My tour-of-duty winds down, but not the awesome vistas (PIC HEAVY)

[DemoTex]

I keep saying "No more sunrise/sunset photos," then WHAM!, another incredible morning/evening sky. I will never tire of it. I love the mundane day-to-day aspects of this experience, too: The library, the pantry, the cupboard, the trap-door, and much much more (not the outhouse!).

I've started packing to vacate the lookout the day after closing it (October 10). Things are winding down, fast. Closing day is three weeks from tomorrow. Where did the summer go?



After the September 13 late afternoon storms, looking toward Paulina Peak and the Newberry Volcano.


Sunrise over a cloud bank yesterday morning.


SunFog


Sittin’ on top of the world. This I shall miss.


The library will be slowly packed up in the next two weeks.


The pantry/cupboard: dishes, etc., stay; all the food I'll give away.


Tic-Tac Contrails to the south


Fire to the north

Thanks again to EarlG for allowing these dispatches in the GD Forum

[onehandle]

Very cool. nt

[Nuclear Unicorn]

10. Awesome pics...TY for sharing

"Tic-Tac Contrails to the south"

I prefer the theory that God is an anarchist.

[Skittles]

1. AWESOME pics!

your adventures are fun, Mac! :hi:

[villager]

2. How the hell are we gonna live vicariously through you, DemoTex, once you leave!?

Thanks for all the great posts....

[Tangerine LaBamba]

3. I'm sorry you're leaving -

your photos and tales have been just wonderful. You transported me every time, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for all that you gave........................

[sarge43]

4. Great pictures

And thank you for standing guard.

[bkkyosemite]

5. Beautiful pic's especially the first one gorgeous!

[canadianbeaver]

6. One of the pics me and my hubby always take is....

one showing just our feet poking out over the Grand Canyon....or feet in the red sand of Zion national park...feet on the beach in Australia...feet around the campfire...etc..

I would love to see your feet pokin out in the photo of the sunrise and cloud bank.

Your threads are great....you do a great service..thank you.

[DCKit]

16. Eh, there are worse (and kinkier) fetishes.

Kidding, but it's funny.

[canadianbeaver]

17. LOL....Hadn't thought of it that way.......

takes the foot fetish to new hights....or sights!..ha haaa

[DemoTex]

18. I would have to wash my feet and paint my toenails.

Bwaa haa haa haa!

:rofl:

[TxRider]

7. Beautiful..

I want that job...

[bkkyosemite]

8. What's the status on that fire in the pic?

[DemoTex]

20. It was actually a field burn.

There are a lot of "controlled" agricultural burns going on around here now (especially north and northeast of me). But if ag burn locations are not passed on to me by dispatch in the morning, I "shoot" and position any smoke I see and call it in. My motto: I'd rather say why I did than why I didn't!

[bkkyosemite]

31. Great Motto :-)

[dhpgetsit]

9. Are you going to do it again next summer?

I will look forward to hearing about it if you do. My dad manned fire towers in the summer in AZ. Being a teacher he made that a decent second job.

[DemoTex]

21. Short answer: Yes.

But May is a long way off and lots can happen.

[dionysus]

11. holy cow, you're still up there? thanks for all the posts. how long was your stint?

[DemoTex]

23. My stint totals 141 days. I've been here 119 days today.

Jack Kerouac was on the Desolation Peak lookout for 63 days.


Desolation Peak Lookout where Kerouac spent 63 days in the early 1950s. He wrote about the experience in Dharma Bums and Desolation Angels.

[owlsayswoot]

12. Wonderful, as usual

You know, I've been watching your posts all summer it seems (they're even part of the reason I finally broke down and registered) and I've gotta ask-how on earth does one go about landing a job like this?

[DemoTex]

24. Watch the Forest Fire Lookout Association website late in the year ..

They post job vacancy announcements for fire lookout jobs.

http://www.firelookout.org/LookoutJobs.htm

[Liberal_in_LA]

13. nice pics

[Kahuna]

14. Amazing pics...

:wow:

[roguevalley]

15. My Oregon rules. Bend area is heaven. It will be strange to be in

civilization again. Hugs!

[nadinbrzezinski]

19. Those skyes are INCREDIBLE...

I know that if I did that, I'd probably take a kindle reader with me.

That's what I have been using (the ipod version of it), but so is life.

And the summer has gone the same place it always goes. Time passes faster as we age...

Say hi to nick for me

[Neecy]

22. Awesome!

The first two are just stunning.

[xchrom]

25. cue the music from 'fiddler...' -- sunrise sunset sunrise sunset

slowly through the years..


i just couldn't help myself -- fabulous fabulous pics/

[havocmom]

26. Great pics, as always

Thanks for the lovely vistas.

[Born_A_Truman]

27. Many of us here will miss being there vicariously...

The wonderful pictures and stories have been a real treat! Hope you journal your trip home so we can see the country.

Give Nick-Nick a pat on the head for me.

[DemoTex]

29. I'll be winding down the postings here. But I will journal the trip home with Nick.

After I get back home (SC - BoJoLand - Gov. Sanford - Lindsey Graham - Bob DimWitt) .. nevermind, I think I'll stay.

No, seriously. I dread the return to THAT! But I have to go home. There is much good besides that small bad coterie of damnfools.

Once back, I'll edit all my photos, and post a link to an album of the "greatest." This one will be in the "greatest" album:

[bkkyosemite]

32. Really would look forward to that!

[myrna minx]

28. Thank you so much for sharing your amazing journey and breathtaking

photos with us. :hi:

[Union Yes]

30. Again, you have the coolest dang job on planet earth! Great pics as always.

recd

:applause: :hi:

[Wilms]

33. Thank you! n/t

[Catshrink]

34. I'll miss your dispatches.

I've enjoyed hearing of your adventures and seeing your awesome photos.

[malaise]

35. Beautiful pics

Thanks

[Owl]

36. Stunning pictures!

May I ask what camera / lenses you use?

[lunatica]

37. Thank you as always. n/t

[spanone]

38. fabulous

r

[Spazito]

39. I will miss your dispatches very much...

They have been a breath of fresh air, a break from the very narrow world of politics. Beautiful pics as usual.

Thanks for all your dispatches and, when the time comes, have a safe journey home!

Recommended.

[GreenPartyVoter]

40. Howdy Ranger Gord! *wave*

:D

[DemoTex]

43. Eighteen years in Lookout Tower #13

No wonder Rangers Gord and Doolittle are a bit nutty.

[barbtries]

41. beautiful pictures

you should make a book about your summer as a lookout.

[Greybnk48]

42. I've enjoyed your pictures and reports. Thanks.

[annabanana]

44. Thank you so much for your reports from the tower!

The pics have been beautiful and I feel priviledged to have been able to "join" you out there in the wilderness.

[pinto]

45. Thanks DemoTex.

Great pics and have appreciated your posts on the lookout duty. :thumbsup:

:hi: