Hitch #1 - Sabino Canyon

I spent the last two weeks working in the backcountry of Sabino Canyon building a trail straight up the side of Mt Lemon.

On Monday morning, I met my crew who I will be working with for the next couple months. The crew consists of two other girls and five guys all of which have worked for SCC in previous sessions. All were very welcoming, and we became fast friends and a close knit working group.

We packed in all our supplies, food, and tools three miles up the mountain like sherpas and arrived to our base camp in the dark. After a quick dinner of reconstituted refried beans, we set up our tents and settled in. The three of us girls shack up together in one tent making life a constant sleepover. We camped next to a creek that acted as our water supply and as our bathing area. If you are wondering what I smell like after working in the hot Arizona sun for 12 days without running water, I suggest you visit your local zoo, go to the American Porcupine exhibit, and take a big wiff.

Tuesday morning we went to work in the beautiful Arizona sun building trail. The work consists of grubbing out a variety of cactus and shrubs and installing supportive rock structures in order to create a highway through the wilderness for tourists and adventure seekers. The work kicks my butt, and I love every minute of it. During the two week hitch, everyone got sick but me, we had a few close calls with rock falls and cactus, and I plummeted to my almost death down the side of the mountain. Its a dangerous job but somebody has got to do it!
I was definitely ready for my weekend off, which I spent at the Flamingo Motel with crew mate Arianna. We accomplished a lot of random errands over the weekend that included the purchase of suspenders and the eating of pizza. Good times!

Trains are Romantic

On monday afternoon I was hired by the southwest conservation corps. By wednesday afternoon I had said all the goodbyes to grand rapids I could, had mostly moved out of my house, and had traveled back to my hometown of niles to drop things off and spend a little time with the fam. Thursday morning I hopped on the amtrak train that took me to chicago and then another that took me to tucson. The romantic idea of riding across country in a train still remains only slightly dimmed by the reality of what it is actually like. I made some wonderful three day long friendships, escaped those with severe mental illness, and was reminded of the real reason most people take the train, which is that you can carry anything you want in your luggage. The landscapes were beautiful, the food disgusting and over priced, and the bathrooms along with one drunk man smelled like piss. I arrived in tucson early this morning having never even seen a map of the city. Tomorrow I start work, a twelve day hitch in the back country that begins with a short meet and greet with my crew who has been training together for the last week.

My work schedule is generally twelve days on, three days off. During my twelve days on I will usually be camping in a back country location with my phone and such turned off. During my three days off, I will be staying in tucson in a hotel, hostel, or with friends with my phone and such on. So if want to chat, leave a message or email me and I will get back to you.

Job!

I have been hired by the Southwest Conservation Corps as a Technical Trails Crew Member in Tucson, AZ. My train leaves from Niles, MI on Thursday morning and adventure will ensue!

I will be back in Michigan in mid-May to visit with the fam before I leave for Ghana in June.