My time here on the farm is quickly coming to an end. The experience was not as I imagined. I learned a bit about farming, taking care of animals and growing plants/crops, but more importantly I got to spend time with some amazing people. The family on the farm, Allison, Seann and Wyatt, have been so welcoming and helpful. Allison and Seann are a great example of good parenting and a healthy, stable and loving couple. I need more examples like that in my life. Allison is so knowledgeable, I wish I could learn more from her, via osmosis or something. My housemates are warm, open-minded and passionate for life. Its been great getting to know their life stories. I hope that I stay in touch with some of the people here.
As far as farming goes, obviously 3 weeks is only enough to skim the surface of all there is to learn here. I am really considering coming back in a couple of years and doing what Leslie is doing now - being a full-time intern from April until October and learning a whole season's worth of knowledge.
Its amazing to see plants that we seeded in the first days of me being here sprouting and growing pretty tall. Yes!
Yesterday we planted another section of a "food forest". First we planted fruit trees - two types of apples(including Honeycrisp - THE BEST), pears, cherries and crab apples. In between the trees went raspberries and eldenberries. Between those and the trees today we're going to plant a big variety of medicinal and cooking herbs - mints, sage, thyme, marjoram and etc. We will mulch around each plant to give it a chance to grow a bit bigger without too much competition from weeds.
Last night we all went into Bozeman for the first Music on Main of the summer. I've been to a couple last year and its always a blast. It really should be called Drink and Socialize on Main, because no one is really there for the music. But regardless, it is a weekly summer event in Bozeman where they close off several blocks of Main street and have a local band playing. Its open container rule so people can drink whatever outside. There are food vendors and all the bars on the street are open.
I ended up running into everyone I wanted to see. I got to see one of my crew members from last year, Zack, who is now a leader for MCC. He is jazzed about life and smiling big as always. I ran into my old roommate Matt. I got to see my buddy Jim, who I drove cross country with to get to Montana and who taught me most things I know about climbing outside. As well as Chris, our Senior Youth Crew Leader from last year with a heart of gold. So, so good to see them and feel at home, standing on the streets of Bozeman. I have to make my way back here for good some day.
Friday, June 29, 2012
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
The West is on fire.
New Mexico, Arizona, parts of Utah, Colorado (Fort Collins and getting closer to Boulder) and now Montana. A wildfire started in the Tobacco Roots Range west of Bozeman and spread to 2,500 acres in a day. Bear Trap Canyon area has a fire going. Areas near Helena as well.
Low snowpack this year and terrible, strong winds of the last couple of days are making things worse.
I drove into Bozeman yesterday afternoon and could see the smoke from the Tobacco Roots and today everything is in a haze and getting worse. We're definitely at a far enough distance, but it is still unsettling.
I hope that no one gets hurt in all of these fires. I know they've already evacuated some people around the town of Pony. I can't get the image of all of those burned down house at Bastrop out of my head. The houses that disappeared into ash in minutes from a wildfire.
Scary.
Low snowpack this year and terrible, strong winds of the last couple of days are making things worse.
I drove into Bozeman yesterday afternoon and could see the smoke from the Tobacco Roots and today everything is in a haze and getting worse. We're definitely at a far enough distance, but it is still unsettling.
I hope that no one gets hurt in all of these fires. I know they've already evacuated some people around the town of Pony. I can't get the image of all of those burned down house at Bastrop out of my head. The houses that disappeared into ash in minutes from a wildfire.
Scary.
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Another exciting weekend here
Saturday morning Seann ( the father and husband on the farm) took us out fishing! We went to a private reservoir that is nested in the hills nearby our house. In fact, its right by my turnaround point when I go for a run and I've never seen it. Its nice to have good relationships with your neighbors - you can go fish in their reservoir any time you want!
The first time I've gone fishing was last year when a friend of mine took me out on the Madison and we did dry fly fishing in flowing water. Dry fly means that the insect-looking fly at the end of the line never sinks and just sits on top of the water. We tried that approach this time as well, at the reservoir, but it wasn't working, so Seann switched our flies for ones called nymphs, which mimic the immature larva stare of bugs and slowly drift down through the water table.
After some time and FIVE unsuccessful bites I finally caught my first of the day- native cutthroat trout! YES!
Soon after, Kyra got one as well, her very first fish ever. I had a few other bites and caught another, smaller one, but we let it go. We each had a fish by now so it was enough for lunch. I almost caught another BIG one, but as Seann was reaching for him he got away with the fly in his mouth.
I can see why people get addicted to fly fishing. Its so much fun! And if you're not catching anything then it becomes a mental game of trying to figure out what it is that the fish will go for. Awesome.
Our lunch that day was glorious. We proudly baked our trout, after butchering and cleaning them. Onions, jalapenos, salt and pepper, a lil bit of olive oil and lemon juice. Amazing. It felt great eating something that I killed and butchered, fair and square.
The rest of the day was spent on the farm. Allison and Seann were having a Solstice party/potluck. I attempted my first deviled eggs, Kyra baked amazing herb biscuits using the spent grain that housemates used for brewing beer last week, Leslie made delicious vegan ginger cookies and Dave and Liz brought artery-clogging brownie-esque desert as well as strawberries soaked in vodka, which ended up being a huge hit and driving the party in a whole different direction.
There were a lot of people, mostly from all the farms around the area. Lots of WWOOFers, lots of delicious food. Great times!
This morning we slept in a little bit in order to recover from the night before and around 9 o'clock myself, Kyra and Leslie headed out to the nearby Crazy Mountains for a hike to Cottonwood Lake.
Leslie attempted this hike just two weeks ago and encountered snow almost right away, which got deeper about 2 miles in and made the ascent impossible. Last night we got word from the WWOOFers at a nearby farm that they hiked up to the lake that day and even though it was still pretty snowy it was doable.
The hike to the lake was about 5 miles one way. Started out pretty mellow, along a forest service road. About 2.5 miles in the road ended and the trail turned into a single-track and went STRAIGHT UP A STEEP HILL. I've never seen a worse trail. It was super steep and became a rut from all the water flowing down it. Bad planning. After the tough ascent the trail leveled out slightly and the snow began.
During this hike we had to cross 3 rather large,deep and fast-moving creeks. The first two crossings we actually took off our shoes and waded across barefoot. By the time I made it to the other side of the creek I couldn't feel my feet because the water was so cold.
By the third creek, the deepest and fastest one I didn't even bother taking off my shoes. Boots stayed on and got soaked since the water was knee-deep. Either way I would have gotten my feet soaked going through the numerous snow fields.
The views were unbelievable. It looked like a picture out of Glacier National Park brochure, but its only 30 minutes from our house! The lake itself was mostly frozen and snow covered.
We spent almost an hour warming up in the bright sun and eating lunch. The way back was much less strenuous, but way more sketchy. Too many loose or wet rocks to feel safe and secure.
What an amazing hike. As Kyra pointed out this is my last Montana hike for a loooong time. I'm glad We went to Cottonwood Lake and I was glad for the company that I had. Perfect!
And now onto making granola and doing a yoga class with the housemates in our backyard.
The first time I've gone fishing was last year when a friend of mine took me out on the Madison and we did dry fly fishing in flowing water. Dry fly means that the insect-looking fly at the end of the line never sinks and just sits on top of the water. We tried that approach this time as well, at the reservoir, but it wasn't working, so Seann switched our flies for ones called nymphs, which mimic the immature larva stare of bugs and slowly drift down through the water table.
After some time and FIVE unsuccessful bites I finally caught my first of the day- native cutthroat trout! YES!
Soon after, Kyra got one as well, her very first fish ever. I had a few other bites and caught another, smaller one, but we let it go. We each had a fish by now so it was enough for lunch. I almost caught another BIG one, but as Seann was reaching for him he got away with the fly in his mouth.
I can see why people get addicted to fly fishing. Its so much fun! And if you're not catching anything then it becomes a mental game of trying to figure out what it is that the fish will go for. Awesome.
Our lunch that day was glorious. We proudly baked our trout, after butchering and cleaning them. Onions, jalapenos, salt and pepper, a lil bit of olive oil and lemon juice. Amazing. It felt great eating something that I killed and butchered, fair and square.
There were a lot of people, mostly from all the farms around the area. Lots of WWOOFers, lots of delicious food. Great times!
This morning we slept in a little bit in order to recover from the night before and around 9 o'clock myself, Kyra and Leslie headed out to the nearby Crazy Mountains for a hike to Cottonwood Lake.
Leslie attempted this hike just two weeks ago and encountered snow almost right away, which got deeper about 2 miles in and made the ascent impossible. Last night we got word from the WWOOFers at a nearby farm that they hiked up to the lake that day and even though it was still pretty snowy it was doable.
The hike to the lake was about 5 miles one way. Started out pretty mellow, along a forest service road. About 2.5 miles in the road ended and the trail turned into a single-track and went STRAIGHT UP A STEEP HILL. I've never seen a worse trail. It was super steep and became a rut from all the water flowing down it. Bad planning. After the tough ascent the trail leveled out slightly and the snow began.
During this hike we had to cross 3 rather large,deep and fast-moving creeks. The first two crossings we actually took off our shoes and waded across barefoot. By the time I made it to the other side of the creek I couldn't feel my feet because the water was so cold.
By the third creek, the deepest and fastest one I didn't even bother taking off my shoes. Boots stayed on and got soaked since the water was knee-deep. Either way I would have gotten my feet soaked going through the numerous snow fields.
The views were unbelievable. It looked like a picture out of Glacier National Park brochure, but its only 30 minutes from our house! The lake itself was mostly frozen and snow covered.
What an amazing hike. As Kyra pointed out this is my last Montana hike for a loooong time. I'm glad We went to Cottonwood Lake and I was glad for the company that I had. Perfect!
And now onto making granola and doing a yoga class with the housemates in our backyard.
Friday, June 22, 2012
Weeks 2 at the farm is almost over already!
Days are flying by! I can't believe I've been here for almost two weeks already.
Things on the farm are going really well. We've been doing a lot of planting lately - potatoes and summer squash outside, cucumbers and weekly microgreens in the greenhouse. Lots of weeding too. Thistle is my mortal enemy now. Its this evil-looking plant that has really deep, interconnected taproots that just takes over the beds. MUST. DESTROY.
We also moved the animals around in the last couple of days. So there was a lot of running around trying to catch chickens that managed to escape. When you first look at a chicken you might think - "Look at you, you're so awkward and kind of dumb-looking", but then you start chasing one and suddenly you're the awkward fool, running around with your arms out just barely missing the bird.
The goats are a non-stop source of entertainment. All week they've been hanging out behind their fence, which didn't have the normal electrical charge on it(technical malfunction now corrected) so they were able to get their heads through the net and get at the grass outside their area. Perfect example of "the grass is greener", they have so much grass in their enclosed area, but no they want the stuff outside! All is well until they try to get back behind the fence. The girl goat has no problem, but Edmund started growing little horns and they get stuck on the fence. So each one of us on the farm ends up releasing him a few times a day.
Today we got a bit of a lesson from Allison about her flower/herb garden. She named and showed us so many native plants and talked about some of the general rules for designing a garden. I wish I could learn more from her, but I only have so much time!
Last night we went to Shakespeare in the Park in Bozeman. Together with WWOOFers at the other farm nearby we brought a whole feast with fresh salad, burritos, pasta salad, freshly-baked (by Leslie) sourdough bread, wine and more. I recognized so many people in the audience. By a crazy coincidence I saw my NOLS Wilderness First Aid trainer, who taught us in Texas in December!
Sauerkraut update - its done! Its delicious! I can't wait to experiment with it some more when I settle down in Boulder. One of the recipe suggestions is adding juniper berries. YES!
Today I visited MCC and got to see all of my supervisors. It felt like coming home. Everyone was so nice and I'm so glad to see that the organization and the people are doing well. One of my bosses is getting married in a week, another just had another baby girl about two and a half months ago.
Its finally warming up here and getting into the eighties. After several weeks of over-90-degree weather in Texas I was feeling a bit chilly here. Another great weekend coming up! Stay tuned.
Things on the farm are going really well. We've been doing a lot of planting lately - potatoes and summer squash outside, cucumbers and weekly microgreens in the greenhouse. Lots of weeding too. Thistle is my mortal enemy now. Its this evil-looking plant that has really deep, interconnected taproots that just takes over the beds. MUST. DESTROY.
We also moved the animals around in the last couple of days. So there was a lot of running around trying to catch chickens that managed to escape. When you first look at a chicken you might think - "Look at you, you're so awkward and kind of dumb-looking", but then you start chasing one and suddenly you're the awkward fool, running around with your arms out just barely missing the bird.
The goats are a non-stop source of entertainment. All week they've been hanging out behind their fence, which didn't have the normal electrical charge on it(technical malfunction now corrected) so they were able to get their heads through the net and get at the grass outside their area. Perfect example of "the grass is greener", they have so much grass in their enclosed area, but no they want the stuff outside! All is well until they try to get back behind the fence. The girl goat has no problem, but Edmund started growing little horns and they get stuck on the fence. So each one of us on the farm ends up releasing him a few times a day.
Today we got a bit of a lesson from Allison about her flower/herb garden. She named and showed us so many native plants and talked about some of the general rules for designing a garden. I wish I could learn more from her, but I only have so much time!
Last night we went to Shakespeare in the Park in Bozeman. Together with WWOOFers at the other farm nearby we brought a whole feast with fresh salad, burritos, pasta salad, freshly-baked (by Leslie) sourdough bread, wine and more. I recognized so many people in the audience. By a crazy coincidence I saw my NOLS Wilderness First Aid trainer, who taught us in Texas in December!
Sauerkraut update - its done! Its delicious! I can't wait to experiment with it some more when I settle down in Boulder. One of the recipe suggestions is adding juniper berries. YES!
Today I visited MCC and got to see all of my supervisors. It felt like coming home. Everyone was so nice and I'm so glad to see that the organization and the people are doing well. One of my bosses is getting married in a week, another just had another baby girl about two and a half months ago.
Its finally warming up here and getting into the eighties. After several weeks of over-90-degree weather in Texas I was feeling a bit chilly here. Another great weekend coming up! Stay tuned.
Monday, June 18, 2012
Weekend. Part II
I am still recovering. After a good nap after work I am ready to write about the rest of the weekend.
Rodeo fun did not end with the actual competition. From the rodeo grounds people moseyed over to the bar where a country/bluegrass band was starting to play. Usually the after party and dance are held outside, by the dance hall in town, but because of some town politics (who knew a town of 250 could have such complicated politics) this year it was going to be at the bar. This meant that the normally family-oriented event was now 21+. There was also not enough space for all the dancing and drinking people inside, so most of the crowd was gathered outside.
The population of Wilsall at least doubled for the Rodeo.
The bar probably made more money in this one night than they will for the next 3 months. They closed down all of their good beer on tap and it was now just bottles and cans, mostly PBR, Budlight and Miller. Keepin' it classy. The wait to get a drink was so long that by the time I got to the bar I was thinking I should get something way stronger than a beer, in order to make the wait worth it. My housemate Dave had a better approach, by the time he got to the bar he ordered himself 4 drinks, which lasted him for the majority of the night, but kept his hands busy.
After about an hour the crowd got louder and more stumbly.
My housemates and I decided that we could have a lot more fun back at our house where we don't have to wait for drinks and promptly drove home. We all stayed up late talking about languages and being bilingual.
The next morning, after 4 hours of sleep my housemate Kyra and I got into my car and went on our way to Yellowstone National Park. She is from Canada and has never seen the park and since she doesn't have a car probably wouldn't get another chance to see it before she leaves a week after I do. And I was happy to see the beautiful park again.
We went through the North Entrance, through the famous Roosevelt arch, turned East in Mammoth and made our first stop at the Lower Falls of Yellowstone River. We drove past both the trailheads for the two projects that my crew did in Yellowstone last summer. So many memories came back to me, like racing time on the hike out of Black Tail project, 4 miles uphill. Phew!
It was cloudy, so there was no rainbow around the falls, but it was beautiful nonetheless. We stopped at a look-out point to have another view of the falls.
While driving to the park we stopped on the side of the road when we saw a bunch of other cars parked. Good sign that there is some kind of interesting wildlife around. Two black bears were hanging out at a nearby meadow!
We got back into the car, super happy, and while talking about other animals we've seen kept driving on South. We were going around a turn and as the words "I haven't seen a wolf yet and I really want to" were coming out of my mouth we came upon another pile of cars. Kyra pointed at a shape about 60 ft from the car. A black wolf was hurrying along. I was too mesmerized to even reach for the camera. The wolf went along side the road and then crossed it behind us and disappeared into the woods on the other side. AMAZING!!
After that we drove all the way South to Grand Teton National Park. I knew Kyra had to see the mountains! We had lunch by a lake overlooking the range and then drove on farther South to Moose Junction to check out the possibly the best visitor's center in any national park.
The Tetons looked bigger and more rugged than I remember. As we were driving back we came upon a HUGE pile of cars. Oh, this has to be good. A grizzly mama with three cubs was hanging out very close to the road and waiting to cross. The rangers were controlling traffic, trying to give the bears space to cross the road. There was a young grandma with her grand son parked next to us. The kid was standing on top of their rented SUV and he invited both Kyra and I to jump on top for a better look. While I snapped pictures more and more people arrived, a lot of them getting really close to the bear, even with their kids!!! So dangerous.
We drove back into Yellowstone and headed into the West side of the park. Old Faithful was our next stop. I told Kyra to brace herself for the most touristy, over-built part of the whole park. Unfortunately, we had just missed the latest eruption and the next one wasn't for another hour. We were both pretty exhausted at this point and figured it wasn't worth sticking around for so we drove on. On the way back to Mammoth we stopped at a few of the geysers, which I actually haven't seen before.
On our way back, we once again came upon a bunch of parked cars. What now? A black bear mama with a cub! Bringing our total to - three black bears, one grizzly with 3 cubs, a wolf, a ton of bison, a few elk and pronghorn, and of course deer. Amazing.
We arrived home just after 8:30 pm, completely exhausted but so happy. It was a total whirlwind of a drive through the parks, but if you only have one day it is totally the way to do it!
Rodeo fun did not end with the actual competition. From the rodeo grounds people moseyed over to the bar where a country/bluegrass band was starting to play. Usually the after party and dance are held outside, by the dance hall in town, but because of some town politics (who knew a town of 250 could have such complicated politics) this year it was going to be at the bar. This meant that the normally family-oriented event was now 21+. There was also not enough space for all the dancing and drinking people inside, so most of the crowd was gathered outside.
The population of Wilsall at least doubled for the Rodeo.
The bar probably made more money in this one night than they will for the next 3 months. They closed down all of their good beer on tap and it was now just bottles and cans, mostly PBR, Budlight and Miller. Keepin' it classy. The wait to get a drink was so long that by the time I got to the bar I was thinking I should get something way stronger than a beer, in order to make the wait worth it. My housemate Dave had a better approach, by the time he got to the bar he ordered himself 4 drinks, which lasted him for the majority of the night, but kept his hands busy.
After about an hour the crowd got louder and more stumbly.
My housemates and I decided that we could have a lot more fun back at our house where we don't have to wait for drinks and promptly drove home. We all stayed up late talking about languages and being bilingual.
The next morning, after 4 hours of sleep my housemate Kyra and I got into my car and went on our way to Yellowstone National Park. She is from Canada and has never seen the park and since she doesn't have a car probably wouldn't get another chance to see it before she leaves a week after I do. And I was happy to see the beautiful park again.
We went through the North Entrance, through the famous Roosevelt arch, turned East in Mammoth and made our first stop at the Lower Falls of Yellowstone River. We drove past both the trailheads for the two projects that my crew did in Yellowstone last summer. So many memories came back to me, like racing time on the hike out of Black Tail project, 4 miles uphill. Phew!
It was cloudy, so there was no rainbow around the falls, but it was beautiful nonetheless. We stopped at a look-out point to have another view of the falls.
We got back into the car, super happy, and while talking about other animals we've seen kept driving on South. We were going around a turn and as the words "I haven't seen a wolf yet and I really want to" were coming out of my mouth we came upon another pile of cars. Kyra pointed at a shape about 60 ft from the car. A black wolf was hurrying along. I was too mesmerized to even reach for the camera. The wolf went along side the road and then crossed it behind us and disappeared into the woods on the other side. AMAZING!!
After that we drove all the way South to Grand Teton National Park. I knew Kyra had to see the mountains! We had lunch by a lake overlooking the range and then drove on farther South to Moose Junction to check out the possibly the best visitor's center in any national park.
The Tetons looked bigger and more rugged than I remember. As we were driving back we came upon a HUGE pile of cars. Oh, this has to be good. A grizzly mama with three cubs was hanging out very close to the road and waiting to cross. The rangers were controlling traffic, trying to give the bears space to cross the road. There was a young grandma with her grand son parked next to us. The kid was standing on top of their rented SUV and he invited both Kyra and I to jump on top for a better look. While I snapped pictures more and more people arrived, a lot of them getting really close to the bear, even with their kids!!! So dangerous.
We arrived home just after 8:30 pm, completely exhausted but so happy. It was a total whirlwind of a drive through the parks, but if you only have one day it is totally the way to do it!
Weekend. Part I
It all began with happy hour at the local bar, which is the biggest, nicest small-town bar I have ever seen. Two stories high, with pool tables, popcorn machine and a few dart boards. Three of us played an embarrassingly long game of darts. The crowd consisted of some locals(2 out of every 3 man wearing cowboy hats), my housemates and WWOOFers from another nearby farm. Two brand new volunteers arrived to the nearby farm less than an hour earlier all the way from Vermont and were immediately dragged to the bar. Culture shock?
Drinks were consumed.
Saturday morning I was out of the house and on the road by 6:45am to go for a day-hike in the Bangtail "Mountains", which are right across the road from the Bridgers. According to a "Hiking around Bozeman" guidebook that was published last year I was to take a dirt-road for two miles, after which it would turn into a foot-trail leading up to the ridge and connect to the Bangtail Divide trail that would lead me back to my car. A loop of about 8 miles. Well... I never found the foot-trail. Instead there were about 6 more logging roads than were indicated on the map, leading in all kinds of directions and just confusing the whole situation. I followed one of the roads back towards the parking area and eventually found the Bangtail Divide trail. At this point I was about 5 miles into my hike and within 5 minutes of being on the trail I got passed by 3 mountain bikers and a dude on a dirt bike. Okay, enough.
I took the switchbacks down to the parking lot, darting out of the way of a ton more mountain bikers.
Since I was already half-way to Bozeman I decided to drive into town and look for a few things I'll need for my climbing trip. Finally, I had cell service so I got a chance to wish my Dad happy Father's Day. Second Wind Sports and my favorite thrift store both let me down, so I left town empty handed.
I arrived back home just in time to get ready for the Rodeo. Plaid shirt - check. Camera with a zoom lens - check. Lets go! It was held at the Rodeo Grounds in Wilsall. First row seats, oh yeah! Although, kind of like baseball there are no really bad seats at a rodeo. The opening ceremony included the Saddlelites (a group of female riders from the area) performing a little riding show. Then it was off to bareback bronc riding.
To irritate the horse into bucking so violently they put a strap around it private parts. Most riders didn't last more than a few seconds, and just a couple lasted for over a minute, at which point they get to jump on to the horse of one of the two riders that are in the field at all time, collecting horses and bulls and getting them back into their enclosures. One young rider had a pretty dramatic fall, head-first into the ground. Yikes.
Next came calf-wrestling, where riders chase a calf running for its life and one of the riders jumps down on it from the horse and wrestles it to the ground. The calfs have pretty serious horns, so the riders are in serious danger and getting skewered.
There was also calf-roping and team roping. For the first, a single rider had to chase down a calf, put a lasso around his neck, stop the horse, jump down and rope the calf's legs together. In the team even, two riders had to chase, put one lasso around the neck and the other around the back legs. Needless to say, the lasso around the back legs is super difficult and only one or two teams for successful. All of these events are timed and points awarded for fastest time.
Women competed in barrel racing. The rider has to go as fast as they can around 3 barrels set up so that the rider ends up doing a sort-of club (as in card suit) shape on the field. Later in the show young girls also competed in the same event and the smallest and clearly most badass little girl was the only one to finish the course without knocking over any barrels.
Last event was bull-riding. Same as bareback bronc-riding, but on huge scary bulls. These bulls are apparently specifically bred and trained for rodeos.
The crowd-watching at this show was unreal. All men were wearing cowboys hats, and those who weren't were wearing baseball hats that said Stihl or John Deere on it OR had a picture of an elk/deer/bear. Even little kids were sporting cowboy hats! Girls and women wore absurdly bejeweled jeans. Cowboy boots on everyone. And then there were precious examples of Rodeo fashion like this:
I had more fun watching these events than most sports games. What great fun! $10 well spent.
Drinks were consumed.
Saturday morning I was out of the house and on the road by 6:45am to go for a day-hike in the Bangtail "Mountains", which are right across the road from the Bridgers. According to a "Hiking around Bozeman" guidebook that was published last year I was to take a dirt-road for two miles, after which it would turn into a foot-trail leading up to the ridge and connect to the Bangtail Divide trail that would lead me back to my car. A loop of about 8 miles. Well... I never found the foot-trail. Instead there were about 6 more logging roads than were indicated on the map, leading in all kinds of directions and just confusing the whole situation. I followed one of the roads back towards the parking area and eventually found the Bangtail Divide trail. At this point I was about 5 miles into my hike and within 5 minutes of being on the trail I got passed by 3 mountain bikers and a dude on a dirt bike. Okay, enough.
I took the switchbacks down to the parking lot, darting out of the way of a ton more mountain bikers.
Since I was already half-way to Bozeman I decided to drive into town and look for a few things I'll need for my climbing trip. Finally, I had cell service so I got a chance to wish my Dad happy Father's Day. Second Wind Sports and my favorite thrift store both let me down, so I left town empty handed.
I arrived back home just in time to get ready for the Rodeo. Plaid shirt - check. Camera with a zoom lens - check. Lets go! It was held at the Rodeo Grounds in Wilsall. First row seats, oh yeah! Although, kind of like baseball there are no really bad seats at a rodeo. The opening ceremony included the Saddlelites (a group of female riders from the area) performing a little riding show. Then it was off to bareback bronc riding.
To irritate the horse into bucking so violently they put a strap around it private parts. Most riders didn't last more than a few seconds, and just a couple lasted for over a minute, at which point they get to jump on to the horse of one of the two riders that are in the field at all time, collecting horses and bulls and getting them back into their enclosures. One young rider had a pretty dramatic fall, head-first into the ground. Yikes.
Next came calf-wrestling, where riders chase a calf running for its life and one of the riders jumps down on it from the horse and wrestles it to the ground. The calfs have pretty serious horns, so the riders are in serious danger and getting skewered.
There was also calf-roping and team roping. For the first, a single rider had to chase down a calf, put a lasso around his neck, stop the horse, jump down and rope the calf's legs together. In the team even, two riders had to chase, put one lasso around the neck and the other around the back legs. Needless to say, the lasso around the back legs is super difficult and only one or two teams for successful. All of these events are timed and points awarded for fastest time.
Women competed in barrel racing. The rider has to go as fast as they can around 3 barrels set up so that the rider ends up doing a sort-of club (as in card suit) shape on the field. Later in the show young girls also competed in the same event and the smallest and clearly most badass little girl was the only one to finish the course without knocking over any barrels.
The crowd-watching at this show was unreal. All men were wearing cowboys hats, and those who weren't were wearing baseball hats that said Stihl or John Deere on it OR had a picture of an elk/deer/bear. Even little kids were sporting cowboy hats! Girls and women wore absurdly bejeweled jeans. Cowboy boots on everyone. And then there were precious examples of Rodeo fashion like this:
Friday, June 15, 2012
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Life on the farm.
Days here are flying by. My mornings start with delicious, farm-fresh eggs. Sometimes duck, sometimes chicken and I've even tried a turkey egg (BIG, speckled, with a thicker shell). I enjoy my egg sandwich (rich, deep-orange yolk running out onto my plate) with some tea and a magazine. I can't say enough about how wonderful it is to eat fresh greens straight out of the greenhouse and have these eggs from animals that I feed!
The sun rises so early and sets so late that I haven't seen the start in a while. Perhaps I would if I wasn't an old lady that goes to bed early.
On the farm my mornings usually start with feeding all the animals. After we either harvest microgreens for various orders, or plant things from seed or seedlings, or transplant things from smaller pots into bigger pots.
Its so nice to continue to work outside. Even though its definitely not as physically challenging as trail work was, I still get to be moving around all day, breathing crisp, fresh Montana air and get some sunlight. The weather here has been somewhat chilly, especially for someone coming from Texas. High 30's to mid-40's at night, warming up to barely 70 degrees during the day with a cold breeze. And so dry.
For our lunches we have a schedule, where each of us has a day that we make lunch for everyone. Monday Kyra made awesome pizza with flax-seed flour and pesto sauce. Yesterday Allison (the owner of the farm) made some awesome curry potatoes and veggies. Today Leslie went all out with Indian paddies made from fermented lentils and rice, with three different chutneys. Yeah, and I'm supposed to follow THAT up with something tomorrow.
After being finished at 2:30 we try to keep ourselves busy. Yesterday we went to a Farmer's Market in Livingston. Cute, historical town just an hour North of Yellowstone National Park. Since its early in the season there weren't many actual farmers there, but tons of bread-makers, jelly and jam-makers, craftsmen and etc. It was really busy for a small town.
Tried going running twice and got my butt kicked both times. Really discouraging, since I know I can do this distance and hills. But at least I get a great view while I'm at it, right?
My roommates and I all did yoga together the other night. Telling you, this house is awesome.
Been spending a lot of time being pretty critical of my social skills. Meeting so many new people in such a short period of time makes me hyper-aware of what I say and how I act. There have been so many times where I internally kick myself for saying something stupid or unnecessary. I think being quiet more often would do me some good.
My roommates are currently starting to brew their next batch of beer. I am watching intently. There is also a sweet book here called "Wild Fermentation", that has recipes for all kinds of stuff - yogurt, tempeh(!), miso, mead, beer, krauts and so much more. It even has a recipe for a fermented drink that we used to drink a lot in Russia, called kvass (and a recipe for an awesome summer soup that you can make out of it!). Its made out of dark bread and its so good! I will make sure to get my hands on that book once I'm all settled into a house and make some stuff.
I'm getting really excited about actually staying in one place for a while. I could actually have some plants, at least herbs in pots for the winter, I could experiment with fermentation and cook more. The schedule of doing trails doesn't really allow for any of that. So yeah, kombucha, yogurt, beer and sauerkraut here I come!
The sun rises so early and sets so late that I haven't seen the start in a while. Perhaps I would if I wasn't an old lady that goes to bed early.
On the farm my mornings usually start with feeding all the animals. After we either harvest microgreens for various orders, or plant things from seed or seedlings, or transplant things from smaller pots into bigger pots.
Its so nice to continue to work outside. Even though its definitely not as physically challenging as trail work was, I still get to be moving around all day, breathing crisp, fresh Montana air and get some sunlight. The weather here has been somewhat chilly, especially for someone coming from Texas. High 30's to mid-40's at night, warming up to barely 70 degrees during the day with a cold breeze. And so dry.
For our lunches we have a schedule, where each of us has a day that we make lunch for everyone. Monday Kyra made awesome pizza with flax-seed flour and pesto sauce. Yesterday Allison (the owner of the farm) made some awesome curry potatoes and veggies. Today Leslie went all out with Indian paddies made from fermented lentils and rice, with three different chutneys. Yeah, and I'm supposed to follow THAT up with something tomorrow.
After being finished at 2:30 we try to keep ourselves busy. Yesterday we went to a Farmer's Market in Livingston. Cute, historical town just an hour North of Yellowstone National Park. Since its early in the season there weren't many actual farmers there, but tons of bread-makers, jelly and jam-makers, craftsmen and etc. It was really busy for a small town.
Tried going running twice and got my butt kicked both times. Really discouraging, since I know I can do this distance and hills. But at least I get a great view while I'm at it, right?
My roommates and I all did yoga together the other night. Telling you, this house is awesome.
Been spending a lot of time being pretty critical of my social skills. Meeting so many new people in such a short period of time makes me hyper-aware of what I say and how I act. There have been so many times where I internally kick myself for saying something stupid or unnecessary. I think being quiet more often would do me some good.
My roommates are currently starting to brew their next batch of beer. I am watching intently. There is also a sweet book here called "Wild Fermentation", that has recipes for all kinds of stuff - yogurt, tempeh(!), miso, mead, beer, krauts and so much more. It even has a recipe for a fermented drink that we used to drink a lot in Russia, called kvass (and a recipe for an awesome summer soup that you can make out of it!). Its made out of dark bread and its so good! I will make sure to get my hands on that book once I'm all settled into a house and make some stuff.
I'm getting really excited about actually staying in one place for a while. I could actually have some plants, at least herbs in pots for the winter, I could experiment with fermentation and cook more. The schedule of doing trails doesn't really allow for any of that. So yeah, kombucha, yogurt, beer and sauerkraut here I come!
Monday, June 11, 2012
First day on the farm.
My morning started before 7am with some good ol' oatmeal and tea. The skies finally cleared up and I walked outside to take in the fresh, crisp air.
Kira and I walked down to the farm to get there by 7.30 am - the start of work. Our first assignment was to feed all the animals. Allison and Shawn have about 5 varieties of chickens, none of which I remember. Ducks, turkeys, two pigs and two absolutely adorable baby Nigerian Dwarf goats, which just arrived Friday.
Soon after the animals were fed Nick arrived. He is a student at MSU, working on a degree in Sustainable Agriculture and doing his internship at the farm. Together we began setting up to plant pole beans in the big greenhouse. Since the beans need to climb... something, we hung up plastic netting on wire over the planting bed. After much ladder-climbing we were ready to plant the beans.
Cucumbers were next. Planted from seedlings that grew up in the smaller greenhouse next door.
The farm produces a lot of seedlings for sale, as well as microgreens for stores and restaurants in Bozeman and Livingston. They also provide greens and veggies for a CSA.
But all that just pays the bills. What Allison and Shawn are really working on is rehabilitating the land. They bought the farm 5 years ago, when it was a 10-acre patch of overgrazed land. All that was left was the less-desirable and tasty grass, which left much of the soil to erosion. So for the last 5 years they have been working on rehabilitating the land, using permaculture techniques.
Permaculture is designed to mimic natural ecosystems and environments. For example, they built big mounds of soil, which run perpendicular to the Southwestern winds of the valley. On the inside of the berm they planted fruit trees, which will be nourished by the water that collects and protected from the wind. Around the trees they planted a variety of herbs (thyme, rosemary), berries and legumes (clover in particular). This whole system will naturally collect water and the legumes will bring back nitrogen into the soil.
The animals also play a major role in rehabilitation. The pigs are kept in a small fenced-off area and while they enjoy their days they naturally "till" up the soil and mix it in with their poop. The chickens do the same job in their area, adding manure and nutrients to the soil. Eventually, the animals will be moved throughout the whole land and the covered areas seeded with native grasses, fruit trees, herbs and etc. No rows.
All of this is way more complicated, more inspiring and just plain ol' awesome than I can ever describe. Its so great to see people passionate about growing food without all the chemicals and using more sustainable practices.
Day one is coming to an end and I am watching a Montana must-see with the roommates - A River Runs Through It.
Kira and I walked down to the farm to get there by 7.30 am - the start of work. Our first assignment was to feed all the animals. Allison and Shawn have about 5 varieties of chickens, none of which I remember. Ducks, turkeys, two pigs and two absolutely adorable baby Nigerian Dwarf goats, which just arrived Friday.
Soon after the animals were fed Nick arrived. He is a student at MSU, working on a degree in Sustainable Agriculture and doing his internship at the farm. Together we began setting up to plant pole beans in the big greenhouse. Since the beans need to climb... something, we hung up plastic netting on wire over the planting bed. After much ladder-climbing we were ready to plant the beans.
Cucumbers were next. Planted from seedlings that grew up in the smaller greenhouse next door.
The farm produces a lot of seedlings for sale, as well as microgreens for stores and restaurants in Bozeman and Livingston. They also provide greens and veggies for a CSA.
But all that just pays the bills. What Allison and Shawn are really working on is rehabilitating the land. They bought the farm 5 years ago, when it was a 10-acre patch of overgrazed land. All that was left was the less-desirable and tasty grass, which left much of the soil to erosion. So for the last 5 years they have been working on rehabilitating the land, using permaculture techniques.
Permaculture is designed to mimic natural ecosystems and environments. For example, they built big mounds of soil, which run perpendicular to the Southwestern winds of the valley. On the inside of the berm they planted fruit trees, which will be nourished by the water that collects and protected from the wind. Around the trees they planted a variety of herbs (thyme, rosemary), berries and legumes (clover in particular). This whole system will naturally collect water and the legumes will bring back nitrogen into the soil.
The animals also play a major role in rehabilitation. The pigs are kept in a small fenced-off area and while they enjoy their days they naturally "till" up the soil and mix it in with their poop. The chickens do the same job in their area, adding manure and nutrients to the soil. Eventually, the animals will be moved throughout the whole land and the covered areas seeded with native grasses, fruit trees, herbs and etc. No rows.
All of this is way more complicated, more inspiring and just plain ol' awesome than I can ever describe. Its so great to see people passionate about growing food without all the chemicals and using more sustainable practices.
Day one is coming to an end and I am watching a Montana must-see with the roommates - A River Runs Through It.
Montana
Spent most of Friday just walking around downtown Billings and catching up on shows since I won't be able to watch those for a while.
Billings is so different from Bozeman. Its all cowboys and business. No mountansexuals. The city is sprawled out, and despite a pretty significant college-crowd not all that liberal.
In the evening Miranda and I got decent Thai food with some of the field crew leaders from the Billings region of MCC. They had just come back from their very first hitch. Made me miss that job so bad. Yeah, guys remember that story you heard during training about co-leaders quitting a week into the season? Yeah, that was MY co-leader. And do you know Kaitlin and Zack from Bozeman? Yeah, they were on my crew. The trail/corps talk didn't stop all night.
Saturday morning I drove into Bozeman. It was raining and super-cloudy and I didn't get to see the Bridgers at all! So sad. It felt strange driving through town. While waiting for Matt to get out of his volunteer project I went to one of my favorite spots - the cafe at the main Co-op. I've spent so many hours up there, catching up on emails or writing personal statements for graduate school.
The town hasn't changed a bit. But I guess its only been 6 months.
Finally I met up with Matt and Monk. Both were crew leaders with me last season and Matt was my roommate as well. Monk, that lucky duck, is now working trails in Glacier National Park. His co-leader from last year, Lulu is a trail dog in Grand Teton National Park. This is why MCC is awesome.
In a whirlwind of activity we picked up the other Matt, my old co-leader and headed to The Garage to fill our rumbling tummies. Delicious as always. Then back to Matt's cave to place Settlers of Catan for hours. It was my first time playing the game, and I've heard good things forever. SO. MUCH. FUN.
At 6 pm it was time for sports - final series of the Stanley Cup and the final game of Celtics-Heat series. We headed to our favorite spot, the Hideaway, where during the season we hid away from all of our crews. Our small party of 4 soon took over a good portion of the bar when Forrest and his two friends and my (hopefully) future roommate Teal arrived with her 3 friends. So many people to talk to!
Celtics disappointed.
The night continued with more Settlers of Catan at Matt's. Not much sleep and up early for more sports - we made breakfast at 7am and watched Nadal-Djokovic battle it out on the clay court.
I left pretty early and headed up, through Bridger Canyon to my new home for the next 3 weeks - a small, family, permaculture farm in the Shields Valley of Montana. The weather has only gotten worse from Saturday and I ended up driving through snow on the Bridger Pass. That's early June in MT for you, I guess.
I arrived at the farm shortly after 10am and was welcomed in by Allison. Awkward introductions. Then we were off to the "bunk house", about a quarter of a mile up the road where I am staying, with 4 other people. When we walked in Kira, Leslie and Dave were getting ready for a snowy hike up in the Gallatins, by Big Sky. Within an hour of arriving here I was in the car heading back towards Bozeman to go for a hike. Did I mention I love Montana and people here?
The house does not need the word bunk in front of it. I get my own room. There is laundry, a porch, fully-stocked kitchen and a nice living room. The pantry and fridge has amazing food. All of that just for 30-hours of work on the farm, which I WANT to do anyway. Yes!
First stop was Planet Natural store in Bozeman. The farm sells a lot of their seedlings through this gardening-supply store. But today we were here to pick up ingredients for the next beer that Leslie and Dave were going to brew.
We decided to do the Lava Lake hike. 2.75 miles one-way up to a big non-glacial lake by Table Mountain. We had the trail all to ourselves since it was cold and raining. The lake looked absolutely beautiful, with the mountain sides covered by snowy clouds. The place felt magical. So quiet.
It was too cold to stay up there for long, so we took pictures, had some snacks and headed back down. The rain got more intense, so by the time we got back to the car we were soaked and freezing. Heater full blast. We shivered our way about 15 miles South to Big Sky and rolled into the Lone Peak Brewery and Restaurant. Much food and beer was destroyed.
We arrived back at the house at 10 pm, with the sky not yet completely dark. I love Montana.
Billings is so different from Bozeman. Its all cowboys and business. No mountansexuals. The city is sprawled out, and despite a pretty significant college-crowd not all that liberal.
In the evening Miranda and I got decent Thai food with some of the field crew leaders from the Billings region of MCC. They had just come back from their very first hitch. Made me miss that job so bad. Yeah, guys remember that story you heard during training about co-leaders quitting a week into the season? Yeah, that was MY co-leader. And do you know Kaitlin and Zack from Bozeman? Yeah, they were on my crew. The trail/corps talk didn't stop all night.
Saturday morning I drove into Bozeman. It was raining and super-cloudy and I didn't get to see the Bridgers at all! So sad. It felt strange driving through town. While waiting for Matt to get out of his volunteer project I went to one of my favorite spots - the cafe at the main Co-op. I've spent so many hours up there, catching up on emails or writing personal statements for graduate school.
The town hasn't changed a bit. But I guess its only been 6 months.
Finally I met up with Matt and Monk. Both were crew leaders with me last season and Matt was my roommate as well. Monk, that lucky duck, is now working trails in Glacier National Park. His co-leader from last year, Lulu is a trail dog in Grand Teton National Park. This is why MCC is awesome.
In a whirlwind of activity we picked up the other Matt, my old co-leader and headed to The Garage to fill our rumbling tummies. Delicious as always. Then back to Matt's cave to place Settlers of Catan for hours. It was my first time playing the game, and I've heard good things forever. SO. MUCH. FUN.
At 6 pm it was time for sports - final series of the Stanley Cup and the final game of Celtics-Heat series. We headed to our favorite spot, the Hideaway, where during the season we hid away from all of our crews. Our small party of 4 soon took over a good portion of the bar when Forrest and his two friends and my (hopefully) future roommate Teal arrived with her 3 friends. So many people to talk to!
Celtics disappointed.
The night continued with more Settlers of Catan at Matt's. Not much sleep and up early for more sports - we made breakfast at 7am and watched Nadal-Djokovic battle it out on the clay court.
I left pretty early and headed up, through Bridger Canyon to my new home for the next 3 weeks - a small, family, permaculture farm in the Shields Valley of Montana. The weather has only gotten worse from Saturday and I ended up driving through snow on the Bridger Pass. That's early June in MT for you, I guess.
I arrived at the farm shortly after 10am and was welcomed in by Allison. Awkward introductions. Then we were off to the "bunk house", about a quarter of a mile up the road where I am staying, with 4 other people. When we walked in Kira, Leslie and Dave were getting ready for a snowy hike up in the Gallatins, by Big Sky. Within an hour of arriving here I was in the car heading back towards Bozeman to go for a hike. Did I mention I love Montana and people here?
The house does not need the word bunk in front of it. I get my own room. There is laundry, a porch, fully-stocked kitchen and a nice living room. The pantry and fridge has amazing food. All of that just for 30-hours of work on the farm, which I WANT to do anyway. Yes!
First stop was Planet Natural store in Bozeman. The farm sells a lot of their seedlings through this gardening-supply store. But today we were here to pick up ingredients for the next beer that Leslie and Dave were going to brew.
We decided to do the Lava Lake hike. 2.75 miles one-way up to a big non-glacial lake by Table Mountain. We had the trail all to ourselves since it was cold and raining. The lake looked absolutely beautiful, with the mountain sides covered by snowy clouds. The place felt magical. So quiet.
It was too cold to stay up there for long, so we took pictures, had some snacks and headed back down. The rain got more intense, so by the time we got back to the car we were soaked and freezing. Heater full blast. We shivered our way about 15 miles South to Big Sky and rolled into the Lone Peak Brewery and Restaurant. Much food and beer was destroyed.
We arrived back at the house at 10 pm, with the sky not yet completely dark. I love Montana.
Friday, June 8, 2012
06.07 Day 5
Goodbye Colorado and hello Montana!
Great news - not all people on Craigslist's rideshare are total flakes! The previous times I've posted rideshares they have both flaked out last minute. This time, however, it all went smoothly and I picked up Forrest and his kayak in Fort Collins.
The town seems like cycling capital of Colorado. Even at the break of dawn I saw a ton of cyclists zooming past me on the back roads. Also, surprisingly good coffee shop called The Bean Cycle. French press, pour over, what ever your little coffee-snob heart desires. It was nice to check out the town, since CSU's ecology program is at the top of my list. But the mountains are kind of far away!
With the kayak securely attached to the roof of my car we were off towards Wyoming. As outdoorsy people we could not go past the Sierra Trading Post store in Cheyenne. I spent an hour being tempted by all kinds of gear and clothes, but in the end, my good sense prevailed and I was able to walk out of there empty-handed. Phew! What a challenge!
As we drove through beautiful Wyoming landscapes we talked about adventures, past and future, about American culture, our generation in particular and just life in general. Long drives go by so much faster when you are in good company.
From Sheridan, WY we decided to take the scenic route to Billings, over the Big Horn Mountains. Forrest has biked over them before, on his 6,000 mile cycling adventure and I've never even been close to this gorgeous range.
The pass was a steep ascent of many switchbacks, but unlike most other mountain passes that sort of feel like a roller-coaster where you get to the top point and immediately start going down, these mountains have a large plateau at the top. So once you climb up to about 9,000 ft in elevation you drive for 10-15 miles across the most beautiful meadows, snow-covered hills and lush forest. Having a cabin up there, deep in the woods would be amazing. Soon we began the steeper descent into the much drier valley on the other side. There is the Wyoming I know and love. Hello sage! I never thought I'd miss you.
Another 30 minutes of driving and we are in Montana! It still feels unreal to be back. Finally made it to Miranda's house. We spent the rest of the night catching up on life. Conservation Corps talk times a million. Great times!
Great news - not all people on Craigslist's rideshare are total flakes! The previous times I've posted rideshares they have both flaked out last minute. This time, however, it all went smoothly and I picked up Forrest and his kayak in Fort Collins.
The town seems like cycling capital of Colorado. Even at the break of dawn I saw a ton of cyclists zooming past me on the back roads. Also, surprisingly good coffee shop called The Bean Cycle. French press, pour over, what ever your little coffee-snob heart desires. It was nice to check out the town, since CSU's ecology program is at the top of my list. But the mountains are kind of far away!
With the kayak securely attached to the roof of my car we were off towards Wyoming. As outdoorsy people we could not go past the Sierra Trading Post store in Cheyenne. I spent an hour being tempted by all kinds of gear and clothes, but in the end, my good sense prevailed and I was able to walk out of there empty-handed. Phew! What a challenge!
As we drove through beautiful Wyoming landscapes we talked about adventures, past and future, about American culture, our generation in particular and just life in general. Long drives go by so much faster when you are in good company.
From Sheridan, WY we decided to take the scenic route to Billings, over the Big Horn Mountains. Forrest has biked over them before, on his 6,000 mile cycling adventure and I've never even been close to this gorgeous range.
The pass was a steep ascent of many switchbacks, but unlike most other mountain passes that sort of feel like a roller-coaster where you get to the top point and immediately start going down, these mountains have a large plateau at the top. So once you climb up to about 9,000 ft in elevation you drive for 10-15 miles across the most beautiful meadows, snow-covered hills and lush forest. Having a cabin up there, deep in the woods would be amazing. Soon we began the steeper descent into the much drier valley on the other side. There is the Wyoming I know and love. Hello sage! I never thought I'd miss you.
Another 30 minutes of driving and we are in Montana! It still feels unreal to be back. Finally made it to Miranda's house. We spent the rest of the night catching up on life. Conservation Corps talk times a million. Great times!
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
06.06 Day 4
Up with the sunrise again at 10,000 ft.
Pack up camp, breakfast, filter water and I'm on my way down just after 6am. Woo boy does it feel good to be going DOWN. Long legs and strong knees means I can zoom my way down most trails.
Soon after I set off I began running into people who started their hike at the very bottom. I wish I wasn't so focused on getting down and would have enjoyed my surroundings a bit more.
Back to my car in 2.5 hours and starving. Good thing Manitous Springs is full of touristy breakfast places!
Driving to Boulder I have a perma-smile on my face again. I can't believe I'm lucky enough for all of THIS to be my home for the next two years. Could not be happier.
Once in Boulder I found a storage place and got rid of about half of the things in my car. Oh hey, I can see out of my back window again! Still feels like too much stuff left in my possession. I bet I won't use most of it.
Things I will not miss about Texas: being itchy. I've got the Texas Itchy Trifecta from hell. Poison ivy on my arms. It was probably on my gloves, inside and out. Mosquito bites, of course. And chiggers. Those invisible bastards (can't even slap them with satisfaction) that like to focus on ankles, belt line, armpits and other unpleasant areas. I was spared the worst of it, but still. I just want it all to stop itching!
I was able to navigate Boulder without a map, after only being here once, for 1.5 days. Score!
Staying at the hostel tonight. The girls are not as friendly as the time I was here in April. Too tired and sore to even make conversation. People keep asking where I'm from and its getting more and more difficult to answer. Where am I really from?
Pack up camp, breakfast, filter water and I'm on my way down just after 6am. Woo boy does it feel good to be going DOWN. Long legs and strong knees means I can zoom my way down most trails.
Soon after I set off I began running into people who started their hike at the very bottom. I wish I wasn't so focused on getting down and would have enjoyed my surroundings a bit more.
Back to my car in 2.5 hours and starving. Good thing Manitous Springs is full of touristy breakfast places!
Driving to Boulder I have a perma-smile on my face again. I can't believe I'm lucky enough for all of THIS to be my home for the next two years. Could not be happier.
Once in Boulder I found a storage place and got rid of about half of the things in my car. Oh hey, I can see out of my back window again! Still feels like too much stuff left in my possession. I bet I won't use most of it.
Things I will not miss about Texas: being itchy. I've got the Texas Itchy Trifecta from hell. Poison ivy on my arms. It was probably on my gloves, inside and out. Mosquito bites, of course. And chiggers. Those invisible bastards (can't even slap them with satisfaction) that like to focus on ankles, belt line, armpits and other unpleasant areas. I was spared the worst of it, but still. I just want it all to stop itching!
I was able to navigate Boulder without a map, after only being here once, for 1.5 days. Score!
Staying at the hostel tonight. The girls are not as friendly as the time I was here in April. Too tired and sore to even make conversation. People keep asking where I'm from and its getting more and more difficult to answer. Where am I really from?
06.05 Day 3
Up with the sunrise. What is this? Could it be... colder weather? I may have to put on a sweater!
Breakfast, filter water, pack warm clothes. Start heading up a little before 7am.
Sleeping at 10,000ft did not help much with adjustment to elevation. This trail is kicking my butt again.
About 2 miles in I took a break. After sitting for about ten minutes I decided to take my resting heart rate. almost 25 beats above my normal. Damn!
Right below the tree-line there were a lot of bristlecone pines (some of the oldest trees in the world). Not much wildlife around. Saw a couple of marmots in the rock piles above timberline. Kept looking up for mountain goats or bighorn sheep, but no luck.
Funny thing about hiking up to peaks is that you don't see them until the very end. Pike's Peak was out of sight until the last 2.5 miles, once I got above the trees. Around there I saw first hikers of the day. They caught up with me pretty quickly, those champs. they were from Dallas (ha!) and this was their first "real hike". They started at the bottom at 4.30am. Telling you, these two were CHAMPS!
The girl was out of water(minus 10 points from Champ status) so I gave her almost a liter of mine. We spent the remainder of the hike together, passing each other after breaks, encouraging each other. The temperature was now close to 30 degrees with strong winds. Big clouds were catching on the peak and sticking around. It was clear that I wouldn't see any of Colorado from the top.
Another set of soul-crushing switchbacks to get to the top. 70 steps, 20 breaths. 700 steps, 20 breaths and on and on and on.
Finally I was at the top! First hiker at the summit that day I think. The couple fell behind on the switchbacks. It was definitely below 30 degrees with the windchill. My hands were cold and mind was slow. Damn.
The thing about this peak is that its a tourist heaven. You can drive up there or take the cog railway train up. Some people (like the Dallas couple) hike up and then take the train or hitchhike back. Some people take the train and then hike down. Some just take the train there and back. There is a restaurant at the top, serving "world famous" donuts, hot chocolate, beef stew, burgers and other comfort foods. Souvenir galore.
My wilderness experience was ruined, but at the same time I really appreciated being able to sit down in warmth and have food. Pretzel(the big, soft kind) and a Twix candy bar for us vegetarians.
Cell phone service, so I could update facebook and text Tyler. Such a bummer he couldn't make it for this adventure with me, being a responsible leader and all. I would have loved to experience it all with him as a celebration of our season. Although, our season was WAY easier than this hike.
I waved goodbye to the Dallas couple as they boarded the cog railway train and started back down. So much easier! Except for the nagging headache that didn't leave me for the whole 2.5 hour descent. On the way down I chatted with a few hikers, making their way from the very bottom. You're almost there! You got it!
Back in camp stretching out my legs felt like heaven. Little chipmunk stole a couple of my nuts while I wasn't paying attention to my food bag. That jerk! I went over to the cabin again to get some Advil and chatted with the lady there some more. She's doing an independent botany study on some of the less known/visited areas of the mountain. That day she went out to collect some wildflowers and was in the process of pressing them. AWESOME.
Asleep before sunset AGAIN.
Breakfast, filter water, pack warm clothes. Start heading up a little before 7am.
Sleeping at 10,000ft did not help much with adjustment to elevation. This trail is kicking my butt again.
About 2 miles in I took a break. After sitting for about ten minutes I decided to take my resting heart rate. almost 25 beats above my normal. Damn!
Right below the tree-line there were a lot of bristlecone pines (some of the oldest trees in the world). Not much wildlife around. Saw a couple of marmots in the rock piles above timberline. Kept looking up for mountain goats or bighorn sheep, but no luck.
Funny thing about hiking up to peaks is that you don't see them until the very end. Pike's Peak was out of sight until the last 2.5 miles, once I got above the trees. Around there I saw first hikers of the day. They caught up with me pretty quickly, those champs. they were from Dallas (ha!) and this was their first "real hike". They started at the bottom at 4.30am. Telling you, these two were CHAMPS!
The girl was out of water(minus 10 points from Champ status) so I gave her almost a liter of mine. We spent the remainder of the hike together, passing each other after breaks, encouraging each other. The temperature was now close to 30 degrees with strong winds. Big clouds were catching on the peak and sticking around. It was clear that I wouldn't see any of Colorado from the top.
Another set of soul-crushing switchbacks to get to the top. 70 steps, 20 breaths. 700 steps, 20 breaths and on and on and on.
Finally I was at the top! First hiker at the summit that day I think. The couple fell behind on the switchbacks. It was definitely below 30 degrees with the windchill. My hands were cold and mind was slow. Damn.
The thing about this peak is that its a tourist heaven. You can drive up there or take the cog railway train up. Some people (like the Dallas couple) hike up and then take the train or hitchhike back. Some people take the train and then hike down. Some just take the train there and back. There is a restaurant at the top, serving "world famous" donuts, hot chocolate, beef stew, burgers and other comfort foods. Souvenir galore.
My wilderness experience was ruined, but at the same time I really appreciated being able to sit down in warmth and have food. Pretzel(the big, soft kind) and a Twix candy bar for us vegetarians.
Cell phone service, so I could update facebook and text Tyler. Such a bummer he couldn't make it for this adventure with me, being a responsible leader and all. I would have loved to experience it all with him as a celebration of our season. Although, our season was WAY easier than this hike.
I waved goodbye to the Dallas couple as they boarded the cog railway train and started back down. So much easier! Except for the nagging headache that didn't leave me for the whole 2.5 hour descent. On the way down I chatted with a few hikers, making their way from the very bottom. You're almost there! You got it!
Back in camp stretching out my legs felt like heaven. Little chipmunk stole a couple of my nuts while I wasn't paying attention to my food bag. That jerk! I went over to the cabin again to get some Advil and chatted with the lady there some more. She's doing an independent botany study on some of the less known/visited areas of the mountain. That day she went out to collect some wildflowers and was in the process of pressing them. AWESOME.
Asleep before sunset AGAIN.
06.04 Day 2
Up with the sunrise. Drove through the plains West to Colorado Springs.
The last hour and a half I had a perma-smile on my face because I could see the mountains again. Pike's Peak was visible from about 60-70 miles away. I'm going to be standing on top of that tomorrow!
Groceries: peanut butter, bread, bananas, apples, pretzels, TastyBites, granola bars. WATER. Camping gear, water filter.
Ready to go!
Barr Trail starts with some soul-crushing switchbacks. Less than a mile away I was reconsidering my life choices. Then I came to a pretty major junction. No labels. This wasn't mentioned in description of the trail. Intuitively I kept going UP, since, you know, that's the way the peak is but I started getting nervous. The last thing I wanted to do was go the wrong way. So I called a few people who I thought may be near a computer.
After a few calls I finally got Kacey, who was near a computer. So here I am, standing on the trail with my big pack, on the phone, while tons of people are walking/running by. EMBARRASSING. Kacey didn't find anything in the description so I just kept going.
The trail from the bottom to the peak is about 12.5 miles, gaining 7,800 ft. My plan was to make the first 6.5 miles (3,800 ft) to Barr Camp. Tough going. Elevation kicking my butt every step. Maybe I should have done this later in the summer when I've been at decent elevations for a while?
I was so happy to see douglas firs again!
People were running past me on the trail. Most discouraging thing ever. I felt pretty in shape during my time in Texas, but now, being back in Colorado I felt like a total fat-ass again. These people are crazy fit.
I arrived at Barr Camp about 4 hours after I started from my car. Not bad, considering elevation and my pack. Chatted with the wonderful people at Barr Camp cabin. You can make reservations ahead of time and stay at this cabin, dinner provided and all. I just camped in the forest. FOR FREE. We talked for a while about life. Thing #7986097 to love about the West - everyone is friendly and loves to chat.
Set up camp near a nice stream, After a few attempts my bear-hang was set up. Asleep before sunset again.
The last hour and a half I had a perma-smile on my face because I could see the mountains again. Pike's Peak was visible from about 60-70 miles away. I'm going to be standing on top of that tomorrow!
Groceries: peanut butter, bread, bananas, apples, pretzels, TastyBites, granola bars. WATER. Camping gear, water filter.
Ready to go!
Barr Trail starts with some soul-crushing switchbacks. Less than a mile away I was reconsidering my life choices. Then I came to a pretty major junction. No labels. This wasn't mentioned in description of the trail. Intuitively I kept going UP, since, you know, that's the way the peak is but I started getting nervous. The last thing I wanted to do was go the wrong way. So I called a few people who I thought may be near a computer.
After a few calls I finally got Kacey, who was near a computer. So here I am, standing on the trail with my big pack, on the phone, while tons of people are walking/running by. EMBARRASSING. Kacey didn't find anything in the description so I just kept going.
The trail from the bottom to the peak is about 12.5 miles, gaining 7,800 ft. My plan was to make the first 6.5 miles (3,800 ft) to Barr Camp. Tough going. Elevation kicking my butt every step. Maybe I should have done this later in the summer when I've been at decent elevations for a while?
I was so happy to see douglas firs again!
People were running past me on the trail. Most discouraging thing ever. I felt pretty in shape during my time in Texas, but now, being back in Colorado I felt like a total fat-ass again. These people are crazy fit.
I arrived at Barr Camp about 4 hours after I started from my car. Not bad, considering elevation and my pack. Chatted with the wonderful people at Barr Camp cabin. You can make reservations ahead of time and stay at this cabin, dinner provided and all. I just camped in the forest. FOR FREE. We talked for a while about life. Thing #7986097 to love about the West - everyone is friendly and loves to chat.
Set up camp near a nice stream, After a few attempts my bear-hang was set up. Asleep before sunset again.
06.03. Day 1
Austin is far behind me now. 600+ miles to be exact.
I left at 6:30am this morning, after a wonderful night of hanging out with my crew and other E-Corps people. Many laughs and beers were shared. It feels as if in another 5 days we’ll all be back together and going on spike again. But alas, we are all going our separate ways.
On the drive out of the city I looked for some hole-in-the-wall breakfast taco place. Last one. I had to have it, one last time. Proper taco and caffeinated beverage in hand I drove out West. By late morning I had passed through the beautiful Texas hill country and was getting into the edges of Southern Plains. I’ve been reading Timothy Egan’s The Wrost Hard Time, which recollects some of the stories of the survivors of the Dust Bowl. Now the names of places I was driving through had history behind them – Dalhart, TX, Boise City, OK and Baca Country, CO. I tried to imagine massive dust clouds rolling over the open plains. The fields laying naked, stripped of the grass, waiting for nature to pick up the dirt and carry it off with the wind. Made the drive way more interesting.
By mid-afternoon I finally made it out of Texas, crossed over the 30-mile panhandle of Oklahoma and crossed into Colorado with a big cheer. This will be my home for the next 2 years! My destination was a trail in Comanche National Grassland that allowed free, dispersed camping. 16 miles over a dirt road and I’m there. Picture Canyon. With about an hour of sunlight left I decided to go stretch my legs and check out this trail. In the first 0.5 miles of the trail I saw at least two warning signs about respecting American Heritage. As you may have guessed the canyon walls have Native American drawings on them. But surely, with so many warnings they would be in top shape. WRONG. People have carved their own names into the same walls, sometimes right NEXT to these ancient drawings. So disappointing!
Fact: I can no longer look at a rock formation without assessing it for climbing potential. Same goes for trails, can’t look at one without thinking about its qualityand how it can be fixed.
I ended up camping next to a nice woman from Estes Park, CO named Libby. There was also a father and his adorably talkative 8-year-old daughter Morgan. She came up and talked my ear off as I was setting up my tent, then ran over to Libby to continued talking to her for the rest of the night. I'm sure it was a welcome break for her dad.
Asleep before sunset.
I left at 6:30am this morning, after a wonderful night of hanging out with my crew and other E-Corps people. Many laughs and beers were shared. It feels as if in another 5 days we’ll all be back together and going on spike again. But alas, we are all going our separate ways.
On the drive out of the city I looked for some hole-in-the-wall breakfast taco place. Last one. I had to have it, one last time. Proper taco and caffeinated beverage in hand I drove out West. By late morning I had passed through the beautiful Texas hill country and was getting into the edges of Southern Plains. I’ve been reading Timothy Egan’s The Wrost Hard Time, which recollects some of the stories of the survivors of the Dust Bowl. Now the names of places I was driving through had history behind them – Dalhart, TX, Boise City, OK and Baca Country, CO. I tried to imagine massive dust clouds rolling over the open plains. The fields laying naked, stripped of the grass, waiting for nature to pick up the dirt and carry it off with the wind. Made the drive way more interesting.
By mid-afternoon I finally made it out of Texas, crossed over the 30-mile panhandle of Oklahoma and crossed into Colorado with a big cheer. This will be my home for the next 2 years! My destination was a trail in Comanche National Grassland that allowed free, dispersed camping. 16 miles over a dirt road and I’m there. Picture Canyon. With about an hour of sunlight left I decided to go stretch my legs and check out this trail. In the first 0.5 miles of the trail I saw at least two warning signs about respecting American Heritage. As you may have guessed the canyon walls have Native American drawings on them. But surely, with so many warnings they would be in top shape. WRONG. People have carved their own names into the same walls, sometimes right NEXT to these ancient drawings. So disappointing!
Fact: I can no longer look at a rock formation without assessing it for climbing potential. Same goes for trails, can’t look at one without thinking about its qualityand how it can be fixed.
I ended up camping next to a nice woman from Estes Park, CO named Libby. There was also a father and his adorably talkative 8-year-old daughter Morgan. She came up and talked my ear off as I was setting up my tent, then ran over to Libby to continued talking to her for the rest of the night. I'm sure it was a welcome break for her dad.
Asleep before sunset.
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