I passed!

After 9 days of drinking information from a fire hose, participating as both rescuer and patient in numerous scenarios, and both a multiple choice and a practical exam, I am now officially a certified Wilderness First Responder. Or WFR (pronounced WOOF-er) for short. Maybe I should start using that at the end of my name like doctors do...

Well, it's time to hit the road once more. I got laundry going, and I'm picking up pieces with regards to my phone bill (my phone got possessed and tried to get on the internet when I was in class one day and charged me $0.31... luckily I got that reversed this morning), emailing folks, cleaning up the room I let all my stuff sprawl in while I was staying here with Chris and Charley. Last night we had an after-party type deal at Paul's house, aka the Zoo, and it was actually kind of sad saying goodbye to all my classmates. Most of them were pretty cool cats, and I hope that we run into each other again someday.

Now it's on to Tujunga and Roger and Cecile's house. I'm hoping to meet up with a friend from my time in Botswana this weekend for a little hiking and catching up. Jack will be back in Cali after the 19th, so we'll be hanging out a lot, too, after that.

So it's time to bid adieu to the Sierra Nevada at last. Hopefully we'll see each other again soon.

Decompress

It's half past 2 in the afternoon on October 31st, and I ran up Green Street to take a picture that I had always told myself I would take, but never actually took the time to snap in my three years at Bodie. I figured it might be my last chance.

I didn't get out of Bodie until quarter to 3 in the afternoon, after a few final, hasty goodbyes. I put the largest ghost town in the west in my rear view mirror. As I drove away I was struck by the thought that that might be the last time that I drive away from Bodie and feel like I am leaving 'home' behind me. That could be the last time I could call Bodie my own.

So it's up to Cerro Gordo for a few days to decompress. Mornings in front of the potbelly stove, knitting, sipping tea, journaling. Peace, quiet. Chatting with Robert, the caretaker, and walking around the little town. Using the outhouse (always fun). I even did a little painting.

Now I'm at Chris and Charley's in Bishop, and I start my Wilderness First Responder Course tomorrow morning, bright and early. I can tell that I'm not used to living in normal towns at the moment - every time I hear a car go past my first thought is, "I wonder who's visiting?" Hmm... I'll have to work on that.

Anyway, I think it's time to rustle up some grub for supper (quietly, since Chris is hopefully asleep so she can start doing her night shifts tonight) and then I'll think about going to bed myself. After a shower, of course.

Until next time!