New York Times (Escapes Section) Jan. 7

Outside of them not shooting my good side (since I don't have one), my only complaint has to do with the writer implying that rec TC might be "wimpier" than rock climbing. Anyway, check it out at:
http://travel2.nytimes.com/2005/01/07/travel/escapes/07RITU.html?oref=regi

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Yes, a pretty good article! One thing that made me stomach tighten up a bit was, "In the tradition of mountaineering, the first climber to conquer a tree is understood to have the right to name it."

Maybe mountaineers do feel that they "conquer" a mountain, bit I prefer to think that we befriend a tree--that we enter into a close and positive relationship with it.

That was a good representative article. I was surprised to find it so thorough in scope.

JimK

In our next issue, Tree Climbing Online will establish a new column called "Take a Bough" (title courtesy of my courageous blind/deaf cousin who Peter put in a tree about 3 years ago) to congratulate and publicize great things that TCI instructors, facilitators, and members have accomplished. Harv's article gets first mention. Congrats to you, Harv!
If anybody knows of other folks whose activities should be written up for our column, please let us know!
With a big smile,
Patty

Thanks Patty.

Jim W, I wasn't thrilled with the "conquer" bit either. (Note that it wasn't a quote.) What I said was something like "first climber, if a name suggests itself."

After I posted the comment, I realized I should have said that I believed it was the writer--not you, Harv--who chose the word "conquer."

I'm truly pleased that you brought us such fine publicity!

Went to the site, signed on (a breeze), and printed out the article. Validation is good for the scoffers and those whose ears perk up at the sound of something new and exciting. One observation on the cell phone in the tree trick - put it on a line - I dropped one and never did find it (a camera phone with some nice shots in it). I did a climb next to a lake, brought my sky chair and a good book up and even napped a bit - verrrry peaceful. Climb high, climb safe. Ben and Logan from Anacortes.

That is one great article! I'm always amazed when journalists get it at least half right (apologies to any good journalists reading this. My experiences being misquoted has me a bit jaded.), but this one seemed to have a pretty good idea of what it's all about. Did you get him to go up?

Yes, much of what he wrote was from our climb. He did pretty well for a first timer.

I think the difference in the accuracies of some of the media coverage can be traced to fact checking. Publications like the New York Times employ fact checkers who are independent of both the author and the newspaper. In this case, a lady from Seattle called to check on some of the more technical aspects, after the original story was written. Unfortunately, she didn't run some of the more editorial comments by me. But so it goes, all in all a very good piece.