Felling

Cisco and I started the huge task of felling all the hazardous dead beetle-kill trees in the Grand Lake housing area. We flagged 65, but those are only the REALLY bad ones. Both of us were excited to get to start doing more cutting than paperwork, and we started an hour early today just to get to the West side and start working earlier. Normally this would be ok, but last night was so warm and nasty in my apartment that I just couldn't sleep! In any case, we cut down, bucked up, and piled slash for 17 lodgepole today, and I am exhausted. We get to do this again tomorrow, and probably the day after that, and the day after that...

I loved it. :)

After setting Truck up for a tune-up/pre-trip check (might go to Montana this weekend to visit Red Rock Lakes), I went to the coffee shop and asked Chris what he wanted to make. He suggested a Kind Shake with espresso and caramel because he likes it; so I ordered one and gave him the leftover shake. We were both happy with the arrangement. :)

It's storming here again. Still didn't finish moving my stuff to Lyons; something always seems to come up lately, or it's raining. No big hurry. And I STILL haven't called my mom back. She's been trying since Friday. Woops. ;)

Tim was bounced from Arizona, to Utah, back to Arizona for fire... but he still hasn't even seen fire. I'm kindof glad now I wasn't dispatched, though the money would be really nice right about now!

Pics from my long hike

Trail Log: Crystal Lake, from the Lawn Lake trailhead (15.4 miles round trip, 2,980 ft. elevation gain). My intention was to wake up at 2 am and check out the weather to see if I could do Long's Peak, but there was thunder past midnight and clouds at 2 am, so I figured I'd play it safe, pick a different trail, and maybe sleep in a little bit! I hit the trailhead around 9 am, which was later than I preferred - there were already dark clouds hoovering to the west of the Mummy Range. My guidebook says this is a strenuous hike, but I think that all comes from just the distance of the hike - the trail itself was not too steep, but a constant gradual uphill hike up a relatively smooth trail without many obstacles - rocks, roots, etc. More than halfway to Lawn Lake, it did get a bit rockier but still didnt' seem that tough. The trail follows the Roaring River, and you can still see the dramatic results of the 1982 Lawn Lake Flood, when the dam broke and water carved out the mountainside. There are still large boulders strewn about, but trees are moving in. It was a cooler day - mid to upper 60s - and it was pretty humid due to all the precipitation we've had lately. The trail was pretty wet too, with lots of small streams over the trail - but it also made for great wildflower displays!

Fortunately there weren't many others on the trail so I had plenty of solitude - but it certainly wasn't quiet due to the constant rushing and roaring of the river, streams and waterfalls along the way. I reached Lawn Lake (6.3 miles in) and felt pretty good and curious to see Crystal Lake, so I kept hiking. This took me above treeline and amongst alpine wildflowers, surrounded by rock and water. It was beautiful - probably one of my favorite hikes this year. I passed Little Crystal Lake and didn't linger long at Crystal Lake - ominous clouds hovered over Fairchild and I didn't want to be caught up there in a storm! It took me about 1 hr 45 mins to Lawn Lake, then an additional 30-40 minutes to reach Crystal Lake; and about 2 hours to get down from there. I was back at the trailhead around 2 pm. My legs are pretty sore and that was the longest hike I've done this year, but it felt good!

I also can't forget to add the trail I did with my stepdad and brother when they were here!

The Loch (5. 4 miles round trip). This was a beautiful hike that takes you past Alberta Falls. It wasn't particularly challenging but my stepdad wasn't quite used to the elevation so I was worried I was going to have to carry him down! We didn't hang out long though, because dark clouds and thunder closed in on us... Which we got dumped on of course. It was a little chilly and wet on the way back down, but it didn't bother me much! Anyway this is a great hike for anybody in halfway decent shape to see an apline lake. And if you're in good shape, it's well worth continuing on to Andrew's Glacier and the other alpine lakes past that!

I did call and complain to Budget about how horrible their truck was. They refunded 10% of my money, which really doesn't satisfy me but whatever. I'll go Penske next time! This weekend I am still thinking about all the stuff I need to do, but I'm just having so much fun that moving my crap is the last thing on my mind. I met up with Tim's housemate Dave last night at the Rock Inn to listen to Uncle Sq'Earl, an all-chick bluegrass band. I usually run into somebody I have not seen in a while, and this time it was Rachel, a girl that did interpretation for the Park back in '03. And whadda ya know, she lives in Lyons too! I am so excited to have somebody to hang out with down there.

Well I have a BBQ/horseshoes party to go to at Tim's neighbor's place, drink a few brews and grill venison and elk... Not a bad way to spend the weekend, eh? :)

Didn't get sent out on fire, but glad for my 3 day weekend!

I like to have interesting links and news in my journal sometimes, so here's the one that I liked seeing today:  I guess Texas has increased some speed limits to 80 mph, and some of those annoying slow areas in MI have been increased from 55 or 65 to 70! I always hated those parts, especially after a really long roadtrip and I'm stuck going 55 mph in a place where I'd much rather just be done with it! That's about as interesting as I am going to get tonight.

Tomorrow I was going to give Long's Peak a try, but the weather has been a little funky this week. This cool breeze that feels and smells like late August has been blowing from up high, and there was even a small amount of fresh snow/hail on top of one peaks yesterday... And the clouds have come in earlier than usual, with lots of lightening storms. I have to check the weather but maybe I'll just be doing Lawn Lake after all (which is a pretty hefty hike, so it's not like I'll be taking it easy!). We had a safety day yesterday and Did You Know? Cell phones and radios etc do NOT attract lightening. In fact, there is no "safe" place from lightening outdoors - not even under pavillions. That's my interesting fact for the day. ;)

Some good news for me - my season has been extended until almost November! Woo hoo! The bad news - since the beetles flew a few weeks ago, we are just now seeing new infestations - and it's NOT good. We thought we had cleared out nearly 100% of infested trees from the campgrounds, but they are coming from further in the forest and it's HORRIBLE. The west side is already a dead mess, but we found so many newly infested trees that the east side will start looking pretty bad as soon as next June. This means that there is going to be a LOT of work for us hazard tree folks over the next few years, so our boss is trying to secure some more long-term funding to make at least one, if not both, of our jobs a 4 year term. That means benefits and raises! If nothing else, I will be applying to fire jobs/whatever else they might hire over the winter.

I obviously did not get dispatched for a fire - instead they sent 3 fire people out with the other Northern crew. Tim and those guys hooked up with the Bandelier and some Texas fire people and are somewhere in Arizona right now. Not sure what fire they are going to, if any. My ex coworker from Red Rock Lakes NWR, Gator, is on his way up near Darby, MT (we were stationed there for a bit) to do some helitack work. I'd love to go out if nothing else to see some old fire buddies - it's a small world and you never know who you will run into!

In case anybody is interested in fire stuff, here is a link that shows some of the Rocky Mt. Region crews, where they are at, what fires they might be on, etc. The Northern Colorado Type 2 crew would be what myself or anybody I know would probably be on. Right now it just shows that they are available but doesn't say where they are.

Here's a neat link that shows the location of major fires around the country.

Fire season is officially starting for me!

Here's a few choice photos from Ron's Going Away Party in Grand Lake yesterday night. Cisco and I worked on the West side all day, drove back to Estes in the work truck, grabbed my truck and went back over there... 1 hr each way... and THEN he drove my pathetic tequila-saturated butt back home at 11 pm. Yeah, we went a little overboard, but hey who knows if/when we'll see Ron again so we had to see him off the right way! It was a really good time but a very LONG winding ride home.

My plans for the next two weeks have changed a bit - Tim got called to go out on a fire crew and left this morning at 5 am to head towards the Grand Canyon, and hopefully for him he will be out the full 2 weeks. I'm jealous! But that's why I had to come back from the party last night - so I could see him before he left again! Ugh! There is rumor that they might send out the Northern hand crew and I'm on the list to be sent out... So we'll see if I get the call, and then maybe I will be out for 2 weeks also! Somebody mentioned Montana, too! Anyway, this means I am not going to that party with Tim Thursday night, I will definitely get enough sleep to do Long's Peak on Friday morning, and I am not camping at the ranger cabin this weekend. He's bummed because he had bought tickets to RockyGrass Festival - the Bluegrass festival in Lyons. I'd love to go and see Yonder Mountain String Band, but just have too much other stuff to spend my money on lately! ;)

Anyway that's all for now because the library is closing!

Rodeo!

Yee haw!

Last night, Tim and I went to the 80th Annual Rooftop Rodeo in Estes. If you didn't know, I am a huge fan of PBR (professional bull riding... and the beer also, of course) and this was my chance to go to my first ever live rodeo! Let me tell you, they leave out a lot of good stuff when you watch it on TV. The main rodeo clown was some guy from Canada, and he was ridiculously funny - goofy, "I can't believe I'm laughing at this" funny! The banter between him and the laid-back announcer was fun, and watching the Rodeo Queen, Ms. Colorado, and the other lovely cowgirls run their horses full speed while carrying flags of various sponsors with their sparkley shirts and flowing chaps was neat. Makes me wanna be a rodeo queen! ;)

We both had a great time, except neither one of us was very keen on team roping - One guy on a horse ropes the head of a small steer, the other guy ropes the back two legs. Most of the calves that got roped hobbled away, limping from a groin strain or something! After that, Tim kept cheering for those steers that got away... And we both hoped to see somebody get tossed around by a bull. Yeah, maybe that's a little bit sick, but anybody who likes bull riding deep down inside knows that's what it's all about! ;) Those cowboys are though anyway, they ALWAYS walk away... even if they break an arm, 3 ribs, get trampled and tossed in the air 15 feet and have a concussion!

The only thing more crazy than bull riding has got to be the parents that sign their unsuspecting kids up for "Mutton Busting". They put these kids on the backs of sheep and let 'em go! They wear helmets and body armor, but seriously - is it just me, or is it strange they want their kids to get run over by Porkchop?!

When we were getting ready to leave, I turned to get my $2 program... and it was missing! The lady in front of me looked suspiciuosly around and I saw a program peeking out of her bag. She stole my program! I wasn't really upset by it, but seriously WHO STEALS A $2 PROGRAM?! I joked with Tim that I was going to take her out back and beat her up to get it back... not seriously caring thatit was gone... And on our way out, Tim turns to her and says "Hey did you get your program?" And the woman nervously says "Oh yes, it's in my purse....(pause) Why was that YOURS?" She was so full of bullcrap (in the rodeo spirit), she gave it back as her husband said "Did you steal something AGAIN?!" And her daughter was giving her a hard time. Stupid woman! But Tim came to the rescue and saved my $2 program! ;)  Yeah, it was pretty funny!

In other news, I feel horrible for my little brother. On his last day of basketball practice last week, he broke his thumb! And he was supposed to go up north today! But that's not the worst part... Because of the way he broke it, they needed to REBREAK it! Yes, they seriously DO rebreak bones, and poor Matt is walking proof. No painkillers or anything. Poor kid. But I think he still got to go up north after all... with a cast on his arm and lots of Tylenol 3s. :( 

Lots of other fun stuff happening, besides that I STILL haven't written about my family visit. Tomorrow is Ron's (a maintenance guy on the West Side) going away party, and I always love hanging out with Doug, Sandy, Kelly, Travis, and those other Grand Lake troublemakers. I hope they make Mai Tais again! ;)  Thursday I am going to a party with Tim, only to wake up at 2 am and do my solo attempt at Long's Peak. Then this weekend Tim may try to reserve a ranger cabin while a couple friends are in town and we might camp out a couple nights. Frontier Days in Cheyenne is going on pretty soon, as well as the RockyGrass Bluegrass Festival in Lyons - right near my new home. I plan on being totally moved in there this weekend. Don't think I'm going to RockyGrass, but we'll see. Also want to get my motorcycle all tuned up so I can go cruisin'!

I haven't mentioned work lately, but it's just overwhelming. The West Side is a red/dead pine MESS, and the east side is just so busy... We'll never catch up! Slowly but surely taking down the deadest of the dead and the most hazardous trees - of course, they never come down easily because the forest is so dense and snags get very stuck in living trees... Creative felling at its best! But always as safe as can be. There's a little bit of pressure when you have the road closed and just cars upon cars backed up, waiting for you to take this dangerously dead tree down... the tree gets stuck... People sit and wait and wait... And then you fell the tree, and it's so dead that limbs just explode in a twiggy mess all over the road... All the time, being watched by impatient drivers (and tourists with cameras)...

It's fun. :)

I am getting the rest of my climbing gear in this week, so I am going to start working on removing some limbs that have been on hold since 2003. We are trying to brainstorm with ways that we can better handle the dead/dying trees on the west side - it seems it takes about 2 years before those dead trees start to get just nasty and very hazardous. We are still trying to catch up from a couple years ago, and with the slew of fresh kills... It's only going to get worse, and 2 little seasonal hazard tree workers can't keep up with it. I guess it's good job insurance, ha ha, but seriously it's a LOT of work. If I can convince them to get a log loader and come back next season, it will make life a LOT easier - but with that many more dead ones to deal with. Exciting and overwhelming, but like I said, I love it!

That's all for now before I get kicked out of the coffee shop. Chris, the guy that works here, gave me a little free sample of Kind Coffee's "Kind Shake" - an espresso and chocolate milkshake... OMG it was the best EVER. I think it will be my new drink of the month... guess I better start running more! ;)

Lovin' life out here! Come visit!