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Had a long talk with a retired logger that changed how I see tree work
I met a guy named Pete at the diner last week who spent 40 years logging up in Oregon. We got to talking about removals and he told me something that really stuck. He said most of today's climbers are too attached to gear and not attached enough to reading the tree itself. He told me a story about a 150 foot fir he dropped with nothing but a handsaw and a come along because his truck was broken down. That hit me hard because I've been guilty of buying the newest saddle or the lightest spikes thinking that makes me better. But Pete made me realize the craft is more about understanding tension and lean and wood fiber than any gadget. Has anyone else had a seasoned old timer call them out on gear crutch? I'm curious if I'm the only one who needed that reality check.
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the_sam1d ago
Doesn't that apply to just about everything now, like how people think a new phone will make them more organized instead of just changing how they actually use their time?
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murray.drew1d ago
Call me crazy but people have been telling stories about the old days being harder since the beginning of time. Pete sounds like a good guy but I bet he forgets all the times he wished he had a chainsaw or a truck that worked. The gear isn't a crutch. It's just tools. A good climber uses what works. If a handsaw and come along is all you got fine. But I've seen guys try to be heroes with minimal gear and end up in the ER. The real lesson is probably just don't buy stuff you don't need. That applies to everything.
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