My intership is coming to a close. It's definitely bittersweet. On the one hand, I'm doing what I love and hopefully will do for a job (with much better pay of course.) On the other, I'm ready to get back home and see Mal and all my loved ones and do other fun things.
My last week in the backcountry was used to finish up the projects that I have started, with the final being putting the roof on the other cabin. I'm glad I was able to complete all my projects bc its better to say what I accomplished not just what I did. On my final day in the BC we got out the kayaks and just relaxed and played around, practice wet-exits (what to do if you kayak flips and how to get back in).
Since my return from the BC I have been working a lot around the station. I've also been trying to get all my things together and clean up. I have a few checkout procedures to go through as well. I was able to meet with the head-bossman and go over my resume and he gave me some good insights. They have express that they would like for me to work here and that has been encouraging. I guess today was my last full day on the job bc tom. I'm skippin out early to pick up Bill at the airport.
This has definitely been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. I have been able to experience and see so many things in such a short period of time. And I was able to confirm that this is for sure the best career path for me.
I appreciate all the support from yall and all the encouraging comments along the way. The only thing that could have made this experience better was if I had more friends and family here to share it with.
I am blessed to have been able to serve with this internship, and I'm blessed to have so many loved ones to return home to.
This was a great adventure.....and it sure did end with a SPLASH!!!!!
Love Yall!
7 comments:
Jordy, I love the last of the Yellowstone pics! The blogs have been the greatest way to share this adventure with you other than being there next to you. But we will all be sooo glad to have you home. I look forward to hearing about your work in person and seeing more of your pictures. The big splash looks like fun! Well I quess it is back to the law firm for a while or until the back country comes calling again. Hope you and your Dad travel safe. See you soon. Love Mom
Hey bud! I'm so glad to hear your closing remarks to your internship. The possibility of a job out there is amazing! I am so proud of you and the impact you made on YNP. It'll never be the same. I was so thankful to visit you multiple times and share such a wonderful place with you. We have some precious memories and had fun times there. I look forward to your return. Your blog is priceless! I can't wait to see ya! Talk to you soon :) Get home safe - I love you!
Jordy, I'm packed & about to leave for WY...sort of a "off to see the Wizard" trip on your "home turf" if you will. My only remorse is not being able to spend much time in YNP, to see some of the sights the Costner Brothers got to experience together in my absense. Knowing you as I do, I know it's gonna be "petal to the metal" return much like our trip out (I've petitioned for more of a "smell the flowers along the way" approach on the way home). Hopefully we can come to a middle ground somewhere...possibly w/ a stop in KY to see Aunt Gertrude & visit the gravesite of one of your namesake - Pharley G. Sexton. I can appreciate you wanting to get home to see everyone...and eat at some of your fav places (I see where you've already got your order in for a couple). I may be fighting a losing battle when it comes to both your stomach & your heart!!
The words "slow down & relax" are definitely not in your vocabulary. I think you follow the lead of your alter ego, Bear Grylls, who stated recently: "Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving in an attractive well preserved body; rather to skid in sideways, body thoroughly worn out, covered in scars and screaming “yahoo! What a ride!” You definitely subscribe to that philosophy (See examples above & below!!) Now if you could just get your own show...
I think I speak for everyone who "followed the yellowbrick road" that led us to the The Jellystone Adventure...WHAT A RIDE!! -- Bill
What an awesome experience. Thanks for keeping us posted. I'm coming up there when y'all get settled in, I already talked to Mallorie about it and got the okay. Anyway, safe drive see you when you get back to SC.
James Younger Brown III
Thanks for the hard work Jordan, really appreciated all your help this summer. Good luck in academy, and I'll hopefully run into you in the future. If you get shoshone, take care of it for me.
EPILOGUE...well, as you can guess by now, Jordy & I finally made it home. But not without an adventure or two...
I arrived back in WY after a long day of flying & Jordy picked me up for trip to Jackson to play "tourist". All of the fav places he wanted to show me (Jedidiah's, Huckleberry ice cream shop & wildlife/art store) were closed on Sunday...bummer!
His last day of work, which consisted of horse-keeping duties, started at the crack of dawn on Labor Day (how apropros!). After we cleaned & packed up, he then proceded to try & kill me! We hiked into Lake Shoshone ranger cabin (where he proposed to Mal), followed by dip into Moose Falls (temp was only 61), then over to Huckleberry Hot Tub for dip in natural hot spring to end our outing. We finished the day off by eating all the Wades leftovers & everything else in his fridge. Then it was hot air (get my "drift"?), hot bath & early bedtime for these old bones before our drive home the next day.
Final day in YNP started @ 5 am by loading the "Q", as we drove away from the South Entrance, it was 26 degrees & a big "0" on the odometer. We managed to spot one of my "must sees" on the way out -- two moose grazing by a stream in GTNP. After a "side trip" thru Jackson, (Jordy HAD to have "all u can eat" breakfast w/sourjacks @ Jedidiah's House of Sourdough), we traveled route thru Southwest WY into CO, skirting edge of Denver, then into KS. (You know you're in Kansas when: next exit/gas station is 55 mi; next town is 36 mi; next tree is 28 mi; next bend in road is 17 mi, etc). Even though we ran thru some high winds, threatening t-stores & tornado warnings, we managed to skirt the worst of it. Finally, 15 1/2 hours & 926 miles later, we checked into hotel just before midnight to end our 1st day driving. (Guess I got even w/ Jordy after 12.5 mi hike the day before!)
Second travel day - more of same thru MO, IL & KY...only 819 miles/12 hrs later we spent last night on road. Next morning, we had pleasure of stopping for visit w/ my fav Aunt, my Mom's big sister Gertrude, and my cousin Terry Ann -- who took us to see Jordy's Great Papaw Sexton's (who Jordy is named after) final resting place. Then back on road for final 400+ miles (piece of cake!) thru TN, NC & SC to home at last!! FINAL TALLY ON GPS: 2163 miles & 31.6 hrs of driving time (you do the math...that's hauling ass!!).
Everything is now back to "normal", in fact Jordy started back to work at the law firm the following Monday morning...glad to be home w/ Mal, family & friends I'm sure...but with part of his heart & soul still in the wilderness & wonder that is Yellowstone! I was honored just to be along for the ride. -- Bill
POSTSCRIPT:
Just watched episode 4 of PBS Special on The National Parks, one dealing w/ beginning of Ranger program (great series by the way, many references to YNP), which was started by Horace Albright, 1st Superintendent of Yellowstone -- who is considered one of the founding fathers of National Park System. His job requirements for Rangers at that time...
They should be "men between the ages of 21 and 40," Albright specified, "of good character, sound physique, and tactful in handling people." They also had to be able to ride horses, build trails, fight forest fires, handle firearms, have survival experience in extreme weather conditions, and be willing to work long hours with no overtime pay. From a salary of $1,000 a year, they were expected to buy their own food and bedding – and to pay $45 for a specially designed uniform topped by a distinctive flat-brimmed hat. Despite all the requirements, so many men inquired about ranger positions at Yellowstone that Albright issued a daunting form letter response. "If you cannot work hard ten or twelve hours a day, and always with patience and a smile on your face," he warned, "don't fill out the attached blank."...
Not much has changed since then! Sounds just like Jordan's kind of job...DON'T YOU THINK?
(Link to Ken Burns series "America's Best Idea": http://www.pbs.org/nationalparks/history)
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