Hard to believe it, but I'm about halfway through my time out here in NM. It's been quite an adventure so far - pretty much everything I'd hoped it would be. We started out with two intense weeks of training over at the Grand Canyon - learned a little CPR, wilderness first aid, off-road driving, how to handle pesticides, and take apart and rebuild a chainsaw. Even had time for a little hike (almost) to the bottom.
Since then we've been all over the Sevilleta NWR - which probably isn't on your maps - but is pretty centrally located as far as things go. We've got some pretty amazing work-sites - mostly canyons and arroyos that are 1.5 hours down back roads (and one that's another 3 mile hike in from there). I walk past mountain lion tracks on the way to work some days, never see a soul except for the my fellow crew members, and am pretty much as far from an office as you can get. I eat lunch on under the sun (which is quite nice in the fall here), and then climb the mountains and mesas that surround us while the crew takes their siesta. I'm also getting pretty handy with a chainsaw, so if anyone's got any downed limbs, I'll be back in the east sometime in the spring.
I'm pretty exhausted most days (we get up at 5 - well before the sun's up, and then some days don't finish until 6 at night). It feels very good to be busy though, so I'm not complaining. We've gotten out to do a bit of exploring on the weekends too - climbed most of the nearby mountains, and then got out to some higher country a couple weeks ago for a nice taste of fall. This weekend it's a UNM-Utah fooball game, a rattlesnake museum, and some good mexican food.
I've got another month and a half here - split between a couple of the other refuges around the Rio Grande, and then it's off to the next adventure - Christmas in India. That's all for now -
Neal
(The buildings in the middle are where I live)
2 comments:
Neal - how great and what a surprise to find your note on this blog. It sure looks like desolate country where you're stationed: I thought you were in some forest on a mountain. That shows how little I know about the southwest.
We had snow this week - not much but enough to remind us of what's ahead. The trees all around here are still carrying their leaves - so nature is sending out mixed signals: autumn/winter; winter/autumn.
Can't wait for tuesday to be over and done with - the end of the anxiety I've been carrying around. One way or the other - a new era will begin. Mr Bush is quickly signing new regulations that can't be un-done by the next president; most of them weaken environmental rules and even some laws.
Good riddance to the whole Bush entourage.
Evan just wrote me this morning - he's looking forward to . . . WOW, YOUR MOM JUST CALLED - I'M TALKING TO HER, SO IS MARTIN AND OPA - EVEN AS I'M TYPING. . . MORE ANON, OMA
Neal - Seeing the pictures is enough to know that you are having a good time. We love you on the east coast but I know you like the wide-open spaces.
Do keep SE Asia informed as to your travel plans. At the moment, I have much free time. I hope that situation will change by the time you get here. We'll see.
Keep enjoying yourself.
bjm
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