Yep, I fulfilled my first summer goal. I got to shoot a gun and I loved it. When I let my supervisor know that I had never really shot a gun, he was appalled that I never took the constitution up on the second amendment. He took Sarah and me into the backwoods with his shotgun and we threw clay pigeons and shot them. Sarah went first and missed the pigeon by a good 12 feet. When it was my turn to go I asked if they could make a human shaped, non-moving target instead. We settled for a beer can and a bottle of robutussin. I missed both times but looked like a badass doing it. I hope we get to do this again.
Yeah, I like my 2nd amendment, but I have definitely found that around here people emphasize the fact it is the 2nd amendment and not some random one down the line. Weren’t they just inserted chronologically? Therefore it might have been important back then but not so much now so who really cares that it is 2nd in line. I personally enjoy the 19th and the 26th amendment a lot more than the 2nd amendment and they aren't at the head of the class. They didn’t even make the top ten. My summer goal is to reorder the amendments.
Friday, June 25, 2010
Boredom
When I first went to school in a small town in Iowa everyone warned me that I would eventually get bored. I haven’t. When I took this position in Detroit Oregon and decided against bringing a car, everyone said I would be bored. I’m not bored yet. When I arrived my suspicions were confirmed. I do not have a TV nor do I really have internet. I was actually worried that I would get bored with so little to do and no means of transportation. However, I have found that I am a lot less bored than I would be sitting at home with such things. The lack of any immediate and mindless entertainment has allowed me to slowly move about the day, to pay attention to all of my actions and enjoy everything that I do. I single task all day. When I make tea, that is all I focus on. My room and apartment is entirely clean because I can take the time to vacuum and sweep every day and I am not enticed by incessantly checking my email, or seeing what is on TV. I found that when I have access to immediate entertainment chores become chores and books obsolete. So when people ask me if I am going to get bored without the internet, a car, or TV I now respond with, “It’s been done before, and I have no doubt that I will be able to do it again.”
Tools Continued
I was put in charge of transplanting plants while making a new trail. I thought that this wouldn’t involve the sweet tools that we packed for the day. I expected to be handed a trowel and a pair of snips. WRONG! I was handed a pickaxe and was instructed to wail on the trail until it didn’t look like a trail anymore. Talk about cathartic. The guys also told me about the best power tools I should buy if I was ever in the market. I am definitely buying a chain saw and cordless drill when I get home. I know that I probably wouldn’t have any serious reason to use them but they are so much fun that I would probably end up sawing a whole bunch of trees down and drilling screws into them just to feel really powerful and productive.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Tools
Every morning the trails crew heads to the tool barn with a checklist of tools for the day. One by one they bring out these lethal weapons that are necessary for the day and I salivate of the possibility of being given one of these tools to use. One the first day we brought out a long cross cut (which you need to be certified to use), a 10ft long rock bar, hand saws, a couple pulaskis and pick axes, and some yellow bags to move dirt. We were given our assignments: John and Zach were to move the fallen tree with the hand saw and cross cut, Ryan and Heather were to use the pulaskis to chop something up. The supervisor then looked and Sarah and me and gave us the yellow bags to go collect rocks. OUT OF ALL THE AWESOME TOOLS I GOT THE STUPID YELLOW BAGS!! I felt like the woman in a hunter-gatherer community. While the men wielded the tools, hacked away at organic material and hauled trees out of the way, Sarah and I used our trick or treating bags to collect cobbles.
The next morning we packed up the rig with brush supplies. Once again the cross cut made the trip, as well as handsaws, shears, an axe, and massive clippers. This time I was guaranteed a fun tool. There were no duds among them. Nope. Not the case. Someone slipped in a pair of pruning shears- the type you would use to prune some tomato plants, or a rose bush. Once again, I was given the lamest tool. My job this time was to follow those with the shear, axes and saws while they hacked away at trees, and prune all the small stuff they missed.
The next morning we packed up the rig with brush supplies. Once again the cross cut made the trip, as well as handsaws, shears, an axe, and massive clippers. This time I was guaranteed a fun tool. There were no duds among them. Nope. Not the case. Someone slipped in a pair of pruning shears- the type you would use to prune some tomato plants, or a rose bush. Once again, I was given the lamest tool. My job this time was to follow those with the shear, axes and saws while they hacked away at trees, and prune all the small stuff they missed.
Trails
Our supervisor was off in Eugene getting a ticket-writing certificate so he stuck the wilderness rangers with the trail crew. Other than the fact that we are outside and on a trail, the two job descriptions are completely different. I signed up for strolling through the woods, talking to strangers and sleeping in tents, NOT ten hour work shifts that involve heaving 200 lbs rocks 100 yards and hacking away at living trees. I have learned that I do not have the right personality for this job. I look at a 200 lbs rock and say, “well that is staying put. Nature put it there and it shouldn’t be moved across this swamp,” whereas a trail crew member looks at it and says, “ HELL YEAH!! LET’S MOVE THIS S.O.B.” (the capitol letters denote the unrestrained enthusiasm). When I get tired of carrying a 40 lbs rock, I put it down, crack m back and then pick it back up. The trail crew however turns red and makes grunting noises so that everyone can hear that they have a BIG rock. However, there is one thing that I appreciate: the finished project. After ten hours of some gruesome work, we turned a muddy swamp into a fifty foot beautiful path. No one can see the two 200 lbs rocks that we heaved from off trail because they are buried and hold back the cobbles and dirt that we spent thirty minutes finding. Hikers and horses alike will spend a maximum of twenty seconds on this section of trail, but hey, I built it out of nothing but the logs and rocks around them. I now will appreciate every trail I walk on.
Certificates
The main thing that I have learned from orientation is that there is a certificate for everything. Within three days I received four certificates—two of which I already had but didn’t have a paper copy of the actual certificate so I was forced into retaking the class. I had documented proof that I took the classes, but because it wasn’t in certificate form, according to the government, it didn’t happen. I have a certificate in the following: defensive driving, first aid, blood-born pathogens, and CPR. I actually have a government license now, which means I can drive government owned vehicles. However this was hard to come by. I had to pass the driving test. It turns out I say some interesting things when I drive like: “Well I can’t see but I am going to go and hope nobody hits me,” or “green means go!!” I am surprised that I passed.
More on driving government owned vehicles: our cars are emblazoned with US Forest Service on the side. When we pass people, we often get frowned at, or when we pull up to a parking lot people get al scared and scatter. For the first couple of days I couldn’t figure out why this was happening and then I realized that I am the man now. Who let that happen?
More on driving government owned vehicles: our cars are emblazoned with US Forest Service on the side. When we pass people, we often get frowned at, or when we pull up to a parking lot people get al scared and scatter. For the first couple of days I couldn’t figure out why this was happening and then I realized that I am the man now. Who let that happen?
Roommates
I am living with three other people: Sarah, Bonnie, and Erin in a two bedroom, two-bathroom apartment. I came in last and thus was pretty much assigned a bed. But hey, karma once again came through. My roommate is Bonnie, a fifty-some year old native Oregonian. It just so happens that my days off are the opposite of her days off so we will never actually share the room, which is pretty nifty. She also works in maintenance so she steals us a lot of toilet paper. Bonnie takes this job every summer so that her family can have health insurance for at least 6 months out of the year. Her husband (who she met during buying bark??) stays at home foraging for mushrooms. In the winter they run a wreath making business and sell pinecones. All in all an interesting person.
The other two roommates are younger. Sarah is my coworker. She goes to UC Santa Cruz and reestablishes the stereotype that I have of UC Santa Cruz students. She aspires to live as simply as possible (which I admire) and points out all the places a human could possibly live often accompanied by “wow, I am surprised that no one live there now.” This includes old water mains on the side of the road, and rotten out tree stumps. She likes to dumpster dive, forage for mushrooms, and make her own hand salve. All in all I think together we will never get bored.
Erin is from Philadelphia, which is awesome because he has a flyers glass and I smile every time I see it. I would have to say, out of the four of us, she is the most normal. Then again, that isn’t that hard.
The other two roommates are younger. Sarah is my coworker. She goes to UC Santa Cruz and reestablishes the stereotype that I have of UC Santa Cruz students. She aspires to live as simply as possible (which I admire) and points out all the places a human could possibly live often accompanied by “wow, I am surprised that no one live there now.” This includes old water mains on the side of the road, and rotten out tree stumps. She likes to dumpster dive, forage for mushrooms, and make her own hand salve. All in all I think together we will never get bored.
Erin is from Philadelphia, which is awesome because he has a flyers glass and I smile every time I see it. I would have to say, out of the four of us, she is the most normal. Then again, that isn’t that hard.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Karma and Family
I'll start by saying that I am stuck in Denver for the night. I am not actually "stuck" because that implies a horrible situation that I cannot enjoy. I on the other hand just finished up dinner with three cousins that I rarely get to see, and tomorrow I am meeting up with my father again. Rather I'll say I am slightly off track from my intended destination. This is why I am in Denver right now:
I got on the plane and sat comfortably in my aisle seat. It was a 777 and I was on the aisle seat in the middle 5 seat section. A woman sat next to me and immediately turned around to talk to the man sitting behind her. After listening in on their conversation (airports/planes always rekindle my passion in people watching) I realized they were a newly married couple and their seats had been messed up so they were no longer able to sit next to each other. As a lone traveler I turned to them and graciously gave up my seat for the man's middle one so that they could sit together. Whatever... I was planning on sleeping anyway and I could store this good deed in the karma bank. FALSE. After I sat down my fellow travelers trickled in around me. The woman sitting next to me tried to sit down but was too large and didn't fit in the space the arm rests allotted. Then the a man sat next to me had the same affliction. He then turned to me and said, "They should just put the seat belt extenders in the seat back pocket." Both of my neighbors overflowed into my seat. Screw you instant karma.
The plane pushed back and then everything immediately went dark. Apparently we had a faulty battery and would be sitting at the gate for about an hour. Again, screw you instant karma (although I do appreciate the battery failing on the ground and not above Kansas.) The only good thing was the personal television in front of me that streamed Arrested Development and Life for the entire flight. However to utilize this feature I had to press button on the arm rest. This arm rest was perfectly situated under a blanket right next to my neighbor's breast and to access it I had to gingerly slide my hand under her blanket and fiddle with the buttons so not to wake her. This worked the first couple times, but she finally woke up to what looked like a stranger trying to cop a feel.
Needless to say, the flight was delayed and I missed my connection. The next flight to Portland was at 9pm and I could not get a ride to Detroit, OR. And this is where I cashed in on the karma bank. My uncle was able to pick my up at the airport and my two cousins came for dinner. On top of that, my father called me up and said a client in oregon that he had been trying to get a hold of for about a month just called up and would love to meet. He would be flying out to Portland tomorrow and could drive me to Detroit and had an extra day to explore Willamette National Forest.
In the end I learned that good things happen to good people and that my familial safety net spans the US. While all the other delayed travelers are alone in hotel rooms, or worse, still making their way to there destinations, I chose the slower but more relaxed route. I saw people yelling at flight attendants, screaming at phones, and crying when they didn't make stand by.
I just hope I don't miss too much important stuff on my first day of training.
Cheers,
Day Walker Brown
I got on the plane and sat comfortably in my aisle seat. It was a 777 and I was on the aisle seat in the middle 5 seat section. A woman sat next to me and immediately turned around to talk to the man sitting behind her. After listening in on their conversation (airports/planes always rekindle my passion in people watching) I realized they were a newly married couple and their seats had been messed up so they were no longer able to sit next to each other. As a lone traveler I turned to them and graciously gave up my seat for the man's middle one so that they could sit together. Whatever... I was planning on sleeping anyway and I could store this good deed in the karma bank. FALSE. After I sat down my fellow travelers trickled in around me. The woman sitting next to me tried to sit down but was too large and didn't fit in the space the arm rests allotted. Then the a man sat next to me had the same affliction. He then turned to me and said, "They should just put the seat belt extenders in the seat back pocket." Both of my neighbors overflowed into my seat. Screw you instant karma.
The plane pushed back and then everything immediately went dark. Apparently we had a faulty battery and would be sitting at the gate for about an hour. Again, screw you instant karma (although I do appreciate the battery failing on the ground and not above Kansas.) The only good thing was the personal television in front of me that streamed Arrested Development and Life for the entire flight. However to utilize this feature I had to press button on the arm rest. This arm rest was perfectly situated under a blanket right next to my neighbor's breast and to access it I had to gingerly slide my hand under her blanket and fiddle with the buttons so not to wake her. This worked the first couple times, but she finally woke up to what looked like a stranger trying to cop a feel.
Needless to say, the flight was delayed and I missed my connection. The next flight to Portland was at 9pm and I could not get a ride to Detroit, OR. And this is where I cashed in on the karma bank. My uncle was able to pick my up at the airport and my two cousins came for dinner. On top of that, my father called me up and said a client in oregon that he had been trying to get a hold of for about a month just called up and would love to meet. He would be flying out to Portland tomorrow and could drive me to Detroit and had an extra day to explore Willamette National Forest.
In the end I learned that good things happen to good people and that my familial safety net spans the US. While all the other delayed travelers are alone in hotel rooms, or worse, still making their way to there destinations, I chose the slower but more relaxed route. I saw people yelling at flight attendants, screaming at phones, and crying when they didn't make stand by.
I just hope I don't miss too much important stuff on my first day of training.
Cheers,
Day Walker Brown
Saturday, June 12, 2010
The Beginning
"I am going on an adventure!"
My friends have heard that way to many times this past year, but my wish is finally becoming a reality. While I subscribe to the idea that life is an adventure, in the next eight months I plan to ramp up the intensity. I have been struck with wanderlust and a bad case of itchy feet. This desire to move and explore is in part my parent fault. I thank them for the many amazing trips we have taken around the world and for allowing me to explore the mountains in the west, but these opportunities have unleashed an obsession. I probably spend more time researching gear and possible trip locations than biochemistry, and know and inordinate amount about national parks, himalayan peaks, famous climbers, etc. This summer I am cashing in my knowledge and I am going to Willamette National Forest (stationed in Detroit, OR) to serve as a backcountry ranger. My duties include patrolling trails, checking permit compliance, and assisting in search and rescue attempts if needed. I am on duty four days a week in the backcountry. However, most of the time I will be patrolling by myself (parents are unhappy with this...).
Come October, I am trading the mountains for the high seas of the pacific and will be taking a semester with SEA. The first six weeks will be spent in Woods Hole, MA learning the basics of oceanography. The second six weeks will be spent sailing for Hawaii to Tahiti performing a self designed research project. The catch is, I am terrified of fish. I hate watching blue planet. I just recently agreed to swim in a lake in which I could not see the bottom, and I have been snorkeling once and I only agreed to that because it was with sea lions with no fish present (I also held my father's hand the whole time and got a lot of crap for that). I figure it is a good time to get over this fear and I am hoping six weeks in the middle of the ocean will accomplish such a thing.
In these next eight months I will be away from all of my friends. While I plan on making new friends, I figure I should share my stories with the one's I love. Weird things follow me and I plan on writing them down.
Cheers,
Day Walker Brown.
My friends have heard that way to many times this past year, but my wish is finally becoming a reality. While I subscribe to the idea that life is an adventure, in the next eight months I plan to ramp up the intensity. I have been struck with wanderlust and a bad case of itchy feet. This desire to move and explore is in part my parent fault. I thank them for the many amazing trips we have taken around the world and for allowing me to explore the mountains in the west, but these opportunities have unleashed an obsession. I probably spend more time researching gear and possible trip locations than biochemistry, and know and inordinate amount about national parks, himalayan peaks, famous climbers, etc. This summer I am cashing in my knowledge and I am going to Willamette National Forest (stationed in Detroit, OR) to serve as a backcountry ranger. My duties include patrolling trails, checking permit compliance, and assisting in search and rescue attempts if needed. I am on duty four days a week in the backcountry. However, most of the time I will be patrolling by myself (parents are unhappy with this...).
Come October, I am trading the mountains for the high seas of the pacific and will be taking a semester with SEA. The first six weeks will be spent in Woods Hole, MA learning the basics of oceanography. The second six weeks will be spent sailing for Hawaii to Tahiti performing a self designed research project. The catch is, I am terrified of fish. I hate watching blue planet. I just recently agreed to swim in a lake in which I could not see the bottom, and I have been snorkeling once and I only agreed to that because it was with sea lions with no fish present (I also held my father's hand the whole time and got a lot of crap for that). I figure it is a good time to get over this fear and I am hoping six weeks in the middle of the ocean will accomplish such a thing.
In these next eight months I will be away from all of my friends. While I plan on making new friends, I figure I should share my stories with the one's I love. Weird things follow me and I plan on writing them down.
Cheers,
Day Walker Brown.
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