'Hunting' Adventures

View south from the Anderson Place - Crazy Mtns on the left, Absarokas/Gallatins straight ahead.

Successful hunting tip:

If you want to find game, go with me. Then when I make a decision and pick a direction in which to hike, turn 180 degrees and walk the other way.

Needless to say, I did not have any luck yesterday either. Went up the Shields Valley on the recommendation of a couple friends. Saw plenty of deer (no elk), but they were all secure behind POSTED signs.

I have come to the ultimate conclusion that I suck at hunting. I can shoot. I just can't hunt.

So I took my rifle for some long walks yesterday. It was a gorgeous day and a long one.

And I loved every minute of it.

Fun weather

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RIVERTON WY

1048 AM MST THU NOV 17 2011

..SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL AND WIND POSSIBLE FOR WESTERN WYOMING

TODAY AND FRIDAY...AND THE NORTH FRIDAY THROUGH SATURDAY...

A PACIFIC STORM SYSTEM BRINGING SNOW TO THE WEST THIS MORNING WILL

CONTINUE TO INTENSIFY THIS AFTERNOON AND CONTINUE TONIGHT AND FRIDAY

ACROSS THE WESTERN MOUNTAINS AND VALLEYS. THE SNOW AND WIND IS

THEN EXPECTED TO SPREAD INTO THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS FRIDAY AND

CONTINUE THROUGH MID DAY SATURDAY. SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL WITH

BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW IS EXPECTED...ESPECIALLY ON THE

MOUNTAIN PASSES.

..WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 PM MST FRIDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN RIVERTON HAS ISSUED A WINTER

STORM WARNING FOR SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW...WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 5

PM MST FRIDAY. THE WINTER STORM WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.

* SUMMARY AND TIMING...SNOW WILL CONTINUE TODAY...INCREASING

OVERNIGHT. SNOW WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE DAY FRIDAY.

* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS...6 TO 12 INCHES POSSIBLE IN THE NORTH WITH

10 TO 20 INCHES IN THE WEST AND SOUTH PORTIONS OF THE PARK.

* WIND AND VISIBILITY...SOUTHWEST 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS

NEARING 50 MPH AT PASS AND PEAK LEVEL. VISIBILITY MAY BE

REDUCED BELOW ONE-QUARTER MILE AT TIMES IN BLOWING SNOW.

* IMPACTS...OUTDOOR ACTIVITY MAY BECOME SEVERELY IMPACTED TONIGHT INTO

FRIDAY WHEN MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOW COMBINES WITH STRONG WINDS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER

CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF

SNOW ARE FORECAST THAT WILL MAKE TRAVEL DANGEROUS. ONLY TRAVEL IN

AN EMERGENCY. IF YOU MUST TRAVEL...KEEP AN EXTRA FLASHLIGHT...

FOOD...AND WATER IN YOUR VEHICLE IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY.

THE LATEST ROAD CONDITIONS PROVIDED BY THE WYOMING DEPARTMENT OF

TRANSPORTATION ARE AVAILABLE BY CALLING 5-1-1 OR ON THE INTERNET

AT WYOROAD.INFO.

be warned! the end is near...

The Mayan calendar ends in a year or so.

Prophetic?

Kevin Schneider Selected to be Deputy Superintendent at Grand Teton National Park

http://www.nps.gov/grte/parknews/news-release-11-103.htm

a couple quick photos

The new Gardiner Ambulance - a.k.a "The Beast" and it's pretty dang sweet. Other than being about 2 years late for delivery and having multiple issues requiring a trip back to the dealer...

Needs to be outfitted and made battle-ready! Beth and Joe are working on that, but I sure would like to assist in the setup process.

Removing the non-functional solar panels off our roof to get ready for work (hopefully next week). Look at the pitch on that roof! I mean, who does that in a snowy area?

They are going to scrape off the old roof, put up new trusses, add a new roof with a more realistic pitch, and BLOW INSULATION INTO THE CAVITY!

Thank goodness. Love the house, but it's impossible to stay warm with no insulation in the walls or roof. Aims and I have taped thick plastic over as many inside windows as possible, added weatherstripping kits to two outside doors, and blocked off one door with plastic and insulation for the winter. And it's still cold.

Looks like new windows will be coming in the spring as well, so we are looking forward to the changes.

EMT Class week 5 - Second exam and stress

EMT Class is harder than I thought. I say that because I have met people who have been through it (the watch saleswoman at Walmart who said she 'used to be an EMT' etc.)

Call me pompous, but I figured I could handle it with ease. I'm a GIS Specialist with 2.9 Bachelor's degrees, Masters candidate, I figure I'm pretty smart, so EMT class should be a breeze, right?

Wrong.

Time is my enemy.

These next two weeks, for instance, I'm doing the following: taking care of my 12 year old nephew, (attending a parent-teacher conference, not to mention keeping a snarly pre-teen alive for 14 days), reading and studying for airway theoretical exams (Monday night), prepping to teach two modules of the Operational Leadership course on Wednesday, spending 8 hours watching a video for my instructor-level CPR class next Tuesday, reading and studying patient assessment for Wednesday, finishing my term paper for GIS Implementation, trying to sneak in a few hours to hunt for deer and elk, work 8 hours a day, and try not to lose my mind.

Yep, I'm whining.

OK. Gotta bust this up and try to manage my time.

Actually had to bust out the hour-by-hour calendar for this one.

Made it through Monday - scored a 92% on the airway exam (more stupid mistakes on the test, should have aced it...). Kept the kid alive for another day.

Tuesday - managed to wake Tuck up in time for school, make a nice breakfast, send him off with a check for lunch money, get to Operational Leadership class in time for prepping the classroom and Doug's intro. Back to work for the day. Downloading Op. Leadership materials for tomorrow, dealing with GIS BS issues, trying to come up with a good presentation tomorrow...and have a parent-teacher conference at 1815.

Wednesday - will be at the class from 0800, my first presentation starts at 1030. Then lunch. Then second presentation, class ends at 1630. After that, run home, feed Tucker, get him ready for scouts, drag him with me to the Mammoth Community Center, attempt to finish reading chapters 10-12, make sure Tuck gets picked up for scouts while trying to pay attention in class.

Then I collapse.

Is this how regular parents live?

'Cause I don't think I could handle that.

Healing

Hunter-Eddie the galloping bulldog, post-surgery

EMT Class week #4 - First Exam Down

Holy crap.

At first I wrote "week 3" above, but it's actually week #4 folks. Hard to believe time has flown by so fast.

Our class meets twice a week, on Monday and Wednesday nights from 1800-2030. We meet 15 minutes early (optional) to study the government protocol book. Since I will be working for 2 services (government and village volunteer) I get to bone up on two sets of protocols. Eventually. Can't bring myself to even crack open the Montana state protocol book yet.

At this point I'm studying for my life. I feel woefully unprepared for class and never seem to have enough time to absorb one chapter before reading the next. How the hell can I feel like this when we're only 9 chapters and 240 pages in?

The first test was bad. Really bad. After taking the EMR class last winter I thought I was prepared for the insane wording and trickiness of the exams. Not so much. In my defense, I set aside three hours on Monday to study before the test (took the day off). Went to town in the morning, got my snow tires mounted, bought myself a new bike, and drove home. Grabbed a shower, got dressed, decided to spend an hour at the house doing the test questions on the web, then spend 2 hours in the classroom re-reading the chapters...

BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP

No way. We haven't had a call in...how long?

"Paging ALS, paging ALS. Crew requested for ALS transfer of 64 year old male from the Clinic, complaining of chest pain."

Shit.

So much for my study plans.

I pull on socks, shove on shoes, and call en route to the clinic.

Uneventful call, really. A quick 3-hour turnaround and we hit the classroom 15 minutes late for the exam, which I'm sure didn't help my score.

47 questions and I missed 7. Two of them were sheer stupidity on my part - not reading the questions carefully enough - and the rest I don't know. Mixed up sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems for sure...we will be going through the test tonight. I'm bummed, but I guess I'll just have to settle for 86% on this one.

Only 32 chapters and 1,000 pages to go...

HELP!

EMT Class week #4 - First Exam Down

Holy crap.

At first I wrote "week 3" above, but it's actually week #4 folks. Hard to believe time has flown by so fast.

Our class meets twice a week, on Monday and Wednesday nights from 1800-2030. We meet 15 minutes early (optional) to study the government protocol book. Since I will be working for 2 services (government and village volunteer) I get to bone up on two sets of protocols. Eventually. Can't bring myself to even crack open the Montana state protocol book yet.

At this point I'm studying for my life. I feel woefully unprepared for class and never seem to have enough time to absorb one chapter before reading the next. How the hell can I feel like this when we're only 9 chapters and 240 pages in?

The first test was bad. Really bad. After taking the EMR class last winter I thought I was prepared for the insane wording and trickiness of the exams. Not so much. In my defense, I set aside three hours on Monday to study before the test (took the day off). Went to town in the morning, got my snow tires mounted, bought myself a new bike, and drove home. Grabbed a shower, got dressed, decided to spend an hour at the house doing the test questions on the web, then spend 2 hours in the classroom re-reading the chapters...

BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP

No way. We haven't had a call in...how long?

"Paging ALS, paging ALS. Crew requested for ALS transfer of 64 year old male from the Clinic, complaining of chest pain."

Shit.

So much for my study plans.

I pull on socks, shove on shoes, and call en route to the clinic.

Uneventful call, really. A quick 3-hour turnaround and we hit the classroom 15 minutes late for the exam, which I'm sure didn't help my score.

47 questions and I missed 7. Two of them were sheer stupidity on my part - not reading the questions carefully enough - and the rest I don't know. Mixed up sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems for sure...we will be going through the test tonight. I'm bummed, but I guess I'll just have to settle for 86% on this one.

Only 32 chapters and 1,000 pages to go...

HELP!

On mapping

When I finally realized that making maps was actually something one could get paid for (and following the disastrous results of attempting to play pool for a living) I decided that I would one day make maps for National Geographic. I would be a Cartographer. For National Geographic. The only real dream of a job I ever had, other than the childhood fixation with being a vet and raising sled dogs (which I'd like to again as well, coincidentally).

I mentioned my fixation to my professor, who encouraged me to apply for a cartographic internship with NG. So I did. I waited. And failed. They didn't want me. Not even as an unpaid intern. I was crushed.

It was too late to get an internship for the summer.

Then random trust-afarian kid shows up at our department pimping the SCA (which I thought stood for the Society for Creative Anachronism). I flipped through the catalog, disinterested. Then I hit one. Sat up straight on my stool in the manual cartography lab. "Field Assistant needed to GPS thermal features, Yellowstone National Park" Started in July. Could one really get paid for such a thing? I LOVE hot springs.

Applied

Interviewed (with Kendra - bless her heart and no, I'm not a geyser gazer!)

Accepted

Moved

Fast forward ten or so years.

Got a meeting with David from National Geographic maps. We give them the data, they make the maps. I'm sitting in a meeting with this guy and realize, in a strictly vicarious way, my wish actually came true. I'm helping make maps for National Geographic. Dang.

Now just need to get a couple more sled dogs...

[as a side note, I met someone a few years back who was accepted and interned at NG and he said it sucked - they worked them like slaves and they just smoked pot in the office all the time. Guess I dodged a bullet there after all.]

Today I need music

Many thanks to some old friends

Clapton (Derek and the Dominos)

Dave Matthews

Bowie

Paul Simon

Mary Chapin Carpenter

Styx

Bill Withers

I'll get by.

Elk are EVIL

Yep. It's true. They are not cute. They are pure evil.

How do I know this? Well, they hide from me all day long, then mock me from the front yard after dark. Yep. They are evil.

Eddie is fine

Thanks for asking.

He made it through surgery just fine and they removed a quarter-sized melanoma. Other than looking like frankendog, he's doing pretty well. (I'll post a pic when I can)

Life at the house goes on as usual. Aims is learning about the seasonality of Yellowstone - how we bust ass all summer then breathe in the fall (and wax our skis for winter).

I'm headed out to hunting district 314 in the morning so I can be ready to pull the trigger at 0716 - the official start of deer & elk rifle season in MT. Wish me luck!

updates

EMT class is going pretty well - people are still not loosening up (might be that the Chief's wife is in the class?) but at least a few of us laugh at the instructors' jokes.

Eddie goes in to get a bump taken off his withers tomorrow. Vet thinks it's an adenoma (benign). Eddster doesn't handle anesthesia very well, so I'm worried. Bulldogs have short trachea and tend to be hard to intubate. I'm going to chat with the vet to see if we have other options. (maybe a sedative and a local?)

Anyway, other than that, things are pretty much just crazy 'round here. Getting ready for winter.

Trying to get my term paper finished, due the end of next week.

Only the third EMT course and I'm already behind in my reading.

Rifle season starts Saturday (still haven't decided where I'm going).

Tens of elk rutting around the house every night [why can't I just bulldog one into the garage, and, you know, dispatch it there?]

:)

And so on.

Need to get a couple good coats of wax on the ambulance before winter (and my car, too). Would like to take the time to paint the fall colors, but just haven't the time at present. Days are getting shorter, and there's so much to do!

Here we go!

I was intent on moving past being an EMT-FR (First Responder) and getting my EMT certification. Unsure if I want to go on to Paramedic school, but most schools require you to practice as an EMT for a year before applying anyway, so EMT class was a logical next step. The course I was looking at was a self-study online course, with a two-week boot camp in North Idaho (might be a front for the Aryan Nations?). And it cost several thousand dollars. I mentioned this to Joe, and he told me to hold off. Apparently they were planning to give an EMT course last year, but switched to FR due to time and complexity. He would broach the subject again and see if we could do a full EMT course this winter. I didn't hold out much hope, but decided to wait it out.

All the work by my colleagues has paid off. We are going to have an EMT-B (or just 'EMT' in the new standard scope of practice) course. It starts tonight. Runs 2.5 hours twice a week, some Saturday skills days. October through April. Minimum of 110 hours required, plus clinicals with an ambulance company or Emergency Department. Looks like I will be spending time in Livingston or Bozeman this winter.

We all had to write a letter of intent in order to be considered for the class (There were far more interested than slots available), so here's mine:

******************************************************************

Why do I want to be an EMT?

Do you want the real, full story about how an aging GIS professional falls in love with EMS after years of dabbling in WFA, WFR, and CPR courses? I didn’t think so.

The truth of the matter is, I don’t know if I will be a good EMT.

There. I said it.

I am struggling as a First Responder/EMR to provide solid patient care. After every run I find something I could have done better or differently. My lack of knowledge frustrates me. I am constantly looking up terminology or reviewing protocols to try and fill in the gaps.

If I’m having this much trouble as an EMR, why go on to EMT?

It is because I’m struggling that I want to continue with my EMS education. I want to be able to do more, to help more, both with the NPS EMS crew and with the Gardiner Gateway Hose Co. EMS. To do that, I need more education and experience and I believe the course offered this winter/spring will help.

So, take a chance on this wannabe-EMT/mapping geek.

Thank you for considering my application

******************************************************************

What kind of a knucklehead would accept that letter?

Apparently our EMS director would.

Me and 13 others will be working together for the next 7 months to become better practicioners and frankly, well, I'm freaking out a bit. It's a ton of work (textbook alone is 1300+ pages of reading, plus lectures, assignments, practicals...)

Oh, and I'm still working on my course work for graduate school.

Have I gone completely round the bend?

I guess you will all have to get used to those type posts for the next 7 months.

Tones

Enjoying the luxury of beautiful fall days in Yellowstone. Just enough crisp to the night air to snuggle deeper into the down comforter, yet not enough to close the windows entirely. The rut is on. Elk bugles echo off every surface, sometimes near, some far away. Friday night. All morning to sleep in and a lovely brunch of eggy wonderful to cook up.

Bliss

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP

I commando-roll out of bed and hit the wood floor on hands and knees. Ow. Knock the radio charger down as I grab for the 'on' knob. Grabbing for the action adventure gear and a hat to slap on as the dispatcher drones, "...(garble garble) year old female, syncopal episode, incontinent at the hotel. Please acknowledge page."

"EMR acknowledging page. On the way to ambulance bay."

"Copy, 0307"

I'm still not awake. At least the dogs are quiet. Cinch up the belt, squeeze into uncomfortable shoes, mental inventory: watch, pager, radio, phone, wallet, gum, trauma shears, pen, car keys. Good to go.

Sprint up the hill in my trusty Honda. Don't really remember the drive. Code entered, door up, unplug, check around ambulance, heart monitor on board, fire it up!

"Ambulance on scene"

"On scene, copy, 0315"

Load and go.

Two medics in the back. I'm driving the hour to the hospital.

Can't hear much from the back, concentrate on not hitting, elk, deer...

...damn - nailed that skunk squarely.

Unload, up the ramp, handoff.

Pile back in the rig. Grab a drink at the stop-and-go.

Driving for home.

Drop off the medics, head up to the garage to refuel and pressure-wash skunk off the rig. Tried the orange oil degreaser, but it just barely masks the smell.

Sun's up.

Rig back to the bay, fueled, somewhat clean, plugged in, and stocked.

Back in the Honda.

Back to bed.

A perfect Saturday morning.

CANCER IS BAD!

Get your manly bits tested!

Feel like giving some money? Hit the links to the right and donate! (you will get a receipt for your taxes, folks)

We gals luv you all and want you around for a long time!

Arrrr! It be international Talk Like a Pirate Day, matey!

Here be sum ports o' call fer the interwebs.

The guys that started it all

http://www.talklikeapirate.com/

Google, pirate version

http://www.google.com/webhp?hl=xx-pirate

Mango Languages, Pirate lessons

http://www.mangolanguages.com/try-it.php?course_id=224_

And if you are a member of the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster (a.k.a. a Pastafarian), take the day off!

"Bring me one noggin of rum, now, won't you, matey."

Getting ready for Bechler

Leaving at 0'dark 30 tomorrow for 3 days in Bechler, mapping features with GPS.

Does life get better?

(don't have ANYTHING packed yet...)

I think Vegas made me sick

Too many germs rolling around that place.

Been sick for a couple days. Feeling much better, but seriously tired though I've done nothing but sleep and drink fluids for a day and a half. Back at work, plugging away valiantly. My down comforter is calling, though. I need a nap.

EMSWorld Expo - the photos

OK, I suck at taking pictures with my iPod Touch - 'cause it can't be the technology, right?

Here are a few of the decent ones from our Vegas EMS Foray

Jessi, Lloyd, and "The Pit Boss", day 1 in Vegas (still fresh-faced...)

The long walk to the Vegas Convention Center - it was darn hot!

Jessi & Lloyd doing a bit of ambulance shopping

OOOHHHH! SHINY!
Jessi modeling the latest in outside compartment storage

Very pretty - center-mount stretcher in a big Type 1 ambulance. The little stretcher ramp thingy just seemed more of a nuisance than anything else.

Mass Casualty Incident in the Convention Center Parking lot - staged for our enjoyment and local units' preparedness. Did not have a very good view from the ground so we decided to check it out from the monorail:


Joe & Lloyd take in the Bellagio fountain show on their last night.