That's All Folks

I'm writing this latest blog from my home in Tennessee. I have seen my last of the Colorado mountains for now and have said my goodbyes to my new friends. We concluded our season on Oct. 22 after hitch #10. For this final hitch "Constellation" went to La Garita once more to work on an existing trail. At this campsite we were surrounded by mountains, which caused the sun to be blocked out shortly after 4 pm. The cold mornings were the hardest part of these days, with frost on our tents and ice in our drinking water. But luckily we were able to have campfires and keep ourselves warm.

We had planned to spend three nights working on this trail before moving sites. But when we returned to camp on our last day we found that our rig had a dead battery. Long story short, we ended up spending one extra night and had a member of the office drive up to give us a jump start. Then we drove on to Del Norte and Stone Quarry Trail, the site of our very first hitch. This was Friday morning.

We worked on this trail alongside "Tree" crew, building new tread for a mountain bike trail and a few structures. Each night we shared meals between our two crews and enjoyed time around our campfire. This was a special opportunity for the two five month crews to spend a few last days together. On Monday afternoon we finished our work and headed back to Salida for graduation.

We spent Monday night thru Wednesday morning at Salida Fire Camp, enjoying time with the entire fall crew and staff. We had wonderful potluck meals and shared many memories. On Wednesday we all returned to the office to do a final de-rig, which took most of the day. Then we had a final debrief, said our goodbyes and shared many hugs and tears.

I spent my last few days in Colorado with my parents in Manitou Springs. As much as I enjoyed my summer and fall, I was anxious to return East. The friends I've made and the memories I hold are a strong reminder of the amazing community that SCC offers. In January I start my next job in New Hampshire; where I will have the great fortune of reuniting with a member of "Tree" crew as we work alongside each other for 10 months. For now I will be enjoying two months at home.

Hitch #9

This hitch we were at Eleven Mile State Park in Park County, almost two hours North of Salida. From day one I knew that this hitch would be different from any hitch before. Firstly all the mountains in view were covered in snow. Secondly we were on our first fencing project. We arrived to our campsite on day one and as we unpacked the rain became steadily stronger and lightning rolled in. Before we set up our personal gear we were met by a park ranger who brought us to the office to discuss our project and answer any questions. It was during this time that he had to take off to deal with an emergency call that had unforeseen results for us. Long story short we ended up not staying at our original campsite and instead we were moved to a bunkhouse in a different park of the park.

This turned out to be a wonderful change. Rather than camping outside in the below freezing weather at night, we each had beds to sleep on and a warm house to go back to. I think the best part of this was having a fridge to keep our food from going bad, which usually happens by half way through our hitch. The weather was chilly and windy, especially when we were working near the lake. At night there was a possibility of snow but it never materialized.

On day two our work began. The week consisted of taking out old barbed wire fence and replacing it. Overall we worked on nearly two miles of fence. There were various small injuries from this work, including but not limited to scratches, smashed fingers, sunburn, and wind chilled faces. I think I was the person with the most scratches; apparently I was not as careful with the barbed wire as others.

This hitch gave me the opportunity to learn new skills in a little over a week. Just knowing that I have those skills gives me new confidence. As I prepare for my 10th and final hitch I am looking forward to gaining even more skills. The plan for this hitch is a split hitch; first half back country in the La Garita wilderness and second half working alongside our fellow five month crew on Stone Quarry Trail outside Del Norte. I am very much looking forward to this hitch, especially because our final site will be the same as our very first hitch.

Hitch #8

This hitch we traveled back to the San Luis Valley. We worked and camped on the Baca Wildlife Refuge just outside Crestone. This refuge spans over 92,000 acres.We knew this would most likely be our final chainsaw hitch, though now we have learned that we may have one more. We camped on the edge of our project site near an old farm house. There were several houses and barns on the property that date back hundreds of years.

As we found out our first night, the wildlife in the area are prosperous. Around sunset each night we would listen to the coyotes and elk and owls, talking among themselves just outside our camp. The owls would talk on and off throughout the night, in the trees right over our camp.

Our project for this hitch was to clear the dead cottonwood trees along two creeks. We did this by bucking logs and hauling branches into large piles that will later be used for firewood or burned. Each creek was about a mile long and we worked on both sides of each creek. In all we completed the work on one creek and about half on the second creek. Due to the wood being dead our saws began overheating a lot. Once again our saws had various issues but we were able to work hard and make good progress.

We had the fortune of having another crew camp with us for a few days. They were working at a separate site, so we only saw each other from supper until breakfast. We were also lucky enough to have a campfire each night. So our two crews would gather around the fire each night, playing games and singing songs. The night sky was an amazing site as well. Due to the lack of interfering light and a new moon, the stars filled the sky and the Milky Way was visible.

Our project partners were one of the most amazing parts of this hitch. Andy, who does fire management on the refuge, came out to our work site every day and talked to us about his job and gave us tips on getting a job with the Dept. of Fish and Wildlife. For the first time in my life I could finally see a full time job that I would like to pursue. We were given the contact info for Andy and told to call him anytime with questions or resume help.

The last full day of our hitch we woke up to overcast skies and rain clouds. We ended up working only until 10 am when the rain began. But we had already made plans to take a tour of the refuge, so we stowed our saws and went on a ride. During this time we learned so much about the refuge and it's purpose. We saw great horned owls, hawks, elk, endangered frogs and toads, and one very cute sheep dog. After our tour the storms had returned so we took an educational tour of Crestone.

This hitch was unique in that we have a surplus of education, but it was invaluable knowledge. We went above and beyond what our partners expected of our in our work. We had excellent food and company, having several visitors from the SCC office come to our site. One other amazing thing about this hitch was that on day two I received a phone call from a job that I had applied to and had an interview with the previous week. I called them back and was given a job offer, to which I later accepted. So I am the first one of my crew to know exactly where I'm headed next. Luckily I have two months between SCC and my new job with the NH Corps, which will be spent at home in TN.

We know that our next hitch is planned to be a fencing project. The are is supposed to be beautiful, as most are right now with the glowing aspens. We will be installing and removing barbed wire fence. As we have yet to do this type of project, I am excited to see what the work will entail. Only two hitches left, 18 work days.

Hitch #7

This hitch began a few days early with orientation for the 2 month fall crews. This means that we met roughly 50 new crew members and a few new crew leaders. We spent a weekend a Raspberry Gulch introducing them to SCC and giving a brief overview of camp life. Because my crew had already been through orientation in June we were given the chance to help facilitate this orientation and work on leadership skills.

After the weekend each crew once again split into our separate hitches. My crew had the unique opportunity to return to a previous site, Zapata Falls HOA where we were on hitch #4. Our project partner had been so happy with our work he requested we return. So we camped on the same beautiful ranch and got back to work with our chainsaws. We also got to visit the sand dunes once more.

Over the course of our hitch we had various issues with our saws, ranging from incorrectly mixed fuel to saws making sounds that we just could not figure out. At one point only 2 of our 6 saws were running. For a team of 8 we can have up to 4 saw running and so this created lag in our project. But sometimes saws just need to be cleaned and cool down and they run like new. By the end of the week we had more than finished our project and had began widening the greenbelt that we were cutting.

On the last couple days before our hitch ended we had a surprise visit from a very friendly dog named Bud. He belongs to someone in the community but enjoyed spending his days at our work site. One evening he decided to follow us home and stayed the night and most of the next day. Eventually we had to let him return home but it was nice to have a trail dog for awhile.

On the last night of our hitch, just like the first time we were in Zapata Falls, our hosts Wayne and Nancy invited us to their home for supper. They cooked bison burgers and wonderful creme brulee. Needless to say we felt quite spoiled. Our next hitch will also be on chainsaws but outside Crestone this time. I'm looking forward to what I've been told will be an interesting hitch.

Hitch #6

It seems that each hitch is more challenging then the one before, and this hitch was no exception. We returned to the La Garita Wilderness, where we were last hitch. But this time our site was on the opposite side of a mountain from last time. We also had the added complication of sickness. One of our crew was sick from day one, and subsequently each of us came down with various levels of illness.

On day one we had the first, and luckily only severe, rain of the week. This led to setting up our bear hang in the cold and wet before a late night getting to bed. Due to the fact that we would be working above tree line our crew leaders decided to start our days early. This meant 5 am breakfast and hitting the trail by 6:30 am. If you know me you know that I'm anything but a morning person. I had to put aside my exhaustion each morning, or at least try to stay awake. But by the time we began hiking the sun was starting to rise, adding warmth to our hike.

By the time we hiked about a mile uphill to our first stop on the trail we were all ready to stop and work. On day two we did some work on that section of the trail but then we began our real work. Our project sponsor told us we had about 3/4 mile hike to our final work site; we estimated nearly 2 miles. As we soon found out these 2 miles were steadily uphill followed by a steep final climb to nearly 13,000 ft. This hike was made more difficult by each of us carrying an apx 4 ft log. Needless to say, this was my most difficult part of the work day. We did this for three mornings before we had placed the required number of check steps.

Now of course our hitch was not without its rewards. When we reach our final work site we were rewarded with the most amazing view of our trail winding down into the valley. We were working in an alpine meadow, well above tree line. On Sunday morning we were given time off to continue up our trail, which ended atop San Luis Peak at 14,014 ft. We were able to summit my first 14er as a crew, and the experience was one I'll never forget.

The rest of the hitch we were able to sleep in a little more each day, due to the fact that we'd be working below tree line and wouldn't need to worry as much about afternoon storms. Sleeping in meant breakfast wasn't until 6:30 am, which I'm amazed at how happy I was to hear. We put in a total of 47 log check steps and 20 rock check steps by the end of the week.

Our hitch ended a day earlier than usual, with us driving back on Wednesday. This is because we spent from Wednesday night thru Friday morning at Raspberry Gulch just outside Salida. This was the final hitch for our summer crews and we spent the time camping together and completing exit paperwork and joining in celebration of all we'd accomplished together. Friday was a super de-rig were we cleaned all our gear, vehicles, dishes, and tools to the best of our ability. We said our goodbyes and most people went their seperate ways. My crew, along with one other five month crew, have one extra day off before returning on Friday August 29 to help plan the orientation for the new crews that will come in for the remaining two months.

These next four hitches will be filled with new adventures. One of our crew leaders has been chosen to lead a post 9/11 veterans crew for the fall. Because of this we will have a new co-leader. Luckily we have already met her as she was a crew leader for the past three months. This new dynamic will be our first obstacle, hopefully one we'll quickly overcome and we'll grow closer because of it. For now, enjoying my time off and preparing gear for the colder weather ahead.

From a Best Friend

There are people in this world who we only meet in passing. There are others who remain in our lives for only a portion of it. Then there are those who will be ingrained in our future from the moment we first meet. And then there are best friends. They fall into a different category entirely because they are not only a part of our everyday existence, but from my experience they have the ability to become involved in every aspect of our lives. We can tell them more secrets than we can our parents, they tend to have personalities as similar to us as can be, and sometimes, only once in my life, we can meet a best friend who is so entwined with who you are they are practically family. I'm lucky enough to have a "sister" such as this in my life.

Over the past five years there have been ups and downs, we've laughed and cried, and cried from laughing so hard. We've have late night, into early morning, Disney movie marathons and Minecraft sessions while acting as immature as possible. We met new people along the way and others have gone. We've explored underground caverns, maneuvered various rope obstacles like skilled tight rope walkers, climbed to high peaks, raced down rushing rapids, hiked endless miles, and a million other adventures that would take too long to explain. You've overcome fears of a raging river by getting back on it, I've been on it only to get ejected in the river. I've fished in the last frontier, you've survived an RV trip across the desert.

Yes we've come a long way, you and I. I've become more adventurous in my pursuit of thrills and dragged you along for the ride. You've tried to use your teacher mentality on me and I have been the worst possible student (but really, what kid is gonna sit still while you read a book when they're waiting for a movie to start?). We've worked in the sweltering heat of summer, singing Disney and Country songs at the top of our lungs. We've worked in bitter cold of 3 degrees, with a wind chill, until we were sure our fingers and toes no longer existed. We've bonded over a shared love of books, and shared how much we love certain things. You with your penguins, all things orange, hippie and Hawaii. Of course we also love our cats.

We both tried, but in the end had to succumb to the inevitable fact of being super seniors. But looking back, it just wouldn't be right with the universe if we graduated at separate times. We've grown so much as friends, as young women, in our career pursuits, and in independence. I've gone on several wild adventures, but now, for really the first time, you have also left the comfort of home in pursuit of your dreams. For the first time, neither of us knows when we'll be together again. But in a way, this is the true test of a friendship. Being together while we're apart may be hard, but I know that we'll meet again and it will be as though no time has passed.

And so, while I could write on forever, I shall add my final remarks. Buddy, my special friend, yo-yo, Yoda, and whatever other nicknames I can't remember; I so look forward to hearing everything about your new adventure. I have seen you work towards this since the moment we met. This is only the beginning for you, and me. Seize the day. I know you'll do wonderful things, but remember who your best-est buddy is and always will be.   -D

Hitch #5

This was our first back country hitch. This means that we did not have our vehicle easily accessible and everything we brought with us had to be packed in on our backs. We were in the La Garita Wilderness, working on the Colorado Trail and the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail. On Wednesday we drove the roughly three hours to the trail head and met our project partners. For the first four days we worked alongside two Forest Service rangers.

On our first afternoon we hiked the 1/2 mile to our first campsite. We stayed there until Monday morning. Each day we walked to our work site, crossing a stream twice a day. Our main job for this hitch was building structures on the trail to route the flow of water off the trail. This meant many heavy rocks that had to be dug into the ground and even more logs. Being that this is a National Forest no machines can be used. This means that instead of chainsaws we used cross cut saws. That was a tiring yet exciting opportunity. To use a saw that has existed for decades longer than I've been alive, it feels historic and a bit nostalgic.

On Monday morning we packed up camp and hiked another 4 1/2 miles to our next site. This was done with packs that easily weighed 50 lbs or more, plus the addition of carrying all our tools. But the view was worth the exhaustion. At this point we were close to 12,000 feet and we were surrounded by mountains were the tree line was just above us. We camped in a small valley where we could have a 360 degree view. My only regret is that I forgot to bring my camera so I could capture the beauty.

Monday afternoon, about an hour after we reached our site, I was in the group setting up our bear hang. At this time the rain began. Being that I was a ways from camp I did not have my rain pants on me. The rain quickly escalated into a lightning drill and by the end of the hour of sitting in the rain, I was soaked. Along with everyone on my crew we changed what we could and went back to work in boots that were so wet we were standing in small puddles.

Luckily for us by the time we began work on Tuesday the sun had come out, and continue to stay out for the day and the next day. It's a true testament to the attitudes and skill of our crew that throughout the entire process we were able to be positive and even joke about how wrinkly our feet were at the end of the day. Eventually all our socks dried and work continued as normal.

We made the decision that if we could finish our work Wednesday morning we would pack camp and hike out that afternoon, rather than waking up before dawn on Thursday. We were able to accomplish all our tasks and by 3 pm on Wednesday we had begun our five mile hike back. This took about three hours, even though our packs felt substantially heavier. This is an interesting phenomenon, given that we had eaten 99% of the food we had packed in. I won't go into detail about our meals, but basically breakfast but oatmeal, lunch/snacks was trail mix and one tortilla with pb & j, and supper consisted mostly of some sort of grain and curry flavoring. Needless to say I was excited when we stopped for lunch on our way back Thursday.

Overall this hitch was the most tiring yet, but it also gave us the chance to get even closer as a crew. Our next hitch will also be back country, in the same general area. But next time we will be camping close to tree line and working above tree line. This means higher elevation and more possibly for severe lightning storms. We are now halfway through our season, and after next hitch the summer crews will be finished. We'll be camping as a big group one more time before saying goodbye. Then a week later we'll receive about 40 new staff. I'm looking forward to seeing how the season progresses as the weather starts to cool.

Hitch #4

Our 4th hitch began two days earlier than expected. We had one day of classroom training for our chainsaw work and one day of field training. Then we headed out on our first chainsaw hitch. We were lucky enough to be able to camp in a beautiful meadow surrounded by huge Cottonwood trees. This meadow is a part of Star Lazy R Ranch; which is a ranch owned by a lovely couple who we had the great fortune of meeting.

In all we had eight day of chainsaw work. We worked on a stretch of road, clearing trees to allow for a 40 foot corridor of space in the event of a fire. Mostly we removed small Junipers and Cottonwoods; many of which were already dead and posed a great fire hazard. As this was my first time working with chainsaws I was especially nervous. But I quickly gained confidence (and muscle) as the week went on.

We also had the opportunity to visit Sand Dunes National Park twice during our hitch. Though I thoroughly enjoyed our hard work, this was the highlight of the week. The dunes are an incredible natural phenomenon, surrounded by creeks that flow from snow melt off the nearby Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The mountain peaks jut up just behind the dunes, and on the other side grassy fields stretch into the horizon. Being able to walk barefoot through the sand after a hard day was a joy in and of itself.

On our last night we were invited to the home of the ranch owners, Wayne and Nancy. They treated us to locally raised Bison burgers and homemade potato salad. Needless to say we thoroughly enjoyed that meal and the amazing company. One of the greatest joys of this job is the people we meet and the appreciation we receive. Our project partner was so pleased with our work he asked our director if we could return in September for another hitch. If we do so we would be able to see the dunes surrounded by fall colors in the Aspens and Cottonwoods.

I now have five days to rest before beginning our next hitch. It will be our first back country hitch and we will be using cross cut saws. I'm excited and nervous about the challenges ahead, but so far I have found the best solution is just to take it one moment at a time.

Hitch #3

My third hitch began Wednesday July 2. From the beginning I knew the next 10 days would be quite different from our previous work. Our crew, along with "Mountain" crew, took a 9 hour drive to Oak Creek Canyon outside Flagstaff, Arizona. Wednesday night we camped in Mesa Verde National Park, before continuing on to Arizona in the morning.

We spent the next 6 days stacking sandbags throughout different properties and businesses in the canyon. Due to a fire last month the area is highly susceptible to flash flooding. The soil is unable to soak in the majority of the rain and instead it sheets downhill, in most cases directly towards houses. And being the start of monsoon season, we had to finish the sandbag walls quickly.

During our time we had two large and fast moving afternoon monsoons, both creating hail, lightning, and flash flooding. These afternoons we had to stop work early and evacuate the canyon. Due to these storms we were able to witness our work in progress. We could go back the next day and see where our sandbag wall had diverted water away from homes.

The appreciation from the community and our project partners was amazing. Being able to see the people who live in the area we were working to protect made all the hard work worth every minute. And we did work very hard. We moved about 30,000 sandbags in 8 days, with 15 people for all but the last 2 days.

We left on Wednesday July 9 before lunch to begin our drive back to Salida. That afternoon we had the opportunity to visit Grand Canyon National Park. I could hardly fathom the enormity of it, even while standing on the edge looking out. Watching the sunset over the northern Arizona desert was also an incredible site. During our time our two crews bonded and worked as one. It was great to see how another crew functions and the leadership styles, while making some amazing new friends.

Our break between this hitch and our next is being cut short by two days for more chainsaw training. We will being working with saws on Wednesday July 16. This is what each of the members of our crew was brought here to do. I'm looking forward to the new challenges ahead of us.

Hitch #2

            The second hitch for “Constellation” crew began a day early. Along with our fellow chainsaw crew we had a full day of saw training. For most of us this was our first time ever using a chainsaw. Our training consisted of safety protocols, basic maintenance, proper saw use, and a few demonstrations. At the end of the day we had the opportunity to practice a few skills. Overall our crew felt prepared to begin saw work. But due to a change of plans we were instead given another trail project, with the promise of saw work next time.

And so, on Wednesday June 18^th we departed for Southfork, about a half hour from our previous site. We arrived at Trout Creek Trail and set up camp, eager to see our worksite. This area was vastly different from our previous site. Aside from camping along a busy road, the terrain was more wooded and grassy. One side of the view was a rocky cliff and the other side was tall mountain peaks. We only hiked about a mile each way our first afternoon.

Thursday morning we did our daily routines, picked up our tools and began hiking. We were told that we would see a sign at our worksite. So we hiked up one peak, then down to a valley, up another peak, back down to another valley, and stopped for a break at a junction in the trail. We then hiked on about a mile before being stopped by a mountain biker. This turned out to be Steve, our project coordinator. He told us that there was no sign and that our site began at the junction. We were filled in on the details of the work and soon hiked back. Along the way we ate lunch at a beautiful meadow alongside a creek. By the time we began work on the trail it was 2 pm. We worked until 4 pm and then sharpened our tools and hiked back to camp. Needless to say the approximately 10 miles of hiking had us ready for a good night’s rest.

We woke up Friday ready for a full day of work. Our basic job was to make a two track into a single track trail. We did this to stop the use of ATV’s on the trail. This was accomplished by loosening the soil on the lower track to encourage growth and adding rocks and dead branches. The work was hard and dusty, but the forest was a beautiful site to work in.

Saturday and Sunday we had the pleasure of working with volunteer crews from VOC and NCCC. They provided us with five delicious meals. This opportunity was unique because it allowed us to work on a new trail, doing different work, and with new people of various ages and experience. Our SCC crew was separated into two groups and placed with a second crew leader and several volunteers. My crew worked on several sections of the trail; widening the path. This experience gave us a greater appreciation for the people who enjoy trails and are willing to spend their weekend working to preserve it.

On Sunday we finished working at 1 pm and said goodbye to our new friends. We then had the opportunity to visit a section of forest in the west fork of the Rio Grande that had burned in a fire in the summer of 2013. The fire consumed over 110,000 acres of land. This was my first time seeing a burn area up close. The charred leafless trees and silence from lack of wildlife made the area seem ruined. But grass and flowers blanketed sections of forest and streams ran clear among the ashy soil. Life has begun again and someday the forest will be lush and green once more.

That afternoon as we sat near a lake at the base of the burn area we were told to think about the vast age of the forest. I began to wonder, if we are such a small fraction of the forests’ life, then what difference does our work make? As soon as the thought crossed my mind one of our crew leaders Aaron said “This is why we’re here.” I realized that we do our work because it is the best way, however small, to give back to the environment we care about. And hopefully our work will continue for generations because someone becomes inspired to do their part.

            On Monday morning we had two black bears visit our campsite by Trout Creek Trail. Due to this we moved our camp down the road to where the volunteers had stayed. This move gave us the chance to meet some people who had just begun working for the Forest Service and other agencies. Monday thru Wednesday we continued work on Trout Creek Trail. Wednesday afternoon we finished our designated section of trail. In all we worked over an area of about three miles and completed nearly a mile of actual refurbished trail.

            Thursday morning we had the luxury of sleeping in before beginning our routine of breaking down camp. I was able to give my education talk on “How to go the bathroom in the woods.” We arrived safely back at the office, ready for a well deserved break before we head out to our next adventure.

What Comes Next

3 weeks ago I had the opportunity to travel around Rocky Mountain National Park and see many amazing views and wildlife. In one afternoon I saw 7 moose, 3 of them at the same time. I was absolutely amazed by the enormity of the mountains, being that it was my first time seeing them. I also very much enjoyed seeing snow in June.

2 weeks ago I was on the verge of starting my new job working for the Southwest Conservation Corps in Salida, Colorado. I am now on break after completing my first 11 day hitch. The past 2 weeks have been full of new people, new areas, and some crazy experiences. It took me about a week to get adjusted to the altitude and a few more days to adjust to working at elevation. Our job site for 9 days was around 9,000 ft.

My crew of 7 other members are a diverse group of characters. They come from all over the US and from various backgrounds. We already have a tight bond and I know that will only continue to grow. Our first site was just out Del Norte. We built and maintained over a mile of mountain bike trail in some of the most unique landscape I've ever been to. The area is desert-like with rocks dotting the landscape. The trails wind among the rocks and sand in harmony with the environment. The area is filled with artifacts and abandoned rock dwellings, some with rock paintings still visible.

But the most amazing part of our site was the people who we saw. As bikers came through they would thank us for our work. The appreciation of the community was astounding. We were brought homemade donuts, a baked potato and chili supper, and even had an archaeologist come out and tell us about the area and it's history.

Our next hitch begins Tuesday with a full day of chainsaw training. Then it's out to the field for another 9 days. The next 5 1/2 months are sure to be filled with many more adventures and challenges. I'm looking forward to facing it all with my amazing crew at my side.

525,949 Minutes 8,765 Hours 365 Days 52 Weeks 12 Months 1 Year

When you think ahead 1 year, the time in between seems like an eternity. At the end you are left wondering where the time went. Suddenly the endless days and weeks feel like they passed in a fraction of a second. But in the middle, when all the moments seem either rushed or dragged out, the best way to live is to simply enjoy the present.

Exactly 1 year ago today I was in my first week of my internship in Kodiak, Alaska. I remember it was this exact date because one of my new supervisors was celebrating his birthday. On that day I was camping and sea kayaking in the most beautiful environment I had ever seen. I saw my first grizzly bear that day, as well as various other animals that inhabited my temporary home. The next 3 months were more incredible, entertaining, challenging, and momentous than I can ever express. Rather than ending my summer feeling homesick, I came home only to miss Kodiak. I truly did my best to enjoy every moment, and the excellent thing about memories is that they allow you to revisit every emotion, so long as you took the time to make the memories in the first place.

I returned to school just weeks after I returned from Kodiak. I was beginning my last 2 semesters of college. Ask any college student, these are the hours and days that we try our best to rush. Classes and lectures will hardly ever be an enjoyable process, but even there are chances to make memorable moments. 2 of the most invaluable courses that I took were Creative Writing and Advance Creative Writing. I found a renewed passion for creating stories and characters through these classes. I was able to gain feedback and insight into the novel that I had begun. These classes, along with others, have given my new knowledge about myself and what drives me.

2 1/2 weeks ago I graduated from Southern Adventist University. Just weeks before that I accepted a 6 month position with the Southwest Conservation Corps. As I look back on this past month I have so many memories and moments that I would never replace. I can now look back on the past 5 years and wonder how college flew by so fast. For the first time I understand how my life is just beginning. I now stand on the verge of the rest of my life, looking forward to the new experiences and adventures and challenges that are sure to arise. 

Take no moment for granted, each and every one will pass too quickly. We will never get back yesterday, there will always be another tomorrow, all we ever have is the present.

72 Hours, 2 Caves, 1 Epic Adventure

Just over 72 hours ago my Vertical Caving class met to begin our weekend retreat. In total we had 9 vertical students and 4 horizontal caving students, plus our amazing instructors. Day 1 came and went like any other day packing gear and setting up camp. Day 2 began with a thunderstorm moving in just after sunrise. This was the beginning of several changes in our schedule that led to our epic adventure.

Due to the excessive rain throughout the day we were unable to go to our planned cave. This cave is easily flooded and we would be standing in waist deep water for hours at a time. Instead our instructors chose another cave for us to explore, Ellisons Cave. This cave is home to Fantastic Pit, the deepest pit in the continental US, at 586 feet. However that drop requires much more experience than we currently have. Instead our plan was to drop a smaller pit in the cave, at 125 feet. 

So we packed our gear and headed out. After parking we began a steep 3/4 mile hike to the cave entrance. We entered the cave around 5 pm, Friday April 4th. No one knew the adventure we were about to have. After caving to the pit, we rigged a rope for descent. This particular pit has a waterfall that comes down opposite the side of the pit we rappel down, however the mist still greatly chills any person in the vicinity. For anyone who has vertical caved before, you can imagine how long it takes to rappel 16 people into a pit. Our 4 horizontal cavers did not have the same experience we did, or the same gear. They rappelled on rock climbing rappel devices.

Within this cave we explored back to a 20 foot wall where we climbed in groups. At the top of this climb we were led back to Fantastic Pit. I can truly say that I have never been so in awe of a cave as when I leaned over the edge, safely clipped in of course, and listened to the sound of dropping a rock nearly 600 feet. The silence seemed to last forever before the rock finally hit bottom and echoed the noise back to us. Someday I plan to drop that pit, but for now I need to keep training.

We walked back to the 20 foot wall and I was the last one to rappel down. By now hours had passed since we entered the cave, but having no watch I had no idea just how many hours. We made our way back to the original pit, where some students had already ascended and prepared rigging for our ascent. Most simply explained, our horizontal students did not have the knowledge or gear to ascend themselves up the pit. Therefore one climber would be tethered to a "patient" and using counter balance system the climber would lift the "patient" as they climbed. By using this system, if the climber went up one foot, they would then drop 6 inches while the "patient" went up 6 inches. This means that by the end of the 125 foot climb, the climber actually went 250 feet.

So our 4 "patients" paired with the 4 chosen climbers, me being one of them. I can without a doubt say that this was the most strenuous workout I've ever had. Already being hungry, tired, cold, and wet; I was ready to give my last bit of strength to make it to the top. I climbed and climbed, probably close to 30 minutes from getting on rope to off rope at the top. When I was nearly at the top of the pit I had the most intense life-flashing-before-my-eyes moment I've ever experienced. I had just reached the point of the pit where I was no longer hanging in midair. I was able to touch the wall, but just barely and only with my hands as my feet were still dangling. Suddenly my hands began to slide down the wall and I grasped to hold on. For a few terrifying seconds I was free falling and my first thought was that the rope had broke and I would now be falling over 100 feet. Then the movement stopped and I tried to make sense of the situation. Turns out my "patient" had gotten a foot hold and stood up, causing the rope to slack and me to go down. After taking a minute to calm my nerves I finished the last bit of the ascent. I then proceeded to lay down to rest and catch my breath. 

At this point I was given the first realization of how long we had been caving. It was well past midnight before I began my climb. It was finally April 5, my 23rd birthday; and it began in a cave. The last 2 groups ascended and we took down the rigging and hiked out. We exited the cave just before 4 am. After 1 1/2 hour drive back to camp we were thoroughly exhausted. Our original plan for the day had been to wake up at 5 am for the next cave, but this plan was quickly changed. Once we parked outside our camp, most people had no energy to even walk the short path to camp. We tried to sleep in the vehicles, but one by one we found our way to our sleeping bags. By the time I made it back to my hammock it was about 6:30 am. 

I slept soundly that morning, until 10:30 am when we were all awoken to start our day. This was done with loud singing and swinging of hammocks, until we reluctantly crawled out and gathered to start our day. While all tired we were able to have an amazing rest of the day. We left for our 2nd cave around 1:30 pm and caved until 8 pm. This cave had some of the most amazing formations I've ever seen, all preserved in a perfect state. I saw things I had never seen before, such as cave pearls. This cave was easier to access, with no pits to drop and most areas able to walk through without bending down. 

While an incredible cave, over 30 miles mapped and more unexplored, we were all ready to eat and rest. We ended our caving at sunset and drove to a nearby Mexican restaurant. There was no shortage of people letting the waiter know that it was my birthday, and after supper I was sung to by the waiters and then my group, given an ice cream sundae and whipped cream in my face. The day ended around midnight and we spent our last night at camp. We awoke at 7 am to break camp and clean gear before disembarking.

All in all I would not change one bit of the day or the weekend. The group have become close friends and I look forward to our next trip together, although it will only be a portion of the same students. I can truly say that this is a birthday I will not soon forget; filled with adventure, friends, many laughs, many songs, and a little danger thrown in for excitement. Wishing for another year of thrills and fun, meeting new friends and making memories every step of the way.

Must Come Up.

24 hours ago I was overwhelmingly excited about the adventure that awaited me. Today I successfully completed my first vertical caving experience. I could spend this entire blog trying to explain how I felt and the thoughts going through my head, but they would fall flat. Words cannot express the awe and humble feelings of rappelling nearly 200 feet in a few minutes. Or the sincere tranquility of sitting in a room at the bottom of a cave with no lights, listening to a cascading waterfall and singing from pure joy.

Tonight I am as sore as I've ever been in my life. I have battle scars in the form of multiple bruises. I am warm for the first time since this morning. And I wouldn't trade any of these feelings for the world. Tonight I am in a state of pure joy and I am looking forward to the next trip. For the next six weeks of class I hope to have many more of these adventures. 

What Goes Down...

Today was the first full day of my Vertical Caving class. While I have been looking forward to this opportunity since I started college, the actual class has been daunting. Most people would be frightened by the thought of dangling on a rope 150 feet in the middle of a pit. Or they would be afraid of the small, dark spaces filled with itty bitty critters. Me, I embrace the thrill of lowering 100's of feet in minutes and being in mud up to my knees. I get jitters of excitement when I take that last step, leaving the safety of the ledge and hanging freely in the open space.

No, my fears are not the usual dilemmas. I am overwhelmed by the task of learning the skills necessary. More accurately, learning but not remembering when it's "go time." But today my fears were quenched. I spent this Sunday learning from two of the most outstanding men in the sport. Our day consisted of multiple sets of gear, various problem scenarios, and lots of rope. Even though it rained nearly the entire day we were outside learning invaluable skills. As with most of my adventures where I'm nervous just before partaking, once I took the first step and put my gear to the rope I was unstoppable.

As I sit at home now I am looking over my new bruises and feeling the pain of a sore back. I know that tomorrow will be an even earlier start as we head out to the "real world" experience. Today we did training in a backyard, tomorrow we're conquering the cave. Cagles Chasm is a pit that is 186 feet deep. I'm so excited by this new adventure that I doubt my ability to fall asleep tonight. For others my excitement about this, and every other aspect of caving, may seem strange and a bit crazy. But I'm a thrill seeker, always have been. I enjoy the feeling of being scared. Once I conquer an activity I can still have fun doing it, but the thrill is lessened. Therefore I don't receive the same adrenaline rush and I must pursue more exciting, albeit dangerous, adventures.

So as I close out this day in my life I know that my next challenge awaits me when I awake. I pray for safety for myself and all the other students who will be taking on this adventure. As Mark Twain said "Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do then by the ones you did do... Explore. Dream. Discover." This has been a dream of mine, I will never have tomorrow again. These are the times in life I will never forget.

You've Got To Stand For Something Or You'll Fall For Anything

            Currently I stand in the field of golden wheat, the stalks waving in the breeze. I walk in the faded footsteps of men who made a Pledge to fight for what they believed in. They had an Allegiance to their commanders and to their country. I look To the sky, imagining the brilliant blue muffled with smoke from muskets and cannons. I walk up The hill overlooking the town below. I can see a Flag ripple in the wind, a reminder of what was fought for here.

            On the edge of the field a single stone marks the name Of this place. For the people who once stood here The stone signifies a victory against all odds. I close my eyes and think about the way those men stood United, facing eminent danger. They did not have unified training, only a rag-tag group of men from various States. Men Of this area knew more about farming than fighting in a war. The one thing they did have was a name to fight for, America.

            Eventually the smoke cleared And the sounds of gunfire ceased. The trained soldiers retreated To their camp. At last, The men who had fought for freedom stood tall and proud. They served their Republic with every breath. They fought For the women and children of the towns. I now look for the courage Which they showed without hesitation. I stand here, hoping to soak It up by remembering how it was once displayed. My son Stands at my side, looking out at fields stretching into the distance. 

           He is the One I have to be strong for. Soon I will be following the footsteps of those men long forgotten; fighting for the Nation they believed in. I tell myself that I will not fail Under pressure. I tell my son that God will bring me home safely. As I say goodbye the next morning I tell my loving wife that we are Indivisible, that the miles between us will not matter. 

          For the first time, With a heavy heart, I walk away from the two people who mean the most to me. Once the plane takes off, my thoughts are of fighting for Liberty. I think about the men who fought And died in that field. Like them, I also want Justice for my country and its citizens. When the time comes For me to face the enemy, I only pray that I have the courage to battle with every breath. I am standing strong for All the people who have come before me.

What Day Is It?

Today is Valentine's Day. Once a year we are reminded of what society thinks constitutes love between two people. At its simplest form today can be summed up with chocolate and flowers, maybe a card or a romantic dinner. Its the chance to prove how much you care for another person, making your own personal bubble of happiness for the day. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy Valentine's Day as much as the next person. I wore pink to try to get into the mood, and I definitely enjoyed some chocolate. But today is not just Valentine's Day. It's Singles Awareness Day (SAD).

I suppose being single I cannot truly understand the point of today. For me it isn't really a holiday, if it were we'd have school off. Maybe this day can only be enjoyed in its full purpose by the people in relationships. But currently I'm single and happy about it. For now this day just passes by as another Friday, with a little more chocolate than usual. So rather than spending the day dwelling on the idea of being in a relationship, I'm going to define why being single may be the happiest state of all (at least for now).

For those people like me, stubbornly independent and carefree, being in a relationship just bogs me down. I believe in fairy tale love, and until prince charming sweeps me off my feet I don't care to settle for just anyone. For now I'm taking the time to get to understand myself. Honestly, how can you be in a relationship, expecting to let someone else get to know you completely without knowing yourself? And who knows how long that could take. So for now I am content with the idea that I have more soul searching left to do.

I also believe that a relationship should be leading towards marriage. If I don't think that I could one day marry a guy, I'm not going to date him just to be with someone. And if a relationship is eventually working to marriage, the two people have to be completely devoted to each other. Of course they also need to make time for work, personal space, etc. But as a college student in her final semester, with a job and more homework than I seem able to manage, a relationship would just be more work. Not only would I be busy beyond belief, I would inherently give my most attention to school. This would leave the guy feeling unwanted and it just wouldn't be fair to either of us.

So all you singles listen up. It won't always be just you and your cat. One day you'll find that special someone, and if you're lucky you'll spend your entire lives together. And more than likely you'll have times that you miss the days of being young and single and carefree. So enjoy it while it lasts. You've got the rest of your lives to see Feb. 14 the way the chocolate suppliers and greeting card companies portray it.

22nd

        Crisp snow glistens white with frost. The unmarked ice lies frozen in place. The hills have been formed into powdery masterpieces. Moonlight glows over the perfectly prepared wonderland. The only sound is the blustery wind among the trees.

The rinks have been perfectly groomed. The jumps stand tall and strong. The tracks are glossy with slick ice. The courses on the mountains tower into the sky. The arenas sit in empty silence. Seven years of design has been carved into the landscape. The entire area awaits the challengers who dare to test their skills.

Boards have been waxed until they tear the snow without resistance. Blades have been sharpened to glide with ease.  Outfits have been meticulously designed. Skis of every shape and size have been formed to compete in any condition. All preparations have been completed.

The noise of the big arena has died down. Crowds have dispersed to their separate areas. The smoke from the fireworks has faded into the dark sky. The athletes have finished their march and now rest for the weeks ahead. Years of planning, injuries, heartbreak and triumph have been leading to this moment. Let the games begin.

Alone It Stands (1st page)

            The cold wind howls as it rustles the gold and orange leaves. A full moon rises just above the trees, shedding a glow on the dark night. The leaves on the ground swirl about with the shifting wind. Somewhere among the trees faint voices can be heard. When the wind slows, the crunch of footsteps on leaves is the only sound that echoes among the trees.

           “C’mon, move faster. We don’t have all night.” A young girl hurriedly walks through the forest. Her breath billows as a cloud in the chilly autumn air. Not far behind her a boy about her age follows her through the darkness.

           “Slow down. I can’t see where I’m…” his words are cut short as he trips over a log and falls face first into the leaves. He sits up and grunts. “How much further do we have to go?”

           “We’re almost there. Here let me help you.” She reaches out her hand and pulls him to his feet.

           They continue walking at a slightly slower pace and soon enter a clearing. A broken concrete path stretches from the edge of the woods towards a large building. As the moon breaks from behind a cloud the clearing is lit up. They stand gaping at a large worn brick building. Most of its dusty windows are intact, though some are only holes with shards clinging to the edges. Dead vines wrap around the tin roof. The few trees nearest to the building tap rhythmically against the walls.

            The girl is the first to step forward. “Isn’t this place awesome?”

  

            The boy looks less enthusiastic but still intrigued. “What did you say it used to be?”

            “It was a printing office like 60 years ago but it closed down.” She swirls around and turns her flashlight up towards her face and says in her spookiest voice “no one knows why.”

This is the beginning of a story I hope to continue working on soon

Soul Mate

Prologue

            In a far off galaxy there is a planet not so different from our own. The natural environment is slightly varied but mostly mimics ours. Some buildings are more elaborate, while most are wooden cabins. The people interact mostly the same as us. But there is one stark difference between them and us. When each child turns 13 they are given a wrist band. Once this band in on their skin it begins counting backwards from a number. The number is the amount of days until they meet their soul mate. Once that day arrives the numbers count down in hours, then minutes, then to the exact moment when the two will meet.

            Each person has a different experience related to their soul band. If the person is lucky enough to have already met their soul mate before they were 13, their number starts at zero. Some meticulously watch the numbers until they find their soul mate. Others meander through life, dating and having fun, until they get close to the end of their countdown. Some are stricken by tragedy when their countdown suddenly stops and they realize their soul mate has been lost. A few are lucky enough for their band to start ticking again, signifying that they have been given a second chance.

            Once the two meet there are several reactions. Some immediately fall madly in love. Others decide to be friends and take their time getting to know one another. Some try to ignore the numbers telling them that they have met their match, but eventually they realize that there is no one better and return to their soul mate. But on very rare occasions, in fact only one known in history, a person decides to take fate into their own hands and refuses to ever look at their number. The following story is the legend of that one brave soul.

Why Write?

Why write? This is a question my Creative Writing teacher asked us in class. My first reaction is because I enjoy writing. Why do I enjoy it? This question makes me think. I enjoy writing because it is an easy and natural way for me to express my thoughts. My mind is filled with characters and story lines that I would like to put into words. Writing them down ensures that I won't forget them and that allows me to make space in my mind for more things.

Writing also allows me to go places and imagine situations that I may never experience. My characters can be whoever I want them to be. But each one of them has a piece of me. My characters and my words are mine, something that no one can take away. Maybe that is the basis for writing, and creating in general. Whatever we create, whether words or a physical thing, it is from our minds and we will always be able to say that we made something unique.

Keeping my writings in files on my computer, or even sharing them with class is one thing. But putting them down in a public setting for the world to see is an entirely new aspect. For the author it can feel exciting, vulnerable, scary, relieving and many other emotions. For me it is an opportunity for others to read my work, to know that someone is taking an interest in something that comes from me. Acknowledgement as a writer.

I'm starting this blog for class. In the past year I have come so far in my understanding as a writer. I now know that I have a gift for putting my thoughts into words and beyond this semester I will continue to write, for myself and, hopefully, to one day be published and be able to share my imagination to a larger audience.