A couple months ago members decided it was time again
for a volunteer weekend out at the Pawnee National Grassland (PNG).
After receiving a list of projects, we selected two that would consume
a full weekend, but would be possible to complete for our small group.
We made a plan, and set the date, signed an agreement, and off we go.
Jim Nunn and Gregg Danson took the jump-start and headed
out east first, in Jim's RV, with Dave Nalley and myself (and kids:
Joshua, Shelby, and Karina), soon to follow. Rich and Darlene Nunn came
out via their motor home too. The weather forecast looked unfavorable
most of the week, but a change for no moisture, and more mild temperatures
during the days, surfaced as Friday rolled around. Since the overnight
temps were going to dip well below freezing, Dave helped me pack out
some firewood from my house, since the fire ban has been lifted.
It was evident, on the drive out toward Briggsdale,
that the wind was going to bite. As Dave had a couple hands of help
from Jim and Gregg, to level out the pick-up camper, my kids and I pitched
our tent under a huge tree, utilizing a large branch and a tarp for
a windbreak. The gusts were so strong that it blew Josh and Shelby off
their feet, as they were standing on the tarp while I was trying to
stake it down. Thankfully, it died down as the grill was cooking dinner,
and a campfire was enjoyed for the first time this year on one of our
club outings. Just in time to pick up again, as I bedded down, and the
guys stayed up to tend the fire.
As dawn sneaked up, the frost was thick on the windshields.
The sky was clear, but the front moved in swiftly. Bundled up, Rich
decided to stay at the Crow Valley Campground and start the pruning
(and stay close to Darlene), while the other guys and my kids rode in
the Mudsub with me, up to the work center to meet Ranger, Steve Kittrell.
Since he is new out there, we figured it was only appropriate to break
him in right and “tell stories” of past Rangers & projects our club
members have done through the years, as we were loading the generator,
tools, supplies, and rails for the fencing project we would be doing
at the main OHV area on the northwesterly side of the grasslands.
We hit camp before heading out, so Ranger Steve could
do the USFS tailgate safety meeting. On the way up to the OHV area,
there was a large group of vehicles/people that we passed on road #45.
By the equipment set up, it appeared to be a rocket club. We proceeded
to our destination. Took only a minute or two to figure out that more
rails had been stolen, since two days prior when the Rangers had been
out there. We got busy right away, with a smooth method. Gregg and Jim
held the rails, Dave marked the rails, and Steve drilled, while Shelby
and I team worked the bolts and vandal proof nuts.
It was decided for Steve to make a solo trip back for
more rails and a post to replace a severely damaged one, while we finished
what we could, and take a lunch break. As we ate, the only sound was
the wind and our voices, which was suddenly broken by the scream of
a rocket that shot up clear into the brightness of the sun. Reaching
unknown altitudes, it was obviously no beginner rocket kit. As we waited
for the fencing materials, the guys made a valiant attempt to remove
the damaged post that was a good 3 feet deep into the concrete soil.
Ashamed to say I didn't have my high lift jack in the truck, which worked
great later on with a short piece of chain, when Steve returned, with
their jack.
We
hiked over to check out a windmill, and on the way back a peculiar site;
Dave found two quarters laying out there on the prairie, about two feet
apart. We thought how odd. Kept on walking, oh look it's a nickel, what's
that, another quarter, a penny, a Chucked Cheese token. Coins had been
strewn for quite a distance, in the middle of nowhere. I have my own
theory as to how and why this occurred. But it sure made us wonder.
When the supplies arrived, we finished up the project
by replacing the post, installing the rest of the rails, and then cut
the excess bolt lengths with hacksaws, and tapped with a sledgehammer
to deter vandals from stealing the rails. On our way out, we paused
to watch the rocket group shoot off a nitros powered rocket approximately
8 ft. tall. Wow, it rumbled the ground. It took quite a while before
it separated in two and parachuted back to the earth, nearly snagging
on a distant windmill. Pretty Cool!
Once back to Crow Valley, we jumped right into the
pruning mode, getting a head start on Sundays project. We worked till
4:30 and called it a day. We didn't have to be so conservative on the
firewood, Saturday night, as there were plenty of dead branches that
we had pruned. Julie, Aimie, & Viv, had rolled in, sometime before
we stopped working, and Jeanyce and Jason came out as it was getting
dark. Later that night, as we were enjoying the campfire, a neighbor
camper, came over to educate our group of a special occurrence that
would take place in the night sky. In a matter of minutes, there it
was, and it wasn't one of those rockets.
Looky there, it's the international space station.
At first site, it seemed to be traveling rather slow, but in seconds
it shot across the sky in an arch, and then it was gone. That was pretty
cool too! Boy, you just never know what's going on up yonder. It was
nice of the gentleman to bring it to our attention. He said that the
space station was actually traveling over Canada, when we saw it.
Sunday morning came, and anything that was left outside
froze up. I was rather glad that I had put most of our food back into
the cooler, so it didn't freeze. At 9:00am, Ranger Mike Salazar did
his tailgate safety course. Our group worked like, well let me put it
this way, we decided that Mike can press hard, I might have even said
"slave driver" (nice guy though). One might not realize just how many
trees are actually out at the Campground. We cut, drug, over loaded
and unloaded at least 4 goose neck flatbed trailers full of branches.
With sore arms, backs, necks, legs, and feet, we called it a great job
done by 2:30. Did a quick pic shoot, and called it quits. Both the Nunn
families were out of there in a flash, since the RV thing doesn't take
much packing up. The Nalley's were patient on me, as it takes a lot
longer to break camp when your tenting than it does to travel ready
their pick-up camper.
I want to extend a SUPER BIG THANKS to all our members
who worked their tails off at PNG this year. The entire Crow Valley
Campground looked excellent with all the trees manicured. GREAT JOB!
And THANKS AGAIN for the great turn-out.
