Quote Originally Posted by rbinhood View Post
That's not a White Pine you were in, it's a Spruce.
I deal with injured people all the time. Some of them would give anything to have their health again. You, on the other hand, are perfectly healthy and willing to risk it all for few minutes of daring do. Frankly, I think you're nuts.
You should go back and read the post from the fellow a few weeks ago who was hanging high like you, by himself, like you, and then he fell. When I first read his post, I thought he was kidding, nobody would be crazy enough to try something like that. Well, I was wrong because it appears there are two of you. I suggest you ask him how he feels about hanging high after his experience. You get one spinal cord in life--just look at Christopher Reeve. The mods on this list need to seriously think about whether it is a good idea to encourage this stuff from a liability perspective. Sorry, but I may be the lone voice to say that I am not impressed.
Ok, I haven't read this other post about the kid who fell but it sounds like it is 100% pointless to compare his story to mine because he wasn't using any safety gear and I am. In fact, I will assume that he has never taken any tree climbing course, he knew nothing about advanced (or basic) climbing safety skills, he did not own a harness/rope/helmet or any other bit of climbing gear, and he was not using 11mm climbing spec rope to tie his hammock to the trees.

I am an EMT, studying to be a paramedic, and I have seen more than enough people who were too stupid to wear a helmet while ridding a motorcycle or are now stuck in a wheelchair after a car crash so do not tell me that I do not know what I am getting myself into.

Fronkey said it perfectly and I will say it a little more harshly: there are WAY WAY WAY too many fat people in this world who waste their lives in front of the TV eating too many calories and killing themselves by smoking and drinking. You should be preaching to these guys, not me. And I also agree with Fronkey that when I drive (which is rare, I bike to save the planet!) I am putting my life at way more risk then when I am hanging from a tree in appropriate safety gear after taking the appropriate safety measures.

I can't imagine wasting my life NOT trying new and adventurous things. When I am old and stuck in a wheelchair I want to be able to think back at all of my fricken awesome adventures and smile that I will die happy.

Refreshing

Oh, and about the tree, you are probably right. I just find it weird that you are the first to correct me. The area description on the SHT website was "a maple forest dotted with white pines" so I honestly just assumed. Thank you for the correction.