Alone but not lonely - Pole Creek, NV

I am in charge of Pole Creek Ranger Station until the freezes for me out. We don't want pipes to burst so it is closed up for the winter. I got their by traveling over 50 miles or so of dirt road - beautiful! I saw 3 vehicles along the route and got lost once. The sign had burned up so I went the wrong way. There was a 70,000 acre burn last fall. The views were unbelievable.

This morning, Tom and Judy left for the year, so it is just me at the compound. Tomorrow archeologists show up and Wed there is a wildlife biologist, so I had to go to Twin Falls, ID today to get supplies. I am in Twin and even got a hair cut while here. I have been bike riding daily - what a way to exercise.

I got up at 1 AM this past morning and went outside to a clear sky full of stars. It was 50 degrees out and the coyotes were howling. It was like a dream. There were no lights around the compound - just moon lit mountains. I went for a little hike and almost went for a bike ride but Tom and Judy were still there so I figured they would think I am crazy. I went back and went back to sleep.

It was sad to see Tom and Judy go. Pole Creek RS is beautiful because of them. They have spent 1/2 year for 6 years fixing it up. It looks as it did in 1930. I will get pictures up in time. They have medical appointments and my hope is that they can return and take care of the place next summer. Pole Creek is a tribute to these two wonderful people. I feel funny in closing out the year for them. They were sad to leave.

I have a friendly doe mule deer hanging around. People have told me they saw elk but I have not seen them. I saw about 100 buzzards on the trees overlooking the compound - maybe they think I am dieing. I got a picture but it is not downloaded onto the computer yet.

I will be off the computer until Thursday, Friday or Monday, depending on when I can get back to Twin falls, ID. I dropped off a chain saw and have to come back to pick it up all tuned up.

I feel like I am on top of the world. 8300 feet in altitude. I see over many mountains and valleys and it is just me - alone, most of the time. The alone part is kind of weird because as a teacher, I am/was constantly around people. This isolation is a new experience. Overall, I am pinching myself that I am off doing this adventure.

One last thing, my Chevy truck is perfect for these back roads. Traveling to Pole, I was on roads where 35 was fast. Much of the trip was at 5 to 10 MPH because of washouts, narrow roads and super big hills. The scenery was amazing though. I now have a Ford Truck to drive around and it sure rides stiff. I can let my pickup take a break and the Chev is a much smoother ride.

Hot Springs: 7 miles down a ravine, which you cannot even 4 wheel drive to, there is a hot springs with a tub. My plan is to hike down to it and fill it up and take a bath in the tub. There are also some great hikes into the wilderness area which is 1 mile away. I also have fence mending, painting, weed whacking and then shut down of Pole Creek. I then move to another location which is at a lower elevation and stay there to eventually close it up. Then I will look for a real job - until June 2010.

Outhouse Tree, my arch enemy - down

I spent two days last week at Ruby Guard Station and put up barbed wire and intended to knock down a dead tree about to fall on the outhouse. Fencing went OK but the tree dropped on another tree and just hung there, like before. I went back today to finish the job and tighten the barbed wire. The fencing went well because I had a great stretcher - easy. Then I sawed on the tree. Stupid thing did not want to fall.
I used a ladder and used a buck saw but it would not fall. I finally took a sledge hammer up and started beating on the arm - IT FELL!!!! It did not blast through the outhouse either. Success!
Bye Ruby Guard! I head off to Pole Creek tomorrow for two weeks to a month.

I had been told I could stay at Ruby Guard but then Pole Creek came up so a change of plans. There is running water at Pole too and a generator too.

My new home for a month or so

This is Pole Creek, NV and I will be living here starting 9/20/09. I have been here 3 times, 2 for firewood. This weekend, the two people, (now friends) told me they needed to leave 9/21/09 and they asked me to finish out their stay. This Ranger Station is open until the snow and freeze happens. It usually closes in Sept or Oct. I was told how to winterize the place and what it means to close it down. I will be there to help firewood folks, hunters and just those who get lost. I have a list of chores which I can do but I must also take time to enjoy the country.

The couple who are leaving have been at Pole Creek for 5 or 6 months yearly for 4 years. They may not be able to return next year. They asked me to take it over if they could not come back. (Medical Issues) I am trying to work out a deal where they return, I could take the remote station 45 miles away and they could call me to help with work they cannot do.

I will be here in a week and stay for at least a month. The views are spectacular! It is 70 miles off a highway. 15 miles of that 70 is on a dirt road. I see wilderness areas in Nevada and Idaho. The house is at 8000 feet so when I travel, on bike or in truck, I see mountain tops - spectacular. There is no internet and just emergency phone service. I have a diesel generator which I can start up to have electricity for the whole village. There are about 7 buildings.