The Lumberjacks, part II

Dad, Uncle Earl, and I continued to work on the tree yesterday. I know I mentioned it a little, but here are some pictures so you can try to visualize what was happening.

When we cut the tree, it fell down a steep bank. We couldn't cut much of it because the bank was to steep. Then someone suggested we use the truck to pull it out up the bank. We all thought it was a good idea....well, more importantly I thought it was a good idea. lol

What we did was find some cable. I climbed down to the tree and tied the cable around the tree, while Uncle Earl pulled it tight from the top. Dad was in the process of cutting away branches from the main tree.

I climbed back up and Uncle Earl and I tied a rope around a different tree which ran through a pulley. We ran the cable through the pulley as well.

U. Earl and I tie the rope

It looked like this: Mid-left is the rope tied to the other tree, on the right side is the cable coming up the bank and to the truck

Dad went and found some cable clamps so we could make a loop for the hitch. Even though it looks like we're playing in the dirt, we are really working with the clamps!

We then attached a safety rope and grabbed the hatchet in case we needed to cut the truck loose. The owner of the truck said she didn't even want to watch, and handed me the keys. We used the van in the end...I was going to bury her keys and give her a map to go and look for it. But I decided to live and didn't.

Dad started to drive. The rope attached to supporting tree snapped. We re-tied it. It snapped again. Uncle Earl and I went and found some chain and used chain instead. Dad started again. The safety rope snapped. We threw away the safety rope and hooked the cable itself to the van. Dad took off again. The tree was heavy and it was a struggle. But thank the Lord for Ford and we started to drag it up the bank.

Uncle Earl and I jumped down by the tree with crowbars and pushed it more in the direction we wanted it to go. Dad started driving again. Slowly, but surely it came up. We were nothing but smiles.

"Of course," I said, "I could have just picked it up and brought it up, but I didn't want you two to look bad."

"Thanks for thinking of us." Uncle Earl said.

We did more yesterday, and a lot more today. But I have an early rise tomorrow and it will require more time to blog everything else! I just found this operation very interesting! lol