How would you like to work on this tree?

[crtreedude]

Sorry for being so late. You know, I thought when I moved to Costa Rica, life would become a LITTLE less crazy, but no. Not only do I have the plantation and computer work and adapting to a new culture, including language, but also I am trying to find 500 cubic meters per month of teak for a buyer. Mine is not mature enough and I am trying to help a company out (for a fee of course).

This is my excuse why I have yet to do anything on pictures. I have not even touched a rope since the fourth of October.

Fred

P.S. Hopefully Friday?

 

[Tree Machine]

We're here to help

That's OK, we're a patient bunch, and this is an important topic.

Teak, um, try calling the spice and natural products shop in Quepos, owned by Tey and Milo. I volunteered and worked up on their farm about 13 or 14 years ago. I was involved with their spice farm, but he had a respectable teak plantation going at the time.

When hurricane Mitch clobbered that coast in 95, it changed a lot of things there in the foothills forever, so I don't know how these tall, slender trees held up. Tey usually runs the tienda and she is Tica with exceptionally good English and would have your answers.

No, life doesn't get easier in Costa Rica. It gets slower, whether you want it to or not. If you are an impatient, hurry-up-and-get-it-done type of person, and like to push projects through, you would pull your hair out and drive yourself mad in the Tico culture. Tranquilo, no te preocupe. I was too amped-up and ambitious for the workers around me. I had too much spunk for their liking and I had to learn how to chill.

Fred, do you have your Big Shot yet?

 

[crtreedude]

Well, sometimes I feel like a split personality. Since a lot of the people I work with are from USA - I try to be very responsive, etc. But, when working with governments and banks, I have to have a more laid back approach.

By the way, my partner is Tico, and I swear, he is more driven than me at times. And the people who work for him are pretty driven people as well. You just have to reward for getting things down. I think the reason for the laidback attitude is similar to USA often - "Well, it ain't my money" When people are paid per tree cleaned, or per meter of fence pruned, they definitely move a lot faster in my observation.

Since I give people a piece of the profit, it is amazing how little I have to supervise, they supervise each other. However, there is nothing I can do about the banks and government and other monopolies, that is when I have to chill out - or send Hector. ;-)

 

[Tree Machine]

well-done

Your widom pours through. I admire you as a diplomat and a good bossman. Now we just need to get your climbers safe and confident and geared properly for the task.

I suppose you'll be sending Hector to Aduanas (Customs) to pick up your gear shipments.

 

[crtreedude]

Nope, not necessary. Under the law 7575, all my equipment for the plantation is excempt, I just have to attach the paper work to it. I am also excempt from property tax and capital gains on sales of reforestation products from the finca.

Costa Rica likes reforestors.

 

[Tree Machine]

Excellent! We like reforesters, too. So does it end up getting shipped to you, or do you need to go into San Jose'?

We shoud ask the National Arborist Association to have their Winter Management Conference at Finca Don Fred.

 

[crtreedude]

Usually I have things sent directly to me in San Carlos. If you guys want to have the yearly meeting at my place, we can have a climbing contest! (I'll be a judge. ;-) )

 

[Nickrosis]

I can ask them tomorrow (it's TCIA, remember? ).

 

[Tree Machine]

Location, Location, Location

Fred there's a half dozen San Carlos' in Costa Rica. Which one are you, Ciudad Quesada, Puntarenas, Cano Negro? Where is you, Fred? Donde esta, Huevon?

 

[crtreedude]

Ciudad Quesada - The Northern Zone. We are about 40 kilometers from Arenal.

Everyone come on down, we will head over to Arenal Volcano and play in the hot springs. I am sure you all have sympathy in my living here year round.

Fred

 

[Tree Machine]

Everyone come on down

Careful on loosely tossing out invites. You must remember, it's Fall, soon to be Winter up here.....

 

[crtreedude]

I figure I will get free work out of everyone....

Showing what kind of person I am, I have a weather watch on the temperature where I come from - it is 47 degree there, and about 65 outside here right now, with a projected high about 78. (I don't have to even check, it is roughly the same every day)

 

[Tree Machine]

Re: We're here to help

Originally posted by Tree Machine
Fred, do you have your Big Shot yet?

 

[crtreedude]

Not yet - no real need yet since I am not going up something really tall until I figure out how to get down easily. It looks pretty nice though.

One issue that I think I had was that as I was climbing the rope, I had to hang on to the upper part of the rope to keep upright. I was looking at some caving stuff, and they had a chest harnes that you would clip on. It would have made my life a lot easier to be able to clip on the top so that standing upright would have been a lot easier.

So, is a chest harness standard practice?

 

[MasterBlaster]

Is that the way ya'll shoot em? On yur thigh. like that?

 

[Tree Machine]

Lotsa ways to do it

No, that's the way she did it. I fire off my beltline, just right of center.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Wow. I just do it like the guy in the Sherrill pitcher. I gotta try it yur way next.

 

[Tree Machine]

The guy in the Sherrill pitcher is using an 8 foot pole, where the booted pole end is on the ground, and you're down on one knee. I've tried it that way, but I found a lot better accuracy using a 6 foot pole off the front right beltline.

On reaally long shots, you pull back the pouch, bend slightly at the knees, and upon release, simultaneously straighten your knees. SchhhoooOOO! I'm good to about 25 meters with the bag and line I use

On regular medium to high shots, I don't do the leg bend thing, but rather hold as still as possible, aim carefully, concentrate, focus, POW!

I still try different methods in the quest to always find a better way, but the method descibed above is my steady eddie.

Freddie, you ready? This is your thread, Fred. Shall we continue with your schooling? Cmon, Fred, picture. Harness, ascenders, descenders, slings, ....whatch got? Flipline?

 

[Nickrosis]

Don't get yourself in the face with the Big Shot, though. People have gotten seriously messed up by it. Friends of mine with shiners, even.

 

[glens]

Originally posted by Tree Machine
I'm good to about 25 meters with the bag and line I use

I forgot to post this earlier.

I "seen" you do "about 25 meters" (or was that part of the NDA too?  hahaha).  I was going to say I can reliably do 20 meters with the underhand "lob" using a 10 oz. bag / 2.2 mm zing-it.  Wanting to verify it first, I went out to the truck, grabbed the throw-line, set the cube on the ground, took aim and put her right through a 19.5 meter (actual) crotch on my walnut.  It might be the first time for the first time, which is usually a warmup/spoiler.  Naturally, nobody was looking...

Jim, how's come you didn't have your fine helper with you the day I stopped by?

Glen