My New Love

 

Up here at Man Camp, Lake Yellowstone, Yellowstone National Park, in Wyoming, I'm testing all the stuff I bought to winter here. I'm not expecting to get out for about 6 months. Who knows, the guys think I'll want a change of pace at some point and promised to help me get the Geo up to West Yellowstone.

 

Hiking around Lake is peaceful, if not warm and sunny one minute, then freezing cold the next when the clouds roll in. The long scarf, nearly five feet total, is perfect for this changeable weather. I never owned a long scarf before. I bought it before heading here on a hunch. I love it. I've tried wrapping it around my neck, using it as a head scarf, or paired it with a ski band. Totally warm and versatile.

My bear spray is carried with a caribiner clip hooked to my camo pants. So far we've only seen prints of griz, no live bear. I've seen many wolf prints, bison coming down the hill tonight, and other small creatures.

 

With daylight savings now in effect, we are walking about two tenths from the dining area to the dorms. Could be a bear just around the corner, what an adventure!

Surviving Yet Another Deep Cleaning

I'm here at my daughter's, minimizing yet again, preparing to go back to Yellowstone for the winter. Three years back, a fellow seasonal worker was watching me squeeze stuff into my little blue Geo. He paused from his packing into a large pickup and trailer, looked over and said, "You need a bigger car." I replied, "I need less junk!"

Friday the remaining survivors of the Mammoth F and B deep cleaned the Employee Dining Room hot line, grill, fryer and cold service area, and the dish pit. The day before I'd prepped 25 7 inch pizzas for today, and taken apart the walk-in, with the help of the Prep Cook Lead and deep cleaned it.
Now, today, while seriously good music coming from the Manager's laptop, speakers turned up on auxiliary speakers included, I chose to do the reach in up front, the flat top, overhead grills, working next to the Lead doing the deep fryer. At one point she looked at me, asked, How did we get roped into the dirty part? I replied, cause we can really hear the music!

Some people time their work agreements so they miss the final deep cleaning. After all, its messy, lots of grease and chemicals coming into play, getting down on hands and knees, dragging out those rare two month old biscuits that somehow eluded us all season underneath the kitchen "furniture."

I call all that equipment furniture. Has a nice ring to it.

Anyways, after surviving, enjoying even, another deep clean, forming life lasting bonds with co-workers also into the final days, I look forward...groan, actually my own STUFF is much harder to cope with.......to deep cleaning my baby, the GEO.

Moving a Ton of Cars

Yesterday I participated in a massive car move in Richmond, Washington.
 Three different dealerships were putting on a huge event at the Columbia Park, right along the river. 880 cars had to be moved to this place. 88 volunteers, all part of various non for profit groups participated. I was drafted to drive as part of the WMO, or better known as the World Wide Missionary Outreach group.

I personally relocated 10 cars. I drove two Mercedes, several brand new trucks, a Honda or two and some other seriously nice vehicles. Mine were all brand new. Some being relocated for the special event were trade ins. The most expensive vehicle I drove was $43,981 dollars. Thankfully, all were insured by the dealerships.

The biggest problem I had was getting the seat adjusted fast enough to pull out right in line with the other drivers. I'm pretty short and the seat adjustments varied from right below the knees, at the side with an electrical slide button, or for the Mercedes, on the door by the window adjuster.

It reminded me of my first car ever, a 65 Oldsmobile. Everything on that car was electrical. When the electrical went bonkers, I couldn't open any windows or adjust the seat. The defroster quit working. There was no heat. Wow. I swore I'd never have another all electrical vehicle.

After all was done, we were some pretty tired car movers. Hopping in and out of a van, walking quickly to a new car with the trunk open, sliding in the "plates" shutting the trunk, jumping into the car in question, adjusting the seat, the air conditioner and putting it into gear, staying in line, pulling onto the grass, parking, jumping out, leave the keys in the ignition, run get the removable plates, get into your specific van, ride back to the dealership. Repeat!

Thanks to everyone who helped me not get lost in town, waiting at red lights, squeezing by locals on the freeway.

I still love my humble Geo. I've never met anyone who had a Geo and Didn't love theirs. Bring back the geo!