As any good farmer will tell you, you have to let your fields lay fallow in between plantings to get a better yield. So it is too, with blogs. We haven't posted much lately but now it's time to crank up the tractor again and turn some dirt.
Let's get you updated first then I'll tell you about our trip to Cedar City, Utah.
Shiloh the big black dog passed on last month. He had cancer and we had known it for a while. Margo and I decided to let him live out his days as comfortably as possible and he did just that. He was a lucky dog in that he ended up with a mom and dad who had the ability to work from home and because of that was never left alone during the day. He traveled the country and investigated many a highway rest stop - his favorite places on earth. I swear that dog could spot a blue rest stop sign long before we could. He paid back our kindness many times over and will be sorely missed.
On a brighter note, I've been promoted. When we arrived here for the Salt Lake project in March I was working as a crew leader of 3 other technicians in the Provo area. Since then I've been tapped for the field supervisor position over the whole project. I now supervise 12 technicians across the Salt Lake Valley which will increase to 19 when the project starts up again next March. The current project will end October 9th but a crew of 4 will remain here over the winter. The job title pretty much explains my duties. I'll still be walking the gas lines so won't get fat sitting in front of a computer, although I do have some additional duties that will require toting my laptop around with me.
There is a lot of travel over the fall and winter planned at press time. Down to Texas and back to the Southeast to do field evaluations on the many technicians scattered about. Then in early March it's back here to beautiful Utah.
Speaking of beautiful Utah, let's get on with our trip to Cedar City from where I am writing this. As in the past, our gas company client has sent us on out of town jobs. This allows them to service the towns and small cities outside the Salt Lake Valley. It was Cedar City's turn this week with me and 5 other techs traveling 200 miles south, descending on the KOA, and branching out to survey for four intense 10 hour days. It went well, as I knew it would. I've said it before, when you bring a highly trained and motivated crew with you the job just gets done - simple as that. We all gathered together each night for a feast and some socializing then hit it at sunrise each morning. The pay off, a 4 day weekend in some of the most rugged and beautiful country around.
Margo, Pepper and I took a drive yesterday to take in the local area including Cedar Breaks National Monument and the little town of Brian Head - the highest town in Utah (in elevation - this isn't Colorado....). The pictures really can't do this place justice as there isn't anything to give it scale but believe me it's spectacular. To think that all of this was created by wind and water is amazing. We left Cedar City at 5,500 feet and 79 degrees and in less than an hour were at 11,400 feet and 50 degrees.
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| Visitor center built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s |
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| Pepper didn't care for the wind very much |
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| Not for the faint of heart |
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| Yeah, 15 sounds about right.... |
Well, we'll be seeing you soon. We'll be headed back to Provo. Then, as I said, there's going to be a lot of travel and adventures coming up so stay tuned.
