Hello again everyone!
Well wonderful news, I passed pole climbing school!!!
I have to tell you guys though, it is not a natural feeling to be hanging on to a pole with your feet at 18 feet above the ground with only two steel spikes keeping you on the pole!
A quick rundown of the week:
Sunday: Drove 7 hours to Jackson, MS.
Monday: Went to the Bellsouth training center, practiced our footing drill and "stroking" the pole (I know, but what can I say?!) Climbed about 3-4 feet up practiced this
multiple times!
Tuesday: Climbed to 6 feet repeatedly. They then taught us how to manuever around the pole once you get to height. All of this of course with a safety line.
Wednesday: Climbed to 6 feet without safety line, drove j hook into pole and raised a 25 lb bag up to us with a rope. Climbed to 12 feet with a safety line. Climbed to 12 feet without a safety line. Let me tell you, I had a moment at about 10 feet, (head at 16 feet). I had to come down and compose myself. But I went back up within 5 minutes and completed my work assignment to be able to graduate to gulp...18 feet (head at 24 feet). We climbed to 18 feet with a safety line attached to us to end the day.
Thursday: The moment of truth, climbed to 18 feet without safety line, drove j hook and raised 25 lb bag with rope and came down. They video tape you to prove you did it if anything is said later. Let me tell you, everything went wrong that could have. As I was attaching my belt around the pole and to my body at 18 feet, I had twisted the belt (first time I had done that all week!) I then had to take off and reattach after I unkinked this, remember at 18 feet. As I took the belt off and was preparing to come down, my right hook cut out and I nearly fell, luckily I had my left leg locked (as you are supposed to) and it keep me up but let me tell you it scared the bejesus out of me. I recovered nicely though and made it down without incident.
Friday: Worked with ladders.
My instructor said I was the smoothest climber in the class, which really made me feel good. I have to go back Sunday for two weeks to installation school and he has informed us that we will climb everyday to practice, (what a nice guy!) Oh well, I;ve got it now and I want to thank everyone who encourage me and prayed for me. By the way, with my 6 lb boots on the scale showed me at 260.
I'll try to check back tommorrow!
Later,
Certified Pole climber Myhand signing off!
Dax