Looking at the responses I receive in e-mail, Facebook, an Instagram, I think that people believe that I am on a glorious summer long vacation. While I am having the time of my life, I wanted to take some time to detail two recent days at work here in the Matanuska Valley.
Day One
The rain began around 5:00 this this morning. It was relaxing to lay in bed and listen to and I defiantly stayed in bed as long as I could, before I had to be in the coffee truck by 8:00. Finally, at 7:50 I left my tent and made my way up the path 140 steps to the kitchen to grab some pop tarts before continuing on to the coffee truck. After going through the morning startup process, we had our 8:30 morning meeting.
After preparing coffee for a few of the guides and working on computer to develop some new staff scheduling options, I was off to the zipline with the owner and some of the interns for them to observe how the operation runs with some clients. The owner let one of the interns drive the F-250 diesel for the first time, and it made me laugh to think that I was in the same position just a few weeks ago. After arriving at the zipline area, I helped prepare the harnesses, helmet, and trolleys (tethers that attached the person to the zipline) and we were ready for our 11:30 clients. The manager and I operated the brake area for a few of the clients, then the interns began their hands-on learning. One of the interns used to work on a zipline. She and some of the others are good with the customer service aspects of the job, and I think they will all work out well at the zipline. By the end of the zipline tour, the rain subsided. Fortunately, I decided to get a good raincoat, which continues to hold up to the rain.
After a quick bite to eat, cleaned the restrooms at then the interns were introduced to the well that we get our water from and the generator the runs the pump. We filled the 275 gallon tank in the back of the truck and drove back to camp to unload it. I then trained them on the different valves and tanks around camp, and how to fill each one using our gravity system – parking the truck on the top of the hill above all the other tanks. As there is no water/sewer system from the local municipality, the tanks in camp serve as the water that flushes our toilets, our drinking water, and our dish water.
I spend the rest of the afternoon in the coffee truck and bouncing over to the yurt, before finally closing the coffee truck around 5:30. Tonight was also the night for me to serve as “base and phone.” The person in that position is responsible to keep their radio (walker-talkie) on to monitor to the treks that have not yet returned, as well as answer any phone calls that come in until 9:00 p.m. While the radio traffic was routine, there were a lot of phone calls. Some of the callers did not speak English as their primary language, making it a tough way to end the long day. During the evening I made some curry and enjoyed it around the campfire with the rest of the crew.
Day Two
It was a sunny and somewhat warm morning. Warm enough to wear jeans and a t-shirt. I woke up early enough to make an omelet with spinach and cheese and enjoy it with a cup of coffee while still on the deck. Following the 8:30 morning meeting, I began splitting firewood with an 8 lb. maul (an ax made specifically for splitting wood) for about an hour. It was exhausting, but also therapeutic. Next, I was called up to the coffee truck to help out until 11:00, when I made the 4 mile drive to the zipline. I checked the 300 gallon gas tank that we keep there. Unfortunately, our fuel delivery company was yet to arrive. The fuel we keep here is used to keep our fleet of 15 passenger vans going, and it is not something we want to run out of.
After the zipline tour was complete, I returned back to camp to begin taking inventory of the general supplies that I am responsible for ordering which includes the camp's paper and cleaning products and all the supplies to keep the coffee truck running. Still learning the process, our coffee was getting dangerous low, but fortunately it did arrive just before we opened our final bag.
Additional projects I began planning are a revised system for our water valves and hoses that run throughout camp, and plans to begin selling some bakery items out of the coffee. Again, I was on "Base and Phone" duty for the night.
The days are full and at times are long when looking at a clock, but the pace and support keep my stress levels low. I will continue to try to post as often as possible. Now down 20 pounds, I continue to be happy with my choice to take the chance and see what this experience would be like.
2 Days in the Valley (1996) - Cast: Terry Hatcher and Jeff Daniels. Plot 48 hours of intersecting lives and crimes in Los Angeles.