Going Home

The Sawtooth Hotshots, on the Dixie National Forest.

This is another of from the archives of my fire pictures. It was taken in 2004, my last summer on the Sawtooth IHC. It was a miserable fire - grass, sage, and juniper in the desert of southern Utah.

My favorite part of every fire, but on these early season desert fires in particular, was the hike out. No matter how tired I was, no matter how much my body hurt, no matter how miserable an experience I had, the hike out always made me happy.

The hike out was freedom - knowing my shift is done, that I'll get some food, a chance to take off your boots, a shower, some rest, and then a drive home. Sure there are things I still had to do - clean tools, repair gear, wash trucks, and maybe even a fire call at the last minute.

The hike out was peace. I'd drown out the complaints and jokes of my crewmates. Ignore the radio chatter about some far off division. I could think clearly, let my mind wander, daydream of hot food and cold beer, phone calls to my family, emails to my friends.

The hike out was hope. Hope for a better fire next time. Hope for some time in the timber and mountains. Hope for lots of OT, a quick summer, and a quick chance to return again next summer. Hope for a job jumping out of airplanes.

The hike out was the end. End of the fire. End of the two week roll. End of my summer. End of my fire career.

I still miss it, and wonder when I'll ever stop.

Blue Moon

Over the National Aquarium, Baltimore, Maryland.

Locked Times Three

Howard Street, Baltimore.

Slow Water

The Potomac River, below Great Falls.

Water Power

At the Prettyboy Dam, Maryland.

Anger

On The Greenehouse, Baltimore, Maryland.

Clouds

Over Baltimore.

Flower Bug

Near the Prettyboy Reservior, Maryland.

Old Baltimore

The old Baltimore City College building, Howard and Centre Streets, Baltimore, Maryland. Baltimore City College is actually a high school, the third oldest public high school in the country. This building was built in 1895 and is no longer in use. Signs around note that it may be turned into loft-style apartments.

Holes

At the Baltimore Botanical Garden.

White Burst

At the Baltimore Botanical Gardens

Driftwood

In Ocean Grove, N.J.

Spiral Ginger

Costus Amazonicus, at the Baltimore Botanical Gardens.

Feathers

Seagull in Ocean Grove, N.J.

Locked Again

Outside the Paramount Theater, Asbury Park, N.J.

Casino

The old Casino, Asbury Park, N.J.

The Bell

In Providence, Rhode Island.

Not Today

Empty lifeguard chair, Asbury Park, N.J.

The 4th

On Dover Street, Baltimore, Maryland.

Queen Victoria Agave

At the Baltimore Botanical Gardens.

Banana Trees

Up close at the Baltimore Botanical Gardens.

Sawtooth IHC

Alex Williams, Lance Eacret, Pete Skrief and yours truly, somewhere on the Payette National Forest, July, 2004.


I spent four summers on the Sawtooth Hotshots, four of the best summers of my life. During that time I worked harder than I ever had before, watched my body break down only to heal and break down again, saw places in this country that few people have ever seen, learned about myself, made a good amount of money, grew up, and made some of the best friends on the planet.

This is my first summer since 2000 that I will not be involved in fighting forest fires in some way, and I miss it tremendously. I don't miss the heavy gear, the crappy food, or my feet rotting off. I miss my friends, plain and simple. Right now some of them are in Utah on a fire, some are in Idaho, some Montana, some Alaska, and some (like me) have left the fire business altogether.

This picture is for them, and for me.

Thinking

Up close with Rodin's "The Thinker" at the Baltimore Museum of Art.

Torch Ginger

Nicolaia elatior "Thompsonae" at the Baltimore Botanical Gardens.

Time

I'm sorry that the updates are a bit slow in coming, but I'm busy studying for the first part of the Medical Boards. He's a couple photos for now, and I'll try and put some more up later.


Georgie K

The Thinker

Cast of Rodin's The Thinker, as seen at the Baltimore Museum of Art.

Red, Blue and Yellow

At the Baltimore Botanical Gardens.

Fixin' to Storm

July clouds rolling in outside Grangeville, Idaho.

Two Suns

At the Baltimore Botanical Gardens.

Mother's Day Wishes

My mother and I went to the Baltimore Conservatory and Botanical Gardens and the Baltimore Museum of Art for Mother's Day. These photos are for her. Thank you, Mom.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY PART IV

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY PART III

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY PART II

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!!!!

From the Baltimore Conservatory and Botanical Gardens.

Sugar Factory

The Domino Sugars plant at night in the Inner Harbor, Baltimore, Maryland.

Problems in Blogdom...

I've been having problems when posting photos from my home. And since it's final exam time, I've been holed up for the past couple days.

I'll try and get some pics up tomorrow, or it will have to wait until the weekend.

Windmill

Outside Grangeville, Idaho.

Links

Chain sculpture outside the Baltimore Museum of Industry.

Rodeo Clown

A clown at the Grangeville Rodeo, July 4th, 2005.

Green and White Leaves

At the Rawling's Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, Baltimore, Maryland.

Smokey Mountain Memories

Smoke obscured mountains on the Nez Perce National Forest, on a flight to Moose Creek airstrip. Idaho County, Idaho.

Water Tower

Tower by Druid Hill Reservior, Druid Hill Park, Baltimore, Maryland.

WT Ranch

The entrance to the WT Ranch, outside of Grangeville, Idaho.

Locked

On West Fayette Steet, Baltimore, Marland.

Golden Fields

North of Grangeville, Idaho.

Desert Cacti Colors

Cacti at the Baltimore Botanical Gardens.

Meadow Creek Drainage

Meadow Creek, as seen from an aerial patrol flight in June on the Nez Perce National Forest, Idaho.

Quick Shot, Fly Away

I had just enough time to snap a photo of this bird, a blue heron possibly?

I took the picture on the Jones Falls Trail, just south of the actual Falls themselves. I had been taking shots of the Falls, and caught a glimpse of the bird taking flight downstream. I followed the trail on my bike and was able to get this out of focus picture from about 70 yards away, just before it spotted me again and took to the sky.

I spotted him/her twice more, and possibly another, but I wasn't quick enough to get any good shots. Be assured I'll be back there though.

Pre-Dawn Federal Hill

Pre-dawn view from Federal Hill, overlooking the Inner Harbor, Baltimore, Maryland.

Big Red

Outside of Grangeville, Idaho.

My Maryland

University of Maryland, Baltimore.

Loading the Jump Plane

Smokejumpers with the U.S. Forest Service board their plane, Grangeville Air Center, Idaho.

Peace Before Sunrise

God of Peace at the Washington Monument, Baltimore.