I woke up a couple of times last night, which is not unusual these days. What is not normal in my life is being able to look out the window from my sleeping bag and enjoy the stars from the perch of a fire lookout. That is just wonderful. Maybe I should get paid in stars instead of sunsets. But that means staying overnight. Such a tough life!
At 0615, I woke up as the light was starting to get bright enough to disturb my slumber. Still no lightning to report-no surprise there. I then had breakfast and cleaned myself up. Also cleaned up the cab a bit so that when visitors come, they do not get the real me. Since I am going home today, I took a load down to the car-my sleeping bag and dirty clothes.
Now onto a normal day of scanning and listening to the radio. At 1005. Porterville does their weather and staffing. Then more scanning and listening. A friend, Don, called around 1040 and asked a few things. At 1115, my first visitor of the day came. We talked for about 15 minutes, explaining lookout life and showing locations.
Ar 1139, I hear sirens below me. Highway 180 and the General’s Highway are about half of a mile away. I hear on the radio Division 3 is responding to an accident, but the location is uncertain, but someplace along 180. There seems to be two locations being broadcast. Division 3 asks for clarification and they figure out that there are two accidents: one is a car accident on 180; the other is a medical emergency at the Hume Lake Christian Camp. No wonder there was a concern about what was being responded to.
At 1200 my second group of visitors came along. One of them calls up and says, Is that Gary? This is Ziegler. I know that name. He retired as Chief 1 from SEKI a few years back. He has hiked up here with his wife and a friend, Bridget. After they ate their lunch at the picnic bench below, they came on up. Ziegler knows the lookout well and there is no need to do my prattle with him. I know that he and Wendy have a connection, so I phone her up and let them talk while I do lookout things.
Bridget and I talk for a few minutes until a group of eight women from Indianapolis comes up. This is the start of about an hour and a half of visitors. All of them are interesting and interested in being up here. Their origins range from Fresno to Florida. There are lots of conversations with questions extends from can we see Whitney-no, to how long do I stay up here-this time two days, one night. One over achiever family-father and two grown up daughters flew in from Texas this morning came up here and hiked, will be going back to Fresno tonight and then on to Yosemite tomorrow. Much more than I could do now and maybe ever.
I had my lunch, or should I say dinner, of lasagna after everyone leaves and I have taken the weather. It is a good time to rest and just enjoy being up here.
The rest of the afternoon was pretty much what a fire lookout wants-borning. Remember my prayer: Lord, let there not be a fire on my watch, but if there is, let me find it. At 1750, I went out of service with both Ash Mountain Fire and Porterville.
I walked down the road a bit and started up the Park Ridge trail a few steps when I saw three deer on the trail. Then a fourth and fifth joined them. I just stopped, watched, trying not to disturb them. They were a bit hesitant, but then some crossed the road close by where I was standing. After about 10 minutes, I headed back to the lookout.
I got some pictures of the sunset and the lookout. The sunsets were better than last night, but the lookout was lacking. I also tried my hand again at shooting stars with the phone’s camera. I really need to get better at that. By the time I got into the cab, it was 2020. Sherri and I talked for about an hour and 20 minutes until we ran out of topics. I stayed awake for a while longer, much too long.
Extra Photo's
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| Smoke Layer to the northwest |
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| Delilah Lookout |
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| Sunset |
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| Sunset |
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