I know I'm no Reg, I just mentioned him because he has been an inspiration to me. I know Ive got a ways to go before I can even think about contract climbing, but I'm a fast learner and ropes are second nature to me. I'd like to get there someday. I've rigged out 100' tall cottonwoods over decks, blocked down 100'+ pines and firs into tight spaces. I've taken my time to make sure I'm doing it right. I'm not into heroics and I've been known to climb down, take a good look at what I'm doing from different angles, and change my game plan. I eat up anything I can read about tree work, specifically rigging. I bend the ears of crews I see working locally and I sit and watch for hours.
I know that it may boil down to simply making a choice. Maybe I can't have my cake and eat it too. But at this point it would sure be hard to walk away from my fledgling retirement plan and my benefits at my hospital job.
At this point I do lack investment capital. I have a 1/2 ton truck, a 7'x12' dump trailer, a grundle of climbing and rigging gear, and a small family of saws, a reasonable head on my shoulders, intuition for the physics and a love of the work.
Getting a chipper would require me to sell my truck and get a 1 ton box that I'd have no place to park. I just feel like making the next move as far as expanding my own outfit would require me to go all out. I feel like each upgrade required the next to justify.
Would you recommend looking for part-time work with a local crew? I applied with one local outfit but the were staffed with unsavory characters that I wasn't particularly interested in working with. I guess I should start making more phone calls to try and find a local company that I get get good vibes from.
Thanks for your input.