Page 113 - "Mississippi in the 1st Person" - Michael James Stone (Demo/Free)

Chopping trees, meeting folk and dragging the creek with my kayak till I was hoping now I
could float and paddle the rest of the day. I had pretty much used up most of the day.

I really wasn’t too sure where I was going to spend the night. Now a tree fall right when I

knew I was running out of time and sunshine.

Going over to the “top” of the tree well past the bank, I tried to lift what I knew was going to
be a big dead weight because how long it was. It was dead weight all right With nothing

around to tie to I knew rope and pulley was out. I started walking down river for a branch to
use as a lever.

I found one fairly quickly and seeking to leverage the tree even a little I snapped the branch

pretty quick.

It wasn’t that big, but I realized I need to use more head than brawn and so I looked again and
after three broken branches had one I could use as a lever.

(I said I needed to use my head, I didn’t say I did).

Next I looked at the tree and how it had fallen. Where I imagined the sap was, any soak weight
and examined the ground I was getting ready to walk over trying to drag the tree downstream
on side of the bank hoping to get in in the river maybe out of way.

NOT!

I just picked the damn thing up tried walking down stream, couldn’t, then went up stream
dragging the top of the tree as close as I could to the river bank.

A few bark bites and falling in holes and mud and acting sufficiently macho, I got the tree as

far as I could.

Next I went and got lunch.

I was winded. I was a little cut up and where the paddle gloves didn’t cover my fingers tips the
bark bit back. Didn’t bother me the day was cool and I wasn’t sweating just getting carbs and

protein in me.

My next feat of stupid I knew was going to be harder, so I drank lots of water also.

Looking around the bank I managed to find a pretty thick log I dragged over to the head of the
tree now cockeyed across the bank.

Realizing I made a mistake, I went and got some logs and lifting the end of the tree I rolled a

long under this end of the tree. Letting the tree down on the log I was three inches or more off
the bank sitting on the log.

Part of the tree blocking the river had been lifted at the end nearest me, one inch off the water.