Lost my tree . . . while in use.

**Cali** · 08-10-2012, 20:12

GrannyPat, I am so happy you and yours are fine. What a scary ordeal. I for one will look harder at the trees I choose. I agree about playing the lottery, your luck may get you some big bucks for a new hammock of your choice. The Lord definitely had His angels looking after you.

**DemostiX** · 08-10-2012, 20:20

"Hence my paranoid attempts to always find the smallest trees that will support me and as far away from other big trees as possible."
BillyBob58

Why didn't I think of that?

Lighten this up to the point of "Just conducting business calmly and normally,", and I wonder if this shouldn't be in a Top Ten for advice for hammock camping. If it is out there, I don't recall reading it. It is pretty strong, and at the very least says: When the choice of big and just adequate trees is there, choose the "just adequate", not the one that will make the best pic memorializing the outing.

Derek? Dejoha? I've just been to pp 28-30 of the book, and do not see this advice. Is it as sound a heuristic as I think it is, better than pretending we can identify potential widow-makers (high up ) on a big tree? Who needs to be right about that when a smaller tree won't have those widowmakers, and won't itself be certainly lethal if it falls on the hammocker in situ, as almost happened to the OP?

**AT4ever** · 08-10-2012, 20:39

Glad you're able to tell this tale and glad there were no major injuries!

**grannypat** · 08-10-2012, 20:40

Thanks everybody for your concern. I have to sleep in the house tonight in a bed "Gasp".

**Full_timer** · 08-10-2012, 21:38

Kind of makes a turtlelady/olddog stand have a whole new appeal doesn't it?

Andy

**Jcavenagh** · 08-10-2012, 21:43

Glad you're OK! That is one scary night!

**Loki** · 08-11-2012, 02:43

So glad you are safe and well Grannypat! Would have missed your unique perspective around the campfire at the next group hang.

**Fish<><** · 08-11-2012, 04:10

Great title, horrible thing that happened. I miss my oaks, and hearing one gone makes it worse. I am glad you didn't get hurt in the middle of the night though...

**nogods** · 08-11-2012, 05:10

Originally Posted by DemostiX

"Hence my paranoid attempts to always find the smallest trees that will support me and as far away from other big trees as possible."
BillyBob58

Why didn't I think of that?

Lighten this up to the point of "Just conducting business calmly and normally,", and I wonder if this shouldn't be in a Top Ten for advice for hammock camping. If it is out there, I don't recall reading it. It is pretty strong, and at the very least says: When the choice of big and just adequate trees is there, choose the "just adequate", not the one that will make the best pic memorializing the outing.

Derek? Dejoha? I've just been to pp 28-30 of the book, and do not see this advice. Is it as sound a heuristic as I think it is, better than pretending we can identify potential widow-makers (high up ) on a big tree? Who needs to be right about that when a smaller tree won't have those widowmakers, and won't itself be certainly lethal if it falls on the hammocker in situ, as almost happened to the OP?

but how small can one go? If the tree don't bend, is it good enough?

**MAD777** · 08-11-2012, 08:16

Ive seen pictures of someone's suspension connected to a few very small bendable trees at one end. The load was distributed among the trees and it worked. The benefit being that a small tree may not kill you!