I grabbed this picture the other day on one of Al's jobs. It's a Honeylocust reduction and a good illustration of how taking an extra turn with the lanyard can be helpful in securing a good work position at those tough reduction cut locations.
Monday, June 15, 2015
Tuesday, June 9, 2015
JAMBO.
They said it would be an intense gathering. And since I heard that I had always wondered what that means, "intense gathering." Like, a party? Or family renunion? Or board meeting? Or what?
Well, last week we traveled to Belleville, Illinois to climb and camp and compete at TreeStuff.com's second annual JAMBO. It was our first. We took Al's chip truck, myself, Alan Krieg and our good friend Arch Authenreit. Like 15 hours or so strait through and we arrived on Wednesday evening.
The Meurer property was magnificent, complete with lake and campgrounds and beautiful white oaks to climb in. So many friends that we've known from online forums and such finally came to life. Handshake after handshake, it seemed as though all the industry greats were there along with some of the greatest tree climbers on planet earth.
As far as a competition goes, it really couldn't get any better. Each arena included two trees with so many bells it was mind blowing. There was so much room for creativity and as a climber who cares about incorporating a tree's architecture into a climb, it was lovely.
Bon fires at night, live music, cold beer and the occaisionally a nip of whiskey to send the soul off to sleep. Wow. For four days the place was like a production climbing amusement park. Tree after wonderful tree we climbed in, at a half an hour per run, showing off everything that we could squeeze into the climb from the proverbial toolbox until time ran out (or your gear was pulled from the crown). Not to mention enjoying a hand from a groundman!
The food was incredible. There was team building, deep water tree soloing, a human claw game, open ascent runs on the crane ball, seminars and talks and an ever continuing tree climbing expose. Cutting edge climbing tools and techniques being refined and defined, created and manipulated. Family, friends and the great outdoors.
The makers of gear, the breakers of gear, the buyers of gear and sellers of gear. Old school, new school, young and old, man and woman. Competitor, spectator, and judge.
For me and I think for a lot of others, it was about what we do and why we do it. The climb, the trees and the people. Tree Stuff is doing something, finally, for the spirit of arboriculture. I've never seen such energy at one event. I truly believe some of the best competitive climbs ever took place over those four days. There were many personal bests, many friendships sewn and lessons learned. People were allowed to climb their way, and it was beautiful.
JAMBO is the spirit of arboriculture. To climb. To work. To laugh. To live. It is a lasting energy where we grow as people towards something better. The bonds created strengthen the industry and the people in it. JAMBO isn't about winning or losing. It's about growing and about doing something that you never thought was possible. And about realizing what else is possible.
A big thanks to Luke and his family and Nick and the Meurer family and the countless judges and volunteers. You've changed my life forever.
JAMBO.
Well, last week we traveled to Belleville, Illinois to climb and camp and compete at TreeStuff.com's second annual JAMBO. It was our first. We took Al's chip truck, myself, Alan Krieg and our good friend Arch Authenreit. Like 15 hours or so strait through and we arrived on Wednesday evening.
The Meurer property was magnificent, complete with lake and campgrounds and beautiful white oaks to climb in. So many friends that we've known from online forums and such finally came to life. Handshake after handshake, it seemed as though all the industry greats were there along with some of the greatest tree climbers on planet earth.
As far as a competition goes, it really couldn't get any better. Each arena included two trees with so many bells it was mind blowing. There was so much room for creativity and as a climber who cares about incorporating a tree's architecture into a climb, it was lovely.
Bon fires at night, live music, cold beer and the occaisionally a nip of whiskey to send the soul off to sleep. Wow. For four days the place was like a production climbing amusement park. Tree after wonderful tree we climbed in, at a half an hour per run, showing off everything that we could squeeze into the climb from the proverbial toolbox until time ran out (or your gear was pulled from the crown). Not to mention enjoying a hand from a groundman!
The food was incredible. There was team building, deep water tree soloing, a human claw game, open ascent runs on the crane ball, seminars and talks and an ever continuing tree climbing expose. Cutting edge climbing tools and techniques being refined and defined, created and manipulated. Family, friends and the great outdoors.
The makers of gear, the breakers of gear, the buyers of gear and sellers of gear. Old school, new school, young and old, man and woman. Competitor, spectator, and judge.
For me and I think for a lot of others, it was about what we do and why we do it. The climb, the trees and the people. Tree Stuff is doing something, finally, for the spirit of arboriculture. I've never seen such energy at one event. I truly believe some of the best competitive climbs ever took place over those four days. There were many personal bests, many friendships sewn and lessons learned. People were allowed to climb their way, and it was beautiful.
JAMBO is the spirit of arboriculture. To climb. To work. To laugh. To live. It is a lasting energy where we grow as people towards something better. The bonds created strengthen the industry and the people in it. JAMBO isn't about winning or losing. It's about growing and about doing something that you never thought was possible. And about realizing what else is possible.
A big thanks to Luke and his family and Nick and the Meurer family and the countless judges and volunteers. You've changed my life forever.
JAMBO.
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