Walked From the Job

[Tree Machine]

Thanks, Chucky! I can see you modestly pushing the focus off yourself, but the fact remains that, you went back to the beast, and you conquered!

What kinda height do you get on those bounces?

Depends on from what height dropped, the mass of the chunk and how directly you hit. Usually just a couple feet.

 

[BigUglySquirrel]

Well sirs,

I hate to say it but I too have had a very similar situation. I didn't underbid the job, but it was over my head. After about 20 mins. in the canopy and working through the thing in my head, it was obvious....I was going to be the catalyst for something very bad if I attempted this tree. It killed me. It shamed me. It made me feel inferior. I had been climbing solo for over a year and this was the first job I had ever bailed on. (And the only to date) BUT, as I look back, I was honest with the homeowner about the stiuation. I learned that I was NOT superhuman, and I didn't cost the owner a ton of money or cause personal injury to myself or the men that depend on me to do no wrong. I kicked my ego to the side and did the right thing. So did you. Every tree you go into has the potential to alter the rest of your life. You take precautions. You choose men you can trust on the ground. You spend money on equipment that you stake your well-being on. None of it means anything if you don't have the brains and humility to know when you are in too deep. It's not about balls. It's not about money. It's about knowing and respecting what no one else knows or understands....your personal limitations. Kudos on a job well done.

 

[BigUglySquirrel]

Being one to always make lemon out of lemonade I found the opportunity to, since I had to replace one rim, I'd replace both and since one tire was hosed, a new rear set of tires was in order.

So, after that $600 glass of lemonade I did end up with new rear rims, new rear tires and a spare tire on a rim. This is all good. I also had the toasted tire.

The set of three from the previous pics had been pounded to oblivion over the course of a few years and needed replacing. My aim at bombing chunks had gotten really good in that time, so I decided to go from the set of three tires, down to one. I also had a couple smaller 12" utility trailer tires and I managed to stuff two 12 inchers inside of the one truck tire. Now I can make giant chunks actually 'bounce'. It's quite entertaining.

Ladies and gentlemen, the 'Testosterone Tire'.

Now that is a killer idea!!! Nice thinking!!

 

[Tree Machine]

Maybe we should share it over at the 'inventions' thread, http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=24066. Maybe I should patent it and charge you millions

Thanks for sharing your single walkaway story, Big Ugly. Well-said. That tree had to be a major son-of-a-gun.

 

[Chucky]

None of it means anything if you don't have the brains and humility to know when you are in too deep. It's not about balls. It's not about money. It's about knowing and respecting what no one else knows or understands....your personal limitations. Kudos on a job well done.

But, BUS, it IS about balls, because it takes a lot of balls to admit you were wrong to bid the tree in the first place. At least we both showed up for the job, got into the tree, and made the assessment that the tree was too much before we made our decision. We suffered the embarrassment rapelling back down the tree in front of the groundmen, defeated. That takes balls. A lot of people might not have even bothered to show up and just blew the job off, making excuses for not doing it instead of admitting the truth.

The only reason I went back to do the job is because the tree was not in fact too much for me, maybe almost too much, but not really too much for me. I knew in the back of my mind I had the expertise and equipment to do the job, I just got spooked for some reason. All it took was feedback from AS members to help make up my mind. And those who told me it was OK to walk I appreciate as much as those who told me to get back in the tree.