The time is upon me to update this old thing and I have some very interesting things to tell. Let me fill you in on where I have been since I last wrote. I signed on with the NCC (as staff and not an AmeriCorps member) until the middle of Nov. I have had two 8 day tours so far. One was spraying weeds near Elko, NV and the other was a chainsaw tour near Susanville, CA. This first picture is what I woke up to one morning in Elko. This other picture is what I went to sleep to one night in Elko. It isnt listed as such but I think moments like this ought to be listed in the job benefits for the NCC.
This is just a cool picture I thought (right). I didn't edit the colors or anything, that is literally just how it looked. And this picture (below) is of the Columbia river (I think). This is the river that divides OR and WA. I was blown away by this view. Portland is amazing. If you haven't been there you should make sure to get there.
So there is a brief description of what I have been up to but now let me tell you about the things to come for me. So basically the next couple of months look like this for me... I am doing one more 8 day tour for the NCC in Idaho (which is kinda exciting cause I haven't really been to Idaho). Then I have about a week of rest and relaxation. Then comes the exciting part. I am going to be taking a class for a week to get certified to do something called rope access work. This picture of the wind turbine is the type of work that this certification would allow me to do. With my experience in rock climbing, I already have a pretty good understanding of most of these concepts. But once I get a certification I have the potential to get a job doing something like washing windows on skyscrapers, or maintenance on wind turbines, or bridge/dam inspection. Pretty much anything that requires you to be high off the ground is what I could do. Naturally you could see why this might be a perfect fit for me.
After my class I am going to be heading back down to Vegas for a few days to climb in Red Rock Canyon and see some old friends. Then I will fly home for a few weeks for Thanksgiving. I will fly back to Vegas (to do a bit more climbing) and then comes another adventure. So starting Dec. 11 I will be working at a ski hill called Crested Butte, CO. I am going to be a lift operator, so nothing too technical, but still fun. I have a house lined up to live in with 6 other people (from all around the world). And guess what... Crested Butte is nestled in some of Colorados finest climbing. You know what that means... when the snowboarding season ends, the climbing season begins. Damn, it aint easy living the life I do, but someones gotta do it.
Anywho, that about catches ya up on the goings on in my life. I imagine the next time I post a blog it will be around Thanksgiving when I am back at home and done with my class. I hope life is smiling upon you all as it does on me.
Truly, madly, deeply,
Dan
