west bound

   Some of you may have seen my facebook status or new profile picture so it's no surprise to you that myself and my seven other teammates are heading west! There was a resource order placed Sunday afternoon (meaning they needed firefighters) and at the drop of a hat we are en route to Boise, Idaho. Right now Phoenix 3 is at wonderful Hilton Hotel in Nashville, TN with about 50 other wildland firefighters. They fed us a feast, I have my own bed, AND I only have ONE roommate for the night. That hasn't happened since before AmeriCorps started; usually have between three to five other gals to distract me from sleeping.
  So the details: We don't know much yet, and the things we do know are likely to change. As of now all firefighters are being flown to Idaho tomorrow on our own aircraft so we can make our way to the Trinity Ridge fire. Last I checked it was a 35,000 acre fire with over 600 people on the "intial attack". Our crew should be there for about 14 days once we hit the fireline. It will probably be the most physically and emotionally exhausting two weeks of my life. Crews usually work about 12-14 hours days digging line, felling trees, pumping water, hiking through woods etc etc etc. This is all with our 45 pound pack and firetools. AH! I suppose it's now or never for that six pack I've always wanted.
  All-in-all, I'm excited. This is something that if you told me a year ago I would be doing, I'd probably chuckle because I'd have thought there was no possible way I was capable of this. And maybe I'm not. Maybe I'll cry every night in my tent because my body hurts, the food sucks, and I want a real toilet. But as the founder of the Keystone Science School once said, "Dare to fail." If it's the worst two weeks of my life then maybe all I'll come away with is a six-pack of abs and a really great story.

Send me good thoughts!Catch up with you all in a few weeks!

- Liz

kids on the run.

WooWhooo AC!

Although we broke the "No Teamcest" rule, we had a quick wedding before work.

Found millions of termites... awesome. 

Emily is a true cat-lady.

Dressing up for dinner. Our other housemates got a real kick out of this. 

Reba during chainsaw training.

Pretty cool, huh Dad!?

Washing puppies should not be considered work.

Cute little buggers

Steal-toe boots go good with any outfit.

Platonic lovers. Notice the awkward sunburn behind us.

Giving Erick a ponytail.

What a good sport.

Beach babes

It was that kind of day.

Hard at work :)

Love these goofballs.

  
Things are going just peachy down here. This round is flying by. We spent the last week at Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge which happens to be right on the ocean. We tore up an old, wonky boardwalk and cut down hundreds of pine trees bordering the park. Apparently these pines aren't native to the area and are taking over, sucking up nutrients from the local plants. So there we were, hatchets in hand, chopping down per-adolescent pines for hours. I felt like a true lumberjack, sans the iconic red flannel. By the end of the week, poison-ivy rashes, bug bites, sunburned noses, sore muscles, and sleeping on the floor of the administration office made for some exhausted bodies. It is really funny when everyone starts getting loopy around the same time. Hence the video above.

Everyday after work we'd change out of our disgusting uniforms and make a beeline for the water. We'd spend a few hours ocean-side- jumping waves, making sand moats, or, the most popular activity, beach napping.

Not much fire activity as of now. And fingers-crossed that it stays that way at least until Friday. Mumford and Sons will be waiting for us Thursday night :)

Before I sign off, I must mention how great Phoenix 3 really is. Sometimes I forget I'm in AmeriCorps! This group has become extremely close. I speculate it has to do with our age. Everyone is 23 or older, which is rare for an NCCC team. We've had some good times in the middle of nowhere Virginia.


Over and Out,
Liz