Bixler
Participating member
- Location
- Nevada City, CA
He's pretty much a boss Bonner.
First annual Arborist Assembledge at Arbor-X 2013
- Thread starter theXman
- Start date
- Location
- Home of the New Jersey Devils
Looks like a great time David! Sorry I wasn't a part of it.
That is some big bamboo there by the lake!
That is some big bamboo there by the lake!
- Location
- Home of the New Jersey Devils
Oh, and Lawrence, get your azz on this forum now!
Merle Nelson
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- SF Bay Area, CA
It was a great time and fun learning from and with everyone. Will post more thoughts soon, just on to show my wife the pictures. To quote Bix it was EPIC!!!!
Merle Nelson
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- SF Bay Area, CA
Just looked back through the pics here again and it brings a smile to my face, what a great time. I woke up at 3AM Pacific time this morning. It was 6AM on the east coast, my normal get up time for the last two weeks. I just laid there thinking of how could I ever put into words what this trip was like for me. Finally arrived at the idea that I will post a number of different times as the diff. facets occur to me.
When David first invited me to come out for ?days up to two weeks I shot back, “I’m in.” I just had to work out the details. My wife encouraged me to go but was a little surprised that I wanted to go for the full two weeks. My reasoning was that travel and arrangements are the hard part. Once I was there I knew I would want to be able to experience as many new learning opportunities as possible.
In every way David and family were generous to a fault, as a matter of fact It frequently came to mind and still does that they give too much for their own good. Adam and Matt (“MattyD” on the Buzz) David’s normal tree crew, were great to work with and exceedingly generous too. Adam is a big bodied guy, working with him I quickly realized that he has a big heart and soul to match. On the job he would all of a sudden be off in a flash moving at a dead run and I would be left there wondering what cue I had missed. I could only approach but never match what Adam brings to the job and the team. Matt embodies my vision of the gentle giant type of tree person. He climbs for David but was not challenged at all that we arrived new on the scene and all wanted to climb and be doing the glory aspects of the jobs. On one job that involved removing 4 out of 5 trees to be worked I proposed to Matt that I climb and take down two of the easy trees first and then go up the harder removals that involved some learning opportunities for X Rigging Ring usage next. He was ok with that and supportive. It was only after I came down from the first two trees, and with hat in hand, had to ask him to change gears and climb the next trees as I was approaching heat exhaustion. Only then did it occur to me that I had been greedy. No problem, he got going and just used it as an opportunity to show me some more XRR usage while I watched from the ground. After hours Matt took personal time to introduce me to splicing. He has all the makings of a great teacher.
Working with other new arborist acquaintances from around the country was great too. Brian Bixler brings fun and passion to work and to life that is infectious and makes every day and every new opportunity a pleasure. Lawrence from NY among other things makes all of my negative comments and thoughts about “city workers” a lie (he currently works for the city of NY). He brings focused skill and love for trees to what he does, doing what’s right by trees and the job even when the guy right beside him says, “why bother.” My hat is off to Lawrence.
For years I have noticed that I am not personally very invested in my vacations. I have tried to communicate an aspect of that at times to my wife by saying that vacationing is about the same as work for me. They both take the same amount and level of energy or effort emotionally. (I have said this in a effort to make sure she was getting what she wanted out of vacation, as it wasn’t that big of a deal to me.) This trip, on the other hand was a pure joy as a vacation. I got to experience a bunch of new things and learn a lot. I also got to meet new friends and work with a quality of dedicated arborists that will be a source of inspiration and joy that I can bring back to my own work.
When David first invited me to come out for ?days up to two weeks I shot back, “I’m in.” I just had to work out the details. My wife encouraged me to go but was a little surprised that I wanted to go for the full two weeks. My reasoning was that travel and arrangements are the hard part. Once I was there I knew I would want to be able to experience as many new learning opportunities as possible.
In every way David and family were generous to a fault, as a matter of fact It frequently came to mind and still does that they give too much for their own good. Adam and Matt (“MattyD” on the Buzz) David’s normal tree crew, were great to work with and exceedingly generous too. Adam is a big bodied guy, working with him I quickly realized that he has a big heart and soul to match. On the job he would all of a sudden be off in a flash moving at a dead run and I would be left there wondering what cue I had missed. I could only approach but never match what Adam brings to the job and the team. Matt embodies my vision of the gentle giant type of tree person. He climbs for David but was not challenged at all that we arrived new on the scene and all wanted to climb and be doing the glory aspects of the jobs. On one job that involved removing 4 out of 5 trees to be worked I proposed to Matt that I climb and take down two of the easy trees first and then go up the harder removals that involved some learning opportunities for X Rigging Ring usage next. He was ok with that and supportive. It was only after I came down from the first two trees, and with hat in hand, had to ask him to change gears and climb the next trees as I was approaching heat exhaustion. Only then did it occur to me that I had been greedy. No problem, he got going and just used it as an opportunity to show me some more XRR usage while I watched from the ground. After hours Matt took personal time to introduce me to splicing. He has all the makings of a great teacher.
Working with other new arborist acquaintances from around the country was great too. Brian Bixler brings fun and passion to work and to life that is infectious and makes every day and every new opportunity a pleasure. Lawrence from NY among other things makes all of my negative comments and thoughts about “city workers” a lie (he currently works for the city of NY). He brings focused skill and love for trees to what he does, doing what’s right by trees and the job even when the guy right beside him says, “why bother.” My hat is off to Lawrence.
For years I have noticed that I am not personally very invested in my vacations. I have tried to communicate an aspect of that at times to my wife by saying that vacationing is about the same as work for me. They both take the same amount and level of energy or effort emotionally. (I have said this in a effort to make sure she was getting what she wanted out of vacation, as it wasn’t that big of a deal to me.) This trip, on the other hand was a pure joy as a vacation. I got to experience a bunch of new things and learn a lot. I also got to meet new friends and work with a quality of dedicated arborists that will be a source of inspiration and joy that I can bring back to my own work.
Bixler
Participating member
- Location
- Nevada City, CA
Awesome Merle... Among many other things, your strength and discipline is admirable and something I've tried to emulate since I got to know you. Glad you made it home safe.
Oh, BTW, that's one hell of an EPIC post too, considering I know speed-typing on a key board is not your specialty
Oh, BTW, that's one hell of an EPIC post too, considering I know speed-typing on a key board is not your specialty
Riggs
Participating member
- Location
- Bryn Mawr , Pa.
good time x ! Thigpen and I will make it back , To far to drink and drive. X and the gang have a lot of energy . Might have to join the tent city next year and add some real skill events !!!!! Bix , please change your avatar . X is the man ,ran across those logs like nobody's business. Did I mention the dull saw farm boss cutting event ? next year BYOS !
- Location
- Springfield MO
Why do I feel I just missed the event of a lifetime?
arborcareman
New member
- Location
- ILLinois
Sounds and looks like it was quite an experience....
Lucky
Lucky
Bixler
Participating member
- Location
- Nevada City, CA
[ QUOTE ]
Is he an owner/op? or just someones minion like me?
[/ QUOTE ]
Nick i like minions (the yellow guys) and i would be interested in speaking with you if/when you get tired of where you are now. We're located about 25 minutes west of cleveland...always looking for good production workers. I like the idea of having another person with knowledge of advanced rigging techniques on staff cuz i cant be on 2 jobs at once. We had a "friend" of yours for a while but he went off the deep end...hope he surfaces alright.
Is he an owner/op? or just someones minion like me?
[/ QUOTE ]
Nick i like minions (the yellow guys) and i would be interested in speaking with you if/when you get tired of where you are now. We're located about 25 minutes west of cleveland...always looking for good production workers. I like the idea of having another person with knowledge of advanced rigging techniques on staff cuz i cant be on 2 jobs at once. We had a "friend" of yours for a while but he went off the deep end...hope he surfaces alright.
Bixler, Merle, Lawrence,
What did you guys get from the experience, if anything?
Learn anything?
anything beneficial?
Merle, you already told me if it was a seminar, it would have a title or topic like: how to get tree work done quickly using big equipment. That it would be good for people interested in moving their business to that type of an operation.
Here is what I learned:
1. Rope Walking system is fast when on SRT and can be simple, thanks Lawrence.
2. It would be nice to be able to have some free time and family time instead of the crazy East Coast go go go rat race.
3. I should eat more healthy.
4. Vegetarians don't have to be soft, whimpy, undernourished people.
5. I'm glad I don't live in California with so many restricting regulations. I'm glad I don't do tree work in a big city either.
6. A reminder to take up rope bag with climber on removals where we just strip the limbs on the way up. Got away from that somewhere, at sometime.
7. maybe carry an old throw bag on saddle to advance climbing line
other stuff I'm sure...
What did you guys get from the experience, if anything?
Learn anything?
anything beneficial?
Merle, you already told me if it was a seminar, it would have a title or topic like: how to get tree work done quickly using big equipment. That it would be good for people interested in moving their business to that type of an operation.
Here is what I learned:
1. Rope Walking system is fast when on SRT and can be simple, thanks Lawrence.
2. It would be nice to be able to have some free time and family time instead of the crazy East Coast go go go rat race.
3. I should eat more healthy.
4. Vegetarians don't have to be soft, whimpy, undernourished people.
5. I'm glad I don't live in California with so many restricting regulations. I'm glad I don't do tree work in a big city either.
6. A reminder to take up rope bag with climber on removals where we just strip the limbs on the way up. Got away from that somewhere, at sometime.
7. maybe carry an old throw bag on saddle to advance climbing line
other stuff I'm sure...
Going to see if we can do this in November or so again.
Beppe from Italy will travel the farthest, so I was going to let him set the dates.
Who would like to come?
Reg?
I guess my invite got lost in the post. It happens.
Sorry Reg, I thought about you, but then decided you probably viewed it too much like "work" and would not be interested.
Whiz?
Bonner?
BenDrapper?
Tuttle?
Old Jamin should come, he really should be purchasing a k-boom by now, ridiculous how often he rents a crane.
I'm all of a sudden getting a huge amount of work accepted. Normally keep a steady 3 to 5 weeks of work to do. Big jobs, big tall trees lately. Some not so easy, challenging locations and tree shapes. I'm booked for 7 weeks now I think, maybe 8, so plenty to choose from to make an interesting week, or two.
Beppe from Italy will travel the farthest, so I was going to let him set the dates.
Who would like to come?
Reg?
I guess my invite got lost in the post. It happens.
Sorry Reg, I thought about you, but then decided you probably viewed it too much like "work" and would not be interested.
Whiz?
Bonner?
BenDrapper?
Tuttle?
Old Jamin should come, he really should be purchasing a k-boom by now, ridiculous how often he rents a crane.
I'm all of a sudden getting a huge amount of work accepted. Normally keep a steady 3 to 5 weeks of work to do. Big jobs, big tall trees lately. Some not so easy, challenging locations and tree shapes. I'm booked for 7 weeks now I think, maybe 8, so plenty to choose from to make an interesting week, or two.
Merle Nelson
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- SF Bay Area, CA
This is one of Bixler's pictures that captured the essence of so much of our work.
Thanks for the prompt David. My challenge is that I got so much out of the experience that it’s tough to know where to begin. I’ll elaborate on my previous comment to you for now and I’ll give a small list of other learnings that I could say more about at a latter time if there was any interest.
Seminars are a form of education that I have made use of for the past 25 years to get learning/experience at arguably the top level in any field or endeavor in a condensed format. I’ve spent around $50K in admissions from $300 to $8K at a time. This was then accompanied by another $50K or so in various travel and support costs.
So at the end of the two weeks as you were driving me back to the airport I was kind of numb from the flurry of activity (out of my normal element) and letting down that it was over. I was just thinking that one of the biggest learning opportunities that I was exposed to I will probably not be taking the fullest advantage of. Namely how to do business in a big way with a machine intensive focus as opposed to a human body intensive focus.
I have built up a business where I could do the same trees that we did back there but I would have to be on the job 100% of the time. Additionally with the exception of the load of logs in Bixler’s video, which I would send out on a Self Loading Short Logger, every bit of it would have been carried, dragged, fed into a chipper, or loaded by hand. We just hammered through such a high volume of trees/material and accomplished so much with such reasonable demands on the human body that I was kind of struck by it.
So as you were kindly driving me back to the airport at 4 AM to save me paying $100+/- for car fare, (I wouldn’t have let you do that if you wouldn’t have said, “Hey I really want to...”) I was sitting there thinking how much value I had gotten in this one area of business alone. If I wanted to move my business from a place of high quality work, smaller production, all human body focused to one of similar quality but high volume equipment focus, how much would I be willing to pay for that alone? $10K would be a very reasonable price in my opinion to pay for a shortcut to a lot of the right answers for business at that level.
Thanks for the prompt David. My challenge is that I got so much out of the experience that it’s tough to know where to begin. I’ll elaborate on my previous comment to you for now and I’ll give a small list of other learnings that I could say more about at a latter time if there was any interest.
Seminars are a form of education that I have made use of for the past 25 years to get learning/experience at arguably the top level in any field or endeavor in a condensed format. I’ve spent around $50K in admissions from $300 to $8K at a time. This was then accompanied by another $50K or so in various travel and support costs.
So at the end of the two weeks as you were driving me back to the airport I was kind of numb from the flurry of activity (out of my normal element) and letting down that it was over. I was just thinking that one of the biggest learning opportunities that I was exposed to I will probably not be taking the fullest advantage of. Namely how to do business in a big way with a machine intensive focus as opposed to a human body intensive focus.
I have built up a business where I could do the same trees that we did back there but I would have to be on the job 100% of the time. Additionally with the exception of the load of logs in Bixler’s video, which I would send out on a Self Loading Short Logger, every bit of it would have been carried, dragged, fed into a chipper, or loaded by hand. We just hammered through such a high volume of trees/material and accomplished so much with such reasonable demands on the human body that I was kind of struck by it.
So as you were kindly driving me back to the airport at 4 AM to save me paying $100+/- for car fare, (I wouldn’t have let you do that if you wouldn’t have said, “Hey I really want to...”) I was sitting there thinking how much value I had gotten in this one area of business alone. If I wanted to move my business from a place of high quality work, smaller production, all human body focused to one of similar quality but high volume equipment focus, how much would I be willing to pay for that alone? $10K would be a very reasonable price in my opinion to pay for a shortcut to a lot of the right answers for business at that level.
Attachments
bonner1040
Branched out member
- Location
- Boston
I have no PTO till 2014, but I would love to work with Ben or Christian...and maybe you 
I will be at TCI though, you gonna be there David?
I will be at TCI though, you gonna be there David?
Merle Nelson
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- SF Bay Area, CA
Some of the other things I learned:
1) Wrapter use. Not all temperatures are created equal. We had some 85 degree days and maybe up to 90 on one day. On the west coast I would work all day and be fine. Mostly dry accept for where gear is against my body etc.. There I was soaking wet all day and on a couple of days even my pants stayed soaked all day (no evaporation/no cooling). I would have to slow myself down and work the shade areas to keep from going into heat exhaustion. Wrapter, with X-Mods for protection, not a luxury - a production necessity. Ride up to where the work is, not perform a whole gym routine to get there. Now I am re-thinking how useful a Wrapter would be to me here.
2) Some of the blessings of a capable and experienced ground crew. I limbed up a White Pine and set a XRR to take the top at about 50 feet. If I moved too much on this soon to be spar pole I could make myself sea sick from the motion. I had already gotten a sense of the wood and felt that if the load were just stopped it would about 110% for sure snap the top right out of the tree. Adam let it run and brought that load to such an artful stop that I didn’t even have a recollection of movement.
3) Near vertical speed line of a dead tree from over wires and a creek. Using XRR’s we moved so much materiel to a good equipment handling position so quickly that it amazed me.
4) Advanced my thoughts about the value of inventive minds to us. I was always going to post about this “some day” but there is more urgency now. David showed me/told me about, five different inventions that he wants to bring to our industry. All of them I believe will be valued by some, three of them could make me money today and I want as soon as possible. We, need to/would do well to, give value to those who bring us innovation.
5) Root pruning. (Oops!!!, missed that day of school.)
6) Improved cabling methods. (Had TreeStuff send me a copy of the ANSI standards.)
7) It was so enjoyable, so beneficial, to work with other highly skilled exceptionally capable arborists that I am going to figure how I can include at least one more high value person in the way I do my work. It makes life more fun.
8) Adam or Matt mentioned using a Duckbill Anchor in one situation where there was no solid anchor available. This week I am going to use that to save about three or four hours of man carrying heavy rounds up a hill.
1) Wrapter use. Not all temperatures are created equal. We had some 85 degree days and maybe up to 90 on one day. On the west coast I would work all day and be fine. Mostly dry accept for where gear is against my body etc.. There I was soaking wet all day and on a couple of days even my pants stayed soaked all day (no evaporation/no cooling). I would have to slow myself down and work the shade areas to keep from going into heat exhaustion. Wrapter, with X-Mods for protection, not a luxury - a production necessity. Ride up to where the work is, not perform a whole gym routine to get there. Now I am re-thinking how useful a Wrapter would be to me here.
2) Some of the blessings of a capable and experienced ground crew. I limbed up a White Pine and set a XRR to take the top at about 50 feet. If I moved too much on this soon to be spar pole I could make myself sea sick from the motion. I had already gotten a sense of the wood and felt that if the load were just stopped it would about 110% for sure snap the top right out of the tree. Adam let it run and brought that load to such an artful stop that I didn’t even have a recollection of movement.
3) Near vertical speed line of a dead tree from over wires and a creek. Using XRR’s we moved so much materiel to a good equipment handling position so quickly that it amazed me.
4) Advanced my thoughts about the value of inventive minds to us. I was always going to post about this “some day” but there is more urgency now. David showed me/told me about, five different inventions that he wants to bring to our industry. All of them I believe will be valued by some, three of them could make me money today and I want as soon as possible. We, need to/would do well to, give value to those who bring us innovation.
5) Root pruning. (Oops!!!, missed that day of school.)
6) Improved cabling methods. (Had TreeStuff send me a copy of the ANSI standards.)
7) It was so enjoyable, so beneficial, to work with other highly skilled exceptionally capable arborists that I am going to figure how I can include at least one more high value person in the way I do my work. It makes life more fun.
8) Adam or Matt mentioned using a Duckbill Anchor in one situation where there was no solid anchor available. This week I am going to use that to save about three or four hours of man carrying heavy rounds up a hill.
Bixler
Participating member
- Location
- Nevada City, CA
[ QUOTE ]
Bixler, Merle, Lawrence,
What did you guys get from the experience, if anything?
Learn anything?
anything beneficial?
Merle, you already told me if it was a seminar, it would have a title or topic like: how to get tree work done quickly using big equipment. That it would be good for people interested in moving their business to that type of an operation.
Here is what I learned:
1. Rope Walking system is fast when on SRT and can be simple, thanks Lawrence.
2. It would be nice to be able to have some free time and family time instead of the crazy East Coast go go go rat race.
3. I should eat more healthy.
4. Vegetarians don't have to be soft, whimpy, undernourished people.
5. I'm glad I don't live in California with so many restricting regulations. I'm glad I don't do tree work in a big city either.
6. A reminder to take up rope bag with climber on removals where we just strip the limbs on the way up. Got away from that somewhere, at sometime.
7. maybe carry an old throw bag on saddle to advance climbing line
other stuff I'm sure...
[/ QUOTE ]
Good answers Merle. X, what's the deadline on this homework assignment you gave me?
Bixler, Merle, Lawrence,
What did you guys get from the experience, if anything?
Learn anything?
anything beneficial?
Merle, you already told me if it was a seminar, it would have a title or topic like: how to get tree work done quickly using big equipment. That it would be good for people interested in moving their business to that type of an operation.
Here is what I learned:
1. Rope Walking system is fast when on SRT and can be simple, thanks Lawrence.
2. It would be nice to be able to have some free time and family time instead of the crazy East Coast go go go rat race.
3. I should eat more healthy.
4. Vegetarians don't have to be soft, whimpy, undernourished people.
5. I'm glad I don't live in California with so many restricting regulations. I'm glad I don't do tree work in a big city either.
6. A reminder to take up rope bag with climber on removals where we just strip the limbs on the way up. Got away from that somewhere, at sometime.
7. maybe carry an old throw bag on saddle to advance climbing line
other stuff I'm sure...
[/ QUOTE ]
Good answers Merle. X, what's the deadline on this homework assignment you gave me?
To be honest, I miss you guys.
That was exactly the way you guys described it....EPIC
So much Fun! Sharing, learning, and laughing That's what its all about.
It was a complete Honor to me, just to be Working with such talent. You guys have mastered what we do and have taken it to the next step. I could write forever, Great time! Be safe guys, You make me want to get up and do what I do everyday, with a smile
That was exactly the way you guys described it....EPIC
So much Fun! Sharing, learning, and laughing
That's what its all about.It was a complete Honor to me, just to be Working with such talent. You guys have mastered what we do and have taken it to the next step. I could write forever, Great time! Be safe guys, You make me want to get up and do what I do everyday, with a smile
- Location
- Springfield MO
How about November? Soon after TCIA Expo?
Crazy_Jimmy
Participating member
- Location
- Texas
Im down X If I could fit it in my schedule .
New threads New posts
-
test
-
-
-
-
Do you ever have the occasional customer service experience like this?- Started by climbingmonkey24
- Replies: 20
-
-
