ive watched great numbers of people die from their addictions. It's horrible.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Agreed..... Lost a family to an addiction and some family members. ... SUX.
Good you go the work Brian. Sad to see someone suffering.

More beetle kill pondo felling today and I have a call for two more. Felled two across a road and center on a concrete drive way over a culvert. The tops were brittle as all get out and bark falling off one at 20 feet up.... No mess in a creek to pick out nor a mail box or pole....
Third one is half of a twin. Felled that half across slope to the road but at an angle so we could butcher it and yard it out into a turn out. Both twins are about 120' and no room to fell them together. Property owner wants to keep as many existing healthy trees possible considering there is a big ol hole in canopy now from our previous visit. He has some sugar pines and black oaks coming in, see if we can refrain from whacking a couple. Tomorrow I will drop the second of the twins up hill to a clearing in between some small trees and finish yarding out all the wood. Should not take any more than an hour to chip the brush with even my small unit

 

[Tucker943]

You take down a lot of big trees man. You'd get bored in my shoes. Sure I take some decent trees down but I do loads of small silly jobs.

 

[brendonv]

I made three trees stumps. Made all the brush small pieces, then dumped it out the back of my truck. Just another day.

Did my first speed line of the year though. Zipped some limbs over a power line. Kinda fun.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

I like little jobs... Long sticks of pine can make you want for Excedrin by the end of the day. However, having them land right where you want them and pull the plan off well sure feels good at the end of the day The environment is nice

 

[Tucker943]

A well executed job gives me a buzz. When a plan comes together and is carried out nicely with no glitches, I smile until I fall asleep that night.

 

[Al Smith]

I put some Miracle grow soil and composted manure on my little raised bed garden .That went good .Got the roto tiller out to till in it ,not so good .

Bad condenser .No problem put in a new one .Made about 10 feet and the SOB ran out of spark again .Pizz on it ,another day for that one .

 

[bonner1040]

Heh both my last bosses were recovering addicts, heroin and crack.