Monster-sized Halloween tree

In my Forest Service job, working with loggers salvaging timber in a burned forest, we ran across a giant tree that was threatening a road. It not only had a rotting "catface" (a logging term for a fire scar) but, it also had a very large dead top on it. The tree just had to come out.

As the timber fallers were preparing to fell the tree, I walked up on them and pictured their saws laid out on the ground. The 60" bar is not something you see everyday.

In felling a tree, the "face-cut" is put into the tree in the direction you want it to fall. Lining this face-cut up correctly is a key to controlling where this behemoth is going to hit. This is VERY important, as you don't want to destroy other trees in the area and you also don't want the tree you're felling to break into big chunks.

Since a 60"bar on his chainsaw still isn't big enough on a 96" dbh (diameter at breast height) tree, they had to make a double face cut. This process took more than 30 minutes and he obviously had it lined up very well. I've seen many a timber faller in my career and these guys are the best I've ever seen. It's amazing that Nick is so young but so good at what he does. Mike actually has more experience and they both do great accurate work.

After 30 minutes to put in the face cut, they gathered up their nerve and decided to put in the backcut. I had set up my personal digital camera and put it into movie mode to capture this BIG event. I didn't know just how long it would take for Nick to get the tree on the ground. About 2 minutes after pushing the button to start the filming, the tree started popping and falling over. I wasn't really fast enough to capture any good still shots during its fall but, the video was filming it all. The danger of snapping and flying limbs was considerable and any smart woodsman will put some distance between themself and a falling tree, especially one of this massive size.

That is Nick's crazy bulldog puppy on top of the stump. The bottom of the tree was a full 9 feet across. the tree ended up exactly where I wanted them to put it and only one tree was damaged beyond recovery. You can also see the catface that caused me to have them cut the tree. There is approximately 6 log truck loads in this one tree.

I'll be taking a picture of the biggest truckload, if I get the chance. It'll be about as big as the other picture posted here.

Mo' pics!

Not all of my nature pictures are sweeping vistas of mountains, rocks and trees. South Carolina had lots of fungi and it certainly caught my camera eye.












This picture was taken right outside my backdoor. The state Forestry guys did some fuels work, piling the dead wood and brush then burning it. I originally wanted to get pics of the piles within the forested setting but I chose to zoom in and see what happens. This is a good pic for the coming winter season. Just looking at it seems to warm you up and bring back memories of a roaring fire you had camping or in front of a fireplace.









Here's another shot of some very colorful fungus growing in South Carolina. I really should have taken some "macro" shots like the one above to bring out the fine detail and colors.

Manipulated pics

One of the fun things about digital photos is that you can manipulate them into "works of art". I particularly like the watercolor tool, as it really lends itself to scenic photos. Other times, some "posterized" tools can have great effects, too.

This picture of Zion National Park came out very nicely, with plenty of detail in those trees. The colors of the rock blended in to look natural, too.

I made this picture of my co-worker Tom to look like an album cover and it fits Tom's personality of "going his own way". This is a bridge over the Lochsa River in Idaho, very near the Lewis and Clark trail. The trail on the other side looks rarely used an accesses some of the largest contiguous wilderness area in the lower 48 states.
This is a "macro" shot of some dime-sized flowers along the road in Montana. The "macro" function on digital cameras allow you to get zoomed in closer than otherwise possible. Again, I used the watercolor effect and it makes this picture very much different from the original.

Silly pics

I often carry my government digital camera in my adventures across America and sometimes run across "interesting" scenes.

This picture came from the Black Hills of South Dakota and I call this "Home, Sweet Home". Talk about a throne with a view!











This is the Forest Service's "minimalist" toilet system. It's literally a two-holer. I notice they're also "unisex", reflecting the current politically correctness.













While on assignment in South Carolina's Sumter National Forest, I discovered what was wrong in the woods, these days. It seems that inter-species fraternization is occurring down there, as evidenced by these two kissing trees. I wonder if this only occurs in the South (probably not).















Also in South Carolina, they seem to be "directionally-challenged" in the highway department.