Melissa's Letter to blp1 · 2013. 2. 7. · own rec trips (of just chill at camp) on the weekends, 4) We don’t have to use tables, 5) BC tents are easier to set up and tear down

Fall 2009

To the Pirates of BLP-1,

My gift to you fine folks of BLP-1

I hope after a season with NYC you have come to

appreciate the small things in life. I know many of you

came back as Swampers or just upstanding members of

other NYC crews throughout the Pacific Northwest!

Thank you! The support you give to the people who

have never been apart of NYC before is of great

importance. The peer support position is THE

HARDEST job we have at NYC. Your fellow Corps

Members look to you to “know it all” and help them out

at all times! So thank you for being here.

I know within a five week period NYC has the ability to

change lives and create a lasting impression on whoever

is looking for it! My hopes are that you all found

something to take with you forever! Weather it was a

dirty smelly work shirt or it was a person who you grew

close to. Share the love of this place with those who

need it. Encourage those who need a change-in-pace to

get out here and swing a tool.

Peace out Pirates.

Love,

Melissa Bennett

Program Coordinator

BLP1

CREWLEADER: Keenan Tvedt

CREW COLOR: BROWN

WEEK # 1

PROJECT NAME:

NATIONAL FOREST: Fremont

RANGER DISTRICT:

MONDAY: Describe what your crew did this weekend:

This weekend our crew all met up at the Willamette Mission State Park.

We had orientation, played some games ate some food, went to bed, then we

woke up and took down the tents, ate, packed up our trailer then we had to do

some work on a trail that wasn’t really work. Then we hit the road for a long,

long, long, long time. Now we’re here.

TUESDAY: Describe your project this week; where are you, what are you doing,

why?

This week we are in Fremont National Forest brushing and getting rocks

out of the trail. We are doing this because our other project bailed on us.

WEDNESDAY: Describe your crew’s goals for the week:

Well, our goals are kinda askew this week. One goal was to make it to the

five mile mark by Tuesday. We achieved that by third break on Tuesday. We

plan on completing the trail tomorrow and basically don’t know what we are

doing after.

THURSDAY: Describe what your crew learned this week:

Today we worked on brushing the last three miles of trail, (We only made

two.) and many of our crew-members diversified their tool use. We were great

with using different tools than the past two days. I used the cross-cut saw and

Grant switched to long reach, for example. We also had a workshop on using the

cross-cut saw as a SEED.

THURSDAY:

Today we worked near camp redefining the trail. We built a mini

turnpike at the second bridge; then we drove to the other end of the trail and

finished the last two miles. Over all we completed 10 miles of trail this week.

Tomorrow we will be bucking a bunch of logs that Larry needs cut.

My quote of the day is: I’m blue, dad um dee do dum do dum de do dom.

FRIDAY: Describe your crew’s challenges and accomplishments this week

On Friday we worked a 3 ½ hour day, but due to the lack of

communication and lack of work we ended up hiking a lot. A few leaning trees

were taken down, but that was pretty much it, after that took about 8 ½ hours.

During those 8 ½ hours we passed around the IPOD and made a playlist that we

all rocked to. It was a lot of fun (well, at least I thought it was a lot of fun. When

we got to the weekend site, which happened to be on the Washington/Oregon

border, we meet up with our newest crew member, Mat. Because we were the

first to the weekend site, we helped incoming crews unload and reunited with

old friends and made new friends. I thought that it was great meeting new

people who were completely new to NYC and helping them out. The camp site

that we were at was wonderful. We were next to a river and the evening had a

nice cool breeze to cool off the warm evening. The day ended with a wonderful

dinner cooked by the all boys of yellow crew. There was a wonderful sunset that

had bright pink and orange colors that made the puffy clouds look warm. Now I

regret not taking a picture of that sunset. Should have taken a picture… The

night was great because I was no longer in a place where it’s really dry and

dusty. The bottom of our tent let in a cool breeze which was great because it had

become a very warm night. The night would’ve been perfect if it weren’t for the

parallel train tracks that were on either side of the weekend site. A big loud train

would go by like every 30 minutes all throughout the night, but besides that, we

had a great Friday and a great first week of BLP.

Ella Piatt


CREW COLOR: BROWN

WEEK # 2

PROJECT NAME: Cady Wider Trail

NATIONAL FOREST: Wenatchee

RANGER DISTRICT: Wenatchee


We drove from Southern Oregon (Fremont) all the way to Rufus, Oregon

on Friday, then drove from Rufus to Leavenworth, Washington (Wenatchee) on

Saturday and hiked in about 50 yards. On Sunday we worked about 2.5 hours,

and then drove Becca to the hospital in Leavenworth. We chilled in

Leavenworth while she was being checked out for the remainder of Sunday.


why?

This week we are in the Wenatchee National Forest working on brushing

a hiking trail. We’re brushing this trail for Rusty because it’s a pretty well used

trail and it is getting overgrown. We’ve built some drain-dips, some fjords, and a

pseudo-turnpike. The work is going well.


Our crew goals are working harder and taking initiative in day to day life.


Today we climbed a big hill, then lopped a bunch of stuff. After we

lopped, we sawed. We killed about 1,000,000,000,000 trees. Most people on the

crew are beef masters, but I’M THE BOSS.

FRIDAY: Describe your crew’s challenges and accomplishments this week:

This week we worked on brushing, which is always a tedious task, but on

Thursday we made it to the top of the hill or crest where we saw an amazing

view that inspired us to finish the week strong.

Matt

CREWLEADER: Keenan

CREW COLOR: BROWN

WEEK # 3

PROJECT NAME:

NATIONAL FOREST: Deschutes

RANGER DISTRICT:


We drove from the Wenatchee Forest in Washington to a weekend site just

outside of Randall, WA. We left that campsite Sunday morning and drove to the

Deschutes. We hiked in about 2 miles to our campsite.

Gabrielle Jones

TUESDAY: What I would do if I was God for a day:

If I was God for a day, the first thing I would do is smite every mosquito

on Earth with miniature lightning bolts. After that I would take out the

following people by a herd of stampeding bison:

Justin Timberlake, Fergie, , Susan Boyle, Veronica from Archies, Peter Griffin,

Orlando Bloome, and the guys who invented Math, Spanish and grammar class.

Thirdly, I would destroy gravity.

WEDNESDAY: What I’m going to do the day I get out of NYC:

Take a very, very long, hot shower in the hotel that my parents are

getting. Then I’m putting on clean clothes and sleeping in a big, comfy, and most

importantly, CLEAN bed. This will be supplemented with going out to an

Italian restaurant for dinner. Then it is off to Oregon State for orientation.


This week we finished 2 miles of trail, 2 decommissioning and lots of

other stuff.

FRIDAY: What I would do if I were a mosquito:


CREW COLOR: BROWN

WEEK # 4

PROJECT NAME: PCT Feeder Trail Maintenance


RANGER DISTRICT: Sisters

MONDAY: Describe what I would do if I was the sun:

If I were the sun, I would beat down upon the BLP1 crew all day until

they ran out of water and all got sunburns/dehydrated. Then, while they were

fighting amongst themselves, I would suddenly cause heat exhaustion on the

whole crew and they would quit working and go home.

The Man

TUESDAY: Why backcountry is way better than front country:

Backcountry (specifically BLP) is way better because 1: The corps

members are not chosen, but selected, 2) No weekend sites, 3) We make our

own rec trips (of just chill at camp) on the weekends, 4) We don’t have to use

tables, 5) BC tents are easier to set up and tear down than whitewalls, 6) We get

First I would find a

person to piss off,

then buzz right next

to their ear, get

swatted away several

times; then I would

sneak in the ear and

into the ear canal and

when I get to the

brain, make them go

crazy and start yelling

and screaming and

flailing their arms

around.

better projects, 7) We get to chill with Keenan and Ruby all the time, 8) Lots of

other reasons, but not enough space!

Gabrielle Jones

WEDNESDAY: If I were dust:

If I were the dust I would get in everyone’s food and make real

sandwiches and get in everyone’s eyes and mouth. I would get into the BLP’s

dishwashing station and make cleaning even harder for them. I would cause

dust storms and more.


On Friday we walked around Square Lake and picked up trash and

dismantled a fireplace to make the lake area more natural. We did this for 2

hours and then we booked it out to our next worksite. I think that this crew is

getting really close. We do have some rough times, but stuff happens and it’s

how we face them that determines how strong our crew is. BLP ROCKS!!!

Ella Piatt


CREW COLOR: BROWN

WEEK # 5

PROJECT NAME: PCT Feeder Trail


RANGER DISTRICT: Sisters


Last 9 days we worked 9 days straight and most of them were NINE

HOUR DAYS. I feel like a slave in the old days. Getting fed the same crap

everyday; working our butts off, then we get paid with a crappy meal of beans N

rice. It’s crappy because NYC shafted us on spike. I LOVE THE LAST WEEK.

Terrance M


why?

We’re in the friggin’ hot desert where the days are friggin’ long and the

nights are friggin’ cold! This desert is also known as Friggin’ Deschutes. We

worked a friggin’ 10 today & we’re working one tomorrow to get our friggin’

group hours. Frick it!

James


Complete our crew hours! We are doing our best to get all the absolutely

necessary work done, like buckin’ and drainage work. I think we did more than

expected.

Guranto Fura


Bickering sucks. Bonding is better. Once the work was over, everyone’s

mind shifted to other matters, whether said or not. It’s the fact that session is

over that takes the stress away. We can be friends again.

Guranto Fura


Completing hours and finishing trail whilst maintaining face. Nobody

wants to be told what to do! This meant a really fine balance of work and work.

We worked for something like 12-19 days straight if you don’t count solos as

time off. Either way, 12 days of kick-ass work really kills ya! -Grant Fuller

MY MOST CHALLENGING DAY AT NYC WAS:

My most challenging day was the day after I sprained my ankle. I had to

hike 2 miles uphill and I couldn’t use my ankle.

Terrance MacKenzie

My most challenging day at NYC was when I had horrible breathing

problems on a 2 mile hike and I was carrying a lot more than I should have.

When I gave my foot a minor surgery… I almost cried, except not really.

Alex Epp

Hiking out a pack that weighed about 120 pounds…

Ian

Today!

Guranto

Every day!

2nd ten hour day in a row…

James

The day I realized I was of no importance to my crew…

Gabrielle

MY THREE FAVORITE NYC EXPERIENCES WERE:

Hanging out in Leavenworth, Sisters and at the lake somewhere in

Washington….

My 3 favorite NYC experiences were getting to know my BLP crew,

making check-steps and rocking BLP.

Sleeping, eating, sitting…

Chillin’ in the Leavenworth State Park for 9 hours, cooking, working…

Ian

Leavenworth State Park, going skateboarding day + free pizza and

burgers…

Guranto

Orientation, Leavenworth, 4 mile hike…

James

My solo in the Deschutes, falling asleep in the van to Keenan’s music, and

living/working with Becca while she was still here…

Gabrielle

AT NYC I LEARNED:

That having people leave sucks.

At NYC I learned how to work harder and how to make good check steps,

and I also learned that what makes my worst days shine are the corps members.

You are only as strong as your weakest person (link).

I learned more peoples’ last names, certain easy meals, not everything you

want to happen turns out the way you want it.

Ian

Action creates respect, constant action, that is.

Guranto

That meant the past is nothing, it’s about you now.

Lessen your ambition, strengthen your resolve.

James

1) There is no peace for those who choose to fight.

2) Not to fear failure; small or absolute

3) Those who choose to close their eyes and open their mouths will remain

both blind and deaf to this world until they find the courage to open their

hearts.

Gabrielle

ONE THING I WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER:

When I first saw Matt and his mom waiting for us in the Gorge…

One thing I will always remember is all the great support that I get from

my BLP crew.

Swimming in a lake that was cool after work…

Terrance MacKenzie.

Ian

Gabrielle Jones

Guranto

Grant Fuller

James

Gazing upon the blue sky and the great expanse through eyes that were

sometimes angry or sad or joyful and then looking upon that same sky through

eyes of love and seeing its true majesty.

Gabrielle

FROM NOW ON I WILL ALWAYS:

Hike without gear.

From now on I will always remember all the corps members on my crew

that made my worst days shine.

Get 8 hours of sleep.

Be the same as before.

Ian

Pick up the slack.

Guranto

Not bother myself with the actions of others, or rather, the lack of action.

James

Remember that I am only as strong as I choose to be and in order to

succeed, I must trust in the help of others, but rely only on the strength that I

have within me.

Gabrielle

Documents

Melissa's Letter to blp1 · 2013. 2. 7. · own rec trips (of just chill at camp) on the weekends, 4) We don’t have to use tables, 5) BC tents are easier to set up and tear down