the dirtbag sisters: Adventure Weekly: Solo Summit

Guest Post courtesy of the dirtbag sisters! Enjoy!

the dirtbag sisters: Adventure Weekly: Solo Summit: There are moments in our lives when we look at a challenge and say: I want to conquer that. When the prospect of moving to Steheki...

Summer in Stehekin: Day 15

*Well here we are. Part Two of the craziness. The first part might not have been that exciting, but for me and my fellow rescuers, we were on edge for about a half hour. And Monday was just as exciting. And terrifying. So wild the day gets its own post! So here we go!

Monday June 29, 2015

BOOM!

It's 5:15AM when my eyes shoot open. My house is shaking. Trembling. My breath catches in my throat as I sit up. Diane rushes into my room, talking about a rock slide. Rock slide? Did I just hear her correctly?

"What are you talking about?" I ask, scared to know the answer.

"Our house sits on an old rock slide. I thought the rumble was a rock slide." Well that would explain the brand new houses next door…

Again, my breath escapes me. We creep to the small second story window and gaze out on the lake. There's no rain. There's no more thunder.  All is quiet.

CRACK!

My eyes grow as wide as saucers as I watch a bolt of lightning slam into the side of the mountain. Across the lake. One mile from my current location.

Think about the last time you've seen lightning. The spindly crackles of white light that crisscross  up from the ground like think fibers of silk. That's what most of us think of when we think about lightning.

Well, let me tell you something. When it's within a mile from your position and you see it slam into the ground, it's not delicate. Not whatsoever. This bolt of lightning was sent by Thor himself, as if he was hammering a nail into a board. Did I mention the bolt was thicker than the surrounding trees. Yeah.

I'm dressed and downstairs sitting on the porch faster than any human in history. Diane trotted out after, much more immune to the perils of living with fires. We start a casual conversation, but I'm hardly listening. My eyes are fixated on the trees on the other side of the lake.

How long does it take for lightning to start a fire? One minute? One hour? Depends on the level of dryness, the type of trees, the contents of the underbrush. But it comes of no surprise to me that ten minutes later, I see a small wisp of smoke begin to spiral its way out of the canopy.

"Diane," I tug at her shirt sleeve and point across the lake. "What do we do? Who do we tell?"

"Oh, the guys probably saw it."

"Are you sure?" My worry is growing with the amount of smoke. "Should we go tell them?"

"If you want to. I could use the bike ride."

I'm hauling ass up to fire cache, while Diane trails behind at a leisurely pace. Damn that hill though… Burning legs aside, I'm relieved to see one of the fire fighters walking around outside. We tell him about the fire. And he doesn't know. Thank the gods I decided to bike up there.

"Breakfast?" I'm still reeling from the excitement of the last half hour and Diane's thinking about food. Although truth be told, I am hungry…

We quickly the two miles to the bakery. They don't open until 7am. But not for locals. There's always pastries and coffee for the locals. And seasonal workers pretty much are locals. At least I'm starting to feel like it. Two cups of coffee and a vegan muffin and I'm starting to feel more relaxed. Mostly because it's raining.  Pretty hard too. Maybe it'll keep the fire at bay longer enough for the crew to respond.

Rain pretty much means I get a day off, but I end up handing out at the kiosk anyway, before I have to wander up to the store at 4pm. What did I do for lunch? The Bakery again. But only because the soup of the day was gazpacho. The best. Did I mention that I got a free vegan muffin? Yesterday, Robbie (the bakery owner) came in and only had enough money for one bag of ice so I bought her the other on. She gave me a free vegan muffin next time I was up at the bakery. Which just happened to be today. It will make an amazing breakfast tomorrow, for sure.

So I guess you're wondering what became of the fire. Well, that evening, the fire crew (all three of them) wander in, filthy and exhausted, and thanked me for telling them about the fire. It probably would've burned for a few hours before anyone notified them, being that it started so early in the morning. I gave them an employee discount on their purchase and thanked them for stopping the fire. Such great guys. Any because of them (and I guess my persistence) I slept soundly that night.

Lesson Learned: Fire is scary. Obey fire bans and all rules about open flames. Now who to notify if you see a fire start in your area. Don't mess with the flame. It will burn you and most of the forest around you. No joke.

Summer in Stehekin: Day 11 - 14

Enter = The Most Action Packed Week of My Life! From Thursday June 25 through yesterday, July 6, has been day after day of exciting-don't know which way is up and down-non-stop crazy! So let's get started with Part One!

Believe It Or Not: This is a Reflection

Thursday June 25, 2015

I've been doing this thing. So the other two retail workers, Rachel and Collin, have their two days off Monday-Thursday. Since I'm the only other main retail person, this has required me to work 7am-ish til 3pm at the kiosk and 4-8pm in the store. Now I understand it's my own doing. I want to be at the kiosk, so I'm sacrificing my sanity doing something I love. But still it's starting to wear on me. Anyway…

Today was another of those days. But it made it all the better because I guided a group of four friends who were just tremendous people. Luanne, Jim, Michelle, and Dion. Jim was scared of the water, but I helped him through it and we made it across to see the pictographs just fine.  I recommended that they rent bikes and take them up to High Bridge and then bike back. They loved it. They started calling me their tour guide. It makes me feel so good that I can help make someone's experience here in Stehekin that amazing. I love that part of my job.

Michelle, Luanne, Dion, and Jim

I forgot to mention it! Robbie made me a vegan muffin! Cranberry Nut Spice! Yummy!

Friday June 26, 2015

Another busy day. Full day on the water before noon, then beat the heat with Luanne, Michelle, Jim, and Dion. Met Priscilla from Leavenworth and hung out with her a lot too. Highs of 100 seem to be a constant… Stayed inside tonight and watched a movie. First TV since I got here!

Saturday June27, 2015

Today was a great day! Another morning with a lot of paddlers super early and with highs in the 100s again, I went swimming in the afternoon. I honestly never thought I'd be swimming every day, but I'm very happy I have a job where I can wear my swimsuit.

Everyone is super excited about tonight. Apparently it had been a very long time since the Lodge has had live music on the deck. A group called Folias, composed of a flute and guitar, played a wonderful concert for the restaurant.  Playing the flute myself, I was particularly interested. They were fantastic. They had moved inside the restaurant to escape the heat and I listened for a few minutes before I decided to get up and help the wait staff. The ice cream was melting too quickly and there were too many people in the restaurant for the staff to handle. So I jumped in; at least for a little bit, before I got 'yelled' at. Mary and Diane told me to sit down and relax. Although they appreciate my helpfulness.

Afterwards, I went outside to listen to Folias some more and even got to talk to Cameron about her flutes (she had a piccolo and an alto!). I even bought a CD! So excited to download it and get it on my phone to listen to.

Cameron, the flutist for Folias

Sunday June 28, 2015

Now we get into the two days of pure insanity. Day One: The day started out like any other. I had paddlers out early in the morning and it was hot. I decided to clean the boats which was a good excuse to get wet. By 9am I was sweating and it was already miserable.

[Side note: I seem to wake up every morning with a new bruise… That's what I get for tossing around kayaks all day!]

Around 1pm a family of four came down and they hoped into two sea kayaks and the canoe and were off. At 2pm I put Margaret, George, Norma, and Mike into kayaks and sent them off to the pictographs. Shortly after, Jonathan decided he wanted to go out for a little bit. So I sent him out. Just as he reached the wake barrier, things went south. Fast. Within seconds the winds had gone from 0-20+ MPH. Jonathan turned around immediately and came back in.

[Keep in mind, that during my safety talk prior to putting people in the water, I emphasize the valley's unique weather systems. This includes forceful down-lake winds in the afternoon. I remind them to avoid open water and to hug the coastline around the top of the lake. Take the extra time by taking the long way round. So my boaters are aware of the risks by going out in the afternoon.]

As soon as Jonathan is safe on shore, I grab my binoculars and start finding my boats. I easily find the two couples by the pictographs and then I notice someone else with binoculars looking out at them too. It's Maria: a ranger with the Park Service. I yell out to her and ask if she sees them. She says they're struggling and she's going out to help. I acknowledge her and she runs off to notify Sonja, the EMT who hops on the boat and they head out.

Knowing that the NPS is helping those four, I start looking for the family who I know are up-lake. Finally I find the dark green canoe and orange kayak. But I can't find the yellow one. I hear Phil over the walkie-talkie say that there's a capsized yellow kayak near Weaver Point campground. Instantly I'm worried, but the canoe and other kayak are no one near Weaver Point, paddling in the opposite direction with no additional passenger, and with no intention of turning around. So whatever Phil saw in the water was not one of ours. I handed the binoculars to Corey, one of the Lodge's admins and he finally found our yellow kayak close to the right shore. With the extent of down-lake wind, I knew the family would eventually make it back to the docks, safely and I left my co-workers to help them in.

By this time the two couples had gotten separated, with two of them managing to make it towards the boat docks and the other two were being helped by the NPS. I discovered during this whole ordeal that my walkie-talkie picks up the NPS channel and I was able to communicate with them, helping to facilitate the rescue. I ran down the docks and blew my whistle alerting the two boaters to allow themselves to drift back towards me. They were initially trying to get to my kayak dock, but I didn't want them working any harder than necessary. So they came up to the boat dock and I got them off the lake there.

The NPS boat picked up Margaret and then provided support for Mike as he made for the boat ramp. I met him there and we both walked over the docking NPS boat. Everyone congregated back at the kayak dock, wearing huge smiles. It might have been an intense experience, but everyone was in good spirits. Bee, the 12-year-old daughter, who was in the canoe, said she barely paddled on the way up, making her dad do most of the work, but on the way back she never stopped. She said her paddle barely made it into the water half the time, the waves were so big. Her brother Zak, said he wanted to hold onto his lifejacket because he wasn't sure what other crazy adventures his parents had in store for them on that trip. They made me laugh.

Afterward I sat with the two couples and we spent an hour talking about the event. It's funny how when something happens, you feel the need to talk about it into the ground. We found ourselves repeating the events from everybody's perspective, laughing, knowing the stress of it was all done.

When I had informed Mary that everyone was safe on shore, she responded by telling me that I did a wonderful job and that I earned my pay for the day. Later on, she told me that today was why she hired me and everything else I do this summer is superfluous. Completely made it worth it.

Took it easy tonight; watched the Producers with Klis and then bedtime at 10pm. Wow.

Stay tuned for Part Two!

Summer in Stehekin: Day 6-10

Welcome Back! The past week or so has been crazy hectic! And super exciting! So without further ado, Days 6 - 10

Saturday, June 20, 2015 = Welcome Home
Today was my first official day in my new position. Kayak Girl! Sounds like a superhero name (Looking back on it now, I guess that's pretty accurate). So what does a kayak girl do? Well, let me explain. I'm still working for the lodge. Actually this is the job I was initially hired to do. So I'm still in retail, periodically working in the store to cover days off and the such, but the rest of the time I'm done at the kiosk, renting kayaks. I guess hiring someone to run the kiosk stemmed from some safety issues from last year. So here I am!

The kiosk is a little shack that was originally located closer to the landing but was moved down here to be able to lock up the kayaking gear. So it's an understatement to say that it needed to be cleaned out and organized. So, day one at the kiosk = cleaning, inventory, maintenance, and reorganizing. I hung all the PFDs from a line I hung on the wall. I collected all the old light fixtures since there isn't electricity into the building anymore. I cleaned the cobwebs, washed the windows, and swept the floors. Now it actually looks acceptable for business.

Part of my job entailed rewriting (or writing, for the first time) safety and standard operating protocols. As I assisted eight paddlers today, I started mentally putting together a list of rules and methods that we would need to post in the kiosk and have ready in case of an emergency. This process is going to be more work than the cleaning.

My New Office

Sunday, June 21, 2015 = Black Caps and Making Rules

Another exciting day at the kiosk! It was a bit windy and slow for the rentals, but it enabled me to type up all the documents we would need for the kiosk. So I brought my computer down to the hut with me, settle into a comfy kayak and set to work, the mountains as my screensaver. Perfection.

Part way through the day, I had a young woman come to kayak. Emily Lester is a photographer from Seattle and is an amazing artist. We connected later on Instagram and it will be exciting to follow her in her pursuits.

Stephanie swung by the store today. In case I haven't introduced this new character, she is a bakery worker who is about the most wonderful human being ever. She's kind, compassionate, and friendly. We became instant friends and its always a joy to see her smiling face around Stehekin. Strolling into the store bearing the battle scars of a lengthy day bush-whacking for black cap raspberries, she offered me some of the fruit to my delight. They truly are delicious! Hope we can go on an adventure together...

Mary approved all of my documents and she will print and laminate them for me to hang tomorrow. Very important, because tomorrow is our inspection by the NPS (I think its NPS…)

Working Hard...

Black Caps!

Monday, June 22, 2015 = New Waters

Boy, today was busy! Eleven kayakers and two guided trips. That's right folks. I lead trips! How exciting! While Mary was stressing out about the inspection and running around like crazy, I was on the water helping two families. The first was Jun and her son, Shuyang and her mother, Guiyiang. They had never kayaked before, so I offered to go with them. They were overjoyed. And while I assumed Jun and Shuyang would be the gung-ho ones, 70 year old Guiyiang was the one eager to go faster and out paddle her daughter and grandson. It was wonderfully amusing and amazing. She was so confident for someone who'd never paddled before. They were so grateful I went with them, they tipped my $10. My first guide tips!

The second trip I did was with another family. Filipina, her daughter Yeline, and her husband James. It was originally just going to be mother and daughter, but once they got on the water, the father couldn't be left out. I put him in a boat and we went to see the pictographs (I'll explain in just a bit). When we got back and I took them up to the store to pay, they really wanted to tip me, but didn't have any cash. Bummer! But then again, I love my job, so the smiles are worth more than any amount of money. Renting kayaks is one thing. But when I'm actually with the people I'm putting on the lake, there's a sense of accomplishment that doesn't come from anything else. This must be what it feels like to be a teacher.

I met Emily, the inspector, who told me that the kayak kiosk looked amazing. Mary had wanted me to be around in case she had any questions, but she had none! She said everything looked great and organized and that every requirement she'd set had been met and outdone! I think Mary's happy with me ;)

Trip One: Couldn't ask for a better day!

Cascade Magic

 Tuesday, June 23, 2015 = First Day Off!

Wow is it windy. I guess I should mention the weather here. For the most part it's beautiful. Most days we have no clouds in the skies, which is amazing. It's warm, sometimes hot, but not unbearable. The mornings are my favorite time. There is no wind and the water is like glass. The sunlight streams over the mountains, lighting up the water like little jewels. Not to mention illuminating the deep blue of the lake. The one downfall to my job is the afternoon winds. Sometimes as early as 10am, but most days around 2-4pm, we get very high down-lake winds that sweep through the valley. Like today. Early winds preventing any kayaking. But actually I'm okay with that. That means I get a day off. My very first!

So what's a girl to do on her day off? Go slacklining in the park (though I'm having trouble finding good trees). Meet up with coworkers and go swimming. My first time in Lake Chelan was shocking. Literally. With temperatures barely entering the 60's in late August, the glacially fed waters of Chelan are a great way to cool off and instill a thrill in your heart. So Chloe, Else, Carly, Amanda (bakery) and I jumped into the lake. Chloe is an amateur documentary filmmaker and she filmed the plunge. And apparently she wants to interview me this summer about slacklining and being vegan in a remote location. She's doing a film about alternate lifestyles. Very cool!

After our swimming adventures, we changed and headed up to the local baseball game. Most nights there is something going on somewhere on the 'island.' Tuesday's is baseball night. There were a lot of people there, most of them I didn't know, obviously. Mostly locals, the seasonal workers, and the WCC (Washington Conservation Corps).

I met Ron, who is the owner of Discovery Bike Rentals. He's also the local school teacher, principal, superintendent, ect. Let me clarify. Stehekin has a year-round population of 83 people. Some of them have children, so naturally there is a school here. The school teaches children from kindergarten through eighth grade. This fall's attendance is four children (which is the minimum they can have to keep the school open). So what happens after eighth grade (or if there are less than four kids)? They have to go to school in Chelan or elsewhere, staying with friends or family. But here's the cool thing. Every kid that has left the Stehekin school has gone on to place in the top five of their graduating class. Many of them end up as valedictorian. Wow! With a personalized schooling system like Stehekin, you really do get an amazing education.

Breezy Morning!

Valley B-Ball



Wednesday, June 24, 2015
Not much to say on Wednesday. Guided a young woman, Rachel from London, across the lake. Her boyfriend wasn't feeling well and she didn't want to go by herself. So I took her to see the pictographs. I guess since I don't have much to say about the day, I'll tell you about the pictographs.

Across the lake are a series of paintings, called pictographs (petro glyphs are carvings), that we call the Painted Rocks. Original, right? They have been examined by archaeologists and have been dated around 5,000-8,000 years old. They lie right about the water line, a mile from the landing. Here's the puzzle. Two hundred years ago when white settlers first came up-lake, Lake Chelan was 22 feet lower than it is today (due to the Chelan Dam construction that raised the lake level). So how did the paintings get onto the rock, 22 feet about the water line? To answer that, we have to remember that the mountains and gorge here were carved by glaciers. So thousands of years ago, there was still receding glacial ice on the lake. So the current theory is that the people, who used the Cascade Pass as a trade corridor (Stehekin actually means 'the way through') walked across the glacial ice and documented their passing. Pretty cool huh? I'll put some photos below.
 

Ignore the 1946 graffiti

So amazing!

Summer in Stehekin: Day 2-5

Tuesday = Snoozeday

I slept for twelve hours. I know that sounds like a lot, but I needed it for sure. And I probably could've slept longer. When that alarm went off, I wasn't fully rested, but nevertheless I had to be at work. So off I went. Stehekin is awesome; retail work, not so much. But I knew that coming into the position. I will complain about this one thing. We have the most bizarre shifts. There's the opening shift: 8am-4pm and the closing shift: 11am-8pm. Now the opener gets a 30 minute break, but the closer gets an 90 minutes break. Why? You might ask. Well, because it's beneficial to have two people in the store during ferry times, which is 11am-2pm. While understandable, it doesn't make it any less annoying. So today, I'm working the closing shift.

Here's how a typical closing shift works:

11am: run around and help guests and ferry passengers

11:15am: answer questions (usually 'what time does the ferry leave? 12 pm. How far is Rainbow falls? 3.5 miles. Is this where we check in? yes it is. do you sell smoked salmon? No, but we have capers.)

11:30am: check in guests and ring up purchases (mostly trinkets that will probably get lost)

11:45am: answer more questions (when does the rainbow falls tour leave? You missed it. Where is the ranger station? Right up the road. Do you like living here? Absolutely!)

12pm: relax for a half hour, while the opener goes on break and we wait until 12:30 when the second ferry gets in

12:30pm: run around and help guests and ferry passengers

12:45pm: answer yet another round of questions (how much is a shuttle ticket? $7 one way. Can we make reservations to fly out instead? Yes, but they have limited availability. Is this the only store? Yes it is. Do you live here all year? No, just for the summer. 75 cents for a postcard? Yes.)

1pm: check in more guests and wonder if the last reservation is coming in on the 4pm plane

1:30pm: look at the clock and wonder why more people aren't heading towards the ferry

1:55pm: laugh, because you hear Mary over the walkie-talkie asking where the rainbow fall tour bus is, making sure it'll be back to make the ferry

2pm: sigh in relief and start refolding shirts

2:15pm: go on your 90-minute break! Where you will eat a quick lunch and take a nap that will turn out to be a mistake

3:45pm: return to work and help the opener with their deposit, aka sign off that the correct amount of money is there

4pm: prepare for the most boring night of your life…

4:30PM: ….

5pm: Help a stranded PCT hiker figure out a route around some bridge outages

5:30PM: Beer30! (where everyone comes to get their beer for the evening. Mostly co-workers buying 6packs and guests buying singles to drink on the deck)

6pm: …. Swept the floors… I think I stocked the fridge case…

7pm: Overheard Mary say there was WIFI on the deck! YES!

8pm: Closing time!

I know this makes me sound a little cynical, but truthful it is super boring and the questions are repetitive. But the people (save for a small few) are incredible! My co-workers are super friendly and inviting and the guests are genuinely thankful for your outstanding service. The PCT hiker I helped asked my boss directly how he can write a personal review of the hotel and me for my service. On my second day!

I'm sure that throughout the summer I will share horrible stories of really crappy guests. But I will try to balance it out with stories of amazing guests (which I will emphasize are closer to the norm). And of course I will throw in some silly stories too!

Wednesday = Another Day Another Dollar

Not much to say for Wednesday. Work. Spent too much time chatting with my husband and didn't have time to cook dinner so I ate a sandwich. Wish today was more interesting.

Thursday = Holy Thor's Day

Opening after you closed used to mean (in the BK world) leaving work at 1am and coming back at 6am. Here it's leaving at 8:30pm and being back at 7:45am. So definitely an improvement, but no less tiring. I occupied most of my day doing inventory, which is tedious to say the least. Mostly because there is stock stowed practically everywhere. But nevertheless it was an uneventful day. Until…

Taco Night! I bought a can of beans from the store and cooked up some quinoa and veggies, added some salsa and warmed up some tortillas. Bite number three, my permanent retainer comes loose. I push it down and keep eating. First mistake. Bite number four, my retainer is gone. Swallow. Oops.

Yes, you read that right. I swallowed a 1.5 inch piece of metal wire and I didn't even notice. So… Now what? I was eating with my roommate Diane who told me to see the NPS EMT. I decided to try the emergency lines for my dentist and orthodontist first. So I wandered back to the lodge to find my boss to tell her the situation. Well, her over anxious and severly sarcastic husband decided to ring the silent alarm for the town. Twenty minutes later, as Phil and I and two other employees are sitting on the deck, a light blue pickup comes barreling down the road and a sandy-haired woman comes racing up the steps.

"What's the emergency?" she says to Phil, who is reclining on the deck smoking a cigar.

Phil points to the small cut on his leg from several hours ago and says "I cut myself."

She laughs and I'm glad to see she's used to his twisted sense of humor. She takes me to the Medical Cache up at the park office and we sit down and begin a SAMPLE history (a medical recording acronym used to obtain pertinent information from the patient). Halfway through I began to anticipate the questions and that led her to ask if I was WFR. Well, yes, yes I am. (This will come back up in a second)

Apparently we have a direct line to the EMS and hospital in Chelan, so she called and asked about what I should do. Their answer? Drink lots of water and eat normally. People have swallowed worse. Made me feel a whole lot better to know that I wouldn't have to get airlifted out of Stehekin with an $8,000 helicopter bill. So if any issues arise, I'll take the ferry out and figure it out from there.

So the WFR thing. Sonja, the resident NPS EMT asked, since I was looking to volunteer with the park service this summer, if I was interested in being a volunteer EMT this summer. Hell yeah I'm interested! She has to contact her supervisor and I'll find out next week, but this could be a new door opening for me!

So there's exciting Thursday!

Friday = Funday

My first day off! What's a girl to do? Explore! I was originally going to go kayaking with Adam (head waiter) at 9am, but the wind was at it again. But it was clear and beautiful and warm and I knew I had to do something. So I threw my bike onto the 11:35am shuttle bus (which is free for employees) and travelled the hour to High Bridge camp. When I arrived, there were several people waiting for the bus. One, Joe, is a cook at the lodge with a rather colorful record (not going to say for what). The others? PCT HIKERS! My favorite! These three also did the AT in 2013! So we swapped trail names, some trail moments, and a bunch of smiles. Soon, the bus drove off, leaving me all alone 12 miles from town.

The PCT crosses directly through High Bridge (or close to directly through) and I decided to wander around a bit. So I left my bike against a bench and began to walk. Let me just say that it is… GORGEOUS! The Angus Creek cascades down through the gorge and the huckleberries are in bloom. I walked south of the PCT for about a mile then turned around, knowing that I could keep walking all the way to Mexico if I didn't stop. Someday…

So I started my bike back and boy is that not the funnest ride ever! And yes, funnest is a word. Right out of High Bridge the road takes a steep downhill for about a mile and its fast and fun. Perfect way to warm up my bike. The rest has some fun downs, some relaxing flats, and some quad-busting ups. All together: amazing ride! Here's some pictures:

High Bridge

Trailhead: Left for South of the PCT

Mount McGregor in all his glory!

Gorgeous little pink flowers on the PCT

This adventurer loves the view!

Take two steps, eat a huckleberry. Repeat 100x

Now entering...

Some of the best downhills to the best views!

I decided to stop at the bakery on my way back. Apparently the bakery is renowned for its delicious sweets. Unfortunately for me, I can only have like two things. But that wild rice salad and coconut iced Chai with three sourdough rolls was delicious! Second stop on the way back as to the Garden. Owned my local, Carl, the garden is an all organic farm which sells to the locals. I'm a local now, so I got some delicious butter lettuce and bok choy fresh off the stem and yummy cherries from Chelan. Both places do running tabs for locals. Now I just have to make sure not to run them up too high, lol!

Wild rice salad with sourdough rolls and a coconut milk Chai!

I made a quick stop at the lodge before going home and I'm glad I did. The night wait staff and cooks were panicking because we had 52 people in house and they didn't think they would have enough people to manage the dinner shift. So I volunteered to be their dishwasher. Well, they gladly accepted. I'm glad I did too. They got slammed and I'm not sure what they would've down without me. I got to play hostess, waitress, and dishwasher. And they tipped me too! Four hours of paid work and $20 in tips! I'll volunteer any day!

Best photo of the day! Rainbow Falls!

But now I'm exhausted and ready to crawl into bed. I was going to merge today (Saturday) in with this post, but I'll have to update that later. Wishing you were all here!

Summer in Stehekin: Day 1

Day of Surprises!

Day one started on three hours of sleep at four o'clock in the morning. With too much to remember to pack, heavy eyelids, and too few moments with my husband, we packed up the truck, picked up my in-laws and began the two hour trek to Chelan. An uneasy feeling settled into the pit of my stomach during the car ride. My husband and I unable to intimately express the deep feelings of loss that would occur in only a few hours, made the parting quiet and sad. But I knew he supported my decision to come here wholeheartedly and that made my last glance towards him that much more meaningful.

June 15, 2015 couldn't have been a more beautiful day. The skies were completely clear of clouds and there was a light breeze as the boat steamed up-lake. I was told there was another employee (Carly, I know right!?) but I never met her. I spent the boat ride sitting on the outside deck, wind in my hair, my adventure anthems blaring through my earbuds. As American Authors' "Best Day of My Life" started playing, I couldn't help the childish grin from creeping up on my face. I was setting out on the adventure of a lifetime and Stehekin couldn't appear fast enough.

Greeted immediately by Mary Martin, head of Housekeeping, I instantly felt the Stehekin magic that surrounds all of its inhabitants, whether permanent or seasonal. She led me to my immediate boss, Mary Weaver, Alaskan veteran and general manager, who showed me to my house. Now, I was under the impression that I was going to be 3.5 miles away from the lodge (which is right off the boat) and I would need to bike to work every day. So imagine my surprise when Mary led me not two hundred yards from the lodge, announcing, "You'll be staying in my house!"

Of course the question, 'Where will you stay?' was first out of my mouth, closely followed by 'Why?' She told me that her husband had stepped down as GM and had taken a job in Alaska (3 weeks on, 3 weeks off) and she didn't need that much space. She'd moved into a smaller A-frame on the lodge property instead. And why? Well, apparently, I was the only person Mary hired. Everyone else on staff was hired by her husband. So I guess that makes me special. Mary does treat me like a daughter…

Not complaining in the slightest, I scurry into the house to my own room (okay, it’s a loft) and set down my stuff. We grab her car and she and one of the chefs helps my unload my gear. With three hours until I'm to report to work, I set about unpacking my things. There is a sun room attached to my room, but I imagine it will get warm there. But I quickly learn that leaving the window open and directing my fan through the door, cool air is in plentiful supply.

I briefly met my first roommate, Klis, who seemed quiet and reserved. Diane, my other roommate (both are in their late 40's) is the complete opposite. We share the second floor of the house and I'm glad we do. She's talkative, slightly abrasive, and awesome. I might be closer in age with the other employees, who are stuck in a rundown cabin further up the road, but I clicked with Diane instantly. She helped me make room in the fridge and cupboard for my food and we chatted about our colorful pasts.

Meeting people like Diane makes me appreciate the luxury and difficulties of living on seasonal work. I imagine it is frowned upon by people who believe in a 9-5 desk job, mortgage, and family out of college, but the carefree, adventurous nature of seasonal appeals to people like me. I love knowing something fun and crazy awaits me. It definitely makes me glad I'm young and able to explore these opportunities.

My Room!

Deep thoughts aside, I was eager to be thrown into work and I hurried up to the lodge at three. I got the tour of the store, met one of two of my co-workers, Collin, and set about learning the computer. I worked until 8:30 pm and went home. The work was easy. I picked up on everything fairly quickly. In truth, the work wasn't anything harder than JCP, BK, and general customer service. Did get to meet some interesting people though (story of the summer, I'm sure).

At home, I made dinner (potato bowl!) and began reading one of the two books a brought along. I didn't get very far, considering I'd slept very little the past few days. Knowing I didn't have to work until eleven the next day, I eagerly laid down at ten, firmly intent on sleeping for twelve hours. Which I did.

So day of surprises? Finding out my house is close to work and I have a room to myself was awesome. But finding out there is a 24/7 employee computer took the cake! So let's see how tomorrow goes, shall we?

View from my Front Porch!

Summer in Stehekin: Here I Go!

Trying to get sleep before a life altering trip is like remembering you left the straightener on after leaving the house. You spend the whole day hoping your house doesn't burn down and praying the auto-off actually works. Well, as I lay there, staying at the ceiling, wondering what I was going to forget, I had a moment of panic. What if I couldn't do this? What if I couldn't be away from my husband? What if I got fired? But amongst all the negativity, a calm settled into my heart. I was being silly. I know there will be difficult moments this summer, but I'm going to gain so much that any doubts I have will quickly disappear.

But that's not to say that I'm not freaking out right now...

We did manage to leave the house at 5:30 this morning, although I forgot something at the house and we had to turn around. Then get gas. Then get food. So 6 am rolls around and we're on the road, driving east on I-90. And I couldn't have asked for a better send-off from central WA.

Now I'm on the boat. I talked with my mom and teared up when I said goodbye to my husband. The parting is bittersweet. I know a seperating will help us grow as a couple, but I will miss him terribly. So, before I cry again, I will give you some pictures and sign off for now. A two hour boat ride and four exciting months are ahead of me!

Summer in Stehekin: Pre-Departure Update

Hello Friends and Family!

We are at the one week mark for my departure to Stehekin, Washington for four months and I have a few announcements and tidbits of information for everyone.

1. Stehekin is a very (emphasis on 'very') primitive/remote place. It sits on the northern end of Lake Chelan, 54 miles from the city of Chelan. (Interesting fact: Lake Chelan is the 3rd deepest lake in the country). There are no roads leading to Stehekin. The only way to access the town is by ferry or sea plane (or walking, but that's really far...) The town actually sits within the boundaries of North Cascades National Park, which is super cool! Because of its remoteness, there is no cell service available and I will not have regular access to internet as well. I realize that this my make some people nervous or say things like "I could never do that!" but if you know me, you understand me and that this IS exciting for me. There are things I will have to get used to, but I'll looking forward to disconnecting from technology and reconnecting with myself.

2. Because I won't have access to normal communication, email and snail mail will be the best ways to contact me. Since there are no grocery stores in Stehekin, I will be emailing my food orders to Chelan once a week or every other week, so this is when I will be checking my email. I will be posting an address as soon as I have one. If there is any emergency, please contact my parents or my husband first before contacting me, since they will know the emergency phone numbers for my employer. Anything else you wish to send, can be mailed to PO Box 74 Stehekin, WA 98852 or emailed to carlynsaunders@gmail.com.

3. I love mail! Once I have an actual address I will make sure to post it on Facebook and here on my blog. I would appreciate letters and postcards, which I will make sure to return with some gorgeous shots of where I will be staying. If you wish to send some kind of care package, I will be a little picky. Calling cards, stamps, and small food items are probably the best things I can get. Please keep in mind, however, that I am vegan and do not consume or use any product that contains animal products or has been tested on animals. Some food items that I enjoy that I won't have easy access to are: dried fruit, nuts, vegan chocolate, and LARABars. Keep in mind that anything you send will sit on a boat for an additional two-four hours before reaching me.

4. BLOGGING! So I will be updating this blog (hopefully) weekly, documenting my adventures. I am hoping that when I need to send in my food orders, I will be able to quickly upload blog posts as well as check email. So if you want to follow me this summer, you can submit your email address on the right side of this blog site (FOLLOW BY EMAIL) and you'll get updates whenever I post something new. I have another blog that I hope to update fairly regularly as well, regarding my journey into veganism. I will be posting recipes and essays on living with strangers and being vegan as well as living remotely and being vegan. That blog is: For the Love of a Vegan. SO please follow me and I will reward you with epic uploads! (If I can't update it, I will be sending the blog posts to my sister, who will upload everything for me.)

That's all for now folks. Thank you all for your support in this adventure. I want to specifically thank my wonderful husband, who without his constant support and love, I would not be preparing for the summer of my life. It will be very hard to be separated for him for so long, but I know it will only make our relationship stronger. Secondly, I would like to thank my parents and sister. They have always stood behind me in everything I do and they urged me to pursue this amazing opportunity and now that I'm going, they couldn't be happier. I hope everyone has a terrific summer (I know I will) and I'll catch you all on the flip side!

Trail Therapy: The Unfinishable Race

Deep in the mountains of Tennessee, there is a race where ultra running goes to die. In the 30 years of its existence, only 14 people have finished the Barkley 100. This year, the course spanned 20 miles which competitors were required to do five laps. There's a 60 hour window to complete the race. And not one person finished. The founder said it's man against mountain. And mountain surely won this year. One racer said "You don’t come here to be victorious. You come here to be humiliated."

It's an attempt at the impossible and the .01% finish rate only seems to draw more interest. Would you be up for the challenge?