As with many things in life, you have to learn to go with
the flow, feel what’s in your heart and making changes accordingly. That is
exactly what Barb and I did this week. First let me explain how the first two
weeks of our new job went mapping remote BLM lands in Utah.
As expected we saw some really beautiful and remote
country. The low lands offer a unique beauty of sage, cattle, antelope, jack
rabbits, snakes and wild horses. The high ground offers absolutely stunning
views, rugged bone jarring terrain and mountain springs that are so clear that
you could drink out of them. The unexpected……. How unbelievably tiring it is
driving rough country in the jeep for 6-7 hours a day. We come home at the end
of the day whooped! I don’t think we have stayed up past 9:00 since we
started.
The high country has some great views..........
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| Headed up! |
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| One of our high country roads |
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| Our lunch spot last Monday |
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| Daisy drinking from one of the spring holding tanks |
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| A couple more rocks under the tires and we will be back on the trail! |
When Barb and I started our full-timing adventure we really
did not have any plans of having a job, as a matter of fact we had never really
talked about working. Our plans were to spend the summers in Canada and our
winters traveling the states. But plans change…..over the past year we have met
a lot of great people and heard about a lot of great seasonal jobs that we
never knew were out there. Camp Hosts, Lighthouse Attendants, Gate Guards,
there are literally hundreds of both paid and volunteer positions out there
that are perfect for traveling couples. When we heard about this position from
our friends Steve and Joan we thought it was too good to be true, getting paid
to drive and explore remote backcountry roads and hanging out with good
friends. It would be like getting paid to play!
The low lands is desolate and has a beauty of all its own.........
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| This mine shaft went straight down into the ground |
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| A Curlew that was cooperative in this photo op |
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| A herd of wild horses that would not get out of our way! |
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| A while later we watched them from the top of a hill |
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Daisy watched them too! |
Despite all the cool scenery at the second week we realized we
just weren’t totally happy. Getting up at 6:00am, out the door by 7:30
back home by 5:00 totally whooped. I realize we won’t get a lot of sympathy
from most of the readers but the thought of doing this 5 days a week for the
next 16-20 weeks was daunting and to be honest it was affecting our
relationship. Maybe we should have realized this going in but at the end of the
2nd week we decided it was time to reevaluate our plans and do what
was right for us. It is a good job, good pay, working for and with some great
people. So we sat down with our bosses
Chuck and Claudia and explained our situation telling them we were going to
move on and get back to our routine of life on the road. They totally
understood and even took us out to dinner that night with the other teams! What
a great couple and great company. In two weeks we met several couples who we
know will be long time friends. If anyone is looking for an adventurous job
where you get to see some really cool country while getting paid, send me a
note and I will put you in touch with Chuck and Claudia.
So what’s next? We are going to spend a few days with the
kids then head west to the coast where we plan on seeing Barb’s 94 year old
grandmother, stepmother and maybe a few other relatives if it works out. Then
back east to see the kids one more time before heading north into Canada for
the summer!
Luckily, I think I know just the place…….......................... 
We'll miss you guys but totally understand. Enjoy Oregon. Look forward to seeing pictures.
ReplyDeleteDon't worry, when you least expect it we will be knocking on your door!
DeleteI can see where working 40 hours a week again could be a problem especially if one doesn't need to work. We've heard of neat jobs, also, but we have no desire to have someone tell us when we have to work. Glad you went with your heart in this matter so you can continue to enjoy life on the road your way. Have fun heading to the coast:)
ReplyDeleteWe are not afraid of a little work.... key word being "little". We had hoped to have some energy left at the end of the day to get together with Steve, Joan, Dave and Maxine but it was not working out that way. Great job for someone looking for something like that however!
DeleteLooked cool. Where was that? Still in Moab and still no Jeep yet. You kids have fun, eh!
ReplyDeleteIt is a nice area..... we were about an hour west of Salt Lake
DeleteSorry the job didn't work out for you but you got to do what the heart wants. That's the beauty of this lifestyle...doing the things that you want to do, not because you have to.
ReplyDeleteSafe travels!
You are exactly right, we could have stuck it out but in the end but we would have been wishing we were somewhere else.
DeleteYou made the right call especially if it was causing a relationship problem. It's nice your boss took it so well.
Delete"Find a job you would do without pay" was one of the better pieces of advise a man once gave me.
Good advice Mark. I can't say that they were happy but Chuck and Claudia are really great people and we enjoyed working with them.
DeleteOh, man... Diana and I were sure you two were going to come work with us near Sleeping Bear, after reading your comment on our blog! No rest rooms to clean, just in case you want to reconsider. :)
ReplyDeleteYou two have a great summer, and if you know anyone who needs a work camping position, send them our way!
Sounds like a great place to spend the summer and the fact that there are no restrooms to clean, even better! But alas...... the lakes of Ontario are calling us.
DeleteSomethings are better in theory than practice and it's good you know went to make the call.
ReplyDeleteNow as a matter of international diplomacy I, as a Canadian, welcome the two of you back for the summer to enjoy our wilderness. But I have a problem, heading to the states for the winter and returning home for the summer in Canada I am a snowbird. You are something a little different. ( I can say this after meeting the two of you) I know it must have webbed feet because you love to be on the water, and it eats fish and I'm sure it's adapted to eating mosquitos by now. I have an idea it's a cross between a Canadian goose and a bald eagle and it always has a smile on it's face. We'll still have to find a name for it, but there is no rush, you'll have time to think while on a lake in paradise.
Thanks for the welcome! We should be in country by the first week of June. As for this something that is "a little different"...... instead of webbed feet, I am thinking fins and gills (something like The Creature from the Black Lagoon) and yes....definitely eats mosquitos!
DeleteIt sounded like such a perfect job for you two. But I get it too, too much work not enough time or energy for fun. Enjoy your time up north, I know you will! Let our Abbeville friend know if you get any cancellations for cabins this year :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the reminder, I just send a note to the resort to see if there were any cancellations. I saw Abbeville on the news the other days when some tornados went through.
DeleteI'm finally getting caught up on your adventures. I must admit to being intrigued by the job. Too bad it was so fatiguing. I look forward to hearing about your time in Canada. We used to vacation just north of Lake of the Woods and later in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. Fishing was always great.
ReplyDelete