Gerald Beranek

Kevin · November 10, 2002, 07:02:08 PM

I had the rare opportunity to meet Gerald Beranek at the Bailey`s booth this past week and bought one of his books about logging on the west coast.
Very nice man with quite a remarkable history.

Paul_H · November 10, 2002, 07:54:46 PM

Kevin,
How the heck do they get up there initially.Do they drive in spikes,and climb like a mountain climber?

I used to rig backspars,for running skyline on the grapple yarder,and live skyline on the mini tower.Nothing elaborate like the old timers,we only had to go up 60' as opposed to their 150'-200'.

I know it's hard to climb a large diameter tree,you have to flip your rope just right or it will try to slide down below you.My Dad,when he highrigged,had to go up a large fir once, with with another man,and they flipped each others rope till they got up aways.Makes me wonder how they do it.

These guys up the Redwoods have guts.

Kevin · November 10, 2002, 08:02:25 PM

Paul,
They use a combination of flip line, gaffs and rope.
You can see the canopy at the bottom of the picture, he`s a long way up!
He`s done some removals that others said were impossible.
He said it`s good to be a little nervous but you can`t be scared.

Paul_H · November 10, 2002, 08:11:21 PM

Bet I could be scared,it would come naturally. :D

Kevin · November 10, 2002, 08:15:27 PM

I think he told me he used a 7' bar to top those sticks.

Tom · November 11, 2002, 05:54:31 AM

That adds a whole new dimension to "climbing saw", eh?

Tillaway · November 11, 2002, 05:55:23 PM

I saw the poster with story, it's pretty cool.

Kevin · November 11, 2002, 06:43:38 PM

Here`s a little history on him ...

http://www.atreestory.com/author.html

and a few pictures ...

http://www.atreestory.com/cd.html

GF_Beranek · November 14, 2002, 06:33:41 AM

Wow, that pic was taken some time ago. May of 81. The same morning Mt. St. Helens blew her top. After I figure out how to attach images I'll add some others of that climb. Titled "Montgomery Woods". However, I'm just now checking out the forestry forum. And it took a while to find the password and login. But I got it now. I hope. Always something new to learn. Thanks Kevin

Tom · November 14, 2002, 06:53:55 AM

Welcome to the ForestryForum, GF. This is a monumental situation that we seldom see, a celebrity. :D

We get some Kiln guys that are known and a few sawyers but most of us are just your run-of-the-mill knock about citizen. Look forward to some of your stories.

Kevin · November 14, 2002, 07:10:25 AM

Gerald, nice to have you here and I hope we can put the squeeze on you for a story or two.
A good handle for you would be I`m The Guy :D.
I overheard that several times inside the Expo and out in the lobby "that`s the guy".
I saw two young climbers who had your poster spread out on the floor of the lobby just outside the main doors to the exhibiters room and one of them was saying ... that`s the guy as he pointed to you hanging off that giant redwood.
One question I had was ... what did you use for a throwing line and how did you launch it into those huge trees ?

Tom,
I don`t know about the rest of you but Bib and I made the Wood-Mizer News so that`s pretty much celeb status where I come from. :D

Tom · November 14, 2002, 07:32:39 AM

You're right, Kevin. I need to update my celebrity list. I figure we have quite a few on the board. There are so many that have found their way here that have excelled or stood out in their field and been recognized. Even our teachers have awards. Christmas tree guys, web guys, locally famous sawyers, authors, inventors, just to name a few.

Come to think of it, celebrity might not be as rare on this board as I was thinkin'.

Welcome to the Forestry Forum, Gerald. you will find a place amongst the rest of the celebrities here, I'm sure. Just kinda squish in and move everybody over a seat or two I'm sure there is room for one more. :D :D

GF_Beranek · November 14, 2002, 05:58:54 PM

Thank you all for the invitation to the forestry forums. When I get a handle on adding more input, particularly images, I'll be there to add it. It will be an honor. First thing with this forum is learning how to add images and the stories behind them. Bound to be some mistakes in the beginning. Optimize jpegs for the web will be the first hurdel. I know only a little about it, but have much to share with you. It's great. Thank you. Jerry B

whitepe · November 14, 2002, 06:01:53 PM

Welcome to the forum Gerald. It looks like you have
some interesting tales to tell. With your publications
it looks like I'll have some unique gifts for my father-in-law
for Christmas. 8)\

Whitepe

Bro. Noble · November 14, 2002, 06:20:19 PM

Welcome GB,

Did you ever hear of GB beer?

Whitepe, do you suppose you and Rick and I will become celebrities with our upcoming redwood adventure?

Noble

Tom · November 14, 2002, 06:37:44 PM

Noble!................

are y'all going after those big logs in the pacific again? Trying to sneak out, eh? :D

Bro. Noble · November 14, 2002, 07:51:36 PM

Tom, that would be silly !

Anyway it's a secret.

Kevin, you ever cut any big redwoods on your LT15 not that Whitepe needs to know how or anything.

Perry,
we're gonna eat first aren't we?

Noble

Frank_Pender · November 16, 2002, 08:13:48 PM

Welcome, Gerald. It is sure nice to have another
West Coaster in the Forestry Forum Forest. We sure need some more Western thinking around here. ;D 8) 8)

whitepe · November 19, 2002, 10:57:03 AM

Noble,

Yea, We're still gonna eat.
You're still buying aren't you? :D

We might have to use some black powder to
get those redwood logs small enough to mill
on my LT15. My neighbor used to do that to
get logs small enough to saw on his circle mill
but he passed away.

Any volunteers to light the fuse?

Whitepe