Like lighting a firecracker, felling an 80 foot tree has an atmosphere of apprehension and astonishment. And while more effort is required than simply lighting a fuse, the result is that much more spectacular. Making a face cut, you gain respect for how much weight the tree trunk can actually support – even with a crosscut saw one-third of the way through. Making the felling cut, you expect it to fall at any moment, with your ears perked for any any strain or groan of soon-to-be timber. After hammering wedges, with each blow reverberating up and down the back country skyscraper, and a bit more sawdust, the fuse hits the gunpowder. From here, the procedure is the same. That is, you grab your lighter, or crosscut, and find safe ground while watching whatever force of nature you’ve unleashed. For me, it gave new meaning to “cut and run”.
Seriously, pictures to come soon.