October 28, 2022 - Delilah Lookout

 

Title: October 28, 2022 - Delilah Lookout
Hike Info : Description :  Background 

Hike Info:

Type: Lookout

Description:

I woke up to the very faint glow behind the eastern mountains. I watched it, along with the fading stars, falling back a sleep several times to wake up to the wonder of these skies. Around 0630 I finally get up. And by 0700 I am ready to make a trip down to the car. While down at the car, I take a short walk-it will be the last time on the ground until I leave Delilah.

 

 

The sun comes up over Park Ridge

I had a discussion about when and where the lightning was at Jennie Lake two weeks ago. P33 is the investigator for this fire. I do not have a good connection here, so I tell her I will send the information to her tomorrow-it actually will be Sunday before I get it together.

I did all of the normal stuff to get ready to go in-service this morning. Then at 0930 I notify Sierra and Porterville that Delilah is now working. It will be a lonely day as both Park Ridge and Buck Rock are not being staffed. Park Ridge is out of service for the season and no volunteer was available for Friday and Saturday.

The rest of the day is pretty much non-descript. You can read my personal log down in Background. I suppose I should be a little emotional about the possibility of not being in a lookout again this season, but I am not-not because I do not enjoy it, but the emotion I think would be artificial. Still, I do savor what I am able to do up here.

Bee Catcher

There are a couple of things which I view. First, there is the dead tree clearing going on. I see the machinery move around, then disappear behind a ridge. I had seen the truck lights driving up this morning. But I know they are there as I see dust fly up occasionally. In the afternoon, I am looking around and realize that a dead tree about half a mile away which the birds of prey would perch on is missing-taken down in the dead tree clearing. I wonder where or if I will find them? And then as I do my scan, I spot these bits of red floating in the sky. I am thinking it is bits of flagging. But then one comes into focus, and I discover it is a leaf! It is a couple hundred feet off the ground. I gaze at these leaves in awe for several minutes before they blow further away.

Dirt Devil

And so the day went. Around 1600 I cooked myself dinner-the rest of the Mac & Cheese, along with the rest of the soup. And then it was time to clean up. I got most of the cab clean, except I did not get a chance to mop-but I did sweep.

After going out of service, I finished taking stuff down to the truck and locked up the lookout. On the road, I stopped and picked up the rounds I chose last night and then headed home, getting there just in time to see the last half of Jeopardy. I am glad I was able to be up there these two days. I both give and take. I give of my time and take a sense of contentment.

 

 

 

Background
 

Activity	Time	From	To	Digest
	635			I get up
	700			go down the the 80 steps of Delilah, getting a head start on packing to go home this evening. Things like that went down to the truck: Excessive water bottles, sleeping bag,… Then walked around a bit
Phone	838	P33	Del	Discussed possibility of lightning around Jennie Lake contributing to the Kaweah Fire. I will send a map tomorrow.
	850			Breakfast
	905			Took and recorded the weather
	920			Scan
	925	Del	PTV	In-service
	926	Del	SNF	In-service
	936			Scan
	959			Quick Scan
	1004	SNF		Lookout Check in, Staffing and Weather Report
	1006	PTV		Weather Report and Staffing
	1030			Scan
	1033			Started to Wash Windows
	1047			Scan
	1111	P33	PTV	Inservice to Dunlap
	1112			Scan
	1118	KaweahTrainee	PTV	Update report on the Kaweah Fire at Jennie Lake. They are on the scene. The containment lines held overnight. He will report back in an hour.
	1125	SNF		Tone 10 going down for a battery swap-this is at Fence Meadow. Later on I can see the reflection of his vehicle’s window.
	1135			Scan
	1137			Interesting following things on a scan. I saw several reddish objects floating around. At first I thought it was bits of red plastic flags. But then one of them came into view: it was a leaf, flying a couple hundred feet above the ground.
	1138			Continue to wash windows
	1141	E32	PTV	Inservice to Dunlap
	1152	361	PTV	Inservice to Big Meadows
	1155			Scan
	1201	310	PTV	Inservice to Big Meadows
	1215	Div 3	E32	Inquiring about location
	1223	P33	PtV	Location change: Hume Lake area
	1225			Scan
	1230			Lunch
	1251	KaweahTrainee	PTV	Fire still within lines. They put some water on it to cool the fire and snag tree. Remain in patrol status. Returning to vehicle.
	1255			Scan
	1303	E32	PTV	In quarters, Pinehurst
	1307			Took Delilah’s Weather
	1311	36	PTV	Returning to quarters
	1325			Scan
	1325	Comp2	SNF	Tone 10 back online
	1340			Finished washing windows
	1353			Scan
	1354			Nap
	1359	36	PTV	Back in quarters and out of service
	1414			Scan
	1431	3A	PTV	In Service to Big Meadows
	1439			Scan
	1510			Scan
	1513			Continue to go through coordinates
	1528	KaweahTrainee	PTV	Returned to vehicle. Returning to quarters
	1529			Scan
	1537	P33	PTV	Returning to Quarters
	1540			General fire weather
	1550			Scan
	1600	SNF		Lookout Check in
	1602	PTV		Indices and Weather
	1614	P33	PTV	In Quarters
	1620			Scan
	1625			Pack, clean and sanitize
	1645			Scan
	1658	SNF		Evening checkin-Went out of service
	1700	Del	PTV	Out of Service
	1720			Left Delilah
	1730			Picked up the rounds I saw yesterday
	1910			Back home