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Christopher Pine
10-14-2004, 2:33 PM
Just a thought I had maybe no one has anything but I bet you all do. In watching Americas funniest home videos the other night with my kids they had a group of videos of people cutting down trees and they come crashing down on there cars. I found this particularily hilarious for some reason. (Why not. its not my car). Anyone have some stories along these lines and the video clip is optional but highly ecncouraged! :)
Chris

Richard McComas
10-14-2004, 2:53 PM
I was born and raised in Northern California (Red Bluff to be exact,) anyway I remember as a kid going to the coast and driving thru one of those giant Redwoods, might have even been the same one as in the picture.

If you ever get the chance to go see the Redwoods do it, they’re just awesome.

Kevin Gerstenecker
10-14-2004, 3:10 PM
Ah yes......................I have a story for ya. About 15 years ago, a good buddy of mine decided to start a Tree Service. He always did have more money than sense..........but more on that later. He bought a brand new Bucket Truck, a couple of trailers, a new Chipper, 6..........yes, 6 brand new Chain saws. (All Stihl of course........I wonder where he got that idea?) ;)
Anyways.................he had only dropped a few trees in his life, but he watched me put maybe a dozen on the ground..............SAFELY, I might add, so he figured that made him Paul Bunyon. He had a pretty decent business rolling in, and he was fortunate that all his calls the first few months were pretty easy pickin's. Not a high risk job in the bunch. I get a call one Friday evening and it was the "Tree Man". He said he had a Tree that he was not sure about lined up for Saturday Morning, and could I help him get through the felling of this tree. He said "I just need you to observe, you don't have to get dirty". What that meant was I loaded up all my Tree Gear, Saws, rope, spurs, harnesses and first aid kit and headed for the site. What I saw upon arrival is an absolutely HUGE Cottonwood Tree. This thing would caliper AT LEAST 8' at waist high, maybe more. MONSTER TREE! He said................."I'm gonna put her on the ground Cap'n" (He called everyone Cap'n) (Did I mention he was kinda nuts?) Anyway, this tree forked about 14' above the ground. That concerned me, but hey, he was the "Pro", so I never said a word. (Trust me, it would have done NO good to say anything at this point..............he was "The Man" this fine day!) To the right of the tree is open acreage.......to the left of the Tree is a 150K home. He starts making his cuts..............he has a nice wedge out, and it starting the back cut.......and she starts going right where he wanted it to..........looking good.............OOPS...........this sucker started to fall, made about 4', and split right at the crotch. The small half dropped beautifully into the open field. The bigger half dropped beautifully right smack dab in the middle of the great room! I hate to admit this, but I laughed so hard I wet my pants. (Good thing the owners were NOT home!) I was gonna leave, but he was freaking out, and asked me to help him out with this disaster. I said, "I will give ya 2 hours, then I am GONE!" I spent 2 hours in the great room and master bedroom with my 028 Stihl saw cutting up Cottonwood. Let's just say, when I left there, there was a LOT of cutting left to do IN the house! :eek: He was out of the tree business after that...........the Cottonwood...........she was the last tree he ever felled. Trust me, Mankind and the Insurance Industry are better off because of it too! :D

Sorry, no pictures.............I didn't have my camera, and didn't have the guts to ask the homeowner if I could return to take some...............I'm brave......but I ain't stupid! ;)