Youth Corps is starting to put the pedal to the metal!!! April marks the beginning of our field season, and the Youth will arrive on April 12th to begin their Spring Odyssey through the woods of the northwest, complete with fistfuls of extra-tasty gorp and doubled-over laughter. The Youth Corps office staff has been in full swing as they prepare to spread NYC’s love for conservation and education throughout 5 states. We are bringing in wonderful, quality folks to train as staff from all around the world (that’s right I said WORLD) and we’re pumped about it!
We just had two successful LDP’s return from Arizona, and Corps Respond spent 3 weeks with them as well, all working in the Coronado National Forest and working on their tans. Corps Respond had little time to rest, however, as they are already at it again in Northeastern Washington in Little Pend’ O Reille National Wildlife Refuge, receiving sawyer training and learning Wildland/Urban Interface and will be tying in with a spring session crew to build a fence.
Another LDP, the first long one for the year, will be starting on April 10th, and we’ll be sending them to Arizona as well. And then, by the end of May and by the next edition of eNews, every PC will be working very frantically because we’ll be beginning our field seasons, so be kind and gentle to your local PC.
This summer is shaping up to be another legend to be remembered. Stay tuned to see the amazing places we’ll be going!!
Let the games begin!!!
Ring of Fire- Story 2
The hiker, grasping for breath, took a final step and was rewarded with a flat stretch of trail. Leaning, hands on his knees, he wheezed allowing the precious oxygen to enter his lungs and neutralize his numb, throbbing limb. He could feel the shirt on his back peel back like shed skin as the perspiration soaked fabric pealed away from the flesh; the warm breeze turned to ice as it blew across him.
Grunting with an almost primal satisfaction he straightened. Muffled cracks emanated from the hiker’s spine, and aching muscles groaned almost audibly under the strain of a 60 pound pack.
His brow furrowed an action metaphorical of his stiffening resolve. A shaky first step was followed by another. Sweet stung his eyes, and the sun cascaded down like a fiery waterfall, an invisible wave of magma that beat the soul and spirit with ethereal baseball bats.
Step by step the man followed the winding desert path. Agave and cacti flourished in the stark wilderness. Stunted trees and bushes dotted a landscape otherwise devoid of life. Sharp stone begot sharp stone. Rocks sprouted like saplings from the path and weathered boots prematurely.
Soon the hiker came to the end of the flat stretch of ground. Before him lay a hill of daunting stature. It reached toward the heavens like the fist of some long fallen titan. His legs trembled. He’d come so far; would this be the end? No, he though stoically. I’ve come too far to turn back now.
The hiker peered behind him as he caught his breath. And there they were. A steady line of ants, seven strong, moving fluidly up and toward him along the serpentine desert path. He smiled and looked down at the sweat glistening on his hands. Yes, this is beautiful, he thought. Honest toil for a simple but rewarding goal. A feeling of triumph washed over him like the mist of an artic waterfall. A feeling unparalleled by any other he had ever experienced.
Grinning he stepped forward. His legs ever-steady and strong as he climbed, step by step. The once heavy pack seemed to float, as light as ever. As he crossed the ridge, butterflies accosted his stomach. Rock and stone cliffs stretched into infinity. He had found his place, and he was at peace. He simply was, as was the world that cradled him in arms of earth and sky.
LDP Stories from the Field
Ring of Fire- Story 1
The ring was dim and we were barely able to see each other’s faces, but that didn’t matter. We felt each other’s presence and that was enough. The sun had been down for a couple hours now and the cold air circulated through our lungs and slowly passed by our lips in the form of steam.
I awoke beneath the stars and instinctively checked my watch. It had been only one and a half hours since I first crawled in my bag in hopes of surviving the cold at the base of Mount Shasta. I had packed for the desert, not for the snow and as I lay shivering in my bag while wearing every article of clothing I had packed, this became painfully obvious. My feet were solid blocks of ice. Never before has the idea of global warming been so appealing. I found myself cursing all the selfish people that were not driving S.U.V.s. I felt at that moment that my feet could bring winter to the Sahara.
That was day one. We had barely left Oregon. I had filled my Nalgene with hot water to hold next to my in my sleeping bag. It was now cold, yet I continued to clutch it against my body as if I could miraculously will it back to warmth. I sat up briefly in my mummy bag looking like a six foot worm with the face of a human. Everyone else appeared to be sound asleep. Was I the only one so cold? I lay back down and began wiggling my toes attempting to return feeling to my feet. If toe wiggling were an Olympic sport I feel on this night I would have won gold. Still clutching my Nalgene I tossed and turned all night.
The next morning I found that I was miraculously still alive, slightly grumpy but alive. As I talked with the other crew members we each discovered that we all shared the same experience. We all at one point or another in our restless night looked around and supposed everyone else was sleeping soundly when in fact we had all laid awake all night performing toe gymnastics.
Upon discovering that all of us had the same experience somehow made it less of a tragedy and much more of a comedy. We all laughed. It is strange how sharing an experience can change your perspective. It was only the first of many shared experiences, and commonalities that allowed us to grow as a team; a family.
Ring of Fire- Story 2
The hiker, grasping for breath, took a final step and was rewarded with a flat stretch of trail. Leaning, hands on his knees, he wheezed allowing the precious oxygen to enter his lungs and neutralize his numb, throbbing limb. He could feel the shirt on his back peel back like shed skin as the perspiration soaked fabric pealed away from the flesh; the warm breeze turned to ice as it blew across him.
Grunting with an almost primal satisfaction he straightened. Muffled cracks emanated from the hiker’s spine, and aching muscles groaned almost audibly under the strain of a 60 pound pack.
His brow furrowed an action metaphorical of his stiffening resolve. A shaky first step was followed by another. Sweat stung his eyes, and the sun cascaded down like a fiery waterfall, an invisible wave of magma that beat the soul and spirit with ethereal baseball bats.
Step by step the man followed the winding desert path. Agave and cacti flourished in the stark wilderness. Stunted trees and bushes dotted a landscape otherwise devoid of life. Sharp stone begot sharp stone. Rocks sprouted like saplings from the path and weathered boots prematurely.
Soon the hiker came to the end of the flat stretch of ground. Before him lay a hill of daunting stature. It reached toward the heavens like the fist of some long fallen titan. His legs trembled. He’d come so far; would this be the end? No, he though stoically. I’ve come too far to turn back now.
The hiker peered behind him as he caught his breath. And there they were. The rest of the crew formed a steady line of ants, seven strong, moving fluidly up and toward him along the serpentine desert path. He smiled and looked down at the sweat glistening on his hands. Yes, this is beautiful, he thought. Honest toil for a simple but rewarding goal. A feeling of triumph washed over him like the mist of an artic waterfall. A feeling unparalleled by any other he had ever experienced.
Grinning he stepped forward. His legs ever-steady and strong as he climbed, step by step. The once heavy pack seemed to float, as light as ever. As he crossed the ridge, butterflies accosted his stomach. Rock and stone cliffs stretched into infinity. He had found his place, and he was at peace. He simply was, as was the world that cradled him in arms of earth and sky.
|
