'Lost' at Sea

I just had to blog about my amazing time last night. So I haven't quite gotten up to date on my wear-a-bouts, but I promise I will. I am currently in the Virgin Islands on St John. I got together with some friends last night and hiked out to Solomon beach in the dark. The sky was clear and the stars were out. The water felt so warm and I remember how remarkably clear it was. There was no moon in the sky, but I could even see the ripples of the sand along the bottom. My toes, feet, and legs were all as clear as if I was in a bathtub. After swimming for a while, we noticed the sky changing. No longer were the islands in the distance visible against the dark horizon. A silent haze surrounded our beach. Within in an instant rain started pouring down on us. We had found ourselves in the ocean at night during a tropical storm! Figuring that the water would be much warmer than the beach, we swam out the rain. As soon as it let up we made the journey home, trekking through the wet trees and muddy trails. It poured on and off the entire way. Our single flashlight didn't do much justice to the trail, and we often felt like we were lost. But thankfully we managed to come to our senses and not stray off. I don't think I have ever enjoyed the rain as much as I did that night. Needless to say, we came back through town at four in the morning looking like swamp people. It was a fabulous evening spent with great people.

Cruisin' the Country

I can picture it now....drives along the coast, singing along to oldies

      I have this dream of going on a crazy road trip with a couple close friends. The twist? I want to cruise the country in a classic Volkswagen bus. There are places that let you rent VW's for a hefty fee, but it just wouldn't be the same if I couldn't personalize it to feel like a mini home. Obviously it costs much more than I can afford to purchase a classic car and fix it up. Which is exactly why this hasn't been crossed off my bucket list quite yet. But what better way to really bond with the people you are closest with? They say if you really want to get to know someone, take a road trip together. I have only been on a couple long-distance car rides with friends. Some have brought me closer to people, while others really broke the friendship. I traveled across Oregon with one "friend" in high school to scope out a college. My mom kindly loaned me her gas card to help us along the way, but the girl ended up taking advantage of the "free" gas. We didn't speak for a couple weeks after that, and our friendship was never the same. The point is, I think it could be an amazing adventure. Plus it would be nice saving on hotel rooms. I would love to leave the outside in it's classic form, but customize the inside with mini-stove and all. Maybe some cute curtains in the windows. I purchased the footprint gas pedal some time ago, just waiting to be installed. See, my dreams are already coming true, haha!

My "Roosie" Summer

After failing miserably at finding a long-term job and the inevitable demise of a rocky year-long relationship, I decided it was time to get out of town for a while. To be honest I just wanted to get out of Oregon completely. This was at a time when the economy was exceptionally low and Portland was not spared from the chaos. So, I packed what I could fit in my car, left the city (and thankfully all my ex-boyfriends) behind and started a seasonal job working in Yellowstone National Park. I was hired at the smallest location, Roosevelt Lodge, and I quickly came to love my home away from home. The lodge consisted of a restaurant, a lounge, a small gift shop, and an even tinier bar. Guests stayed in individual cabins spread along the grounds. Our employee area was cozy, but we weren't expecting very much in the first place. We were miles from the nearest town or any other lodge for that matter.

Rock-climbing in the HooDoos

There I roomed with two fellow travelers, one of whom I still have a friendship with today. Our little cabin came with a wood stove, a cot for each of us, and a small dresser. We made our individual areas fit for our temporary stay. All 100 or so employees bonded quickly over a Frisbee game. It was amazing how comfortable everyone became around each other. Some even developed relationships within a week or two! (Unfortunately, Roosevelt Lodge employees had a reputation for being very close, and I am not just talking on an emotional level. But in all fairness this was started long before my summer there.) Those were some of my favorite memories. Free-style rock climbing in the Hoodoos. Going on long, strenuous hikes. Meeting out by the waterfall after dark. Trips into Bozeman to splurge on all the things we didn't need at Walmart and Target. It was a common sight for bears, bison, deer, and many other forest animals to wander through our cabin area. We would watch all the tourists flock with there cameras, when we had already become accustomed to such sights. Every chance we got we were hiking or driving to other park locations. We always said you could tell the tourists from the employees with the way people drove. Tourists always drove extremely slow and parked in the middle of the road, while employees sped around the winding curves and honked at people in the way. Other times we would go to Roosevelt "beach", which was really a sandy bank next to a fast-moving river. But we learned to use what we had for entertainment.

Outside my cabin at Roosevelt Lodge

 We were always loading everyone into the cars, sometimes ten people to one car, to drive into town so we could drink at the bars. A large portion of us were underage, but that didn't seem to matter. So many nights we would stay up until three in the morning, then be at work by a quarter to 7:00am. I did a lot of stupid things that I wasn't proud of; falling in "love" to easily with guys I barely knew, not taking my work seriously, drinking way too much. But in all honesty, it was my first big adventure outside of Oregon. I will call it my "trial-run" of officially becoming an adult. I did actually turn 21 that summer, so I suppose it fits. Those will still be some of the best memories I have had. Getting the chance to truly explore a national park is rare; certainly not an experience you can find in one or two weeks. I recall a specific memory with a guy I thought I liked at the time. (In reality I just liked the chase, since he always acted like he hated me. Stupid, I know) We wandered out to the start of a trail once to see the stars. They were really something to see that far away from the city. After laying there for a while, we headed back to the lodge. When I shown my flashlight back towards where we were laying, two sets of eyes shown in the darkness. They certainly weren't there before, so I assume they were following the sound of our voice. I believe they were wolves, and my imagine leads me to believe we were lucky to leave when we did. I panicked the rest of the walk home. We all had so many crazy memories like those. When the time came to leave at the end of the summer, we all waved goodbye. Many of us cried. I wish I could say I remained close with many of those people, but little by little the friendship faded. Some I knew I would never see or speak to again. Others I tried to hang on to, but it's difficult when lives take a different direction. At least I have some amazing stories to carry with me.

The "Roosie" gang outside the Blue Goose Tavern in Gardiner, MT

My adventure didn't quite end there. Read my next post "Two gals and the open road" for the trip I took with Hannah on my way back to Oregon.

Little Corner of the World

It's a very unique feeling; choosing to live in simplicity. I have dwelled in opposite definitions of living (so to speak). I grew up having the regular possessions of my younger years. Asking for certain gifts for Christmas. Insisting on making my room my own private haven. Then when I got my first jobs babysitting and life guarding at the local pool, I was able to treat myself to purchases every now and then. I downsized quite a bit when I moved away to attend community college. That is, I stored a bunch of it in my moms attic. Living with three guys didn't allow me to decorate the apartment too much. For some reason men can't try too hard when they are in college or that sends the wrong impression. After I graduated from Clackamas CC, I felt it was time to see the world. So, I ended the lease on my apartment, asked my mom to watch my cat, and began working in the national parks. But those are stories for another time. I found it easier to travel with the belongings that only fit in my car. Most of this involved outdoor supplies and two large safety kits my mom insisted I would need. Luckily, I never did but AAA came in handy once or twice. From there I continued to rid myself of unecessary items until I eventually was living out of a backpack for one summer. From there I feel that I have found a happy medium. I am still traveling and my mom still keeps some of the things I hold dear until I return, along with my cat. Eventually I will have a place of my own to return to whenever I am homesick. But for now let the adventures continue!