Just got gear and did my first climb

I have no experience with rope climbing. I watched the dvd Tree Climbing Basics. Great instructional video, especially like the up close rope tying. I got to admit I was nervous because I am climbing by myself (under supervisor of my wife), but I just relied on the dvd to train me. I kept questioning myself on my ability to tie the rope correctly (watched many close-up videos and repeated to myself tie, dress and set I started out by spending at least 30 minutes untangling ropes. I was taking my time with the ropes, why do they always tangle. Started throwing my throw weights for rope placement. I managed to get THREE throw lines stuck. One went over the branch and then done another loop real fast around the limb (I knew that one was stuck for sure). The next throw line went up and got stuck on tree suckers (that bean bag fits perfectly as a wedge That one is still stuck. I got two of the throw weights unstuck by climbing to them. The third one will require me to get higher (another day). I do have a little fear of heights ( ask my wife she says I have a lot of fear). My nerves used to be so bad on a ladder that I could not stop shaking. My wife got humor from that She also says I get this fear smell that if I lift up my armpits people will run. She says it smells worse than a deer Either way I have actually enjoyed this climb and will do many more.

Line management is one of the unheralded skills that is very important in tree climbing. It takes some time handling rope and throwline to get the hang of it. It's a never ending battle but it gets better the more you climb.

On my first climb attempt I hung two throwbags in a tree for seven days. I finally was able to get into the tree by using a large potato and a clothesline to set my rope.

The number one way to hang up a throwbag is to try to pull it back through the tree when you make a bad throw. It's very tempting to simply pull on the throwline and try and yank the throwbag out of the tree. It's been proven again and again that the most trouble-free way to do it is untie the throwbag from the throwline and then pull the the throwline out of the tree.
-AJ