First Hang - Sorta...

[grampa]

I'm waiting for a WBBB, but I picked up a Grand Trunk Nano7 last week, and my Whoopie Sling suspension came last week, so this afternoon I sought the relatively cool air in a small grove of sycamore trees on the local college campus where I teach to see how whoopie slings and a very basic hammock worked. It wasn't a real over-night hang, just a test run, so to speak!

Outside the grove, the temperature was near 100F; under the trees, it was in the mid-eighties, with a light breeze. It only took me two tries to find a pair of trees at a distance the whoopie slings seemed to like. Dutch clips are wonderful! I love the way the whoopie slings adjust! In a very short time, much shorter than it takes to get a tent up, I was laying back (diagonal, left to right), my head on my Montbell inflatable pillow, reading my book! Lovely!

After a bit I realized I was missing on taking in the local context: overhead was as blue a sky as one ever sees in the Los Angeles area - clear, no clouds, no smog! Just clear blue sky! The roof above me was mostly sycamore leaves - a light green with a scattering of crispy brown, branches of yellowish green with peeling tan bark. A palm and two eucalyptus rounded out the overhead cover. There was a black phoebe intent on keeping down the flying bug population, two hummingbirds jousting for possession of the trees, and a flock of red-faced Amazonian parrots discussing who knows what in loud voices! (These are the descendants of escaped pets - a number of flocks range about the Los Angeles area.)Fantastic!

After an hour or so (I truly lost track of time!), I thought I should at least test the snoozing comfort: on a bed, I sleep on my side, primarily my left. I had no problem getting a very comfortable position on my left side, then my right side, then reverted to my back. I'm not sure I actually slept in any of them, but time certainly went by quickly! I don't see any problem with spending the night in a hammock, and it doesn't even compare with the discomfort of a pad on the ground!


Now I need to find a couple of fast growing trees to plant in my backyard, a little over 15 feet apart......

[optimator]

GREAT report! It's all downhill from here! Just wait till that BB gets there....

[Poppabear]

Sounds like a very successful and rewarding first hang. Congrats!

[Doctari]

Great test report. Welcome to the madness!

Be careful about planting fast growing trees, fast growing usually means quick dyeing.

There are plans for easy to build stands here, & plant Oaks or (faster growing but pretty long lived) Maples. My youngest hanging trees are about 15 years old. 3 are Oaks, 1 a plum tree, 1 Ash & a Mulberry. The smallest Oak is about 7" diameter at 20 years (give or take 2). My large Maple is not in a good position to hang from, but it is way sturdy at about 28 years old & 15" (at least) diameter.

Ginkgo trees have VERY soft bark, I don't hang from mine!

37 (over 4' tall) on 1/4 acre. I didn't plant one Blue Spruce & one apple tree.