Dear NYC Graduates, It may seem long ago that you were sleeping on the earth under the ...

38 Pages·2008·8.49 MB·English

Dear NYC Graduates,

It may seem long ago that you were sleeping on the earth under the protection of a white
wall, or waking up before the sun to begin safety circle as you looked out across the
mountain tops and valleys below. And indeed, once you readjust to your home, family,
and friends, it may seem far removed from your current lifestyle.

This journal is a small reflection of your crew’s experiences this year; footnotes scribbled
at the end of a long day by hands aching from swinging a tool. To those who have not
experienced living in the woods for a month, gotten up at 5:30 on a regular basis, worked
in the snow and rain, or chugged water from a yellow top, these notes might not seem
like much. However I hope that for you, these glimpses of your time together serve as
reminders which will unlock a season of memories that will last a lifetime. A field season
fails to be complete without a healthy amount of sweat and tears; frustrations and
elations. Keep all your memories; the good and the bad; in order to fully appreciate all
you have accomplished. May the views, conversations, projects, and hikes stay with you
long into the future.

Take pride in knowing that you have joined those before you who suffered through hard
times, and felt the rush of accomplishment when teamwork overcame adversity. While
you were huddled around the campfire, or bumping along the trail, 25 other crews
throughout Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Northern California were doing the same;
making a difference while forming a community.

This summer, South 3 crews installed 121 drainage structures, built 8 switchbacks and 7
stream crossings, and maintained 76.75 miles of trail. Although these figures are
impressive, the greatest accomplishment was finishing the session with pride.

As you move forward towards your next adventure, remember your accomplishments of
NYC. As you are faced with new challenges, apply the lessons you have learned here:
teamwork, a positive attitude, and determination will carry you to great lengths. Maybe
all that is needed is a handful of GORP, a PB&J, and some close friends. Make it happen.
Thank you all for a wonderful summer.

Happy Trails,

Kelly Cadigan
Program Coordinator
Session: SCC-S3 BLUE
Crew Color: Blue
Crew Leader: Jeff Olson
Week: 1
Project Name: Tin cup
National Forest: Siskiyou
Ranger District: Chetco

Monday

Describe what your crew did this weekend:
This weekend we all met up and met everyone and then we found out who was in
our group and where we are going to for our first week of work.
Felicia Faggard

Tuesday

Describe your project this week; where are you, what are you doing, why?
This week our crew is camping out in the backcountry. We are allowed less gear to take
to camp because we had to carry food and tents in our packs as well.
We have to hike about a mile with our work gear and water containers—yellow
tops. As we build more trail though, the hike to where we are working consistently
increases.
We’ve been working hard building trails and I’ve been exhausted from day one,
but it’s all worth it when I look at our “sexy trails” and remember the mangled
overgrowth it once was.
Andy Hopkins

Wednesday

Describe your crew’s goals for the week:
The crew’s goals for the week are to bust out as much trail as we can and to have fun and
motivate each other while we do it; to finish out the week strong.
Nikki Evans

Thursday

Describe what you crew learned this week:
What the crew learned this week is probably to start motivated and work strong
till the end and in SEED we learned how to treat others with respect and help people out
as much as possible. And people learned how to use tools and proper tool placement.
Riley Freeman

Friday

Describe your crew’s challenges and accomplishments this week:
The challenges this week was everything we have; new corps and old corps, but
the week was rough. It was the hike to work everyday that I think was hard for us, but if
we put the fact we were coming downhill after work in to play, then it was helping us.
The change from civilization for some is hard and demanding but if we stick it out (all of
us) it will be much better.
Scott Smith

Session: SCC-S3 BLUE
Crew Color: Blue
Crew Leader: Jeff Olson
Week: 3
Project Name: PCT Rehab
National Forest: Crater Lake NP
Ranger District: Crater Lake NP

Monday

Describe what your crew did this weekend:
The crew was split up with other crews and we divided depending on what recreational
activity we wanted to do. I went to the Oregon Caves with a bunch of other people that I
don’t know. Then for breakfast, we had pancakes and French toast.

Tuesday

Describe your project this week; where are you, what are you doing, why?
We are at Crater Lake. We are building check dams. We cut up logs and place
them on the trail. Before that though we dug in a little in the trail so the log could fit.
Then we did some trail work. We are doing this because the Pacific Crest Trail is on of
the most widely travelled trails ever, so this needs to be a high quality trail.
Jubilee Sharpe

Wednesday

Describe your crew’s goals for the week:
Our crew goals are to get our work done and make our work look like it was done
a long time ago. We are also getting a better outlook on the things we do, while still
having fun. We have a certain amount of work we need to accomplish by the end of this
week, so we need to work hard and get our job done.
Tia Jones

Thursday

Describe what you crew learned this week:
This week has gone by fast. I and a few select members of my crew have found a
relaxing aspect of the work that we are doing—not in a lazy manner but almost
meditative Zen on the trail while we still intensely labor ourselves to the limit. I hope to
teach the other select members who struggle to find balance here.
Adrian Barker

Friday

Describe your crew’s challenges and accomplishments this week:
This Friday we did the usual. We got up at 5:00 so we could pack up and leave.
It was a little different though because we worked our way out with our packs so we
didn’t have to go back to camp. We only hiked two miles and we worked for only four
hours. We got on the bus and went to Crater Lake. It was a lot of fun and the lake was
beautiful. Then we went and took showers. Adrian and Scott did not fake showers. It
was great. Very impressive… Then we did laundry and had a store stop at the resort.
That was also fun.
Overall it was a very fun week.
Jubilee Sharpe

Session: SCC-S3 BLUE
Crew Color: Blue
Crew Leader: Jeff Olson
Week: 3
Project Name: OHV Trail Maintenance
National Forest: Rogue River
Ranger District: High Cascades

Monday

Describe what your crew did this weekend:
This weekend was parents’ weekend. People got to see the parents and we hung
out with them. Some parents helped out with the dinner - and by the way it was good.
Mmmmmm… We also went on rec trips; all different trips. We lost one of our crew
members. Sad (cid:1); and then found out where we are going …
Felecia Faggard

Tuesday

Describe your project this week; where are you, what are you doing, why?
Today we went to our new site and my crew and I all seem to really enjoy our
surroundings and feed off each others enthusiasm toward our projects and the overall
beauty of the new site. I hope to see this progress throughout not only the week, but the
entirety of the session.
Adrian Barker

Wednesday

Describe your crew’s goals for the week:
Our goals for this week are to get along. We are starting to fight with each other
and it’s too good. Also we want to knockout as much trail as possible for the five days.
We also want to work as hard as we can because we are one person down. That means
we have extra hours to make up.
Jubilee Sharpe

Thursday

Describe what you crew learned this week:
This week our crew learned a bit of discipline. We have to do the work we put
our minds to. Our crew learned some respect; disrespecting team members leads only to
unnecessary struggle and unhappiness. This week was also hump week—our crew
learned that passing the halfway point does not make our work magically easier, we still
have to put full effort into our work. Our crew learned that passing the halfway point
does mean that we won’t be out here forever, and that we should enjoy it while we can.
Andy Hopkins

Thursday, 8-16-07
What have you seen and experienced this week:
I have seen the heavens from where I work. A few of us ask for more and more,
but less and less we get, as the week comes to an end. Two weeks, you might say, two
weeks it is, we respond. The crew has grown stronger and stronger, no matter what the
forest might look like, as we work together. By second, by minute, by day, this might not
make sense to you now, but in the end it will. Don’t worry; chill.
Scott Smith

Friday

Describe your crew’s challenges and accomplishments this week:
The challenges our crew had this week would have to be about the two missing
sweatshirts and how people would blame other people and then it kinda tore our crew
apart. But then we all got over it and worked together and had a blast and finished what
we needed to get done. The accomplishments would be getting all or our work done even
though we had a missing crew member that we all miss dearly.
Riley Freeman

Session: SCC-S3 BLUE
Crew Color: Blue
Crew Leader: Jeff Olson
Week: 4
Project Name: Chetco Divide
National Forest: Siskiyou
Ranger District: Chetco

Monday

Describe what your crew did this weekend:
Hiked up to the van to get our tools… Then we went to work and cut trees and
logs that were in the middle of the trail for a mile and then walked back down to camp.
Felecia Faggard

Tuesday

Describe your project this week; where are you, what are you doing, why?
Cross cutting, lopping, had sawing, Siskiyou National Forest. This trail’s a mess. We are
spending a week in the midst of Hell when walkin’ this trail for the first time.
Scott Smith

Wednesday

Describe your crew’s goals for the week:
We are trying to get along this week. We kind of had a hard week getting along. We had
to be quiet for one of the days because we could not get along. It helped up get along.
Jubilee Sharpe
Thursday

Describe what you crew learned this week:
This week was a rough week on our crew. We learned that we can only get along
and get work done by accepting our differences, eliminating rude comments and
contributing positive energy to the group.
Andy Hopkins

Friday

Describe your crew’s challenges and accomplishments this week:
The challenges we had was when we would talk smack about people and then
getting’ talked to when we shouldn’t. Our accomplishment was when we all made it up
the 3 ¼ mile trail (all uphill) and we all got it done in about three hours and our hike
down was two hours and 45 minutes.
Riley Freeman

Session: SCC-S3 BLUE
Crew Color: Blue
Crew Leader: Jeff Olson
Week: 5
Project Name: Upper Chetco Trail
National Forest: Siskiyou
Ranger District: Wild River

Monday

Describe what your crew did this weekend:
Our crew had another speed job for which we had to leave on a Saturday. We
hiked 4 ½ miles on Saturday and 4 ½ miles on Sunday. We had a hard time on Sunday
because we ran out of water and then some fell off the edge and so we had to wait, then
we went down and got water, then went to camp.
Felicia Faggard

Tuesday

Describe your project this week; where are you, what are you doing, why?
Today we found out that the trail we hiked on, that was barely visible and totally
overgrown, was the actual trail we were supposed to hike in on. Wow, what a hike, but
we all, as blue crew, made it happen. Whenever you think you can’t do something, make
sure that you think about this day and how we made the impossible possible.
Jeff Olson

Wednesday

Describe your crew’s goals for the week:
The crew’s goals were to get our work done without messin’ around and not
getting into trouble. And with that, we did get our work done with no problem. And the
whole crew is happy and excited for the hike out and going to big clean.
Riley Freeman

Thursday

Describe what you crew learned this week:
We learned when people get along and work with each other we can get our work
done faster and easier.
Riley Freeman

Friday

Describe your crew’s challenges and accomplishments this week:
This week some of my crew’s challenges were hiking and sawing. One of our
accomplishments is hiking ten mile in one day.
James Humphreys

MY MOST CHALLENGING DAY AT NYC WAS:

Thursday fourth week I was building up my anger with the crew all week and yet I
freaked out on everyone. I still learned more that day than I have ever learned on any
session in the past. It was hard to get the horse to the water hole; it was even harder to
get that horse to drink the water. Same with some of the crew and I learned that it’s up to
me to put the work in their face—it’s up to them to take it.
Scott Smith

My most challenging moment was the first half of the fourth week. After a climatic
breakdown on Monday when I distanced myself from the crew, I needed to make myself
realize that I was still part of the crew and become a positive impact on everyone.
Andy Hopkins

The hike out fourth week...
Riley Freeman

MY THREE FAVORITE NYC EXPERIENCES WERE:

My three favorite NYC experiences were hiking—it was really hard but fun; building
check dams is fun to do and not that hard. My most favorite experience was meeting new
people—I love meeting new people.
Tia Jones

…was the road trips and meeting new people and the last day we hiked ten miles and it
was fun.
Felicia Faggard
#1 Completing the fourth week with a three mile hike all uphill—and being the first to
reach the van; #2 Laughing at random things with the crew—everything is a little funnier
under the influence of dehydration; #3 The final ten mile hike in a day. The easiness of
it really showed me how I have grown on this session.
Andy Hopkins

AT NYC I LEARNED:

1st How to work with 7 to 8 other crew members and get along; 2nd the names of a lot of
tools; 3rd That I can do anything I put my mind to.
Riley Freeman

1st Positive Mental Attitude; 2nd How to build trails; 3rd Live in the woods for five
weeks.
Felecia Faggard

I learned the importance of respect, cooperation and positive energy. I learned that I need
to respect myself more. I learned how much of an impact food has on attitude and
performance.
Andy Hopkins

ONE THING I WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER:

…The ten mile hike on the last day. It was pretty awesome.
Felecia Faggard

…Graduation day.
Andy Hopkins

FROM NOW ON I WILL ALWAYS:

…be nicer to the environmental area I am around..
Felecia Faggard

Respect the amazing family life I have…
Andy Hopkins
Session: SCC-S3 ORANGE
Crew Color: Orange
Crew Leader: Morgan Bender-deMoll
Week: 1