Class Dismissed

   Yesterday was our last day of training.  We met in the conference room to discuss the class, answer any questions, evaluate the program, etc.  It was a lively and rewarding discussion.  Many subjects, some about the cave and some totally off base, were asked and answered.  One of the best parts was that several maps of the cavern were there to examine.  Of course they were geological maps so fault lines and soil and rock types were features instead of tunnels and pathways.  But they still gave us an idea of the actual layout of the cavern. 
     Look up the history of the discovery and development of Kartchner Caverns,  It is fascinating.  The secrecy and hard work that went into the making of this state park.  It truly is the crown jewel of  the Arizona state park system.
     Next week the next phase of our volunteer stint begins.  The application of our training.  We have been doing various volunteer duties.  Working at the gatehouse, greeting the cars as they arrive and collecting the daily fee.  Another task is helping at the front desk, with information and tour tickets.  We also have been "trailers", being at the back of the tours, helping the tour guide as needed. 
     Now it gets interesting.  We will be the tour guides.  But we aren't just thrown into the arena like some of our previous parks.  We will have mentors to be with us.  We will gradually work our way into the position.  We will not be on our own until we are ready to solo.  It is not as if we had never been guides before.  Petrified Forest, Boyce Thompson, LBJ ranch, Oregon Pipe Cactus, etc.  Kartchner is a bit different.  This is our first cave so the language is new.  We can learn that, no problem.  The logistics is going to be the tricking part.  Tours of the Rotunda/Throne Room go every 20 minutes.  ( ie. 12:00, 12:20, 12:40) That schedule is exact.  So the tour guide's responsibility, in addition to greeting and handling 20 guests, telling the story, and showing the features of the site, is to keep on schedule.  That involves being at a certain spot at a certain time to push a button to tell the next tour to enter the cave or that you are past a certain point and they can move forward.  That's going to be the challenge here at KC.  It will be interesting.

Here is a photo of the map.  You can click on it to make it larger.  As you can see the cave is not a uniform shape.  It has lots of unique and interesting areas that only the scientists see.

   

Tour Guide Training

   For the last two days Randa and I and seven others have been in the classroom to prepare us to become tour guides here at Kartchner Caverns.  It has been intense, professional, organized and informative.  We had sections on various including the dynamics of interpretation, the geology of the area. the discovery story of the cave, logistics of the actual tour ( which includes timing, lighting controls, tour group management, emergency procedures )  The employees and volunteers are very concerned with the protection and preservation of the resource while offering the public the opportunity to see a cave that is very close to being just the way it was when it was discovered 45 years ago.  So the training emphasized giving tours that show the cave to lots of folk without compromising the fragile environment of Kartchner. 
    Additional time was spent talking about interpretation challenges such as unruly guests, school groups, accommodating visitors with physical and mental handicaps.  The tour schedule is very time-exacting.  From the moment we greet the tour group until they are returned to the discovery center (VC), the clock is running.  Don't be too slow; don't be too fast.  Giving the tour, I can do.  Done many of them.  Trying to keep on that tight schedule makes me nervous. 
 

Red

Pyracantha

Star Gazing

   Saturday night we were invited to visit friends who are staying at the Butterfield RV Park in Benson.  It is a nice medium sized park behind the shopping center with Safeway and Ace Hardware.  In addition to the normal amenities, there is an observatory.  Several years ago the previous owner purchased the telescope and had the building constructed over it.  It is opened several nights a week for residents to enjoy. 
   It was great fun to view the heavens again.  The last time we looked up in that direction was when we volunteered at Goldendale Observatory in Washington in July 2011.  It stirred old memories of our time there.
  We looked at Venus which is in the evening sky.  That was followed by M35, the Andromeda Galaxy and finally the Orion Nebula.  It was a very good thing.

Here is the telescope.  Quite impressive for a small town.

Cleaning the cave

Keeping the cave pristine is not an easy task.  As you can see the rangers take it very seriously.  the ranger here has pulled down the rope lighting and is removing the crud that has formed on the lights.  There is going to be a lint cleaning event one day next month.  Randa and I hope that we can help with that. 

Sahuarita

   Drove into Tucson yesterday.  Heard that there was a good outdoor equipment store there.  Millers was located in an older part of town but it was exactly what we were looking for.  Camping gear, hiking gear. clothes, flashlights.  There was a large room that was for the guy who wanted to looked like GI Joe.  Camo everything.  Nice, but not what we were interested in.  We had tried a "military surplus" store in Sierra Vista but with a name of Apocalypse, we should have known better.  Fort Huachuca borders S.V. so it the military influence is evident.
    After shopping at Millers we drove to Sahuarita ( sah wah RITA) which is a suburb of Tucson.  Visited with Glenda and Paul who we volunteered with at Tallac.  Had fun catching up.  They drove us around the area we went to lunch and it was time to head home.  A quick stop at Costco and we were driving east on I-10 toward Benson.  The boys were glad to see us.  That's the neat thing about dogs.  They are always happy to see you.  Whether you have been gone for an hour or the whole day, it's, " Wag, wag.  Pet me, pet me.  Let's go for a walk."

We had a day of rain last week.  This was our view the next morning 

Martin Luther King Day

 

These are Soda Straws. They are hollow and can grow to over 6 feet.
  There is one over 23 feet growing in the Big Room.

Today is Monday Jan. 20, 2020.  Because it is Martin Luther King Day, there is no entry fee at any National Park and Arizona State Parks.  I'm working at the Gate House this afternoon.  We expect to be busy greeting visitors.  The cave tours are already sold out which is not unusual.  Some folks come up to the gate hoping to get a tour.  The number of tours are limited, to keep the cave from being overrun and over used.  The staff and us volunteers take great care to keep this cave as pristine as it was when it was discovered in 1974.  It is not.  Many changes had to be made to accommodate visitors.  Kartchner is the only cave that is totally ADA accessible.  That took an immense amount of planning and work.  And yet, you walk through and you are in awe.  You have a paved path the entire route and stainless steel handrails to steady your walk.  Wheel chairs are stationed at several locations to be there if needed.  The volunteers and staff are also ready to help someone who is having trouble, going as far as escorting them to the outside if necessary.









this

Mesquite

There are many mesquite trees in this area.  This is one of the older ones.

Visitors

Yesterday morning I saw movement outside our window.  About 7-8 Javelinas hurried by the trailer.  His guy was moving rather quickly was the photo is not top quality.

Cave Walk

Wednesday night was a special event held once a year for volunteers and rangers.  The cave is opened , all the lights were on and we were able to wander through out the cave enjoying the views and taking photographs.  No matter how many photos I took I could not accurately capture the beauty.

These formations are alive.  Water is constantly flowing adding to the formations one drop at a time.

Kartchner Update

   Wednesday was our last day of our first week and it was a great one.  Tuesday was spent learning how to operate at the Gatehouse.  Greeting visitors and collecting state park fees.  An easy and fun job.

   Wednesday.  9 to 3 was spent learning how to "trail".  The trailer position follows the tour and helps out by keeping track of the visitors, opening and shutting doors, and watching for "touches".  The cave is very fragile.  Any foreign contact, skin touches, clothing rubbing, dropped items, contaminate the cave.  With the cave temperature of 72 and a humidity of 98% the environment is perfect for mold and fungi growth.  So constant vigilance is necessary.  The goal is to have the cave as pristine 10 years or 100 years from now as it is today.  So trailing is one of the ways employed to help.  It is not as simple as it seems. 
   In addition to watching the trailer needs to know how to flag.  When a "touch" is observed by the leader or trailer, it is flagged with a red ribbon attached to the hand-rail nearby and a report written up.  That night a volunteer crew go into the cave with the reports and rinse down the touch spots with a little cave water to dilute the microbes that have been put down.  It's a big job but necessary to keep the cave looking good.

Saturday Jan 11

   Our last day off.  Actually, we have gone in every day since we arrived.  Yesterday we completed the last of the 10 required training modules on the computer. After we finished the last module ( Golf Cart Safety) we were looking for something to do next.  Bill H was getting ready for his tour of the Big Room.  He said he would welcome us tagging along because he had a full tour (15) and no help.  So we became "trailers".  Trailers help the leader by being near the rear of the group, keeping them together and preventing any urges to touch the formations.  Trailing will be a regular duty here, but the first time was special.
    Tomorrow we start our work shifts  We will be working Sun - Wed.  Four 5 hour shifts per week. Two of the days are mornings and two afternoons.  Sundays are mornings so we can't sleep in.  Randa has training at the Gate House at 8am and I am training as a trailer in the Rotunda room.  (See yesterday)  The first tour tomorrow is 9am so I will need to be on duty 15-20 minutes earlier.  I will tell you more about the job when I know it better.

By the way this Verdin landed on the Mesquite tree outside our window while I was typing this.

A cutie isn't it?

Dusting

Cold this morning.  38 but with gusts of 20 - 30 mph it feels colder.  Notice the dusting of snow in the mountains to the south.  I don't know the names yet.

Training, Training

   The first days at a new site are always crazy-busy.  Getting the rig set up.  Externally, leveling, electricity, water, sewer, satellite are all necessary.  Plus, in the desert you need to put lights under the rig to deter the desert rats from building nests in the bottom of the trailer and in the engine compartment of the truck.
    Internally, opening the slides, of course, but more importantly, setting up the "house".  Went you are on the road, many items sit in boxes or on chairs waiting to come out.  Well, they are now out!  The place feels like home.  😊 
   On the job front, we have been busy.  We arrived at Noon on Monday the 6th.  By the end of the day we were set up.  Tuesday we went into headquarters, met Kyle, the volunteer coordinator, signed a bunch of forms, got our uniforms, name tags,and met many employees and volunteers.  This is a very busy park, the busiest in the Arizona State Park system, so there are many ( I don;t know the number yet) of employees and 20 volunteer rigs so nearly 40 volunteers.  So meeting everyone and remembering all of them will take time.
    Randa and I have most of the online training components completed.  The final two are our targets for today.  Our official work days are Sun, Mon, Tues, and Wed.  (5 hr shifts, some morning , some afternoon.)  Next week we train at the gate, greeting visitors and collecting the state park fee. and at the front desk, greeting folks and answering any questions.
     We will also be trained to be trailers, a helper to the cave guide, answer questions, close doors, and watch for "touches".  KC is Very Careful to insure that the cave stays pristine.  Any time the formations are touched by us humans, oil and other residue is left behind.  This is a source of mold and bacteria growth in the cave.  To prevent this, any "touch" is marked and at the end of the day volunteers walk thru the cave and spray a water solution to disperse the pollution. 
   Randa and I were invited by Mark and Leslie to help them close one of the cave chambers last night.  What a privilege to be in there taking care of this valuable resource.  We hope to do it again.

The Marines have landed !

Got here at Noon on Monday Jan 6, 2020.  A new adventure begins anew.

Day 3

Day 4 of the Journey

  Cal Nev Ari to Arizona City

   Grand vistas continue.  Left Cal Nev Ari about 8.  The boys liked exploring the desert on our morning walk, but we needed ot get on the road because we lose on hour when we crossed into Arizona (MST).  Hwy 95 south from Vegas to the California border is smooth and wide, but changes when you cross into California.  It narrows and becomes less maintained the next 40+ miles to I-40.  There it's 25 miles east to Needles and then 60+ miles south on 95 to Hwy 62 to Parker, AZ.  More up and down and curves.  Kinda like a highway roller coaster. 
   At last we are in Arizona,  Our home state for the next 4 months.  No need to stop in Parker, we had fueled up in Searchlight, Nv. the day before. After 60 miles of two lane got on I-10 eastbound.  Next stop Fry's ( Kroger's brand in Arizona) for fuel in Buckeye.  Buckeye is just on the west edge of Phoenix.  I-10 goes through Phoenix.  If possible avoid driving through Phoenix.  Drive south on Hwy 85 just west of Buckeye to Gila Bend, jump on I-8 and go east.  I-8 joins I-10 about 30 miles north of Tuscon.  Much faster and less congestion.
   The two roads join at Arizona City.  We spent the night parked in front of a house there.  Catching up on our friendship.  Got to use her garden hose to rinse off the pumice residue from our trip over Willamette Pass.  It was good to have the rig looking good again.   Ready to hit the road for Kartchner.  106 miles for tomorrow.
   

Day 2 Friday 1/3/20 and Sat 1/4/20

Alturas,Ca to Hawthorne, Nv
   Left Alturas at about 9am to truck on down 395.  After an hour or so we passed the rest area where we had our "adventure" last year.  It is still barricaded with concrete barriers and closed signs all over.  It was creepy driving passed it anyway.  We continued on to Reno, then Fallon for fuel and then south on 95 to Hawthorne where we spent the night at Whiskey Flats RV park.
Hawthorne to Cal Nev Ari:
      Got on the road at 8ish to lots of sunshine.  This section of the route has quite a bit of elevation gain and loss.  Hawthorne's elevation is 4331ft.  100 miles down the road is Tonopah at 6000ft.  It is a mining town set in the mountains of Nevada that contain many mines.  The chief employment opportunities in Tonopah are in the mining industry.  I asked a clerk in town what people do for work in Tonopah.  She pointed in three directions and said "There's a mine an hour that way, a mine an hour that way, and a mine an hour that way.  The high school teams are called the "Muckers".
   We passed through Tonopah and stopped 100 miles south in Beatty where fuel was 50 cents per gallon less.  Gas Guru is a wonderful app.  Another 100 miles and we were just north of Vegas.  It's more than 45 miles through town, nerve-racking even on Saturday afternoon.  Another 30 miles to Searchlight, fuel, and then 20 to Cal Nev Ari where our RV spot is for tonight.  Because of the pointed end of Nevada, this spot is sorta in three states at the same time.  Hence, the name.

On the road again 1/2/20

Yah I know, it made me think of Willie Nelson too.

  The time came for us to head south.  Thursday Jan 2, 2020.  We had been loading the truck and trailer (the rig) for several days.  Randa and I would think of one more item that we needed to load.  So, of course, we have way too much, but we are going to be gone for 7 months so we might need it.
   I had a tentative departure time of 8am and we actually drove away at 8:38 so I was pleasantly surprised.  Truck on down I-5 through Eugene and then east on Hwy 58.  Stopped for fuel and food in Oakridge.    Gas was $2.40 for regular and $2.83 for diesel !  (Cheapest in the whole state, I bet.)  90 minutes later we were at the top of Willamette Pass.  Only about 8 inches of snow on the roadside and none on the road, only wet pavement and pumice.  It makes for a dirty rig.

Once we reached the summit, it was less stressful and partly sunny, which was welcome.  Stopped in Klamath Falls for fuel and then south into California.  Spent the night in a small RV park in Alturas.  Old, but adequate.  21 overnight, but we were warm with heaters and under lots of covers.  More travel on Friday.  Nevada.