What an awesome response to my poll! Here is my fire lookout 2013 decision:

[DemoTex]

I just talked with my supervisor (USFS -Bend) and committed to the 2013 fire season in the Deschutes National Forest. Fire season #5 for me, and I'll be 65. I believe strongly in climate change models, and I believe wildland fire detection and suppression will be growth industries in the next year or two. I'll be staffing East Butte lookout this year, and maybe for a few more years to come.

Whoooo hooo!

[proud2BlibKansan]

1. Yay!!!

[A HERETIC I AM]

2. East Butte is your regular haunt, right? n/t

[DemoTex]

15. Yep

EBLO - East Butte Lookout

[A HERETIC I AM]

16. Cool. So....Is Nick gonna make the trip this year? n/t

[DemoTex]

45. Not sure, but I doubt it.

Nick is almost too old for the rigors of wilderness life and a 60-step lookout climb. Not to mention the big cat problem. Dr. DemoTex did very well with Nick last summer. She will probably have him again this summer. Since we HAVE been married 39 years, I almost trust her completely with my dog.

[A HERETIC I AM]

48. Lol...fair enough. n/t

[donco]

3. don't forget

the Camera;you have us spoiled now.Need lotsa pictures.

[A HERETIC I AM]

7. And also....

He shouldn't forget Nick this time!

[DemoTex]

17. A pair of Canon 5D-Mk2s and an old Nikon ..

New computer and PhotoShop CS6 w/ Nik plugins. I need the lookout more than the lookout needs me!

[nadinbrzezinski]

56. Drool

Though I am a Nikon fan.



Photoshop...you bum!!!

[WilliamPitt]

4. Nice!

[DemoTex]

19. Best beer in the world => Bend

The invite from 2009 is still open.

Mac

[WilliamPitt]

20. If I can ever do it

You can count on it.

[DemoTex]

24. Shitfire, Will ..

Three days in the lookout with me (writing like a fool) will set you up for a Pulitzer. I shit you not. Ever heard of Kerouac?

Mac

[Beartracks]

5. Glad to hear it, Demo!

I am looking forward to silently trolling your photos again! Well... I'll try to be more post-y when one really catches my eye.

Be safe and have fun!



=============

[Lint Head]

6. Please post lots of pix.

[riderinthestorm]

8. If its not too nosey, what was making you think twice? nt

[DemoTex]

21. Nothing

I just wanted to stir the pot. I'm hooked .. addicted.

[riderinthestorm]

22. Yay!! Glad all is well in your world. I was worried there for a while...

More pics!!

[pinboy3niner]

9. Alright!

And remember, they haven't raised the tower and they haven't added more stairs. It just feels like it.

[DemoTex]

18. Bwaa Haa Haa

BTW Ace, your input was most persuasive. Thanks, Brother!

[DirkGently]

10. Please make with additional excellent pictures. nt

[Duckhunter935]

11. good luck

be safe

[Arctic Dave]

12. Glad to hear it DT.

Look forward to your amazing post and pics.

[Skittles]

13. SWEET!!!!!!!!

your postings are sheer joy and by GOLLY that is something all of us need

[calimary]

14. Excellent news! Glad to hear this DemoTex!

I'm glad you shared it with us here - always great to hear upbeat news happening to one of our own!

[TexasTowelie]

23. Thanks for your service

and get back to Texas soon.

[niyad]

25. missed your poll--but so glad to hear you are going back--we must have our pics!!

[truedelphi]

73. Ditto on my end.

Stay save, and hopefully we will be seeing the photos soon.

It's very dry here in Northern Calif.

I hope we aren't going to be part of the "growth industry."

[Le Taz Hot]

26. K & R

LOVE your pictures.

[zeemike]

27. I love those pictures

And your great descriptions of them and life in the tower...
K&R

[Botany]

28. Say hi to the Three Sisters for me

BTW one Mt. over from Mt. Ashland is Mt. Wagner ..... named after my
great great grandfather .... Jacob Wagner ..... I know very euro centric
because the people living there already had a name for it.

BTW part II .... if you come across a cougar kill let the big kitty have it.

[DemoTex]

30. Cool pic!

[femmocrat]

29. Good for you, DemoTex!

Do what you love. You are an inspiration to the rest of us boomers!

Great photo!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

31. I'm so glad you'll be back, my dear DemoTex!

I hope Nick's coming along too.

[awoke_in_2003]

37. My dear Peggy...

welcome back

[CaliforniaPeggy]

38. Thank you, my dear awoke!

[NBachers]

32. I look forward to sharing your experience with you. Thanks for this

[MADem]

33. As you well know, I greatly enjoy your threads on your adventures!

Glad you'll be back for another run.

[awoke_in_2003]

34. Was there really ever a question?

Like others, I will be awaiting pics.

[4_TN_TITANS]

35. The past pics have been amazing

I've never been west of the Mississippi. You've shown me landscapes I can only dream about. Many thanks and best of luck with another year! Someday me and mrs. Titan will strike out to that part of the country.

[Renew Deal]

36. Good for you

It sounds like a great job!

[Rhiannon12866]

39. Great news!

Looking forward to seeing more of your spectacular photos!

[Historic NY]

40. More KQQL skyline photos...

[DRoseDARs]

41. Are they still giving you grief for posting on a political site? nt

[kanda]

42. Great news!

Always enjoy your pictures. Have a great season.

[love_katz]

43. whoo hoo!

I am so very glad you will be watching over some of the forests in my home state.

Welcome back, and Nick also.

[classof56]

44. Good news! And glad you're back in Deschutes County.

Another Democrat is always welcome here!

[DemoTex]

46. We need to meet ..

Maybe @ 10-Barrell!

[classof56]

62. Look forward to it.

Meanwhile, be safe and keep the photos coming!

[pscot]

47. I'm looking forward

to the next installments. I'm a fan.

[Science Geek]

49. I truly envy you.

I could imagine myself being very happy being surrounded by nature's splendor and providing the invaluable service of protecting same. I just hope you continue to post the wonderful pictures, I always look forward to them very much. And, thanks for your service to our country.

[oldandhappy]

50. good man

thank you for what you do.

[Greybnk48]

51. I can't wait for the pictures! n/t

[mia]

52. A bit of of paradise you will continue to share.

Thanks in advance!

[Lugnut]

53. I voted for you to go back this year.

I knew in my heart that you'd go anyway. Godspeed, Mac!

[madrchsod]

54. cool---more pictures!!

[SunSeeker]

55. Very cool. We need more folks like you here in CA.

The wildfires just keep getting worse each year.

[nadinbrzezinski]

57. Fire this week

300 acres, and is is not yet fire season!!!!

From Cal-Fire

@CAL_FIRE: #BecksFire [update] north of Hwy 29, southeast of Kelseyville (Lake County) is now 300 acres & 50% contained. Full containment tomorrow.

This is not good.

[SunSeeker]

58. Fire season is year-round now. There's more fires and they're bigger.

Cal Fire and all the local fire agencies need WAY more resources.

[nadinbrzezinski]

59. Test me, I now.

This means the dreaded T word. My county needs a county FD...good luck with that.

I am a reporter here...we know v

[SunSeeker]

60. What sucks is those rural counties with the most beautiful forests are also the most red.

They take the treasure at their feet for granted. It breaks my heart.

[2naSalit]

65. There's still one in CO that has been going since last summer, not enough snow!

[Bluenorthwest]

61. East Butte Lookout is a beautiful place, thanks for occupying it again...

Oregon's forests will be safer for it, and Oregonians are grateful for that.

[Drew Richards]

63. WELCOME BACK TO THE TOWER MAN

We're glad you're there...

Now stop talking and show us some pics

you dang old hippie.

[2naSalit]

64. Cool! Good for you!

My neighbor, a smokejumper... retired but still active, has a bunch of Neptune shirts and hats... and my dad used to fly them in the military...

Here's a treat for ya, if you haven't seen this yet (got it from my neighbor) it's Spanish aerial firefighting...

http://player.vimeo.com/video/48642618

Hope you have a wonderful summer! I'll be thinking about you, all the others I don't really know personally, and all my friends in your line of expertise!!

2na

[myrna minx]

66. Wonderful! K&R

[hootinholler]

67. Another season of helping Nick the Fire Watch Dog

Excellent! I love your dispatches, even the mundane is interesting.

[geckosfeet]

68. What great effin job. Congrats.

[bobclark86]

69. Is this a paid gig?

Any special training needed? What does it entail, sitting in the tower all day or going on patrols or what? If it's sitting in a tower all day, it might give me time to write that book I was planning out...

I'd love a job like that (even on its worst days it still has to be better than my current job). How do I sign up?

[ProfessionalLeftist]

70. If that's what makes ya happy (and it appears to)

then you oughtta just keep on doing it! Congrats!

[libodem]

71. Smokin' hot damn!!!

Good on ya!

[KitSileya]

72. Great - I really enjoy your pictures.

I also spend my summers in Oregon, but in the much less picturesque Springfield. I'm hoping to finally make it to Crater Lake this year - we intended to go in 2009, but because of forest fires we ended up going to Lake Paulina instead.

[840high]

74. Excellent.