Wrong place at the right time.........

[mx842]

The weather forecast was for 8 to 12 inches of snow followed by very low temps for the next 2 weeks. I was just about out of wood so I needed to get enough cut to last a couple weeks which I could easily do in a few hours. I have a bunch of big oaks that have been laying on the ground for over three years that I have been cutting as I need them. The ones where the logs were right on the ground I cut first and saved the ones that were not in contact with the ground to get to them as needed.

I had two or three big trees that were laying close together that I had been saving for a time like this. I had cleared the brush and briers away from around them so I could get my trailer right in the middle of the three big trees to make it easier to load. I had cut two trailer loads and was working on the third when the lights went out. I always clean out around where I'm cutting and always cut from the top branches back toward the trunk, cutting each limb in stove lengths as I go until the wood gets to where it needs to be split. This way I can throw the small branches in a pile out of the way so when I go to load it I'm not stumbling over all the brush and I have a nice clean area to work in.

There was an old dead pine tree laying on the ground that I had to move so I could get my trailer closer to the wood I had already cut. I cut the old log in pieces about 5 feet long and was picking up the last piece but it had not been cut all the way through so I picked up the saw to cut it the rest of the way and just as I let off the trigger after I made the cut a dead snag that was about 30 feet away from where I was cutting decided to fall on me. I don't remember it actually hitting me. I do remember a pain in the back of my head and the next thing I remember was looking up and seeing my 044 sthil laying across my lap still running, my hand still on the trigger and this dead tree pinning me and the saw under it.

When I first woke up I didn't know what had happened all I knew was my head hurt from being smushed between the falling tree and the pieces of wood I had already cut on the ground. I somehow worked the saw off my lap and got it out from under the log then I was able to cut a couple chunks off to where I could free myself and get out from under the log. After a short cussing spree I cut that tree up and threw it off to the side so I knew where it was so I could make **** sure that it was going to be the first pieces that went in the stove once I got back to the shop.

It was really weird cause there was nothing around this tree and no reason for it to fall like that. There was no wind or nothing, it just decided that it was time to fall and I was a good landing site. It really made me think just how fragile life really is and how we take chances all the time and get away with it and then something like this happens that wouldn't happen in a million years jumps out to greet you.

I've been leaving these snags standing cause the wood peckers like them and I use them in a pinch when I need some dry wood in a hurry but I'm thinking now to heck with the wood peckers let them make it on their own and find some way to sneak up on them and cut them all down before they can do me in for good the next time.:laughing:

 

[MoKelly]

Wow. What a story. Glad you are all good and no permanent damage.

Things happen.

Were you wearing a helmet?

MoKelly

 

[Walkin Horse]

Glad your ok nieghbor. I don't know how far apart we are but if there's anything I can do to help pm me. This has been some rough crazy weather for us here.

 

[Gary Fowler]

Wood whether live of dead can only stand so much stress before it comes down and one can never tell when that point is reached. I had a big green pine limb break off and land on my fence a full day after the current ice storm we had. It stayed loaded with ice for 24hours then broke as the ice started to thaw. I have had huge oak limbs break off with no wind or weather involved, just finally grew too large to support themselves.
We try to keep all small trees cleared back from the fence line as much as possible but the old growth stuff we just have to leave and hope they don't drop anything on the fences.

Glad you only got a bump on the head out of your experience, it could have been much worse especially with the saw running.

 

[beeforty]

Glad you're alive to tell the story. That's why they call them "Widow Makers". I had a redwood limb that was green come crashing down with no wind recently. Fortunately I was next to my shop and heard it bouncing through the branches and ducked under the eave. Years ago another fell on the road as I was going to work and it was all I could do to get it out of my way so I didn't have to turn around for to go the long way and be late. Both were green and healthy looking!

 

[Thomas]

Dang...glad your still w/us.

 

[jimmyj]

Good story, glad you are around and ok enough to share it. Scary stuff.

 

[s219]

Phew, that is pretty crazy -- glad you're OK. I have a couple snags to attend to on my land, and this story is good motivation to get it done. They are dangerous to cut, since the tops are loose and they don't have a tendency to want to fall normally with a notch and back cut, so I usually leave them be if possible.

 

[mx842]

Glad your ok nieghbor. I don't know how far apart we are but if there's anything I can do to help pm me. This has been some rough crazy weather for us here.

What part of Chesterfield? I lived around Belmont and Turner Rds for years. Then we moved up on Woolridge rd until it started to get so built up. I'm in Varina now and love it. I do have a new small subdivision pretty close to me that I never thought would get passed because it had several wet land areas on the property. Someone pulled some strings and got it through though. I had to really jump through some hoops to be able to build my house because of one of those same wet areas so it surprised me when I found out it had passed.

What surprised me more is why the Civil War preservation people didn't buy it. They have bought just about everything else around me and why they let that piece get by is beyond me. I wish they had bought it but it's nothing I can do now about it so I'll just have to live with it.

Thanks for the offer neighbor and if I get in a pinch I'll keep it in mind. That offer is also extended to you.

 

[mx842]

Thanks everybody I really appreciate the kind thoughts. I mainly posted this because everyone every now and then needs a reminder of just how narrow the line is between life...... and the here after is. No matter how safe you think you are nor how many precautions you take there is always something lurking nearby that will jump out and get you if it gets a chance.

I'm not saying you should live in a bubble or stay locked up in your house afraid to go out for fear something might happen to you. Live life......do the things you like to do and enjoy what life has to offer. There always will be bumps and bruises that come along as you make the journey through life and it is these bumps and bruises that you learn by. Some times you have to be bruised a couple times, maybe even three or four times if you are like me before it dawns on you that there may be a better way to do something other than the way it's being done.

No.....I wasn't wearing a helmet. I never have worn a helmet while cutting wood nor do I wear a safety shield or glasses when I am cutting. Not because I think I am John Wayne, Rambo, just want to look cool or something, they just get in my way. I'm not saying they are not a good idea to wear when you are doing this kind of work, by all means wear them if you feel more comfortable doing so.

I have been doing this kind of work for well over 50 years and worst things than this have happened to me. Most of the time when things went wrong I made a bad decision or just got in a hurry. But there have been several times in my life time like this one. Where there was no rhyme or reason for what happened other than I was just at the wrong place at the right time when it did and it's these moments when you have to stop!!!......look around for some roses to smell and thank God that I'm still here to enjoy a little more of what life has to offer.

 

[Walkin Horse]

I am off of River rd and Second Branch. I have a horse farm and boarding barn. I'm sure glad you came out of it ok. I try not to do much dangerous stuff unless I have somebody with me. My wife stays in the house so much she wouldn't miss me til bed time. So I try to pick my jobs for when I'm by myself and when I have help. I have two boarders that that help me a lot and one is a nurse. I've noticed since I turned 50 I stumble more and and don't have near the strength I used to have.

 

[devildog1]

Wow, just glad your able to tell us the story and a good one it is! Thank you for telling it, be safe out there cause as you said we never know.
DevilDog

 

[Mace Canute]

Wow mx842! Whodathunk??

It's good to hear it wasn't any worse than it was.

 

[Mace Canute]

Speaking about getting hit in the head. I'm reminded of this incident in my past one fine day at work. As you may or may not know I worked as a Lineman for the provincial electrical utility and we were out doing some maintenance on a "H" frame 72Kv line, doing stick work to change out a spar on an energized line. Anyways, one guy was almost to the top of the high pole with the shield wire, about 45 feet above ground level, and the next guy to go up was at the bottom of the same pole and he went and stepped on the handline that the guy up the pole had attached to the mandatory breakaway handline hook on his belt. This caused the handline to snap out of the hook and start falling to the ground, sheave and all. The idiot that had stepped on it noticed the rope piling up rapidly in a pile on the ground right beside him...and just stood there...watching.

This is a picture of the three inch sheave.

I immediately knew what had happened but the idiot didn't! Next thing you know the obvious happened, the sheave nailed him right on top of his hardhat! Put him to the ground, too! To this day ever time I remember that incident I mentally insert a thought bubble over him as I picture him watching the rope pile up beside him.

 

[motownbrowne]

Good story mace, helmets may feel dorky and can get in the way for sure. Same with chaps. To me it's worth the inconvenience. In your story, the guy with the helmet on got put to the ground, but not put in the ground because of safety equipment. Good thing he only got to think about the rope for a second or two... If he'd had longer, he might have looked up to see what was going on and caught it in the face.

 

[oosik]

Darn - that is a wild story. I've got quite a few very large dead Ponderosa pine - from pine bark beetle. I've left them for the woodpeckers too. I might check those that are close to where I always work.

 

[mx842]

Speaking about getting hit in the head. I'm reminded of this incident in my past one fine day at work. As you may or may not know I worked as a Lineman for the provincial electrical utility and we were out doing some maintenance on a "H" frame 72Kv line, doing stick work to change out a spar on an energized line. Anyways, one guy was almost to the top of the high pole with the shield wire, about 45 feet above ground level, and the next guy to go up was at the bottom of the same pole and he went and stepped on the handline that the guy up the pole had attached to the mandatory breakaway handline hook on his belt. This caused the handline to snap out of the hook and start falling to the ground, sheave and all. The idiot that had stepped on it noticed the rope piling up rapidly in a pile on the ground right beside him...and just stood there...watching.

This is a picture of the three inch sheave.

I immediately knew what had happened but the idiot didn't! Next thing you know the obvious happened, the sheave nailed him right on top of his hardhat! Put him to the ground, too! To this day ever time I remember that incident I mentally insert a thought bubble over him as I picture him watching the rope pile up beside him.

Cool story...........Yeah, I can imagine the look on the guys face, staring at the line piling up like that wondering; that's weird,:scratchchin: why is that rope doing that? :laughing:

I worked as a lineman for the telephone company a couple years back in the early 70's. That was back when we still climbed poles with hooks and a lineman's belt. Today I don't think most telephone men even know what hooks are any more, if they can't get a bucket truck to a job they call a contractor to do it.

Thanks for sharing. If anyone else has stories like this or ones like mine please feel free to share. It just might help someone else stay out of trouble some day.

 

[mx842]

I am off of River rd and Second Branch. I have a horse farm and boarding barn. I'm sure glad you came out of it ok. I try not to do much dangerous stuff unless I have somebody with me. My wife stays in the house so much she wouldn't miss me til bed time. So I try to pick my jobs for when I'm by myself and when I have help. I have two boarders that that help me a lot and one is a nurse. I've noticed since I turned 50 I stumble more and and don't have near the strength I used to have.

Hey! Yeah, I know the area well. Well...I used to, it's been awhile since I was up that way. I have friends that live off Beech rd and I have some of my X wife's people live on Spring Run. I used to hunt all over that area until it started to grow so fast it was hard to find property or owners that would allow you near their land. I probably wouldn't recognize the area anymore if I happened to get out that way.

At 50 you are still a young buck. I some how made it to 67 and other than a few pains here and there I still do pretty much anything I ever did.........just a little slower, but I keep at what ever I start out to do until it's done. The main thing is to stay active. I found that if I sit around for a few days and do nothing, it's hard to get back at it. I set out each day with a couple projects to do and keep at it until they are finished and if that don't happen, there is always tomorrow I just add that to my to do list for the next day. Around here there are always more projects than time to do them so it's easy for me to stay active. Which reminds me I have to get my butt off this puter and get to work. Have a great safe day.

 

[Dr_Zinj]

And they say trees can't attack you...

 

[tractchores]

Crazy story, glad you were ok. This summer I had something similar happen. I was walking with my wife, she was maybe 10' ahead and I had our baby in a carriage. I heard a pop and stopped. About 2 feet in front of me and between me and my wife a big tree came down across the trail, probably 12-15" across where it would have hit us. Lucky it had very few branches.

As they say living is dangerous