"According to Peter, you should only ride the zip line if you're prepared to stare a tiger in the eyes and slap it in the face."
-Trippe, my coworker, after I suggested to a guest that the zip line required the same athletic ability as jumping off a trashcan
Woah. Crazy busy 10 days:
I spent four 10-hour days training to be a Zip Line guide. It was super sketchy to be working out the kinks in the 5-zip course as we learned how to navigate it and guide people through. The longest zip is 400 ft. long and you clock in at 30 mph. It's safe (...now). Basically, I have to catch people as they come in to land without getting knocked off a platform 40 ft. off the ground. I'm tied in on a safety rope, but still.
The 4th of July is a mad house here. Like Picnic Day, things go from mellow to absolute pande-fucking-monium for a day and a half. Crowds of clueless goobers— tourists— (supercomma!) flood the town and throw money around. Friends made $200 busking with a banjo and mandolin on Sunday and Monday. All the locals work double shifts and party the night before instead.
Danica's family visited for the weekend so I went couch surfing to give them their space. On the third day of being out of the house, I came in to the coffee shop to hang out before going to work on the mountain and Arvin informed me that I wasn't "clicking" at the shop and that it would be best if I just worked full time at the Zip Line. I'll rephrase that in case it was too passively worded: they fired me. I'm fired from the coffee shop I came back to CB to work at. To be fair, I was showing up late and asking for days off to work more on the mountain (they're short-staffed and it pays better). I've gleaned that this lead Danica to question my "loyalty and attention to detail". That's like having Stephen Colbert question your Patriotism. But it is for the best. I'm super happy as a guide and I wasn't stoked on my coffee shop shifts. I served coffee for 2 hours, did nothing for 4, then cleaned for 2. I will totally admit to not being a good janitor. So fuck it. Don't tell anybody, but I'm looking at coming home a smidge early. There's a change in the wind and it's blowing West.
For now, the Zip Line gig is fucking awesome. I lead three trips over the course of each day and the last big zip always gets my adrenalin up. Catching people, especially kids who barely make it, is exhilarating. The daily rush has definitely upped my mood and makes me giddy in the evenings. It might be addicting, we'll see. I'm making good money and I've got great coworkers. It's a blast and I love it, but work isn't everything and I'm feeling a little thin in every other department, if only for a lack of free time. I'm going on a wildflower hike on Tuesday (with a girl!), so we'll see how that goes.
Also, I know that Deathly Hallows pt. 2 is coming out and we're all excited or whatever but, Jesus people, pull yourselves together!
-Trippe, my coworker, after I suggested to a guest that the zip line required the same athletic ability as jumping off a trashcan
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| The Red Lady Quartet performs in a poorly lit room. (quality of photo is somewhat intentional) |
I spent four 10-hour days training to be a Zip Line guide. It was super sketchy to be working out the kinks in the 5-zip course as we learned how to navigate it and guide people through. The longest zip is 400 ft. long and you clock in at 30 mph. It's safe (...now). Basically, I have to catch people as they come in to land without getting knocked off a platform 40 ft. off the ground. I'm tied in on a safety rope, but still.
The 4th of July is a mad house here. Like Picnic Day, things go from mellow to absolute pande-fucking-monium for a day and a half. Crowds of clueless goobers— tourists— (supercomma!) flood the town and throw money around. Friends made $200 busking with a banjo and mandolin on Sunday and Monday. All the locals work double shifts and party the night before instead.
Danica's family visited for the weekend so I went couch surfing to give them their space. On the third day of being out of the house, I came in to the coffee shop to hang out before going to work on the mountain and Arvin informed me that I wasn't "clicking" at the shop and that it would be best if I just worked full time at the Zip Line. I'll rephrase that in case it was too passively worded: they fired me. I'm fired from the coffee shop I came back to CB to work at. To be fair, I was showing up late and asking for days off to work more on the mountain (they're short-staffed and it pays better). I've gleaned that this lead Danica to question my "loyalty and attention to detail". That's like having Stephen Colbert question your Patriotism. But it is for the best. I'm super happy as a guide and I wasn't stoked on my coffee shop shifts. I served coffee for 2 hours, did nothing for 4, then cleaned for 2. I will totally admit to not being a good janitor. So fuck it. Don't tell anybody, but I'm looking at coming home a smidge early. There's a change in the wind and it's blowing West.
For now, the Zip Line gig is fucking awesome. I lead three trips over the course of each day and the last big zip always gets my adrenalin up. Catching people, especially kids who barely make it, is exhilarating. The daily rush has definitely upped my mood and makes me giddy in the evenings. It might be addicting, we'll see. I'm making good money and I've got great coworkers. It's a blast and I love it, but work isn't everything and I'm feeling a little thin in every other department, if only for a lack of free time. I'm going on a wildflower hike on Tuesday (with a girl!), so we'll see how that goes.
Also, I know that Deathly Hallows pt. 2 is coming out and we're all excited or whatever but, Jesus people, pull yourselves together!
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