Irish Ridge sorry you took that big fall, hope everything is still in its right place. You know there are other ways to check the buds on those maples then on your back. This love of maple can be dangerous, so far this season I rolled the snowmobile. and landed on my tail a number of times getting the main line down our hillside, all ice little snow. Saturday morning will be our first boiling, so I will be off the grid until Monday eve. The warm weekend and Monday will shorten our season again. Looks like your tapping early may have been the right move. Take care.