A testament to life's unpredictability:
Instead of cruising my way through the Big Easy, spending the holidays in sunny Florida, I'm watching the snow fall on the streets of Chicago. I won't get into why I'm here, but I am glad for it. I leave after New Years for Augusta.
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Move #...who am I kidding, I lost count long ago
Two more days of work, two days of packing, a week on the road. That's the plan. Work is so dull I can barely stand it. I'm hoping my life's possessions haven't increased much and still fit in my ford focus. I like being able to fit my life in a car, and a small one at that. How many people can say that? The trip includes stops in the Mojave desert, Albuquerque, Lubbock, New Orleans, a week or so in Tallahassee and concludes with my solo departure to Augusta, GA. There's a lot of miles to cover, this being my longest road-trip to date. Approximate grand total: 3,306. Some people don't travel that in a lifetime. It doesn't pay to stay in one place, no matter how comfortable you are. You don't learn much about the world, about yourself unless you face the unknown once in awhile.
So what unknown am I facing this time? Well, I've had enough of the hippie West, so I'm taking a spin in the diirrrty South. I will spend a brief time (2.5 months) in Augusta, GA surveying Gopher tortoises on an army base. The Gopher tortoise is so named because of their impressive burrowing capacity. They are generally not active in winter, remaining deep in their burrows (and I mean deep, these things can be ten feet underground in a burrow up to 40ft long). What my job will entail is locating the burrow, and fishing a camera scope down the length of it to determine occupancy. The real exciting thing is this: Gopher tortoise burrows are an essential part of the local environment and are utilized by an array of mammal, reptile, and amphibian species (and one owl). In examining these burrows, I might see any number of Southeastern natives: it's like an animal grab-bag.
In addition to packing for this excursion, I have been seeking out a place to be in the world after I'm done traipsing the Georgian wilds. School is my main goal by years end. I have some prospects, which will hopefully materialize into solid plans by the time I get to Georgia. I'll keep everyone posted.
So what unknown am I facing this time? Well, I've had enough of the hippie West, so I'm taking a spin in the diirrrty South. I will spend a brief time (2.5 months) in Augusta, GA surveying Gopher tortoises on an army base. The Gopher tortoise is so named because of their impressive burrowing capacity. They are generally not active in winter, remaining deep in their burrows (and I mean deep, these things can be ten feet underground in a burrow up to 40ft long). What my job will entail is locating the burrow, and fishing a camera scope down the length of it to determine occupancy. The real exciting thing is this: Gopher tortoise burrows are an essential part of the local environment and are utilized by an array of mammal, reptile, and amphibian species (and one owl). In examining these burrows, I might see any number of Southeastern natives: it's like an animal grab-bag.
In addition to packing for this excursion, I have been seeking out a place to be in the world after I'm done traipsing the Georgian wilds. School is my main goal by years end. I have some prospects, which will hopefully materialize into solid plans by the time I get to Georgia. I'll keep everyone posted.
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