when will the crazy end?

Wednesday: monstrous monsoon storm which made the roads to muddy to get the van down the road. We tried to get it up just a little hill and got stuck. Good thing we had a few Trailwalkers to push the van out of the mud. We had to shuttle the TWs in for switchouts using the suburban with its off-road tires and 4-wheel drive. It still took a couple hours to get everyone where they needed to be.

Thursday: two trips to the hospital. The first was to get a youngwalkers hand set that had punched a tree and broken his hand. The second was for a knife cut on a thumb which required stitches. The second trip took much longer than necessary for a few reasons and we did not get the youngwalker back into the band until 2:30am, then I had to hike back out to my vehicle which meant I did not get to bed until after 3am.

Friday: James and I spent the afternoon scouting a drop-off spot for rabbitstick. As we were waiting for them to arrive, we got a call saying they had broken down about 15 miles east of Payson. Yet another trip for me back to town. Thankfully there were only two YWs and we were able to get seven people plus all of the rabbitstick gear on top of my gear to fit in the suburban.

Saturday: I thought I would take this morning to drop off a much needed satelite phone battery to the walkabout band that wasn't hiking. On my mile and a half journey into them, I got a call saying a YW had walked away from his band and wasn't talking to anyone. I was already feeling incredibly stressed because I had bands strewn out over miles and then this call put me over the top. I walked into the walkabout band, found Sam and lost it. I just broke down and cried. I could barely tell her what was going on because of how hard I was crying. For the first time since becoming Ridge, I hated my job. I could feel myself becoming cynical because all I got to deal with was all the problems but I never get to see the good aspects anymore. Sam listened and gave me a hug. I ended up spending about two hours with her and Jeremy just laughing and talking. They even taught me how to make a split twig figure (I've made them before out of wire but never been successful out of plants until now). I did pamper myself that evening and went out to dinner at a local restaurant in Young called the antler cafe.

Sunday: pulled James from one band and we split one of the boys bands becaus they had a sitter that was preventing the other boys from hiking to final D. I did get to have a great conversation with James, Brittany and Matt O. over the radio. They happened to be all trying to check-in at the same time so we just chatted with each other while we watched the sunset. I was lucky enough to get a picture of it.

Monday: the car battery died after morning check-ins so I hiked two miles to a ranch to see if they had jumper cables. Of course no one was home, so I sat on the road until a nice retired couple showed up and gave me a ride into Young. I went to the ranger station and someone there was nice enough to give me a ride back out. He had a jumper box with him which we discovered was not charged. So off he went back to town and found some cables. It took a total of four hours to get the car finally going again from the time I began hiking. Then I picked up the other boys band, that was so behind in hiking they were never going to make it up, and drove them to Final D.

Tuesday: made another trip to the hospital with the same YW who had broken his hand because he had to get a pin put in it to hold the bone in place. That night the suburband battery died again and a Shadow was unable to leave the Trail.

Wednesday: got up early and drove to Payson to buy a jumper box for the red sub. Got the vehicle jumped and the Shadow was on her way. When I went into the bands, to give them fresh radio batteries, one YW said I looked like I hadn't slept in over a week. I certainly felt like it. I did not have any mental energy left.

This photo is of Haigler Creek which was our Final D. Its up in the ponderosa pines and manzanitas. There are blue jays and when the wind blows through the pines, I feel like I am back in Tahoe.

I think this week is tied with the week where transfers got screwed up as the craziest week I have had as Ridge. I made six trips to Payson during the week (usually I only go through Payson as we are heading to or from the Trail)