I just took the comment restrictions off the blog. People were saying that they couldn't leave comments so now everyone should be able to. Please comment your hearts out!
My California friends, Andrew and Pilar came with me on a trek through southwestern Montana for our "weekend." Our weekend is Tuesday and Wednesday. We left the park through the west entrance and headed out to Virgina City home to the infamous vigilantes who hanged 20 "road agents" (outlaws) and buried them on the original "Boot Hill." Read more about it at http://www.virginiacity.com/vigil.htm
The we continued on to Nevada City to annoy each other with calliopes in the music hall. They're really pretty cool. You put in your nickle and this 20 or so foot long contraption springs to life playing horns, pianos, drums and stringed instruments. What's even more impressive is that these things have been driving people nuts since the 1800s!
After the music hall we motored on into Bozeman and went on a shopping spree. Pilar bought a mandolin, Andrew a guitar and I a 0 degree sleeping bag that packs up the size of a football for backpacking. We were so engrossed in our shopping (this happens when you come down out of "the sticks") that before we knew it, it was 10 pm and we were racing against nightfall to find a camping site in Gallatian National Forest. Gallatian is the most poorly marked national forest in the country. About 2 hours and 20 miles later (40 miles if you count the wrong turns) we pulled into Battle Ridge campground only to find a sign reading "Closed to Public Use." I parked the truck in front of the sign and the three of us piled into the back for the night. The 0 degree bag was nice and toasty!
“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing. To keep our faces toward change and behave like free spirits in the presence of fate is strength undefeatable.” -Helen Keller
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Monday, June 25, 2007
Hello Housekeeping...
Let it be known that I have single-handedly changed the course of history for the Room Attendants of Canyon Village.
Up until about a week ago we had this stupid policy in place that required us to go help other Room Attendants in other areas of the Village upon finishing our list of rooms to clean. This might sound good in theory, but in reality it resulted in people dragging their feet, cleaning slowly and hiding out in rooms napping to avoid being sent to work. Being that I have a real job in the real world, I didn't come up here to make money, so I was irritated by this system because it was really cutting into my Yellowstone Time, especially my daylight hiking hours. It went like this for about the first two weeks or so and then one cold, snowy day, I got WRITTEN UP. It was the third day of snow since I'd been here and I had a horrible list of rooms to clean because it was "Due Out Sunday" (the day that most weekend guests are due to leave and their rooms have to be put back together.) My friend Stacey and I had combined our lists and when we finished we were exhausted. It was cold, the snow wouldn't stop so we turned up the heat shut the cabin door and laid down on the beds for a short nap. We hadn't taken any of our breaks yet that day. Well, we'd been there about 10 minutes when the door opened and someone I'd never met was standing there looking angry. She yelled at us and then left without bothering to ask if we had anything to say. She had a band aid over her eyebrow ring, by the way.
So, the next day I'm called into the main housekeeping office. As it turns out, Band aid Eyebrow Ring Girl is the Canyon Housekeeping Manager. She is 22. I sit there for a while with her and the Guy From Personnel and she explains that we are only to take our breaks at 10 am and 2 pm and NEVER to lay on the beds. I apologise for laying on the bed. After a few other formalities she asks if I am OK (at this point, I'm so angry I'm shaking). Then I meltdown and tell the two of them EXACTLY and in great detail, how I feel about the way things have been going and EXACTLY what I think about their policies. In the middle of my ranting they ask me if I want to be a Team Leader. I laugh hysterically and say, "Oh, God no!" Through it all I'm telling myself that they can take their job and stick it, if that's what they want to do. I have a real job in the real world after all. I do inform them of that last little point. By the time I leave they are apologizing for writing me up.
As it happens, I have the next two days off and we go to the Tetons to celebrate Jessica's 21st birthday. When I get back to work two days later and finish my list of cabins to clean I am informed that room attendants are no longer required to help out after they've finished their lists, unless the need the hours and want to work more. Over the last week I have had room attendants, team leaders and assistant managers come up and thank me for throwing a fit and causing the change. They say they tried to do this last year and it never happened. I'm just happy because now I have my Yellowstone Time every afternoon. This has been my best week here. I've hiked at least 12 miles in the last three days after work.
So I clean rooms up here and one would expect that that would entail
some pretty nasty experiences, but wow. Sometimes it just shocks a person. I think it was about my second or third day on the job when we found this sign on the sink of one room. My friend Andrew happened to be our teem leader that day. It was our last room of the day and after everyone whipped out their camera phones and debated about who got to keep the sign he stifled the poo with a big plunger. Andrew is my hero.
I will have to take some time to come up with tips for people who stay in motels in a later post. (Mostly avoid the ice bucket!) P.S. If you ever have to leave a sign like this, you should really leave a tip. $10 a poop is the going rate.
P.P.S.S. If you're wondering about the title of my blog, Exit to Eternal Summers, look up the lyrics to the Fastball song "The Way."
Up until about a week ago we had this stupid policy in place that required us to go help other Room Attendants in other areas of the Village upon finishing our list of rooms to clean. This might sound good in theory, but in reality it resulted in people dragging their feet, cleaning slowly and hiding out in rooms napping to avoid being sent to work. Being that I have a real job in the real world, I didn't come up here to make money, so I was irritated by this system because it was really cutting into my Yellowstone Time, especially my daylight hiking hours. It went like this for about the first two weeks or so and then one cold, snowy day, I got WRITTEN UP. It was the third day of snow since I'd been here and I had a horrible list of rooms to clean because it was "Due Out Sunday" (the day that most weekend guests are due to leave and their rooms have to be put back together.) My friend Stacey and I had combined our lists and when we finished we were exhausted. It was cold, the snow wouldn't stop so we turned up the heat shut the cabin door and laid down on the beds for a short nap. We hadn't taken any of our breaks yet that day. Well, we'd been there about 10 minutes when the door opened and someone I'd never met was standing there looking angry. She yelled at us and then left without bothering to ask if we had anything to say. She had a band aid over her eyebrow ring, by the way.
So, the next day I'm called into the main housekeeping office. As it turns out, Band aid Eyebrow Ring Girl is the Canyon Housekeeping Manager. She is 22. I sit there for a while with her and the Guy From Personnel and she explains that we are only to take our breaks at 10 am and 2 pm and NEVER to lay on the beds. I apologise for laying on the bed. After a few other formalities she asks if I am OK (at this point, I'm so angry I'm shaking). Then I meltdown and tell the two of them EXACTLY and in great detail, how I feel about the way things have been going and EXACTLY what I think about their policies. In the middle of my ranting they ask me if I want to be a Team Leader. I laugh hysterically and say, "Oh, God no!" Through it all I'm telling myself that they can take their job and stick it, if that's what they want to do. I have a real job in the real world after all. I do inform them of that last little point. By the time I leave they are apologizing for writing me up.
As it happens, I have the next two days off and we go to the Tetons to celebrate Jessica's 21st birthday. When I get back to work two days later and finish my list of cabins to clean I am informed that room attendants are no longer required to help out after they've finished their lists, unless the need the hours and want to work more. Over the last week I have had room attendants, team leaders and assistant managers come up and thank me for throwing a fit and causing the change. They say they tried to do this last year and it never happened. I'm just happy because now I have my Yellowstone Time every afternoon. This has been my best week here. I've hiked at least 12 miles in the last three days after work.
So I clean rooms up here and one would expect that that would entail
some pretty nasty experiences, but wow. Sometimes it just shocks a person. I think it was about my second or third day on the job when we found this sign on the sink of one room. My friend Andrew happened to be our teem leader that day. It was our last room of the day and after everyone whipped out their camera phones and debated about who got to keep the sign he stifled the poo with a big plunger. Andrew is my hero.
I will have to take some time to come up with tips for people who stay in motels in a later post. (Mostly avoid the ice bucket!) P.S. If you ever have to leave a sign like this, you should really leave a tip. $10 a poop is the going rate.
P.P.S.S. If you're wondering about the title of my blog, Exit to Eternal Summers, look up the lyrics to the Fastball song "The Way."
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Here are the Missing Photos
The arch reads "For the benefit and enjoyment of the people," refering to the dedication of Yellowstone as the world's first national park. When you check in at HR you pass under a plywood replica of this arch reading, "For the benefit and employment of the people."
Jesus is one of my students.More close-ups of the Art Truck
Basecamp for our Midnight Spring Cave expedition.
Tailgate of the Art Truck
I made it!
Jeff on the trail to the Quartz and Mica mine outside of Grand Junction.
My cabin in Gardiner, MT. I slept here the night before I checked in at Yellowstone.
Me at the Quartz and Mica mine. The foreground is mica chips.
Upon crossing over into Yellowstone I was greeted by this buffalo herd.
Buffalo on Parade!
Jeff checking out the local cusine in Wundervue, CO.
Coyote mom and pup in Yellowstone.
Flowers on Mine trail.Solstice
Whoopee! There is now a Wapiti Internet connection! Wapiti is my dorm. Sometimes I just call it Elk, no one is sure how Wapiti is pronounced.
I got off at 3 pm today and hiked out to Sylvan Springs on the far side of Gibbon Meadows. It is a place that has always caught my attention as we drive by. It's near Monument Geyser basin. The best part was that once I got out there, I could see ANOTHER geyser basin, this one hidden at the foot of the mountain. I couldn't resist so I had to hike out to that one too. I didn't get back until 8:05-5 minutes after I'd requested that they call the rangers to drag my lifeless body from the wilderness. It was a little eerie hiking by myself but I'm determined to get used to it. I'm tired of waiting around for others to find their enthusiasm.
"The Valley of the Shadow" this was an eerie place to walk alone, especially after having read the hot springs chapter of "Death in Yellowstone."
The namesake spring of the Sylvan Basin. This spring boils so vigorously that it is almost a whirlpool.
Overlooking Sylvan Basin, Gibbon Meadows in the background.
A moss forest, actually only about an inch and a half high.
Dead trees in the stone terraces of Sylvan's runoff.
The beautiful pools.
I love this milky blue pool. The pool has a lovely scalloped edge.
Runoff channels.
Gibbon River, meandering through Gibbon Meadows. Isn't a gibbon a kind of ape?
Stone waterfall (dark grey) this is the hidden, second geyser basin I found after arriving at Sylvan.
At the hidden basin.
Also at the hidden basin.
Elk antler in the runoff.
Wildflower called elephanthead for obvious reasons.
The Emerald Pool.
A fluffy marsh wildflower.
I got off at 3 pm today and hiked out to Sylvan Springs on the far side of Gibbon Meadows. It is a place that has always caught my attention as we drive by. It's near Monument Geyser basin. The best part was that once I got out there, I could see ANOTHER geyser basin, this one hidden at the foot of the mountain. I couldn't resist so I had to hike out to that one too. I didn't get back until 8:05-5 minutes after I'd requested that they call the rangers to drag my lifeless body from the wilderness. It was a little eerie hiking by myself but I'm determined to get used to it. I'm tired of waiting around for others to find their enthusiasm.
"The Valley of the Shadow" this was an eerie place to walk alone, especially after having read the hot springs chapter of "Death in Yellowstone."
The namesake spring of the Sylvan Basin. This spring boils so vigorously that it is almost a whirlpool.
Overlooking Sylvan Basin, Gibbon Meadows in the background.
A moss forest, actually only about an inch and a half high.
Dead trees in the stone terraces of Sylvan's runoff.
The beautiful pools.I love this milky blue pool. The pool has a lovely scalloped edge.
Runoff channels.
Gibbon River, meandering through Gibbon Meadows. Isn't a gibbon a kind of ape?
Stone waterfall (dark grey) this is the hidden, second geyser basin I found after arriving at Sylvan.
At the hidden basin.
Also at the hidden basin.
Elk antler in the runoff.
Wildflower called elephanthead for obvious reasons.
The Emerald Pool.
A fluffy marsh wildflower.
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Peak Experiences
This is a pika. He is about hamster-sized and we found him near the summit. Pikas collect grass all summer and dry it to use as hay during the winter. Sometimes they steal hay from eachother.
Shooting star wildflowers.
Me, Jessica, Pilar and Andrew at the summit. 
Summit views.
This photo is for my Mom-thanks for the backpack, I still love it.
Female bighorn sheep, looking so scruffy, we weren't sure what they were.
Cow Parsnips against the slopes of Mt. Washburn.
It's so windy near the peak that half the trees have blown away.
This painting was in the observation towere at the summit. I like it.Wow, this blog thing doesn't work so well around here. Getting online is a major challenge. I had the last two days off. Monday I hiked to Monument Geyser Basin with Rachel and Shane-with-the-broken-arm (there are about 5 Shanes here). Stacy came too, but fell asleep by the side of the trail after the first 1/4 mile. I love Monument Geyser Basin and wish I could share the photos, but they won't upload.
Tuesday Jessica (who is now my roommate) and I went to West Yellowstone. Today Jessica, Pilar, Andrew and I climbed Mt. Washburn. It was really a nice hike. We saw:
Tuesday Jessica (who is now my roommate) and I went to West Yellowstone. Today Jessica, Pilar, Andrew and I climbed Mt. Washburn. It was really a nice hike. We saw:
- TONS of tiny wildflowers
- a pika (sort of a wild, big-eared, alpine hamster)
- mountain goats
- grizzly sow and two cubs
- marmots
- the Grand Tetons on the other side of the park
Again, I wish I could upload the photos... I guess you'll just have to wait. Everything is here, wish you were beautiful.
Thursday, June 7, 2007
Wapiti Dorm Life
OK, forget what I said about calling me. phone is a useless paperweight up here. I guess it still works as an alarm clock. If you just want to leave me a message to say Hi, I do check my messages when I go to Old Faithful or one of the surrounding towns.
I officially have friends now; Jessica from Missouri, Pilar and Andrew who are going to Humbolt in California and Stacy from Houston. Stacy is also 27 and going to nursing school. Jessica will probably be moving in as my roommate. Right now she's in Bison, the underage-no alcohol dorm.
I officially have friends now; Jessica from Missouri, Pilar and Andrew who are going to Humbolt in California and Stacy from Houston. Stacy is also 27 and going to nursing school. Jessica will probably be moving in as my roommate. Right now she's in Bison, the underage-no alcohol dorm.
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