I was fortunate enough to be hired and will be working as a part-time photographer/secretary/trail guide from late May until mid-October. This is where I will make posts related to my activities from the day to keep my family and friends updated.
posted this on my sister blog last week for the Grand Canyon National Park’s birthday…
Happy 94th birthday to the national park that boasts my favorite hole in the ground!
May you forever hold to the traditional means of travel that is by far my favorite, #betwixtlongears.
(at North Kaibab Trail, Grand Canyon NP)
I took this while traveling back from Bryce Canyon to the North Rim. Driving down the road, I looked over and saw these two young cowboys galloping through a field. My mind wandered to songs that talked of racing along beside train engines…this was my version of those songs! Though I was constrained to the cab of my truck, I felt free in the wide open landscape with the wind pouring in the open window. In my thoughts I was on four legs, not four wheels.
Sometimes…
…things happen that make you wonder, maybe even ask why.
Sometimes you don’t get to know the answer.
Sometimes you do.
And when that happens it makes you realize even more that He is in control of everything and knows exactly what He’s doing with your life.
You never know when your actions might make somebody’s day; and sometimes, you get blessed in return by learning how.
I was lucky enough to learn how I made someone’s trip to the Canyon very memorable and made a childhood dream of riding a mule here come true. Talk about a good feeling, making this job that much more worth while. :)
June 14, 2012: Bryce Canyon
On two of my days off, I went to ride in Bryce Canyon National Park, located in Utah. The same company I work for here at the North Rim also runs the horse and mule rides there. This was, in part, to have a better knowledge and first hand experience of Bryce Canyon and their rides so as to advertise better and answer questions more accurately; it was also because Bryce is so spectacular that I was told I needed to see it. They were right, too. Bryce Canyon was beautiful beyond belief!!
While visiting Bryce, I stayed overnight in Tropic, Utah, where the main office for Canyon Trail Rides is stationed. After my ride in the park, one of their wranglers showed me to where I would be staying, then I helped him with his evening farm chores of feeding his horses and watering his hayfield. The next day, before heading back to the North Rim, I stopped by the main boss’ shop to make an adjustment to Traveller and ended up spending most of the day helping out in the shop and with farm chores. :) Made me feel at home.
photo: Me riding Clancy, in front of “Picture Rock”; taken by Jake.
June 9, 2012: part 2
For some odd reason, I couldn’t get this photo to post with the others from the day, but here is Mark, Mary, and myself at Cape Royal.
Speaking of the Canyon, here’s an update on the job status… Talked to my boss last week to confirm that I’ll be coming back as a wrangler this season.
And on an even more exciting note, I’m very honored to say that he is allowing me to bring my own mule and keep it at the barn to have on my days off and after work!!! I can’t even begin to convey how thankful I am for this opportunity—though it will slightly complicate travels…
Departure will be sometime during the second week of May, with pup and muler in tow. :)
(at Mule Barn, Grand Canyon NP)
recent update:
December 26, 2012
Well, that was a longer delay than I thought it would be…
I’ve been very long-lost the past few months, and I’m sorry for that. My computer died again soon after I got it back (same problem as before). I’ve heard it said that the North Rim doesn’t like technology, and I do believe there is a lot of truth to that. Must be something going on in all those old rocks…
Anyway, the computer is fixed again (hopefully till I can purchase a new one) and I am back home in the mountains of Southwest Virginia and East Tennessee. I will, however, be making posts from where I left off earlier in the summer to catch you guys up on things for when I go back next season—that’s right, I will be going back to work again next May!! :D
I won’t be doing the photography next season, therefore I will be guiding more full-time, as well as working Miss Vickie’s days off on the desk two days a week again. So if any of you happen to be at the North Rim during the coming season, stop by the mule desk in the lodge or the corral at the Kaibab Trailhead and say howdy!
Did I say overload?! I meant, uh, the opposite of overload…
Haha, I’ve been caught up with, well, just livin’ life. I’ve been staying so busy having such a great time out here that I haven’t been turning my computer on very often. That makes it kind of hard to make updates.
Y’all have my word, though, that I’ll get caught up on my updates, however, I’m not going to give myself a deadline, haha, so I apologize for the delay, so far and later on…
Spontaneous
July 20, 2012
adjective
1 Proceeding from natural feeling or native tendency without external constraint.
2 Arising from a momentary impulse.
Edit: Just to clarify, so nobody gets too worried, I did not go to Vegas to get married—I’m not THAT spontaneous, ha ha! It was simply to drive Dennis back to the airport due to a timing conflict with the shuttle company.
I’m bound and determined to get caught up on these, so my apologies for the overflow that’s fixin’ to occur…
June 9, 2012
Went to a couple of viewpoints (where I had been with Mom and Papaw while they were here) with fellow wranglers Mark and Mary. We drove out to Cape Royal where we saw the Colorado River through Angel’s Window; we also went to Point Imperial. While walking to Cape Royal and Angel’s Window, we discussed some of the flora and fauna, such as the Cliffrose—or as Mary dubbed it, the “Yellow Sage Flower”. :)
