Chainsaws, Herbert Hoover & Dog Poo

Well, this week is kind of a short post week. But hopefully you'll get the picture of everything that happened. First off, we had chainsaw training on Tuesday so we did that practically all day. We had a guy come in and teach us the in's and out's of how to use the chainsaw and how to maintain it as well. After some in class instruction, we went out into the field and had some hands on training. Once Tuesday was over we spent the rest of the week doing just that, using chainsaws to help cut down trees and also do what they call "bucking" which is what I was doing in the above picture.

One day last week, on Thursday I believe, we took a half day field trip to do some service learning to the Herbert Hoover Historical Site.

I have more pictures of the tour on my facebook so please, feel free to check em out!

Also, today (Sunday) some of us did an ISP at an animal shelter. Lets say it was a nice break from the everyday nature work that we do. Few more pictures on facebook (as usual). But here's a few.

First dog I walked named Oliver!

Well, I hope this post finds you all doing well. Sorry that its so short, but like I said, we didn't do a huge variety of things this week. Thanks for reading and I hope you all have a blessed upcoming week! Hey go out and smell the fresh air. Run around and roll in the grass like my buddy Hobbit! :)

"My time is up, I thank you for yours." God bless! :)

Spike 3 In Coralville & Solon, IA

Hello all! It's been some time since last i've posted but a lot has gone on too! I hope all of you are well and that good things are happening in your life.

As you can see by the title of this post, we are at our 3rd project or "spike". Our housing is at a Lutheran church camp in Solon, Iowa but our work is based in Coralville, Iowa. This is how are work breaks down. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday is spent working with our main sponsor doing park work. Like cleaning up the camp grounds. Transplanting trees and such. And then our main job, which we'll get to in about another week or so, is doing prescribed burnings. And then on Wednesdays we work at the Church camp where we stay doing work around the camp. Anything they need done.

Here are a few pics of our housing:

Griff & Michael at the entrance to our cabin

Omega Lodge, place where we eat and do many team activities

My bed in the boys room in the cabin

Living area that Steph, Patrick and myself set up for the team. Pretty nice & cozy eh?

We have basketball and volleyball courts. And we even have what they call a "human foosball" set up. We haven't tried it out yet, but it sounds sooo much fun.

Alright, tha'ts the gist of our living situation. And now onto the work that we've done thus far. We arrived here on Thursday March 4th and began work right away. We worked Thursday and Friday here at the camp we are staying at gathering firewood and chopping them into pieces and placing them into a big firewood bin.

Later on Thursday night we went out to dinner and our van got stuck haha. So we had to push the van out of the mud.

The following week we did nothing but online fire training ALLLLL DAY LONG for 8 hours a day. Except for Wednesday, that's when we took the pack test where you have to carry 45 lbs. on your back 3 miles in 45 minutes.

We finally got to meet our "main" sponsor and started working with her at Coralville Lake doing camp site prep work. Just the other day we transplanted some trees which was pretty cool. And within the next week or so we should be doing the main part of our job which is prescribed burnings which we are alll looking forward to.

One of the greatest things about being in this area is the wildlife and everyday nature that you encounter. Here is a picture of a few deer. Sorry that the picture isn't too good, but this is an everyday occurence with us. Deer just a little ways off from us to roamin around our camp grounds. Its amazing. That combined with the snow (which has melted now) is so beautiful. I love this project simply because I get to be out in nature and can really see the wonder that is God's creation.

Our team has done several ISP's already. This pic below shows a wall that i've begun to gut out and prep to be rebuilt because of flood damage.

And we've also found time for some fun. Daniel and I went to this St. Patrick's party in Cedar Rapids, IA where a Celtic Party Band was playing. It was pretty cool and a lot of people came out for it.

So far this has been a pretty good spike. Some ups, some downs. But overall an ok experience thus far. I should have a more detailed blog post next time but of course, as with every first post of a new spike, I like to take you on a tour if you will of the place where i'll be staying the next 6-8 weeks. I hope you enjoyed this post and i'll be posting again soon Lord willing. Have a blessed day and please comment if you want! "My time is up, I thank you for yours." God bless!