mdvaden

A double savings. You save pounds and she saves pounds.

I never even knew about the folding until maybe 10 years ago when either reading or hearing about some swords being made. So that knife in you photo, wouldn't something like that be worth at least $300 US ?? I traded pruning to a knife maker like 18 years ago, for a antler handle and polished steel blade. All hand-made other than the metal blank. And that was worth $120. I'd guess your knife would be 3 times the work.

My wife does not get real excited about trees either, but like camping near the coast. My son will go sometimes if I stay on trails. Our oldest daughter loves trees and hiking, though. But when I go, its spontaneous many times, and I just hike solo. I try to get someone local to the redwoods to join in when I explore off-trail.

This year, I bought a Smith & Wesson knife, for about $12 US dollars. A cheap knife. All silver color, and pretty nice looking. Have to watch real hard not to get cut. My son commented on how sharp the edge was and I've cut my skin a couple of times preparing food camping. Liked it so much, I bought a second one. Mine is very much like this: http://www.hahnssurplus.com/images/P/SWCK105H.jpg And with a crisscross texture pattern on the outside. Got mine in a local store.

plippy ... You know what I'm hoping? That a bunch of you "mates" over there hop on a flight and get out here in 2010 to enjoy these west coast trees first hand. If you tally the numbers, it might be less money than you think if planned right. Especially with someone else or a group. There's a great hiking website for the redwoods too. Distances, elevation, ratings, location, photos etc.. I always link to his site from my page. That man, David Baselt, also has some pretty nice maps available. As good, but probably even more detailed than what the parks visitors centers carry.

The Axmen area is about 45 minutes to an hour west of me. In a similar spot, about a half hour west of that, a wind storm passed through about 2 years ago. That's not unusual - the wind. But an area had been clearcut. And the wind raced right through it and knocked down other adjacent trees across the highway like matchsticks, tree after tree. I've still been meaning to get a photo. The erosion from their work does not seem to be as bad a deal, because some of our coast range probably gets half to two thirds the rainfall of the redwoods, and the slopes are not quite as steep. In the end, the species are pretty much the same growing back in. But as far as old habitat, that's another story. I'm not sure if there are plans to allow the forest where the Axemen was filmed to become old growth again.

The redwood in the pullout is not the tallest redwood. Its one of the top 5 largest coast redwoods. And close to 300 feet. But its equally as cool a tree as Hyperion, which is 370'. The foldout tree has nearly double the wood volume as the tallest redwood. The video is great though. Don't miss is. I read the article, and watched the video. And the video with music and narration is very enjoyable. One I'd like to buy, even though I've been to the tree. The view they photographed, even the climbers have not, and cannot see. It's not possible. A researcher can only see a percentage of the canopy. I was standing under that foldout redwood last month, to see where they sent the cameras up. There is only a sliver of space where it could have been raised through a tight gap. No wonder it took a few weeks to do it and so much planning. The stuff about Fay's redwood transect on the ground is pretty good too. Pretty certain that's in the show you are referring to.

The other thread about the redwood logging reminded me of one article I include in my web page sources. Its a newsletter about redwood forest. First, my own view is that some forest needs protection and some needs management. Everybody gets something and nobody gets everything. Anyhow, I thought you might find this an interesting read: Troubled Giants - Redwood National Park It is remarkable how destructive logging was to the habitat and ecosystem. Think about who has to pay to repair this damage. At least its recovering. Old article, but a very informative one. Chris Atkins and Michael Taylor shared that the McArthur Creek upslope may have been one of the greatest groves ever. How many of you are familiar with the greatest among redwoods like Atlas Grove that Preston wrote about in The Wild Trees? Or Lost Monarch and Del Norte Titan in the Grove of Titans? Atkins described the upper McArthur alluvial area as many Groves of Titans on Steroids. Go on Google Earth, and find Redwood National Park by Orick, CA. Pretty sure that McArthur Creek is identified. If not, here are the coordinates of the upper watershed for McArthur Creek: 41.249842, -124.067451 Anyhow, tilt the terrain and look at the extensive alluvial plain up in the mountain between redwood creek and Hy. 101.

Wonder what its like being in that profession today. Not all old-growth is protected in California. I'm guessing that the folks who do logging of those trees are not considered very high on the cultural totem pole outside of their niche. Obviously somebody wants the wood from the trees and pays money. But any potential disdain is surely directed towards those who log the forests. If the protected parks start to fill back back in over time and recover from habitat damage, its probably fine to manage reasonable harvesting on private lands.

Yeah ... I thought it was one of the best movies I'd ever seen for entertainment and graphics, and the story was pretty basic, which is rather nice. I was reading some political forums from over here in the US, and some people got really bent out of shape warning about a climate message, or where the profits were going. I thought that was rediculous. Our son went to see it again several nights later with our daughter - 3D. I think he liked the 2D best.

Well ... if you get brain-tied locally trying to decide, maybe send our son an email. His Hawtsites is the link provided earlier. He'll earn the money, that's for sure. Look at the examples.

Bart ... Your 2nd one almost looks part Baobab. Here's one more view that's near equal with my first as a favorite. I've got a vertical photo stitch of this, but the forum software shrinks it a lot.

Here is one based in this area that is reliable: http://www.hawtsites.com What Bullman mentioned for cost sounds like a nice ballpark to aim for. If you can get the hang of a site builder, it's worth trying yourself sometimes if you don't want to get too fancy.

You didn't plan this to save on birthday presents did you - lol. Congrats

I get an email every once in a while from a guy in Germany, who has a small store, but greatly appreciates trees. He will be coming back for his 3rd trip in 2 years. Seems that if you plan it right, the trip can be done for as little as $1800 to $2500 US dollars for a week, especially if splitting auto rental with one or two others. There's one motel with big rooms in Crescent City, CA, that's only $60 per night. A few people, including these folks here - Dimijian Images home page - have said that the visual atmosphere of the coast redwoods is unmatched even by the giant sequoias, although some of those are a bit bigger. Sure like Black and Whites. What's that guy on the right side saying ? - LOL

Someday I may order the 6' high print they have available, if I move our office downstairs. I'd probably make my own frame to trip the cost. I was curious about where they put the cameras. Got your magazine handy? Unfold the fold-out and compare it to this. This is the side the cameras were on. The vertical sliver of view up through canopy is pretty darn small.

If you have a favorite, any is worthy since its not a contest. Browse your stuff and see if something jumps out.

Interesting. One of those things that looks out of place due to extreme age and habitat change. Thanks for the article.

Good stuff .... The countryside shot posted by hamadryad reminds me of what Beaverton here looked like when I was in grade school, before it developed urban.

Let's see your favorite photo from 2009. Not just "a" tree photo, but "the" favorite. One you took, or taken of you, pertaining to trees or forest. I'm not sure if I paid attention to my favorite shot of 2008, but the year before it was a Peacock and horses. Guess you could post you favorite of anything, but trees and forest fits the forum theme. Here is my 2009 favorite. Not a champion tree, just one of the big ones near Drury Parkway in Prairie Creek redwoods.

Last night I was watching a show on the History or Science channel here. They were talking about the Sahara desert, saying that scientists learned that the Sahara goes back and forth from wet to dry like clockwork, about every 20,000 years. Made me laugh about climate change, because the Sahara is not the only thing that has changed a lot, but the continents shift, volanoes blow their tops and much more. The planet is always changing, and the climate people need a reality check to make allowance for planet-caused changes that indisputably will develop.

Michael Taylor, who some know from reading The Wild Trees, or as co-discoverer of Hyperion the tallest redwood, has just launched a new website. Revival of a Tall Trees Club site. I'm curious what his bandwidth availability is going to be the way he has it set up, but I'm sure he'll figure it out. Landmark Trees He's filling the gaps, building it online. There's quite a few very nice photos of trees, even leeches and birds.

On my blog, was only a 300 pixel of one entire tree. Here's 400 pixels (forum software sure shrinks it) wide of just the half with the growth on it. That long thing on the left, is pretty much just connected in the upper 20% of it's length that lays against the trunk. I've seen these shorter without stems. Odds are this one elongated against the main trunk, and after a number of centuries, sprouted from the upper part. Anyhow, to me they look as if it was wood that slowly drips length over years or centuries. Left myself in the pic for size comparison.

That's what I finally found too. I was sort of playing off the glass rumor for the redwood, just to have fun with the piece, because I was pretty sure that several folks had heard the older glass version that I was told word of mouth. So that antique glass was sort of "low hung" If glass really could flow slowly over centuries, it seemed like it might build an element of doubt or belief that maybe a weird wood growth could too, although it really does not.