This is my story and i am sticking to it
The climb from – OH let’s just go BACK IN SIDE – Hello
Have you ever had one of those climbs that nothing went right and with each move matters got worst.
That was me today
I started out to my little oak in the yard a little hungry. Aiming for a lower branch then normal and the throw just bounced about, when re-flaking my line back into the cube it get little branches and it take a few minutes to pull out all the twigs and loops out. After a few more throws I have a good branch so I am ready to isolate and set my line. Things are looking good. As I start to isolate pulling the line up TADA the bag is stuck and not moving in any way no matter what. OK – get a low branch as NOW I have gear in the tree. SO a few more throws and I settle for a branch about 15 feet off the ground. Up go I, having to make about 6 switches, each toss was with a monkey fist as YES, I left my extra bag and line back at the house. Inching up the tree, branch by branch what else can go wrong.
Where are the tree police when I want them, they would have say GO HOME RIGHT NOW and get it in the morning. BUT NO NOT ME.
Onward and upward, now I am about 40 foot up and on the wrong side of the tree setting lines one branch up when I realize I have coiled my rope right around the trunk of tree and over a branch, sort of like a big giant girth hitch. And the thing is I was doing rope management, but must have missed that. SO – with only feet to go and my rope is not going forward anymore and IF I step on that branch my TIP will be at my waist, well that is not ABOVE. OK – now I think, it is dust the sun has set and I am only two foot from the object of my desire. WHAT CAN I DO? LANYARD IN, so that is what I did, on the branch that I was tied into about two foot from the truck I set my lanyard. STILL SHORT – DANG.. On tip toes shaking the branch that the bag is on and then it happen it was unstuck. I remove the bag and toss that to the ground, then I feed the throw line back to the ground also so that does not get stuck any more.
So now you think I am done and ready to get out of the tree – sure be. What else can happen? Well, remember the words of those other climbers about pulling back your lanyard rope snap, watch it and go slow, even slow was not slow enough, so I am off to the dentist tomorrow to repair a chipped tooth. OK, I am now practicing all the those bad words – like dang and darn and bugger and gosh golly gee. WHAT MORE CAN HAPPEN?????
Ok, I am safe, back on rope and starting to descend. I am at that point where my rope is wrapped about the tree. DO you know that you can pull a rope up the correct way and get to the end or you can pull it the other way and get back to your tie in at your harness. OPPS and I was really watching this time as I am tired, it is dark dusk the sun has set the colors are the sky are changing and I want out of this tree. 30 foot up. OK – take a breath, focus. With great care I do more rope management and get my rope corrected and get out of the tree. My throw line is all tangled in my rope, I can not untie the scaffold hitch that I tied tied to my bridge, I am about ready to just drop the harness on the ground and drag all my gear back to the house. BUT I then think of the mess I will have later. With care, I find all my gear and put things away properly.
Once back in the house, the tooth inspected, yes a good chip; I find the worst of the worst. I am out of beer.
OK total time 1 hour 30 minute.
What did I learn? Stock up on beer before you climb.
NO really. This was the WORST climb I have ever had, anything that could go wrong did. Was I prepared? Sort of, I had the knowledge to get up the tree with care and got to the ground without incident to myself, well almost. I used the lanyard several times when I was close to my tie in. I took short throws and I moved slowly.
This reminds me of the Tom Dunlap's post about Common Sense on a different forum. IF I had used mine today, I would have walked back into the house 10 minutes into the event when I could not get a throw line on a branch 15 foot up.
Today the tree got me.
Stay Safe.
