June 25-29

So....mostly I've been working lately and have had entirely way too many headaches this week. I don't know exactly what's been going on but I've been managing it.
Lets see, on Monday that 25th I pretty much slept all day because I was tired. It was a rough night at work because Monday the National Park Service was giving us inspections, so I had a ton to do (plus I'd been running all week with my family so I needed a relaxation day)
Tuesday Wade, Spencer, and I drove to Island Park, Idaho but there wasn't a ton there so we drove into the Gallatin National Forest to this gorgeous spring that pops up out of the ground. Its the clearest water I've ever seen! I forget the name of it though. Haha. There were muskrats swimming in the water and a mother duck with ducklings fighting a flock of seagulls while people threw food.
We then drove to Quake Lake and Hebgen Lake north of West Yellowstone. These lakes were gorgeous. Quake was formed in 1959 by a 7.3 magnitude earthquake that dammed up the Madison River and killed 28 people. There's still resort houses sitting in the water from almost 50 years ago! We went to the visitor center and hiked around a little bit, then drove back into West b/c I wanted Subway. I've been craving it and I don't know why!
Wednesday was a boring day. Wade quit and moved to West to work at Bullwinkle's Bar and Casino, so Spencer and I drove him to town to move his stuff out.
Finally thursday came! Spencer, Sandra, and I went whitewater rafting. We went with Montana Whitewater (like I did last week) except this time we did the Lower Gallatin River. This is class III-IV whitewater. The river had also dropped, so there was more rocks and stuff sticking out. We entered a place called the Mad Mile which is a full mile of class IV rapids. I almost fell out. It was awesome. I was getting whitewater in the face and getting thrown around.
I would love to be a river guide (along with a ton of other things...so I have to find a way to combine my loves which is why I guess I am an outdoor recreation major).

A huge forest fire has started. The other day it was 850 acres and today the newspaper said it's up to 3,000 acres with only 5% being contained. They're having trouble b/c we're in a major drought here with stronger winds than normal. West Yellowstone is in danger of being evacuated and the whole valley leading into west is filled with smoke.
Driving south on 191 from Bozeman, you can see the smoke from about 20 miles away and there are helicopters and planes flying everywhere carrying water to dump on it. It's crazy.

Today I took an easy day just surfing the internet. haha. Sometimes you just need to take it easy!

Keep me in your prayers and ya'll shall be in mine!

June 16-24 ( A long time..I know!!!)

Sorry everyone that it took me so long to finally write another blog! I've been crazy busy since the last one. I took the week off of work because my family began arriving on the 16th, so I've been staying with them.

My dad was the first to arrive on the night of the 16th and I met up with him the morning of the 17th at Madison Campground (on the west side of the park) where I camped with him for a couple days. We did a lot of fishing (pretty much sucked) and we did an overnight backpacking trip into Grebe Lake (near Canyon area) where we fished and cause some nice rainbow trout and arctic grayling (1st time I've ever caught any of these!).... Grebe Lake is this blog's picture! Hope you like it! I'm trying to get more pictures up on other sites, but it's slow internet everywhere!!!

I "worked" Wednesday night, although I hurried it up so I could get to West Yellowstone b/c my dad had gone to Bozeman, MT to pick up my mom and sister. I surprised them b/c they didn't know I was going to be there! They thought they weren't going to see me until the next morning. (I got there early so I could sit in the hotel room and watch tv, my first tv in 6 weeks!)

Pretty much since then we've done tourist things. We spent Thursday in Jackson and came up through Targhee National Forest and through Idaho and stuff...which was really nice. We ate at this little restaurant in Ashton, Idaho, but it ended up being one of the best meals I've had in sooo long. I got new cowboy boots in Jackson b/c I had outgrown my old ones.

The next day we did tourist things in the park and went swimming at the Firehole River. Sandra, Andrea, Julio, and Susan were there, so I spent time with them and introduced them to my family and stuff. haha.

After Firehole, we drove back and got ready b/c we met Matt and Spencer in town and ate dinner at Bullwinkles (a restaurant/bar/liquor store in West Yellowstone). After dinner, we went to the W. Yellowstone Rodeo, which was really good. The rodeo clown made some dumb jokes and it was a smaller crowd but the riders definitely put their heart and soul into what they were doing.

Saturday we hiked the DeLacy Creek trail down to Shoshone Lake and spent the afternoon on the lake shore. I just read and relaxed and ate some food...spent some good quality time with the family. Megan and I hiked back in our bare feet (3 miles..which makes a 6 mile round trip for the day) just b/c we wanted to prove we could do it!

We then visited Firehole Lake Drive and saw some sweet geothermal stuff.

Today my dad, sister, and myself drove through the Gallatin National Forest near Big Sky, MT and went whitewater rafting on the Gallatin River with Montana Whitewater, Inc. We rafter about 10-11 miles through some Class II-III. It was a good time. Luckily I didn't fall out but def. got to see some good scenery and meet some good people.

Well, the summer is halfway over and I still have a huge list of things to do, so hopefully the blogs will be getting a little more interested as we progress towards the last few days (I'm done August 10th).

Keep me in your prayers and ya'll shall be in mine!

June 15, 2006

So, I love this whole not having to work until 6 pm at night thing! Last night I had the first day of my new job as the Night Porter at Old Faithful Lodge. It wasn't that bad at all! I deep cleaned a few bathrooms, swept a few floors, and emptied a few garbage cans...it really wasn't that bad at all! I'm supposed to work from 6 pm - 2 am but I was definitely done by 10:15 pm...so I sat on a chair in the Porters Closet and read the newspaper for an hour and finally clocked out around 11:30 or so.....it was great. I can't believe I'm getting paid even more than when I was shift lead to do this sort of work!

Today was a great day. After a not so good lunch at the Employee Dining Room (EDR), Dan and I went down to the Firehole River to swim. I was there the other night with some people, but today was definitely warmer and the water was down a little bit so the swimming was a lot better! We met some people from Massachusetts and chatted with them for a while...they were doing a trip all across the country (Grand Canyon, L.A., etc etc). Firehole is awesome! The water is pretty warm (mid-80's) and it's just in the canyon where you can jump off the cliffs (even though you're not supposed to!) and the rocks have been worn pretty smooth so it's kinda like a natural waterslide...there was a good amount of people there today but I know come mid-July or so (when Kourtney comes out to visit July 17-21!!!!!!!!!!!) that there will be like 400 people there, so I'm enjoying the peace and quiet now while I can!

So, I've decided that pretty much I want to live out here. I've been thinking about it alot lately. I'm in love with this western culture..as many of you know, I've always been a fan of Civil War and Old West history....and cowboy culture comes right along with that. Also, growing up with horses and goats...spending time in 4-H and around the fairs and horseshows...I've just learned to love this western culture and I get so mad when I think that I went through a phase where I didn't want to be around the horses and stuff, so we leased them out to other people. I decided when I get home that I'm going to get back into riding (especially as I want to work on a Dude Ranch out in Wyoming next summer!). This area is just amazing. I loved driving in Cody, WY the other day through the Absaroka Mountains and looking eastward and seeing the Bighorn Mountains.

A lot of the locals you meet are so nice..and I love driving and passing the ranches. It makes me wish that I could have this life. I mean, I'm an outdoor recreation major and I totally love everything outdoors....but I was talking to my mom today and boy do I miss having the horses around...so I'm going to take some lessons when I get home this fall (I've never had formal lessons...it was always just more me riding with what other people told me!)

My life out here reminds me of this song by Jason Aldean called "She Loved Me":

And I'm living for the minute
Loving every second of it
Fearless...wild and free
Nothing could stop us

It's just so true. I mean...I've loving every single second out here and honestly, I'm not looking forward to having to come home in the fall. I want to stay out here as long as I can. I'm looking forward to hopefully one day moving out here. Like I said, I could spend the rest of my life in Cody, Wyoming!

Well, my dad comes out tomorrow with my mom and sister meeting him on Wednesday....I cannot wait to see them! It's been over a month and I do miss them terribly! We're going to go to Jackson and see other things in and around the park. It's going to be such a blast! I'll be sure to update when I can over the week, but definitely be sure to check back for pictures!

Keep me in your prayers and y'all shall be in mine!

June 11-14

The picture is Old Faithful b/c I realized I haven't shown any pictures of that!

I'm sorry that these updates are coming so few and far between! I've been extremely busy! On Monday, the 11th, I had my last day as the Shift Lead at the Bake Shop/Ice Cream Parlor. Thank God to be done with that place! That night I just went to a bonfire and hung out with some people and called it a night early (I got 12 1/2 hours of sleep!!)

Tuesday was when all the fun began! Spencer, Dan, Wade, and myself went down to Jackson, Wyoming for the day to look at the ski resort for possible winter jobs (For those who don't know, I'm considering doing the fall semester at school and moving back out here in mid-December to work at the Jackson Hole Ski Resort for the winter). After the resort, we hung out in town and grabbed a quick bite to eat and did some "touristo" things such as shopping, girl watching, and laying in the grass in the park (no grass at Old Faithful..haha and we were walking and were tired so we decided to just lay down). There was an Old West shootout song & dance type of number going on in the streets and it was really funny.

On the way home, we stopped along Jackson Lake in Grand Tetons National Park and watched the sunset...then trucked on home

Wednesday, Wade, Spencer,and myself went to Cody, Wyoming. We hit up the Walmart (you don't realize how much you miss it until you don't have it!) Then we ate some Chinese food (again, you miss it when it's not there) and then just walked down the main street and went into some of the shops. We also went into the Buffalo Bill Museum (5 Old West museums fit into one building...we get in free w/ our Xanterra ID's!) This was mainly to kill time until we went to the Cody Nite Rodeo. It's one of the longest running rodeos in the country and they have it everynight in June, July, and August. It was awesome! There was team roping, calf roping, steer wrestling, bull riding, saddle bronc and bareback bronc, jr. steer riding, barrel racing, and some other events. For you all that know me well, I am a huge rodeo fan and could pretty much watch rodeo all day long and be perfectly happy!

After these past 2 days of driving throughout Wyoming and seeing the Absaroka Mountains, Big Horn Mountains (where Brokeback Mountain was filmed), Grand Tetons, and some more awesome scenery...I just feel like Wyoming in a place where I would eventually like to spend the rest of my days. I don't know how that makes anyone else feel back home reading this, but you just have to see it to believe it! It's gorgeous

Today, I begin the new job and am just doing laundry and stuff! Nothing exciting, but always a good time in Yellowstone!

Keep me in your prayers and ya'll shall be in mine!

June 7-10

More and more work...it's all I've been doing lately! I've had no time for hikes, fishing, or anything....totally not fun! I've been stressing out about it and not enjoying it...so I changed positions.

I gave up the shift manager position in order to be a Night Porter. I work at 6 pm cleaning the Old Faithful Lodge. Most nights I'll be done by 11 (but can stay clocked in until 2!), which is nice because my friends aren't done at work until 10 so noone hangs out until later!

I turned in my volunteer application for the National Park Service and am just waiting to hear something back! I really hope they take me as a volunteer. I mean, as a recreation major there is so many benefits that can come out of having that I volunteered with the National Park Service on my resume (more so than saying "I managed a bake shop and ice cream parlor" haha).

My dad comes out in 6 days...I cannot wait! I have 3 days off with just him and then a few off with him, Megan, and my mom! I cannot wait to see them! It'll have been over a month and I miss them so much! Too bad Shane can't come out, I really wish he could. It was great driving cross country with him and I think he might be driving me home too (there's a battle raging on that one, so I'd rather not make any false promises!)

Apparently there's been a lot of bear sightings lately, but I have not yet managed to see a grizzly! That is my ultimate goal and I really really am hoping that I get to see at least 1! That and wolves! Last night Charlie, Jefferson, and myself went hiking around sunset and we hear a pack of coyotes on the way back that were howling...which was totally awesome! I've never heard that!

We got a new girl in the bake shop who is completely horrible. She has Tourrets (or however u spell it) and will just randomly twitch and swear. I feel bad...but it's bothersome. She told customers her dad thinks she's a lesbian and called our boss a prick to his face....she salutes me and screams all the time. I dunno what to do!!

Gotta go now though...sry no picture! I haven't taken any good ones lately!

Keep me in your prayers and you'll all be in mine!

June 5-6 (My Two Days Off!)

So I've had my 2 days off recently....which I must say I enjoyed immensely! I mostly just sat around, did some laundry, cleaned some stuff, bought my fishing license, some books and bought some fishing flies because I planned on going fishing today (6th).

Last night Matt, Spencer, Wade, Kenny, and myself went down to Grand Tetons National Park and soaked in some hot springs near Flagg Staff Ranch (I think thats what it is called!) The mosquitoes were crazy and I have bites all over my legs, face, and arms...but it was really cool to soak in a river that is 105 degrees all year long.

Then we drove to some lake on a big back road, ended up getting back to Old Faithful pretty late...ordered some food from the Pub and then just went to bed early.

Today, I just did a few loads of laundry, interviewed with the manager about doing another position (housekeeping night porter in the Old Faithful Lodge making more money with better hours...I might do it!)

Here I am now on the internet....just surfing around sitting with my friend Dan. Gonna go fishing tonight...except they're calling for 7-10 inches of snow tonight, so we'll see how that goes! Haha. Well, I don't have much else to say..just relaxing and enjoying my time!

Keep me in your prayers and you'll all be in mine!

June 4

Today, I had to work from 6:15 until about 2:30...but I decided to take a 45 min lunch break and walk in a few circles while I was still on the clock. I worked with Marco from Serbia and Sergio from Colombia.....which kinda sucks because 1. They don't know what they're doing and screw up orders and 2. They don't speak english well so I basically didn't utter a word for almost 8 hours.

After that, I decided it best to hike to Fairy Falls. I didn't do the whole loop as it's like 20+ miles, but I did the 2.6 mile hike out to the falls. It was a gorgeous hike through some regenerating lodgepole pine forests (naturally reseeded after the 1988 Yellowstone Fires that burned over 40% of the park!) and crosses a couple streams until you finally hear the mighty sound of rushing water.

This waterfall seemed to be over 100 feet high and just cascaded down into this huge pool at the bottom before eventually flowing off again into another part of the Lower Geyser Basin. I just took a few minutes to walk up right next to the falls where you could feel the wind and moisture rushing off of the waterfall. The water was really cold and the pool it fell into was full of some really slimy algae (I don't really know exactly what it was).

Then I took the opportunity to sit on some fallen logs over the stream and just take some time to myself. I saw some marmots, 3 cow elk, some chipmunks, and some sort of falcon that was flying overhead while screaching. So that was def. a good time.

The elk actually stepped into the trail on the way back and wouldn't move until I got to within about 10 yards of them. Then they casually trotted away like there was really nothing there. Thats why I love this place! There is so much wildlife, so many waterfalls, thermal pools, geysers, etc (but there also is so many people which I don't necessarily enjoy all that much).kk

I'm really enjoying my time out here for those that are wondering (if you can't already tell by just reading my blog! I mean, after I got done with the hike I took a quick nap, ordered some food from the Pub and then I stayed up until 3 am just talking with my friends. It was just a good time and I enjoy nights of just getting to know more people and just sharing a few laughs. It's been so long since I've had the opportunity to just sit and laugh with people without a care in the world...b/c I know we'll get to do it again the next day and the day after that so we're in no rush.

Life is kind of in it's own little dimension out here. We, as employees living in the park, realize that we have 3 or more months to explore the park and that we also have to work...so we do things on a slower pace. We don't have a week to rush and see everything, so we take a lot of time to just stop and enjoy the views around us...to enjoy the people, the places, and the things that make Yellowstone special.

I have the 5th and the 6th off, so I'm looking forward to fishing and stuff. You'll be hearing from me.

Keep me in your prayers and you'll all be in mine!

June 2-3, 2007

HA, I'm sorry to report but there has not been anything big to happen these past 2 days! Again, I've been sick (stomach flu is still going around)...but I've just been hanging out w/ people and working a ton! I'm trying to learn how to do all the cool things that Shift Supervisors get to do.

Today, Matt, Ingrid, Jess, Tanner, and myself tried to go swimming at the Firehole River, but it was closed so we just drove around and listened to music. Tanner was a little bit "over-indulged" in alcohol and decided to scream at tourists (Tourons) out the window that "It's just elk.....get back in your cars!" because there were people all over the road and stopping traffic.

So, otherwise...I work from 6:15-3 tomorrow (my first official day as Shift Supervisor) and then I have 2 days off so I am going to do some fishing and some hiking by myself! I cannot wait!!!! It is going to feel so good for 2 days to just do whatever I want!!!

Well, I don't really know what else to update....so for now, keep me in your prayers and you'll be in mine!

Good News!!!

Today, while working at the Bake Shop from 1:30-7:30, I was offered to be a shift supervisor! It's a pay raise and I get to do all the things managers get to do and some other cool stuff....so yea, I'm very happy!!!

May 29-June 1

I felt like I should probably update something...but honestly nothing big has happened lately. For the past few days, I've actually been sick so I haven't done any hiking (I know, it's killing me too!). I've spent most of my time hanging out with the Colombians as more and more arrive everyday. I find myself now picking up more and more phrases. Where as before they spoke too fast for me to understand, I am now able to hear certain words and roots of words (many of which are the same in English and French, which I took 5 years), so I can get a general understanding of what they are saying.

We've been hanging out at the Employee Pub a lot, which is fun. Payday was this wednesday, so everyone cashed their checks and went there to drink. It was really busy and very funny to watch all my bosses get totally wasted.

I went to Gardiner with Julio and Monica (both from Bogata, Colombia) the other day because he had to pick up things from his friend who is working for Xanterra up there right outside of the park. It was kind of a boring drive as they kept speaking Spanish, so I just listened to music and enjoyed the views. Saw some nice bull elk with massive 6x6 antlers, as well as plenty of bison. We passed a coyote den where the pups were playing outside, but I didn't manage to see them. There were about 150 photographers lined up, so I stopped to ask a Park Ranger what it was.

The weather has finally seemed to turn warm. For a while, it was snowing and raining but the past couple days have just been beautiful. Today there is not a cloud in the sky and it's in the mid-70's. I finally had another sweatshirt sent out, so I have something to wear when it is cold. I would really appreciate all the mail you can send! You can find the address on YellowstoneJobs.com.

Anywho, thats all for now! I have errands to run and work 1:30-8:30 today in the Bake Shop. I still need to get a fishing license and get my car registered...as well as do laundry so I'm a pretty busy guy!

I love you all! Keep my in your prayers and you'll be in mine!