Wind Caves

My Brother David

This was a stop also in South Dakota the famous Wind Caves. I have a picture of the original opening to the cave and it is about the size of some body's head.

Yeah i couldn't believe people could actually fit down there. The cool thing about it was that there was always air flowing out of the cave or into the cave dependent on weather systems pressures.

Usually caves have stalactites and stalagmites well this has 'Box Work" it looks like this

And it is only found in three other places in the world. The wind caves were way cool to see something completely different. So if you ever find yourself in Hot Springs, South Dakota go check out the Wind Caves you won't be disappointed

Family Road Trip 2010

I look at this heading and a rush of memories flow through my brain. Memories of fighting, sleeping, getting too close to one's side of the seat in the car, the constant bathroom stops delaying our final destination, numerous highway rest stops and the interesting people you see there, and not to mention the smell. I have been on a lot of road trips with my family but this summer was the mother of them all. Two weeks in a car with 5 grown adults sounds fun huh.

Mt. Rushmore one of our first stops

It was pretty amazing to see that great monument. As we drove up through Colorado and Wyoming to get to this "in the middle of nowhere" spot we passed various fireworks stores and soon realized that if you want to get high quality, Mexican style fireworks in the Midwest.... you go to Wyoming.

Mt Rushmore is right outside of the small town of Keystone in the Black Hills of South Dakota. We stayed in a town by the name of Custer, after General Custer for all you history buffs. When we drove up to the monument we took the road up the back of the mountain and as we came around the corner I was surprised how small it looked. In the movies they make it look huge because of those killer close ups and special effects Those thoughts we squashed as we walked up closer to the monument and realized that the faces we huge. It is sad what Hollywood has done to our perception.

I loved Mt Rushmore it was amazing to see it up close and personal and to learn about how it came to fruition. My favorite part was the lighting ceremony at night where they light up the faces and have a video presentation on a stage below the monument. At the end the guard asked if all people in the audience retired and actively serving in all branches of the US Armed Forces would come down on stage and help fold the American flag. As they stood there the crowed rose and sang the national anthem and then we just stood there clapping for at least 5 minutes it was pretty amazing. I am glad I got to be a part of that and thank all those men and women who fight for our country

AMERICA!!!!

Nauvoo

I was in Nauvoo on a family trip. well lets back track a little, I was on a two week road trip with my family. Yeah i know what you are all thinking, what the...! My parents love road trips and this trip started out being a family reunion that was gonna take place this summer in Nauvoo. Needless to say that failed, due to financial reasons and scheduling conflicts. (Side note) There is great motivation for grandparents to see their grandkids especially if they live 1300 miles away and no other children have given them any... thats another story. SO we decided to go to Nauvoo this summer anyway with all the single kids in the family namely my brother David my sister Natalie and myself.

We couldn't just fly to Chicago or Iowa or St. Louis and drive the 2 hrs to Nauvoo that would have been too easy. To explain, my family is very competitive so we are having this little competition. The first one to visit the 50 states in our great union wins. Wins what, i don't know... bragging rights for all time. This all started when my older brother nathan decided to drive most of the continental U.S. and he has visited 48 states over the course of his 10 years of marriage. I having a undying competitive spirit told him that i would visit all 50 states before he did. (I had only been to 23 states at the time) thats how competitive i am. So the competition began, my sister natalie jumped in to the competition having this crazy idea when planning this trip that while were were in the midwest why don't we just knock off 10 states in the meantime. EERRRR (scratching of a record), 10 states in two weeks! my family is certifiable but we all went along with it. My mom and Natalie planned the whole thing out, fly to denver and then drive.... just drive. We saw some of the most beautiful countryside in Colorado, Wyoming, North and South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois, Kansas, and Missouri. In future posts i will give you a run down, of my extensive travels this summer

29

As 2009 is out and 2010 comes in thinking about new years resolutions are on the forefront of peoples minds. I am going to make some definite resolutions for this year but i want them to be more thought out than the average "no more fast food" resolution or "i am going to go to the gym religiously" or "i will call my mom more". Not to say that those are noble goals... they are just not for me. I mean i just moved out of my parents house 3 weeks ago just 4 days shy of my 29th birthday, so..... who am i to judge. I think the reason i wanted to write something tonight at this hour was to say i need to trust in the Lord much more than i have been doing in the past. so i am going to leave my new years resolution up to this

Proverbs 3:5-6

Worst Umpire in Baseball=Tim McClelland

I was at the Angel game last night and don't get me wrong the Angels didn't hit very well against the fat man CC Sabathia and we lost 10-1 to the Yankees, but there were some outright missed calls at the game that I could have called from the upper deck

Example 1

http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?content_id=7078739

Example 2

I couldn't find video of it but there was another missed a call on Swisher (NY) getting back to second base when Aybar (Angels) clearly had the ball and tagged him out before he made it back to second

See how the ball is basically in the hands of Aybar

and how far away Swisher is from the bag.

I mean c'mon!

here is another one

Another missed call by the guy pictured below was when a player from the yankees did not tag up properly before the ball was caught and New York scored off that play

If you need clarification on what "Tagging Up" means look here

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tag_up

I (like most other people) tend to complain when things don't go the way I would like them to go so I have to distract myself without bad the Angels played with something else... like this guy

Tim McClelland

The Umpire that missed the two calls at third base

The Angels played pretty poorly and like I said above we could not hit against the fat man CC Sabathia. That guy is huge!

Just kidding this is really him

Blogging is back.... for now.

Nailed it!

I finished/passed my 4 month test so i get to keep my job for another

6 months, i am getting ready to switch stations in Nov but

i am just glad i am finished with the first test!

I am still Alive

Yes it is me, i have given in to the peer pressure and have found the time to...BLOG!!

But that is just it, what do i actually blog about, do people really have interest in what i have to say. For those who are not actively in communication with me i will let you know i started a new job. Well it is my career, my dream i have made another step closer to being locked in with the fire dept. 4 years of testing, applications, schooling, training, close calls, long drives and tons and tons of support from my family and friends. I could have never even dreamed about obtaining my dreams without that support. So i guess this is a thank you blog. 

I got a job with the Los Angeles County Fire Department and i am currently in the academy that they hold before we start working at a particular station. It is 5 months of rigorous training. 

My day starts at 430 with my alarm i then carpool with an "interesting fellow recruit"  up to Pomona. The East County Training Center a.k.a "The Grinder" We set everything up for the day and we are ready for physical training by 630. We stretch and then we go on a run or workout on the gym. We then have time to get ready in the locker room and we are dressed and ready for inspection by 8 0r 830. After being scrupulously looked over with a fine toothed comb we go to work. 8 hours of on your feet pulling hose, throwing ladders, putting on SCBA's and tying knots. Oh yeah we get an hours for lunch. One week i think i lost 12 pounds but i think me not eating a lot the day before i weighed myself didn't help the cause.  In other word i am exhausted especially after fighting traffic for an hour on the way home. I usually have time to make my lunch, shine my boots, and study and i am in bed by 9. Then it starts all over again. I am lucky cause we have wed and sun off sat are a half day. After a month of this my body has gotten more used to the abuse that it gets put through everyday. 

I can't wait till graduation