will.morris

It's quite normal with a vt/distel to have to physically set the knot for it to grip when you want to just sit back into it. Did I see someone mention on here a while back that you should use 8mm prussik cord on small diameter ropes and 10mm on 13mm rope? Not meaning to hijack the thread but it is kind of linked and its too small a topic really to create a new post. I use 8mm beeline on 13mm xtc so would just be interested to know really.

I said it in speach marks just to irritate

Nice one buddy Met a local tree surgeon at a garage out on a cycle the other day, went over and introduced myself, explained that I was soon off to NZ but would happily do any odd days doing whatever in the meantime. He gave me his card, something may become of it or it might not. Great to see such a positive attitude mate, work will rarely find its way to you, glad to see on this occasion you had a result

You can quite easily get around that by saying your busy until a certain date. I think it would be arrogant of a customer not to be ok with you not being able to do the work immediately, self employed arbs have to book future work in obviously. For some I'm sure they will "grass" just to keep their relationship with the TO sweet but I think for many it is down to their own general wish to see the tree kept... a bit of both in most cases I dare say. My parents had the planning department officers over for coffee when they wanted to put in for planning permission for an extension on the house, how's that for brown nosing

I'll remember to call David Haye a poof then next time I see him

Had the beer/wine a few times. Riding hat off a local stable A tiny honda petrol push mower Defo past its best but I got it running An original 1988 'And justice for all' metallica cassette which still works perfectly

Great to see Thanks for sharing

I'd be interested to know as well. Havn't looked into it yet but I'd like to post all my kit off when I go out to Auckland.

Family friendly forum mate

Swimwear optional: Google Image Result for http://1.cdn.tapcdn.com/images/thumbs/taps/2012/07/decoding-beach-volleyball-s-hand-signals-photo-gallery-yahoo-sports-1-5fa4d3b5-sz500x325-animate.jpg

You won't go wrong with skipping it is awesome exercise. Benching is good but depends what you want to train for. If its just to perform better up a tree than press-ups are enough to keep you in shape and build strength. I'd only worry about doing benching seriously if you actually want to get big/particularly strong. And stretching as Rupe says, though I should practice what I preach because I don't stretch enough and I suffer for it.

Some cracking roads around that area isn't there! I went to college at Kirkley Hall and on nice days used to really wish I hadn't sold my road bike. I went out on my mountain bike a fair bit but just isn't the same, can't do the distances. Back in Suffolk now though putting in between 12-20miles a day to get the base fitness back before getting a roady again

On the site mate wouldn't worry about it

I can relate to that on a personal level because my close family friend Lauren was killed by a 20yr old lad driving like a _____ in a scooby back in December 2006, she was 17 herself at the time. Its tragic for anyone to lose their life in such a way but its the damage it does to the family that has been horrific to see over the past 5ish years. It is an issue that the country fails to deal with in my opinion, the only tactic seems to be to raise insurance for youngsters but that simply isn't enough. We have a system with motorbikes that you are restricted to a certain engine displacement/power until you are over a certain age or have served the qualifying period, I don't understand why it is not the same with cars which are far more likely to injure/kill other people. Very sorry to hear it mate.

I don't mean to come across as going against Steves point (please Steve delete my post if you feel that is the case) but is the tree work side of this really that you'll be expected to be climbing on your own with no team? May be that I've misunderstood and it is only the handyman/gardening side of the job that is done alone. How I read it though it does sound a bit concerning.

As has been said I think its perfectly acceptable if it is justified in your risk assessment. I think you'll find most college leavers will have type C's because a lot of lecturers don't like to see students in a's. I have hiflexs atm and find them less restrictive than my basic stihl type a's ... just as happy in either up a tree, though I won't be getting hiflex again because a dirty look from a blade of grass seems to rip them There has to be some room for personal comfort otherwise we'd all be climbing in protective jackets, and I'm yet to meet anyone who climbs in these. Just be aware if you do wear type a's that brushing up against limbs etc can cause the trousers to twist meaning the protection may not actually be at the front. But I think with any trousers the most important thing is to have the mentality that they are not there to make swinging a saw close to your leg acceptable. I know people from college that have surface cuts on their boots where they constantly take the pee with a saw and occasionally clip themselves on run down ... only 1 thing is going to happen in your career if thats how you work I feel

...with safe search off 'ropeknight' in google images provides some interesting results lol.

I'd rather that then by being skewered

Can you explain this a bit more please mate?

Scary to think about!

May be worth pointing out as well is that combining weight training with cardio training is far more effective for fat burning than doing just cardio alone. But that doesn't mean you have to do load up a brench press, just spend a few minutes every morning/evening or whenever you have 5 mins to do some press ups. Or if thats a bit tricky for some any kind of muscle working activity, lower a log behind your head then extend your arms up, replicate curls with a fuel can, training can be done with anything and can be made to fit around your lifestyle .

What goes through some peoples minds You don't have to be an arborist to work out that 20ft of timber falling is so dangerous.

Same thing with the tennis

Silver for Lizzie in tricky conditions woooo go girl

I think you can compare it to driving a car (hear me out I've not lost the plot lol). When you take your test in order to pass you have to do everything 100% how its written in the textbook, over egging mirror checks, 10-2 at all times, driving at the speed limit (not slightly over or under). But in reality no one drives like this and IMO that does'nt make us unsafe on the road. How that relates to climbing I think is that how we are taught is the guideline to be the ultimate safe arborist, but we feel that its not really unsafe to do things not quite so strict. In reality we all often work to a tight time schedule and it just wouldn't be practical to do everything by the book every single time. It only becomes dangerous when you stray too far from the guidelines. For example there is a video on youtube of a take down and for 90% of the tree he is doing cut and hold with a single anchor point I won't show the video because I don't want to name and shame (could be someone on here!) but IMO there is a difference between work practice and dangerous work practice, as there is best driving, regular driving and dangerous driving. Wow that coffee has kicked in lol