Just sharing one of my days...

123Craig

123Craig

Participating member
So only been Srt'ing for a few months, and I'm only really a part-time climber (though full time Arb). Cobra slinged many times though mostly from the bucket. Mostly do removals on typically single stemmed spruce and poplar - though plenty exceptions to this rule (ie mostly in spurs). Not much canopy climbing.

I was slow today in the tree and I knew it - It was a prune and multi-cobra sling climb in a 60' Elm with a Canopy Spread about 50'. Getting around without spurs in that sort of canopy spread is still a learning curve, using the Dmm Hook for the first time is a learning curve, Srt is still a learning curve, installing Cobra from Climbing is still a learning curve. So by the end of the day after I'd wasted much time trying configure and get around with redirects between Cobra Slings, using the Hook, no spurs, getting my head around srt use (without getting tangled too much) - the boss was getting on at me to pick up the pace... Of course he was right - I was very slow - though I really couldn't have been any other way, as there is so much new for me to learn in that type of climbing that I really don't get to do day in day out. We had a short slightly irritated (mostly just tired) exchange over the intercom at the end of the day - where I ended up saying 'Well you can always get another climber...' ie, replace me if you want. The intercom was pretty silent after that as we tidied the site. I didn't say it with any anger or in a dare sort of way - more in a type of admission/resignation that there is no way that I can possibly be proficient in an area of climbing that I just haven't had enough practice in. I think it's unfair to expect me to be amazing at a type of climbing that I never get to practice enough to get good at. I have no doubt in my effort, I never stop trying - didn't even come down for lunch. I am at ease with my assessment and explanation of the day, though I do value others thoughts...

Anyway - I just thought I'd share.
 
If your boss wants you to pick up the pace, tell him to get into the tree. If you have a chainsaw swinging from your hip, don't work past your comfort level. I'd rather be out of a job than in the hospital or worse.

Do you have your own gear? Working full time might make you sick to think about climbing in your free time, but I climb outside of work quite often because I love it. Currently at college right now and I climb at least 10 hours a week, try to keep fresh for when I go back to full time. So if you can stomach the thought of climbing recreationally outside of work, it'll definitely help with climbing spurless. Best part of climbing recreationally? No ones waiting on you, and you have no one to wait on. Just you and the tree.
 
Man, that's a tough spot to be in, and it's just about how I would picture it going for me if I tried to turn pro. What would really be helpful, and what nobody wants to pay for, is having you in a tree with another, more experienced climber who can lead by example and also help you out by issuing directives, in just the same manner as a small unit combat leader would. This would be akin to an apprenticeship system. In an apprenticeship system, companies do not expect an apprentice to be able to perform at the same level as a journeyman, in whatever trade is being practiced.

It seems as though they are expecting you to perform like a veteran with 20 years of climbing experience. I know from my own time climbing that it takes a long time to start getting halfway good at things.

Your foreman is probably a nice enough guy, he was just getting frustrated at the lack of progress. If you had those nice Sena communication systems available, it might have been helpful if he tried to give you some pointers from the ground as he watched you trying to accomplish a task.

My gut feeling is that you need to push them to let you have more time in the saddle if they expect you to develop as a climber. It may have been a mistake to tell him to get another climber, because it sounds like you are giving up on him. It might be better in the future just to tell him that you are open to any suggestions he might have for you that he thinks will help to make you more efficient in getting around the canopy.

Also, if I were you, I would try to tell him what you've told us here today; that you were not trying to be snippy or insubordinate, but you were just as frustrated as he was, maybe. Hopefully he's the kind of guy you can talk to. Tell him that you really do want to get better, but that it is obviously going to take some time for it to happen.

Maybe you could try to start doing your own little side jobs, too, to get more time in the saddle and practice with SRT.

That's about all that I have. I hope they figure out a way to allow you to continue to climb and develop, instead of just taking it away from you. If climbing is important to you, and they do try to take it away from you, it might be time to put out feelers to other arb companies, but tell them that you should be considered a "climber in training", and not a fully developed one. That way a new company goes in with their eyes wide open, and knowing that they'll have to invest some time and effort into training you before you start to become really efficient and productive.

Tim
 
Been there done that. Stick to your guns. As you become more proficient the boss will let up. Then he'll eat his words. I personally try not to toss around statements like that. Can really be taken wrong like a dare or a threat or a primadonna attitude. I'm sure you didn't mean it that way but it only matters how he took it. Don't put him on the defensive. Just explain it and stay firm. Don't budge. Took me about a year to get the boss off my ass for setting access lines and not just "getting the hell up there". Finally won him over and he leaves me alone.
 
Totally relatable man. Sounds like a pretty normal exchange man. Specially if he's an older guy who doesnt use all the newer gear, mighta been thinking "he's wasting his time with all thoe toys" cause when your jist figuring out how to integrate new stuff, it probably looks like a waste of time.
But, I'm sure you already know, you'll be able to avoid all the complications you went thru the first time using the hook and some of the canopy travel troubles.
I just did a controlled speedline for the first time the other day. Holy shit was I getting frustrated with myself. First off, the tree was really under- described, being bigger and in a tighter space then I was told ("just a couple hours this Saturday Dre, no biggy"). Kept crossing lines or forgetting to bring one on a limb walk, definitely lost some time on rigging set up... Just the worst. BUT I'll tell you right now, next time I'll be able to go full speed and will be in a better flow.
I'm sure the same will be for you Craig. Like someone said, donsome rec climbing with the hook, smooth out your moves with it not on the clock
Don't second guess your speed or ability.

Smooth = quick
Fast = rushed /forced. Helps me to think that this anyway
 
I am really thankful that my boss was not on jobs with me during the time I was figuring out srwp. I was slower for a while, now I am faster that I was on a doubled system. And he can see that. He was always skeptical of stationary, but when he saw me do the same large elm prune in half the time as the previous year, he was sold.

At my company we have climbers in training up in trees with us all the time. I have had our other two climbers up with me in prunes all winter. It is a really effective way of getting someone up to speed. As long as one is patient... That's the hard part.

Sorry, rambling a bit. In short, keep at it. Frustrating days happen. If you have a decent rapport with the boss, I would address the "find another" comment directly. Just saying I was frustrated, blowing steam, whatever. No need for him to be drawing his own conclusions about your thoughts. Let him know where you stand in a non heated moment. More clearly.
 
Developing new skill sets costs time and money. Whose? Big company with training programs, lotsa employees, lotsa cash flow; that's an easy answer. Might have been a better situation all around if the owner had simply hired a proficient contract climber to do that particular job, and you could have learned a lot even by just watching how he did stuff.
Job would have gotten done on time/ on budget, and less stress for everybody. Alternatively, your boss could pay, or at least subsidize some of the cost of you getting some additional training for this type of work.
Not criticizing you here, Craig, but you gotta talk this stuff over with your employer. He obviously expects you to be competent to do this kind of work efficiently, and I can relate to his frustration as well.
 
Steve Connally said:
Been there done that. Stick to your guns. As you become more proficient the boss will let up. Then he'll eat his words. I personally try not to toss around statements like that. Can really be taken wrong like a dare or a threat or a primadonna attitude. I'm sure you didn't mean it that way but it only matters how he took it. Don't put him on the defensive. Just explain it and stay firm. Don't budge. Took me about a year to get the boss off my ass for setting access lines and not just "getting the hell up there". Finally won him over and he leaves me alone.
Click to expand...

Wow, Steve, you are tough. Most folks would have bowed under that kind of constant pressure from someone who is able to terminate their employment, and probably in fairly short order.

Good on ya for sticking to your guns and insisting on your right to progress as a climber.

Tim
 
Great stuff. Wide canopy elms can be super tough to get around in. Everything looks easier from the ground, I kill myself on quotes because everything looks easier from the ground. As CutHigh said, learning the hook on the job is a tough way to travel. Though I bet you're learning fast! Thx for the inspiration.
 
Steve Connally said:
Could be worse. Had a work order that said prune pine tree and that's it. Asked the boss what that meant. He said I can't remember just make it look like we did something. Keep on keeping on. Some days are just a shit show.
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This sounded like today ...

We finished a job, boss took work orders with him for some reason. So I give him a call, while my coworkers are on the phone. I get off the phone, and start driving.

My coworkers, curiously, asked "So where are we going?"

"Boss just said to head north until further instructions"

Coworkers were dumbfounded
 
Thanks everyone - lots to think about there; some great advice. I know everyone has work tensions that ebb and flow - tis life... The boss and I have had them before (even worse), and relations have got better. Most of my troubles that day can be summed up under 'work positioning' and in particular 'planning work positioning'. We had a slightly tricky tree today as well though it went better; 70' Poplar that had 50' to 30' diagonal stems, 20' dead top, what the boss described as a 'canker' (I'm no horticulturist, I'm not sure of the terminology) 15' off the ground on the main stem - we had to remove all of the central stem (and above branches) to just below this 'canker', minimising damage to the below branches when rigging down the upper tree. The hook really came in handy once again - at one point the boss was actually saying I should use the hook, and I was saying that I didn't think it would work - then it did - ha ha!

I don't rec climb in my spare time unless you call countless hrs after work (and weekends) at the yard testing out techniques/gear in 30' Schubert Chokecherry. I wouldn't mind doing some proper rec climbing, though to be honest, despite there being so much for me still to learn - I'm actually being a bit too obsessive with this stuff already; I like to seek out my friends to take a break from this obsessiveness.

You can be going along swimmingly for a while, then sometimes it can just get frustrating - it happens. I could probably develop a bit thicker skin and maybe just swallow the words in my head before saying them out loud next time. The boss does appreciate me - it was just a frustrating/learning day...
 
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