Quick update on lookout carbon monoxide: possibly fixed today.

[DemoTex]

I'll check instrument readings tomorrow morning and spend part of day in lookout if readings of CO and volatile gases are zero. Then I'll move back in on Friday.

Not that I need to be there. It is so wet they can't start a prescribed burn with gasoline/kero flame throwers! There was heavy rain and snow at the lookout today.

I'm back at the USFS guard station in the Cascades Lakes region tonight. Nick and I are toasty in front of the wood stove.

Big post with pics in a couple of days.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. My dear DemoTex...

I'm so glad you and Nick are OK.

Toasty in front of the wood stove sounds mighty good too...

I'm looking forward to the pics...

:hug:

[DemoTex]

2. Hi Peg! How is Cali - fire wise?

We are being asked to send crews to Alaska.

:hi:

[CaliforniaPeggy]

3. All is quiet here!

[DarthDem]

4. Good Luck DemoTex

Keep us posted! Say hi to Nick.

[DemoTex]

5. Couple of quick pics -

My cozy bunk-house digs (fire, computer, etc)


Less than 50 yards behind my bunkhouse; and I have a fishing license, a 9' -4 wt Sage rod, and a frying pan! Life is good.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

6. Ah, great pics...

Life is good, indeed...

Thanks for sharing these!

:hi:

[DemoTex]

7. Some in the USFS call these digs "Mogadishu"

They are rough, but compared to a waterless fire lookout? I'll take the bunk-house as long as I can (shower, electric heat, wood-stove, full kitchen with microwave, etc).

[Suich]

9. Ni-i-i-i-ce!

Fires in Alaska and Ontario...nuthin' but rain and more rain here.

Glad to hear you might be getting back in the lookout...am looking forward to your posts and pictures!

:hi:

[Parker CA]

12. What a backyard, Demo!! Catch some nice fish and enjoy the meal fireside. Best to you and Nick.

[drm604]

8. I love these threads.

Glad to hear that everything is okay! :hi:
Damn, I need to get out in the woods this summer.

[DemoTex]

10. Raining like crazy here now (Snow Creek Guard Station) in the Cascade Lakes region.

I spent the day in the lookout. All is well. The carbon monoxide levels in the lookout tower are zero.

It was a cold, wet day. I watched the battalion, seven miles away (on
the FS-2510 road), doing sawyer qualifications. My relief
lookout was at another lookout facility today substituting for the regular.
That lookout has DragonPlot (computerized fire position fixing),
so I called in azimuths and elevations on the known position of the
battalion commander's truck - which I could see at the cattle guard -
and she helped me calibrate my optical fire spotting instruments.

At about 3 pm the fog moved in, the temperature dropped to 34-F, and
the rain mixed with sleet and snow. I closed the lookout at 3:30 pm to
drive back to Snow Creek (over a two hour drive).

Tonight I am packing up camp at Snow Creek. I'll miss it. But I won't
miss the 150 mile round trip (over half of which is on cinder roads
that are washed-out and wash-boarded by the snows and rains). I'll
move back into the lookout tomorrow.

Driving back to Snow Creek late this afternoon, I had a mountain lion
cross the road ahead of me near Wake Butte. That is a cat with which
Nick doesn't need to tangle!


I'll miss this (but there is an outside chance I can keep it for off days)

[DemoTex]

11. The mosquitoes are gonna be hell!

I picked two out of my coffee cup this morning.

:hi:

Oops. I meant to tag this to Suich's comment.

[saigon68]

13. Kick

Have fun !!!