One advantage to working along the Appalachian Trail was being able to see all the beauty that surrounded us. While we got a lot of work done, we also would take a few moments when the surroundings beckoned us.
One day I was working with Andy, a tall, thin, long-haired and long-bearded gentleman – and quite a character. We came upon some enormous White Pines and Spruce Trees. Largest trees I have ever seen until I saw the Redwoods. Three people could not reach around the base of these trees. Andy saw one and said to me “can you imagine the view from up there”?
Before I could say anything he scurried right up a Spruce Tree. Not half way or three quarters, but all the way up. He convinced me that I should climb up. I decided why not, knowing that I would not go up as high. I went up an adjacent tree just over three quarters of the way up. High enough that I could see the view in the valley, but not high enough that I would need a helicopter to rescue me (easily over a 150 feet up). I looked over at Andy and could not believe what I was seeing. He was at the top of his tree. When I mean the top, I mean his head was above all the branches and the tree top was bending over similar to the tree from the Grinch that Stole Christmas.
In the Life of a Surveyor, you never know what you will see or where you will see it from!
