And so the countdown begins. Only eighteen more days to be exact. I remember back in May when I started this adventure they said to cherish every moment you have this season because it will be over before you know it, and oh were they right. It seems like yesterday I just made the drive to Entiat and was meeting all the people that would surround me for the next six months. The experiences that I have been able to be a part of these last months are forever life changing. I can’t begin to express how thankful I am for the position that I have been placed in. I have gained so much knowledge; everything from a behind the scenes look at how the Forest Service operates, to the hands on experiences of public contact, trail work and so much more. You can’t put a price tag or value on something like this. I’ve totally fallen in love with this area so much so that I’m going to be coming back this winter to help as a snowmobile ranger.

For me this whole opportunity has completely turned my world upside down. Growing up in McKinney, Texas you don’t meet many people like the people I’m surrounded by. Sure you have people that love the outdoors but there aren’t very many opportunities to really thrive in. Before moving up here I hadn’t met anyone who worked for the public lands. After meeting everyone it totally just shocked me that you actual do this for a living? It seemed like such an unrealistic goal when you live somewhere like I did, where you have to drive 8 hours just to get to the mountains. For anyone who is contemplating working on public lands and is on the fence let me be the first to say how rewarding it is. To wake up in the morning and know that the work I’m doing is really helping us protect and persevere our public lands is really all that I need. I’m so happy that I took the leap of faith and landing where I am now. I look forward to the future and many adventures ahead.