From da top Down, Pics

[chet]

Hey Greenman, noticed by your bio your connection to Purdue University. Ever attend the forestry camp they used to have here in the UP of Michigan. Back in the late 70's they hired me to take about 75 trees out from around their buildings for them.
And for the record, I hooked every tree.  ;D

[Greenman]

No, I didn't go to camp.  I had work experience that nullified the requirement for me.  And at the time I thought I really needed to use the room that made for other classes.  Now I really wish I had gone, though.  I've never been up there, and I heard it's a really great time.  I also heard some stories about some o' da yoopers (sp?) up der didn't like our students hangin' around.  A few vans even ended up with all of their tires flattened.  But I still think it would have been a great experience.  You can't let a couple bad apples...

I have an arborist horror story, too.  It happened at Purdue (meaning on the job for Purdue) as a matter of fact.  I had a friend who was helping one of the wildlife grad students retrieve a radio transmitter from a dead bird.  They were about 35' up ,both tied in to the same branch, when the branch let go.  My friend ended up with a broken back.  The wildlifer was able to go get help.  The scary thing is that later a couple of professors and other experts went to look at the tree and could find no reason that the branch should have fallen.  The branch was more than big enough to hold them both, the day it happened the weather was beautiful, there was no apparent rot or defect, and it was an oak that had every appearance of being perfectly healthy.  It was just one of those freak things.

Last time I saw him, he was finally walking again, but he had to wear a back brace and had some vertebrae fused together.  But he still didn't have complete control of the nether regions (had to wear a bag).

I guess it goes to show you have to really love what you do and live the way you want 'cause you never know what's gonna happen.

[chet]

Yur friends broke one of da tree-trimmers 10 comandments. NEVER tie to a branch, (always tie around the main stem of the tree).
Mistakes or carelessness can be very unforgiving.  

[Mark M]

Gosh - Kevin and Chet I'm the same age as you guys and always considered myself to be a young whipper-snapper. I didn't realize I was almost 50 :D

Mark

[OneWithWood]

Kevin, Chet and Mark,

I am just a 49 year old kid.  Sure hope the AARP discount works for the roller coasters :D