Finally finished second week of training at Bryce Canyon. No matter how many times I go through training in the same park I always learn something new. Yet I’d also be more than happy to just be “out there” doing my job as an Interpretive Park Ranger.
Biggest problem for me right now is cold temperatures. It’s only the middle of April and at 8000 feet summer comes late, like maybe July. Not sure I own or could wear any more layers of the NPS gray and green and still be able to move. Then there’s Spring wind pretty much constant from 5-20mph with 40mph gusts. Stuff blows off the outside tables even when weighted with rocks.
The first of RV parts arrived, the replacement AC shroud for the truck-camper. Got help loading the large yet not overly heavy box into the camper. And there it still sits. I’m not going on the roof. And between wind and snow, not asking anyone else to either.
First flowers on the Manzanita
Tuesday I modeled two programs during training. Sadly, we won’t be offering the hour-long less than one mile rim walk about cultural history as it’s too difficult to maintain distancing. However, my boss thought it would be good for the new folks to hear and see. Then after dinner I presented my evening program about the wildlife around Bryce. And because after the dark temperature would drop into the 30s I presented the PowerPoint inside instead of at the outside amphitheater where the visitors’ will see different programs every night. Not happening for a few more weeks.
The other ordered RV part, water check-valve, was unknowingly shipped USPS, a problem at Bryce Canyon National Park. Because there is a post office in the adjacent town of Bryce Canyon City that’s where snail mail goes, usually. If it’s addressed to the park it lands in Panguitch, 30 minutes away. I blew off two texts from USPS because I didn’t expect them and thought them spam. Then I tracked the order, and sure enough, the part to give me running water was sitting in Panguitch and needed to be picked up. Thank goodness a friend here could do that for me as I was working the hours of operation for the post office. For some reason they couldn’t send it to Bryce Canyon City. Once I had the part it was easy enough to remove the old and replace. Not for the first time. And voila, running water. However, the water still has to be turned off overnight due to below freezing temperatures. It’s a start.
Thursday’s training included driving the scenic road, stopping at overlooks, and demonstrating “popup” programs. These are short interpretive opportunities that can begin with a visitors’ question or prompted by the Ranger.
Snow fell on us at the Farview overlook about halfway to the end. It was light, intermittent, and rather pretty.
The further south we drove the heavier the snow blew sideways.
At Ponderosa Point I had enough and sat in the truck to stay warm. We didn’t make it to the end where I was suppose to demonstrate an idea for soundscape.
After finishing up the second week of training at Bryce Canyon in the morning I worked the outside desk and helped close the visitor center at 6pm. It seems the perfect time for many visitors to want to use the restroom. Won’t be long and hours will change from 8a-8p.
Saturday, my day off, I did laundry in town as it’s too hard to park by the NPS apartment laundry room. A real treat for the day was taking a hot shower in my own house for the first time this year. Color me happy. I am easily amused. And nights in the low 40s meant leaving the water on, for a few nights anyway.
Sunday I was officially dressed and on the schedule giving my first hoodoo geology talk at 11am under clear skies. I always think I’ve forgotten everything but after a quick look at my outline I open my mouth and it all falls out. The afternoon I worked the outside desk, door counter, and back to the desk with help closing the visitor center.
After a couple days almost in the 60s temperatures dropped again and Monday’s prediction was high 30s, extreme winds, and 70% chance of snow. I drove to Panguitch under cloudy skies for my first vaccine, then back with the wind whipping.
Now finished with my third season of training at Bryce Canyon I spent most of the afternoon outside dressed as the abominable green Ranger and managed to stay mostly warm. Flurries began at closing.
Because the next night I operated a Celestron 11-inch telescope for the first time, with a lot of help from other Rangers. Five scopes were set up and staffed by Rangers, each showing a different object in the sky. Our “Astro field” is the employee parking lot behind the office/visitor center building. This show normally happens Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday nights from 10-11:30pm if the sky is clear. And that night was our open window. Because I’m really not an astronomer (yet) I chose to focus on the double stars in the handle of the Big Dipper, Alcor and Mizar, a constellation almost everyone in the northern hemisphere can find, including me. After aligning the scope to Arcturus and Vega, with the push of buttons it automatically moved to my chosen Alcor star. I only had to make a few adjustments for drifting over the night. I outlined the constellation with a laser light, pointed out the second stars to the left of the last handle star, and asked if anyone could see two stars there with the naked eye instead of just one. In days of old, this was considered an eye test to become an Arabian soldier. Some guests flunked, including me. But then I’m due for new eye glasses. In the scope the two dim stars could clearly be seen about 1/4 inch apart. Guests seemed to love it and they then moved on to another telescope line to view clusters, the whirlpool, Spica in Virgo, and eventually Jupiter and four moons.
