This is my last post from the East Butte Fire Lookout (PIC HEAVY)

[DemoTex]

It is 8:30 PM PDT. I close the lookout down tomorrow afternoon. I cleaned the lookout today: wiped, dusted, waxed, mopped, washed windows, etc., all with a terrible cold. After all, I'll be back next May.

I'll be back in Bend, OR, tomorrow night and maybe Sunday night. In Bend I'll try to post the latest pics. Tonight's pics are re-runs. Then there will be some serious essays on this experience as I make my way south-eastward. Anyway, my dispatches will soon be over. It has been a blast. Thanks EarlG!















The last (and best) pic of the season is dedicated to TahitiNut:

[DJ13]

1. Thank you for your great posts!

[Parker CA]

2. What an incredible experience! Thanks so much for sharing this here, Demo.

And just think, in a short eight months you'll be back there. Very cool. Looking forward to more pictures when you've got the time to post them.

Travel safe!

[shireen]

3. Demotex, i always look forward to your posts!

Your unique perspective from way up there has been absolutely wonderful! Thank you for sharing your amazing experiences with us.

[WillyT]

4. Off To The Greatest !!! - K & R !!!

:kick:

:hi:

[xchrom]

5. can i request a retrospective?

i would love a thread{s} that runs down your stay.

i have loved these threads like no other,

[DemoTex]

11. That will indeed come, along with some "Best of Fire Season 2009" photos.

Meanwhile, check out my journal:

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/DemoTex

[quiet.american]

6. Wonderfully peaceful pics. (Hey, feel better soon!) nt

[spanone]

7. thanks Demo Tex ! great work

:thumbsup: :hi:

[Liberal_in_LA]

8. love the pic of dog in motion

[DemoTex]

14. Almost as hard to capture as a lightning shot!

Lightning strikes Sixteen Butte during one of the epic storms of August 2, 2009.

[EFerrari]

19. What is that motion called -- my girl does it, too.

It's like they're trying to break the waves with their forepaws except there's no water.

[Liberal_in_LA]

60. looks like a gallop to me

[TahitiNut]

69. Pounce.

Nick is a champion. :rofl:

[EFerrari]

77. Maybe that's what it is. I always thought that's what Kid would do

if she were jumping into the water.

Well, after submitting to my mom's horses didn't work out for her, she's now pouncing at them when they get too close to the house. lol :hi:

[geckosfeet]

9. Tanx fo da pix!

[Gman]

10. It was a good place to spend

the hottest summer in Texas in over 50 years. Thanks for the reports. I, for one, have enjoyed them.

[DemoTex]

21. Well, to rip-off Mark Twain ..

The coldest winter I ever spent was the summer of 2009 in the central Oregon wilderness (snow 6/21, 8/6, and a blizzard on 10/3&4).

[truedelphi]

44. Have to admit your weather reports were surprising. Br-r-r.

Did they have you up there to watch for fires or to count the snowflakes?

[havocmom]

12. Thanks for all the dispatches and pics

Looking forward to your musings after you get some time to digest and sort.

Safe trip home, and hugs for the hound

[struggle4progress]

13. The lookout posts have been informative and lots of fun to read. Thanks!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

15. My dear DemoTex!

What stunning pics!

Esp. that moon! Looks like you took that one with a telescope...I rarely see such clarity and detail from regular SLR cameras...

Thank you for all the great reports. I have been riveted by them. And I will miss them, and you...

Please take care, and I look forward to your retrospectives!


K&R


:hi:

[Tuesday Afternoon]

16. Thanks for sharing your journey. K&R

lovely pics :)

[gateley]

17. Thanks for letting us 'be there' with you! Glorious photos, as always!! nt

[pinto]

18. Thanks for your dispatches DemoTex.

And the photos.

:thumbsup:

:thumbsup:

[Mind_your_head]

20. Thanks for all you've been doing.....

...and thanks for letting us live vicariously through your experience, that you have so willingly shared! :hi:

[Princess Turandot]

22. Congratulations!

Would it be inappropriate for you to share the GIS coords of the place?

[DemoTex]

25. Here ya' go (in degrees-minutes-seconds)

N 43 40' 01.25" W 120 59' 42.1"

[BrklynLiberal]

23. Thank you so very , very much for your posts. They have been enlightening as well

as beautiful.
I look forward to next year's adventures.

Nick sure looks like he was having fun...in both those shots. What a great spirit.


BTW Has anyone ever told you that you look like Ernest Hemingway?

Thank you again for enriching DU with your posts.
:toast: :thumbsup: :hi: :hug: :yourock:

[DemoTex]

36. I'm usually compared to Ernest P. Worrell

Ernest P. Worrell (Know what I mean, Vern?).

[BrklynLiberal]

39. NAH..You are much better looking :D

I just spent the last hour or so going back thru your Journal entries.

It was a fabulous journey. I went all the way back to before you were in the Lookout.

Great posts, fantastic pics...some of those lightning strike pics were jaw-droppingly great.

I remembered seeing that post with the pic of the lightning chair. I recall asking you what you did with Nick when you needed that chair. Nick, by the way is a very handsome boy. There is no doubt that he is the perfect companion.

I am somewhat jealous of your opportunity to spend an entire summer up there..with mostly your dog and books.

The 360 degree panoramic video was beyond description....and to wake up every morning in that bed...with that view
just outside....there are no words....

Thanks so much for sharing so much of what you experienced.

I cannot wait for your next adventure....

[DemoTex]

40. I'm ready to call the best book (tie) and best movie (tie) of the 2009 fire season.

The best book was recommended by a DUer: "Mudbound" by Hillary Jordon. Ties with "Angle of Repose" by Wallace Stegner.

The best films of the lookout: "Capote" "Lone Star" and "Bonhoeffer"

Best music: Sirius/XM Classical, Allen Toussaint's "The Bright Mississippi", and Joan Baez's "Ring Them Bells"

More "BESTS" later (lookout food, night skys, etc.)

[LuckyLib]

63. Angle of Repose is simply stunning, isn't it? Couldn't believe I hadn't discovered it

earlier. A must read.

[BrklynLiberal]

65. Thanks for the recommendations.

and if it had not been for one of your previous posts, I would have no idea what an "angle of repose" is.
Thanks to your definition, I know what it is...and will probably have a chance to impress someone someday.. :D


I checked out the book descriptioon, and will be sure to find it. thanks again.

[nadinbrzezinski]

24. Thanks for letting us share with your summer

[onehandle]

26. Thanks for the entertainment. nt

[EarlG]

27. Thanks for the posts

and the amazing photos!

[DemoTex]

31. I'm hoping to take a couple of digital photography courses this winter.

Maybe next year I can take the Nikon off "auto" and get some really good pics. I also want to do more video next year. I'll post a link to an album of the best pics (I've taken thousands of shots out here, sometimes several hundreds a day). A good shot, obviously, does not come from a "click." It comes from a series of "click, click, click, .. clicks."

[Lex]

28. Very much appreciated your posts and pix.

:thumbsup:

[merh]

29. I hope your cold goes away soon and you have a safe journey home.

Thank you for sharing the adventures with us, thank you for keep the watch for us.

I look forward to your follow up posts once you have resettled down back at home.

Hugs to you and your pup.

:hi:

[Suich]

30. Thanks for sharing your adventure with us, Mac!

I've thoroughly enjoyed your posts, especially the pictures! Thank goodness this wasn't a really bad fire season. I look forward to future posts re: South Carolina when you get home!


:hi:

[DemoTex]

33. I do need to get back and campaign for our Governor's resignation.

Sanford. Appalachian Trail. What an embarrassment!

[flying rabbit]

32. Hope you do it again

I love these posts.

[Hekate]

34. It's been grand reading your posts -- I look forward to the book!

Very happy dog you have there, too.

:yourock:

Hekate

[Morning Dew]

35. Have a safe trip home and thanks for the greats posts.

I hate to gush but, wow, these slices of your summer have been something I've looked forward to. I'd sometimes find myself checking in just to see if you'd posted anything new.

Can't wait for your essays.

[Lugnut]

37. Be safe driving home.

Thank you for sharing your experience with us.

[madrchsod]

38. going back to the "real world".....

i know i`d hate to leave but it`s always good to be back home...thanks for the pictures and reports!

[saveferris]

41. Sir

You have the best job in the world.

Enjoy.

[drm604]

42. K&R

Breathtaking pictures.

I'm envious. I definitely need to start doing some hardcore camping again.

I haven't really been out in wilderness of any kind for years and I know that it would do my soul a lot of good.

It seems anymore like my whole body is nothing but stress and I know from past experience that a few days surrounded by that kind of natural beauty would probably undue years of tension.

Thank you for these threads.

[truedelphi]

43. Thanks you and knock on wood, I guess you made it!!

I have been teased by family and friends alike that I should get a job like yours. Some place where I can sit and read and relax.

Was it like that? I know I would NOT get any reading done during one of the thunder storms, that's for sure.

Thanks for taking the time to share your experiences and the photos tonight are awesome.

[Oldtimeralso]

45. Thanks for the memories, Captain.

Good luck on your trip home.

[zonkers]

46. I really enjoyed your posts. Thank you.

[JohnnyLib2]

47. Many, many thanks.

:hi:

[lonestarnot]

48. There's that doggie!

I loves that doggie!! Thanks Demo Tex!

[pleah]

49. K&R Awesome pics!

[Call Me Wesley]

50. Hope your cold goes away quickly.

Thanks for all the great posts! :hi:

[malaise]

51. Beautiful pix

as always.

[Bluenorthwest]

52. I've shown many Oregonians your photos

and many have said to thank you for them, as I do for myself.

[Canuckistanian]

53. Thanks for the dispatches!

They've been both fascinating and informative.

What an amazing place.

:thumbsup:

[TCJ70]

54. That fifth picture down is amazing!

I haven't kept up with what you're doing out there, but you've got some great material and what seems like a great experience there!

[SIMPLYB1980]

55. Great pics! nt

[SidDithers]

56. It's been a pleasure reading them, Mac!...

You made it feel as if we were there with you this summer.

:applause:

Sid

[Born_A_Truman]

57. Sorta hate to see it end....

Many thanks from one of the many DemoTex & Nick DU fan club members!

[LWolf]

58. I was wondering how you were doing up there in the last month.

Before last weekend's storm there was a lot of smoke coming from the east.

I was in Bend yesterday; sorry I missed ya!

:hi:

[Leftist Agitator]

59. How does being a fire lookout pay?

What are the requirements of the job? How does one get considered for such a position?

[CrispyQ]

61. I've enjoyed your posts.

What an exhilarating view! Love the frosty pup, too!

[LynzM]

62. Wonderful pics!!

I really look forward to seeing and reading your full review post! (Just a thought, could you maybe link your previous posts in that one?) :bounce:

[Loki]

64. Thank you for the very best cyber vacation I've ever had.

Now your back to home and hearth for some well-earned rest to ready up for next year.

:toast:

[KoKo]

66. Your "tour of duty" has been a treat for all of us....

Thanks... And, best to you and Nick! Nick's gonna have some adjustments to make back in SC Civilization. ;-)

[southernyankeebelle]

67. Wow what a great job you have. Am envious of you. Just the peace

and quite.

[TahitiNut]

68. (Awww!) Absolutely the best pic of the season. (He's a champion!)

[Catshrink]

70. Thank you so much for these!

Your photos and writings have been very illuminating about what a fire spotter does. I'm glad you had Nick to keep you company -- he seems to have had a great time!

[Blue_Tires]

71. thank you so much for the updates

maybe in the near future you can host a Q+A session...

[Sedona]

72. Thanks & K&R & looking forward to hearing from you again soon

It was fascinating visiting with you this summer!

on edit, nice to share my 500th post with you Demotex!

:woohoo:

[theblasmo]

73. Beautiful pictures! n/t

[BlooInBloo]

74. yay! You made it!!!

[bluesmail]

75. K&R .. say bye to the Cascades for me. EOM

[Brundle_Fly]

76. I've hiked up to several Fire Lookouts here in Canada.

I have always been met by the most interesting & gracious hosts.

None I've met has been as smart as you, as to bring such a good friend like it looks like you did.

Welcome back to reality, and enjoy your "down" time. :)

[roguevalley]

78. awesome. hug Bend for me. RV- homesick. again.

[DemoTex]

84. Bend, Oregon: Best kept secret in the USA!

I could live here in a heartbeat.

[likesmountains 52]

79. Thank you..I really just loved reading your posts and seeing the pictures.

[DemoTex]

80. Today (Saturday 10/10) at 15:00 (3 PM) I went out-of-service for the 2009 fire season.

It is over. I am in Bend packing for the trip home.

[TahitiNut]

81. DERFS

Date Estimated Return from Forest Service?

Welcome home, GI! :pals: :hug: :fistbump:

[DemoTex]

83. Indeed. Today (Sunday) I am a civilian again! Fini Green Machine (until next season!).

I'm boogieing out of here at first light tomorrow. There is a nasty
Pacific storm headed in with rain and snow (Pacific NW and Cali
tomorrow and Tuesday). I'll try for Reno or Carson City tomorrow (need
to get on the east side of the Sierra-Nevadas), then Las Vegas or
points south on Tuesday. I'll go on down to Tucson and east
on I-10 (I will take a side trip to Tombstone - I've been getting into
the history of that dentist from my hometown of Griffin, Georgia .. Doc Holiday).

BTW: The Nick-Flight pic is one of several I've entered in The Weather Channel's photo contest.

[Blue_In_AK]

82. DemoTex, I've really enjoyed your stories and photos.

I'm glad you made it through safe and sound. :)

[proud patriot]

85. I look forward to the essays

what a wondrous experience you've had .