Farther West

Arizona is once again taking my breath away. We left Cottonwood where we were working at Dead Horse Ranch State Park to work at Buckskin State Park near Parker, AZ. We are now 4 hours west of where we were before, and practically in California now. Buckskin State Park, where we are living and working, is right on the Colorado River, which separates AZ and CA. This is a place that is frequented by spring break kids and retirees. I can definitely understand why. When I leave my trailer (yeah, back to trailer life woot woot), I can take a stroll down to the beach and take in the beauty of AZ and Cali at the same time. There is tons of beach/ river rat fun going on here. People speeding by on their boats, people drinking on floating dock bars, and people hiking the mountains that are right on the river. Yup, there’s not only river beauty, there’s also mountains that make up the scenery. The mountains are not as impressive in height as the ones in the Sedona/Cottonwood area. But they still manage to be stunning. They are everywhere. Almost like rolling hills. Tons of palm trees at the base. The mountains are brownish/red and dusty looking with sparse dried out vegetation. There are lots of wrinkles that catch the sun. The sky is incredible too. It’s always blue skies and sunny and about 75-80 degrees in the day (real chilly at night though…desert). We start work at 7am while it is still dark out. As we’re working we see the moon and sun in the sun in the sky at the same time. The moon hovers above the mountains on one side of the sky, while on the other side of the sky the dawn hangs around the mountains and the sun eventually pops up. As soon as the sun makes it above the mountains, the sweatshirts come off. Our work here is pretty exhausting. It’s all manual labor. Very tough stuff too. We are still not doing any of the trail work that we were promised. So far we’ve been removing bushes, taking a barbed wire fence down, moving hundreds upon hundreds of heavy rocks, and removing weeds from the campsites… all landscaping work really. By the end of the day, I’m sunburnt and covered in three layers of dirt. I literally have a red neck and farmers tan. Sore muscles. Showers feel better than ever. The weather makes the work ten times more doable. Once again, we are surrounded by old people in RVs. They’ve been really good to us though. The other day at work a woman that we had never met, Blanch, brought us cookies for an afternoon snack. It was a nice excuse to sit down and relax. Sometimes I think people think we’re convicts though, because of the work we do on the side of the highway. I feel like I’m living a country song. There’s no cell phone service in the park so I’ve been going to a gas station right down the road a lot to make calls. At least once a day I am sitting at a picnic table at the gas station drinking a glass bottled coke. Country song, right?

Three more weeks of working here then the project is over and we’re headed back to Denver for another transition week.

Jerome

The town of Jerome sits tucked away on the green slopes of Mount Mingus in the Verde Valley area of Arizona. At night when we are outside of our studio/cabin in Cottonwood, the only thing we can see besides brilliant stars is the illuminated little town that appears to be a couple thousand feet above us. At night, the town looks like it is floating in the sky. It is well lit among a very dark mountain. Even in the daylight, Jerome is a very cool place. Once a gold mining town, then a ghost town, the town has a very European feel. The narrow streets are filled with homes and shops that wind back and forth that rise in elevation so that each street is just a little higher than the other, and everything seems to be cozely on top of each other. It would be very fitting if the streets were coble stone. They’re not. Besides the very quaint and cozy feel, Jerome also has a spooky side. If you leave the main center of town and follow a street to the outskirts, you go back in time to the mining and ghost town days. There is “museum” of the ghost town, which seems more like a junkyard with very old-fashioned trash. On the chilly late afternoon when I went it was pretty creepy.

One beautiful sunny Saturday we ventured past Jerome, driving up the winding highway that took us up to the top of the Mountain. At 7000 feet we came to a gate. We had not yet seen the summit, we just knew we were towards the top. No views yet. So we parked and got on foot. The mile that we walked to get to absolute top was green and snowy. I was shocked by this contrast of what I knew of Arizona’s red and bare rock scenery. We walked over a frozen lake (in T shirts and shorts). Climbed up some rocks through a forest and came to our first clearing at what seemed like the tip top. Holy ****. On our side there was giant green mountains and on the other side of the horizon was the red mountains of Sedona and past that was Flagstaff. It was a crazy sight. From where we were we could see the Lagoons inside our state park. Like the dork that I am, I put on an Ingrid Michaelson song (“End of the World”) while we were taking in the views. Up there I realized something… That since I went out to Colorado I’ve been chasing views. It’s a weird revelation because I always thought that I was all about the journey. Don’t get me wrong, the hike is always lovely, but there’s something about coming upon a place where it feels like you have a giant’s perspective of the nature around you. Puts a feeling in your stomach. This blog entry needs to end, its getting way to cheesy. Thanks for listening. Let me know what you think about the journey/destination…

Love Love Love!

AZ

“Our battered suitcases were piled on the sidewalk again; we had longer ways to go. But no matter, the road is life.”- Kerouac

Denver, Texas, Denver, Boston, Denver, Arizona.

The past three months…Packing, driving, unpacking, settling, packing, driving, settling, over and over.

Right now, this is exactly what I want to be doing. Just when I’ve been in one place long enough that I get restless and start to itch for a new place, we’re hitting the road. Cottonwood, Arizona is our latest spot. In just the first few days it blew Texas right out of the water. Don’t get me wrong—I loved life in TX, but Arizona has a beauty that I’ve never experienced before. The red rocks that jet up into the horizon, blue sky and sunny 60 degree days, and the out door activities. Ah it’s wonderful!! The environment is just perfect (I’m not too keen on the political atmosphere. Not Surprised about that though). My AmeriCorps winter round project in AZ is broken up into 3 parts. For the first month we’re located in Cottonwood, living and working at Dead Horse Ranch State Park. After this we will live at Buckskin State Park for a week, then onto Lake Havasu State Park for the last 3 weeks of the project.

On our way to Cottonwood, AZ we drove through a snowstorm in the rocky mountains of CO, through green and yellow mountains of eastern Utah, through red rocks and clear sunrises of Native American reservations, to the unfathomably vast Grand Canyon. I feel like I’ve already done more in AZ in two weeks than my whole time in TX. Behind the studio room that seven of us are living in (it’s kind of ridiculous…non stop sleepover) there are hiking trails and small mountains. Cottonwood is a small town but there are some very cute restaurants and bars. Last night we went to my favorite bar that has a wall of tap beers, couches, board games, wifi, and last night was bluegrass/folk live music. There were literally people of all ages. We were definitely among the few young people there. There were tons of middle-aged people drinking wine, and even elderly people dancing with beers in hand. It’s a very lovely atmosphere. We live 20 miles from Sedona, which is known to be a place of bliss and spiritual, emotional and physical healing. People attribute this power to the numerous vortices that are apparently present. People of Sedona say that a vortex is a sight of energy influx and a portal. I want to learn more about this, but people seem to really believe in the power. I attribute the joy that I feel in Sedona to the unbelievable red rock landscape, the blue sky, and the outdoor activities there. Yesterday I went on a 12-mile mountain bike ride on the mountains of Sedona. I’ve never done mountain biking before and at times I literally thought I was going to fly off my bike or my heart would explode from exhaustion. We are at a pretty high altitude here. It’s about 3000-4500 feet depending on the town.

I don’t think I’d be happy on this project if it weren’t for the atmosphere. The work we are doing is pretty brutal. We’re working to remove Cattail from the lagoons in the park. It involves a lot of sawing in the water, raking out giant piles of the weeds, freezing in the mornings, getting wet, exhausting your muscles, and not thinking, from 8 to 4 everyday. Its been a struggle to get through every work day. The morning hours go by very slowly. Luckily last week we got to switch up our work. We went out to Fort Verde, which is a historical state park. We did tons of digging, moving piles of dirt and gravel, and painting. It was really enjoyable because of having difference tasks, we had a very cool sight supervisor, and we were able to have conversations with each other without having the motor saw muffle out our voices.

We only have two more work weeks and one more weekend here in Cottonwood. It feels like there’s lots more to do in the area, but I’m getting pumped to pack up the truck and move to Buckskin and have a new environment to explore.

family on fire

I love my Fire 6 family. Seriously!! I really can’t believe it only took one month and one project round to come to this place. It really feels like a family… a group of people I am forced to have relationships with, have genuine love for, bicker with, fight with, get in trouble with, and laugh my ass off with. When we got back to Denver and saw everyone else on campus, an overwhelming feeling of pride and relief hit me. I wouldn’t want to be on any other team. My team is the shit.

My team is ridiculous. There are some serious characters. Sometimes I want to kill people, and sometimes I can’t contain my laughter. Our team has really defined its personality over the month in Texas. People are very vocal. People speak right up to put someone in place. Every single person on the team loves to party. It’s beautiful. My team has this weird obsession with thrift stores. Don’t get me wrong, I love goodwill, but I’m not down to go thrifting four times a week.

I’m also feeling pretty accomplished at this point. My team of eleven people removed 33,000 salt cedar plants (from little weeds to tall trees). My arms and legs got jacked, but, I don’t feel like I made any kind of impact on the environment or the fight to eradicate Salt Cedar plants, but I feel like I worked my ass off at a job that had no end in sight. The techs we worked with everyday were very upfront and honest about their feelings toward the work we were all doing. They had been doing salt cedar removal for the past year, and they said it just keeps coming back. At some of the tracts we went to all you could see was salt cedar. It was impossible to feel like our work was meaningful. But I am so impressed that we got in the van everyday at 7:15, cut down hundreds of trees everyday, sweat through our shirts, got cut up on the brush, got ticks, and still managed to joke around during our breaks. I think we all learned a lot about pacing and exploring. It was amazing being out on these tracts. We were working next to the Rio Grande everyday. If we were so focused on the plants, we would have missed so much. Everyday was an adventure… Dealing with border patrol, finding abandoned clothing and living supplies, running into armadillos, and finding out things about each other.

After removing the layer of dust and bugs from my skin, I would sleep so well every night in my trailer (except for the night my bunk bed broke off the wall). The first week we did not do much at all. We came home from work and crashed. We got used to the exhaustion though. I’m really thankful that I have such a rowdy team. We went to a few hockey games, watched football at bars, shopped, ate Mexican too much, and most importantly, became regulars at Sofie’s Saloon. Ok think of the best hole in the wall bar with year round Christmas lights, giant backyard, bbq, shuffleboard table, juke box, indoor smoking, dirty, dirty, dirty, Texan bar… That’s Sofie’s Saloon. It was heaven on earth. We were regulars. My idea of bars are forever changed.

At the end of the four weeks in Texas, we cleaned out our trailers (it was a close call for me and Gina’s trailer), got in the vans, drove through Austin and Amarillo, arrived back at Campus in Denver, went to 4Gs (the Mexican bar across the street), and did a quick one day wrap up of our project. 24 hours after getting back to Denver I was on a plane to Boston. Right now I’m just enjoying my wide open schedule, and relaxing my muscles for the Winter. In January Fire 6 is headed to Arizona for 2 months to do trailer work and park maintenance at 4 state parks… Bring on the camping!

Innertubes and Immigration

Today we took a break from removing salt cedar (Tamarisk). The team was split and my group drove an hour west to a do tire and innertube removal on refuge land. There were tons of tires scattered on the land. There used to be a tire dump but when the flood came last year it displaced the tires all over the refuge land. We also did innertube removal. I was confused about this at first but quickly caught on. We walked along the banks of the Rio Grande picking up trashed innertubes that had been used to cross the river to come into the US. While we were walking the banks we ran into two border patrol agents. They came to check us out because they said they heard us. We stopped to talk to them for a minute. Asked the procedures. They said that when they catch people on US soil they bring them to the station and document them. Then they either have the UDA (undocumented aliens) voluntarily go back to Mexico (which usually happens if they are compliant and they do not have a record) or they are officially deported which means they can never legally come to the country.

After we passed the BPAs, two of the people in our group stumbled upon two young men coming upon the shore. When they saw our people they got back in the water. One of our guys got the BPAs that had just passed by. The boys who tried to cross made it back to Mexico. They were shirtless and had a black trash bag. There were tons of trash bags along the shore. When they made it back to their side I felt a sense of relief. Good for them. One of them dove in the water to swim. The actual water is no man’s land. People cannot be touched unless they are actually on the banks of the US side. That was really a crazy thing to see. The wildlife tech that we were with said he thinks that about 1000 people cross the river on the refuge land everyday. He thinks a majority make it successfully.

BORDER TOWN

On Thursday while we were working out in a Resaca (which is just surrounded by nature and nothing else) there were some low flying border patrol helicopters going by. Border patrol helicopters are pretty routine to see in the field (this particular Resaca is literally on the Rio Grande river which separates the US and Mexico). However, the helicopters were lingering and kept flying over the same area. It went on for about ten minutes. I was getting an uneasy feeling. Then one of them swooped down and in Spanish said, “where are you guys going.” That was a very weird feeling. Anytime we see border patrol cars flying by with their sirens on, I feel pretty sad. The Mexican border problem is incredibly in your face down in McAllen. Border patrol and people of Mexican descent are everywhere. I find myself frustrated and thinking about the politics a lot. The trailer park we live in is also very close to the Rio Grande, and we live in a barbed wire gated and locked compound, with border patrol vehicles often sitting right outside at night. Our sponsor organization (the National Wildlife Refuge) talks to us often to remind us of procedures for seeing suspicious people. If we see someone or something going on we are supposed to walk away and let a supervisor know, who will then contact border patrol and then we will have to leave. Our sponsors have told us a bunch of stories about coming across a thousand pounds of marijuana. Apparently the drug problem is of highest concern for border patrol, more than individuals coming to live in the US. At least I hope. I am really really appreciating my time living in South Texas. The weather is incredible, the Hispanic influence is amazing, but I am also really appreciative of living in a place that is so heavily influenced by the border problem. It’s important for my beliefs to have real life experience with my political views. Feel more knowledgeable.

So I live in a trailer park. Never thought living in a trailer would be so enjoyable! I have a roommate, Gina. She was one of my friends from orientation. So that’s cool to live with someone I’m already comfortable with and know that I’ll just become better friends with her. My trailer is huge and so homey! There are two bedrooms on either end of the trailer and a sizeable livingroom/kitchen in between. We have AC! And a bathroom and shower. It’s pretty luxurious. Which is really nice because it’s pretty hot down here and the work we do is pretty exhausting. We work with the National Wildlife Refuge to help get rid of an invasive plant species, Tamarisk, that has taken over since a major flood happened last year. Tamarisk is everywhere! We leave for work at 7:15 everyday, get to the worksite around 8 and then work until 3. It’s been hot! One day the heat index was at 105 degrees. We have to wear steel toes, long pants, and long sleeve shirts. It is some sweaty and physically demanding work! There are small Tamarisk plants that look like typical weeds literally everywhere, but then there is Tamarisk that get up to as big as a big tree. We cut it all down. Using loppers to cut the small ones, sawing the ones that aren’t giant, and working with the fire department to chain saw down the big trees. We worked all week at one region of Refuge land. Luckily we will not be staying at the same place for the rest of the time. The refuge has many regions in South Texas, so we will be doing the same work but in other places. The really cool part of the work is exploring. The piece of land we were working on last week was pretty big. Big enough to get very lost. It felt like I was in Jurassic Park. The ground was all separated as if hit by earthquakes. There is vegetation everywhere! While walking around we are constantly walking through bushes, often thorny ones. While exploring we found lots of clothing scattered. People maybe needing to take off wet clothes after crossing the Rio Grande. I’m constantly keeping my eyes open for snakes, scorpions, and white widows. Legit. I would definitely have a panic attack if I saw any of these. Especially a snake, which are pretty common down here. While exploring the Resaca we found a little puddle with dead Alligator fish in it. Apparently it was the result of the flood. Such a strange sight in a dry terrain.

Yesterday we went to the beach on South Padre Island. It was gorgeous. I can’t believe Thanksgiving in this week! Too warm for that! I’m really loving it down here. There’s only like three weeks left of work before heading back to Denver and then heading home for Christmas. This fall has really flown by.

Goodbye Madison

I’ve met a girl who has stolen my heart. Her name is Madison, and she is a 1-year-old Boxer. It was love on first walk. On Monday one of my friends suggested going to the Humane Society of Littleton. There was a huge room full of crated dogs eager to be walked and a room full of like 20 cats to be pet. Everyday the Humane Society has dog walking hours between 12-1 and 4-5. We just show up and ask to walk dogs. On my first walk on Monday I was given Madison. She is just so great! She is playful, so loving, and happy to be going for a walk. We ran and ran. I tried to give her as much exercise in a short period of time so that I could give other dogs a walk. Each dog that I walked I felt so conflicted whether to give them a long walk and a lot of attention, or to give them shorter walks so that I could give more dogs a walk. I’ve gone dog walking every day this week. I always request Madison first. She’s my girl. Don’t worry Scout and Peanut, you’re still my number 1’s. It’s crazy how much spending time with dogs does for my wellbeing. I’m getting service hours for going, but I’m positive that I would go even without service hours. I look forward to seeing the pups every single day.

I said goodbye to Madison today. It’s probably the last time I will see her. I am leaving for Texas on Saturday morning. It’s funny how big of a deal it feels to be leaving. We had induction today and we were officially inducted into the Corps. We wore our formal wear (AmeriTux). It was very “sentimental” (not actually, it was kinda strange and uncomfortable how significant it attempted to be). But I do feel the significance of leaving campus. Orientation is over. That feels like a big accomplishment. It was honestly pretty tough sometimes to be sitting in meetings after meetings being lectured on the most intuitive information, and watching your behavior and appearance, as to not be corrected by a team leader. I felt very watched. But were off to do some serious and meaningful work! I am sad, though, to leave some of the friends I have made this month. I never thought I would feel so comfortable and attached to people after only a month. But I do, and I like it.

Never thought I would be so excited to move to Texas, and to live in trailers! Were setting off in 2 days, and I am just so ready. My team leader, Pita, is just so great. She is so chill and understanding, but I have so much respect for at the same time. Alright, well I am in the middle of doing laundry, so I should probably finish it up. I have a big day of celebrating and final hoorahs to do today.

PEACE OUT DENVER!