The Hardest Day of the Season

Monday, May 4, 2009

Today I was required to go to orientation over on the west side of the park. Usually, you do this training day the first Monday when you arrive. Well, since I arrived on a Tuesday (some trickery on my part, I have to admit), I was already working before I did the orientation day. THEN, the next Monday, I forgot about it and showed up to the District Office at the regular 8:00 hour. It was only when I welcomed back another employee, that I was reminded of orientation. Fortunately, I found out that the travel to orientation was cancelled. The weather was so bad, and hence the roads so bad, that the “East-siders” didn’t have to go to orientation. I was so relieved…you have no idea. I don’t think they would have minded if I missed the orientation, but you never know.

So, today, orientation was ok. It was the usual paperwork, sign here, sign there, copy your identification cards, nap time sort of fiasco. Myself and the returning employees around me decided that this is the hardest day of the entire season! 2 hours of safety! JEEZE!

After it was all over I got to drive one of our leased vehicles back over to St. Mary. My big boss got a truck again, only it was huge! A big black Dodge Ram. I can hear the snickers and comments now: “It’s a gas-guzzling beast!” “Why do they need such a big vehicle?” On defense for the NPS, it’s not our fault. We don’t choose the brands or styles of vehicles…we only ask for a “truck.” But I had fun driving it back to St. Mary. I put ‘er on cruise control and zoned out! I’m glad the hardest day of the season is over.

I snapped a photo of my “snow” gauge. This just shows you the melting progress.

Weather: Windy, Partly Sunny, 40’s-50’s.