Denray Posted January 29, 2015 Report Share Posted January 29, 2015 Oh it was horrible alright. Look at this thing. What was I thinking? Click to Enlarge 113.41 KB I was walking down the backside when it happened. That horrible feeling of my feet slipping out. Then the whistling of the air as I picked up speed. My life flashed before me. 24 inches later my butt hit the shingles. Out of control I slid another 24 inches. I'm lucky that I'm not quite 62 yet or I would have been finished. Ha. [:-monkeyd So the rest of the story is the used car salesman chimney sweep guy had his teenage gopher go up that mossy side to look over the chimney. I couldn't believe that he didn't slip on that moss at all. When I was up there that moss was like dry carpeting. I walked it down the the chimney from the ridge, but no elsewhere. I crashed on the back side cause of the loose granules on the old roof. But, as we all should know, always keep a catchers mitt below you. I was about 2 feet down the field when I slipped out. I had the ridge just below me to catch me, but I think I only went a few feet. Click to Enlarge 87.23 KB ALWAYS HAVE A CATCHERS MITT BELOW YOU IF YOU ARE DOING SOMETHING SKETCHY. I tweaked my right wrist a bit. Two days later it's 90% recovered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben H Posted January 29, 2015 Report Share Posted January 29, 2015 Hey man, glad you are OK. But what the hell were you doing on that shot roof in the first place? Ray Charles can see that thing is toast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denray Posted January 29, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 29, 2015 Call me crazy, but there is more to see and feel when you are on it. Big deal that I slipped onto my butt. That chimney had a long crack up its backside. My first slip out in 8 years, done with a safety net, so to speak. I was a rock climber in a previous life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Posted January 29, 2015 Report Share Posted January 29, 2015 I hate that feeling when you first start slipping. All confidence in walking the roof suddenly vanishes and the ground now appears much farther away. For me, it's always been more scary coming down than going up. Yeah, glad you aren't hurt too bad. Marc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denray Posted January 29, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 29, 2015 When things get steep you are better off facing the roof while going down just like you did when going up. AND don't lean in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric B Posted January 30, 2015 Report Share Posted January 30, 2015 I had an exceptionally close call on my own roof 3-4 years ago - it could have been my last day. It's experiences like that that help me define where I draw the line in the sand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurt Posted January 30, 2015 Report Share Posted January 30, 2015 When I'm up on a dangerous one, I'm always lining myself up with a plumbing vent, valley, chimney, vent, skylite, or whatever I can grab or jam against should I start to slide. No way in hell would I have been on that moss back mess. You slip on that quicker than thin shit goes through a tall Swede. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denray Posted January 30, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2015 It's so dry out here that that moss was like carpeting. Above that chimney was the only place I would walk it after seeing the kid walk on it. In case I slipped it would be down to the chimney. It was solid. Kinda took my mind a bit off the granule deal, yet I made sure I was still above something to stop me should I slip. [:-paperba Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Dirks Jr Posted January 30, 2015 Report Share Posted January 30, 2015 When I'm up on a dangerous one, I'm always lining myself up with a plumbing vent, valley, chimney, vent, skylite, or whatever I can grab or jam against should I start to slide. No way in hell would I have been on that moss back mess. You slip on that quicker than thin shit goes through a tall Swede. Ditto. On that one, go up the valley on the clean side. Then straight up to the ridge. Shimmy down to the chimney if you want but stay in line with the chimney so you can slide into it if needed. Then, back up to the ridge while staying in line with the chimney. Again, stay inline with the little porch dormer roof when moving back down the front side. Finally, back down that little valley to the ladder. Gald you're ok. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neal Lewis Posted January 30, 2015 Report Share Posted January 30, 2015 Denny, you made mention of the cracked chimney and the chimney inspector. When I'm at a house and there's a separate chimney guy, my report says I did not inspect the chimney, fireplace etc. "The chimney was inspected by a separate chimney pro; refer to their report". I cross it off the list and move on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denray Posted January 30, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2015 I get paid to look at everything, I look at it all. I don't trust most of those other folks that show up to sell something, especially the used car type. John, what you said about doing the roof route is exactly what I did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Dirks Jr Posted January 30, 2015 Report Share Posted January 30, 2015 Denny, I now see that you fell "on" the roof as opposed to "off of" the roof. Still very dangerous. Glad you're ok. I went onto an icy roof the other day. There was a somewhat dry patch where I set my ladder and it was a lower slope rancher roof. But I still thought to myself, "what the f... are you doing?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Posted January 30, 2015 Report Share Posted January 30, 2015 I get paid to look at everything, I look at it all. I don't trust most of those other folks that show up to sell something, especially the used car type..... I agree. Less than once in three times when I see a specialist, do I leave out my own observations. Marc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hausdok Posted January 30, 2015 Report Share Posted January 30, 2015 Learn to sit down really quickly. The more surface you can put in contact with the surface, the better. About the only place where sitting down really fast doesn't seem to apply the brakes is on wet shakes and shiny painted metal roofs. Everything else - it's pretty effective. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denray Posted January 31, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2015 Oh, I sat down pretty quickly alright![:-weepn] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurt Posted January 31, 2015 Report Share Posted January 31, 2015 It's interesting that the things one should do to stop sliding are all kind of counter intuitive......lean AWAY from the roof, sit down and spread out, etc. Then again, if one finds themselves sliding, they've already made a couple grave tactical errors..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gtblum Posted January 31, 2015 Report Share Posted January 31, 2015 It's interesting that the things one should do to stop sliding are all kind of counter intuitive......lean AWAY from the roof, sit down and spread out, etc. Then again, if one finds themselves sliding, they've already made a couple grave tactical errors..... At the very least, walking that one like that!...... Huh? Come on man! I understand you're a risk taker. Some of your posts have proven that. Use your head. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurt Posted January 31, 2015 Report Share Posted January 31, 2015 I don't understand. I'm talking about how to stop sliding and tactics and you are talking about.....what? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gtblum Posted January 31, 2015 Report Share Posted January 31, 2015 I don't understand. I'm talking about how to stop sliding and tactics and you are talking about.....what? Sorry, Kurt. That was directed toward Denray. The tactical error of going up there to begin with. Didn't the poor guy just got patched back up from a previous injury? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurt Posted January 31, 2015 Report Share Posted January 31, 2015 Oh, yeah, Denray is a climber/rafter/gungho attack module in the form of a home inspector. I like him though. Honest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denray Posted January 31, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2015 I went up this side. Not so difficult. The story wouldn't have been such an attention getter if I said I was on an older roof and slipped on some granules onto my butt. I set it up to look ominous when it really wasn't. Click to Enlarge 58.49 KB And for thinking I'm a risk taker. That's ridiculous. This photo of me on top of Half Dome should prove that I'm not. Click to Enlarge 80.1 KB Look closer. There's a rope around me. Click to Enlarge 59.48 KB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurt Posted January 31, 2015 Report Share Posted January 31, 2015 Cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Kogel Posted January 31, 2015 Report Share Posted January 31, 2015 Yes, thanks for sharing. Most people learned to drive by making a lot of small errors and sliding just a bit a few times. Or just reading about it works too. Read about your headplant over the handlebars, yep, that's educational stuff. [] A rope in the truck makes me feel more secure, although I never use it. I could use it if I had to reach a chimney and I will someday when I don't have the right ladder with me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Katen Posted January 31, 2015 Report Share Posted January 31, 2015 I'm still wondering why people don't use chicken ladders more often. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Katen Posted January 31, 2015 Report Share Posted January 31, 2015 Learn to sit down really quickly. The more surface you can put in contact with the surface, the better. About the only place where sitting down really fast doesn't seem to apply the brakes is on wet shakes and shiny painted metal roofs. Everything else - it's pretty effective. I'm trying to get Carhart to come out with "caulk pants" that would have carbide spikes sticking out of the knees and butt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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