Official Ranger Update

Hello friends!

I figured it was about time to give you an official ranger update! I do not do very well most of the time with getting online and checking email so I have not been so good about keeping anything updated! I have actually been here at Wind Cave for two full months now. Crazy! It feels like I just got here! I am not sure how much longer I will be here, but possibly only about another four weeks. :( I am definitely loving it here and would love to stay longer! This is without any doubt the best job I have ever had. It is also, without a doubt, something that I want to do for the rest of my life, or at least quite a long time!

I am able to do nearly everything that I am passionate about here in this position and I love it! Just to use the last few days as an example...

Friday, July 10

I finally had a day off after ten days straight of working following Kristen's wedding so I decided to go adventuring! I went on a tour of another cave, went into an old gold mine, saw a presidential wax museum, went to an amazing reptile centered zoo called reptile gardens that included the largest collection of poisonous snakes in the world, and then went to a driving zoo called bear country where you could see lots of different animals including about 20 black bears, a grizzly bear, and both grey and timber wolves. After that I came back to Wind Cave to join five others in a caving your through the legendary "spillway" down to the club room, which is one of the largest rooms in the cave that few people ever see. It was very exciting to get to go down there! And I ended up meeting and becoming friends with three of the rangers from Jewel Cave.

Saturday, July 11

After meeting Laura on the tour down to the clubroom I decided to join her as she led Jewel Cave's spelunking tour. It is very different then Wind Cave, but equally as exciting. Laura encouraged me to join several of the rangers in going on a hike through the forest to find another cave called "ice cave" later that evening. So after eating some excellent pizza in Custer (by myself) I drove out and joined about a hundred people in finding the ice cave! There is not ice in it this time of year, but it was still very interesting.

Sunday, July 12

I had to go back to work, but work meant giving my discovery talk about the Call of the Wild and the Buffalo on the front lawn and then giving two tours through the cave. Not too bad for a days work. :)

Monday, July 13

Another fun day of giving tours and working at the visitor center!

Tuesday, July 14

After working all day one of the other rangers asked me if I would be willing to take a group of ten high school students who are here doing work on the campgrounds on the wild cave tour for a special tour. So, I took them in for a four hour tour at 6:15, getting out of the cave at 10:15. I then proceeded to get in my waiting vehicle to drive to Rapid City to watch the midnight showing of "Harry Potter."

Wednesday, July 15

I got back to the park at 4:30 and then proceeded to sleep for two and a half hours before reporting to work in the morning. In addition to our hour and a half walking tour I also gave the wild cave tour again! For those of you who don't know, the wild cave tour is our four hour spelunking tour through the wild part of the cave. I came out of the cave just in time to get in a car with three other rangers and go over to jewel cave to do their spelunking tour again! After that adventure we stopped for pie in Custer and arrived back home around 10:30.

Thursday, July 16

I began the day at 7:30 by opening the visitor center and then I got to give my hike for the first time! I took people out on the prairie and led a hike for two hours while telling them about the plants, animals, and cultural significance of the area. So fun! Then I came back to the cave and gave a couple of tours before now. My roommate Deric is training for the Wild Cave tour and so I am going to go back in the cave for my sixth caving trip in seven days tonight to take him through the route. Crazy!

So there is a look at what my life here is often like. Always and adventure and lots of fun! I have to go to the visitor center to get internet access and have to drive quite a distance away to get cell phone reception, but it is definitely worth the inconvenience to be able to do what I am doing. :)

I am currently giving all five tours of the cave that we offer, giving discovery talks on the front lawn, leading a your hour hike on the prairie, and working at the visitor center. I am working on developing a campfire program that I will give for the first time in two weeks at the nightly campfire in the campgrounds!

I actually have the next couple of days off. I was going to go over to badlands, but now they are having an ice cream social tomorrow night that would be really fun to go to, so I may stick a bit more local this weekend and save the overnight trip for another weekend. There is plenty that I can see and do right here in the park and in this region!

Attached is a picture that Callie took of me demonstrating the flow of air out of the natural entrance at wind cave at the beginning of one of the tours!

~Garrett

"The possibilities of wonderful discoveries by exploration are beyond the most visionary ideas of man"

   -Myron Willsie--official survey of Wind Cave, 1902

First Days as a Ranger

Okay, so I am not actually a ranger yet, but I am getting a lot closer at least! I do have most of my uniform. I had to send my hat back because it was too small, and my belt is almost too small, but i may just end up dealing with that. Not sure yet. I do have my official badges and name tag pins though. :) I have not tried to take a picture yet because, quite frankly, it just isn't nearly as exciting without the hat! But as soon as I have my hat and everything is all put together I will take some pictures and send them your way. :)

Things have been going very well. I am learning tons of information! The training is a mix of lots of different things! Today I had a session on speleology (the  study of caves), geology, the history of wind cave, and what sort of people come to the national parks. So it is quite the variety of topics! Plus we are also going on tours into the caves. It is really cool how they are doing it because they are having different lead staff members give us a tour first as if we were tourists. We can ask whatever questions we want and everything. Then we go back and they walk us through and explain how to do everything, where light switches are, where emergency phones are, where the important stuff to point out is, where you stop, how fast you move through the cave, all that sort of stuff. So it is very informational and we get to see them actually do the tour first. And we are going to go through each of the four tours with a different staff person next week so we can hear a different way of giving the tour. They are really stressing the fact that they want us to come up with our own tours and make them unique. It is the same material, walking through the same pathway, but we can focus on and talk about what we want to and what is important to us. I really like that. :) It means that I am going to get to create my own version of what I think is worth knowing about the caves, the geology of the caves, its history, etc. So I am definitely really liking that!

All the rangers seem really nice and like they will be a great group to work with! Last night the lead staff made dinner for all the rest of the interpretive staff, which was very cool and exciting. And we ended up just sitting and talking to each other for quite a while. I enjoyed that a lot. :)

I am living in a 3 bedroom house with five guys and a sixth may be coming. So I do have a roommate. It seems like that will be okay. It is not ideal, but he seems to be a good guy. Two of the other guys in the house who are on the fence crew... not so much. But I think I can deal with it. We ended up losing the microwave because apparently that was someone else's who came and picked it up, so I will have to live without that! But I did manage to find some sort of home for everything and hopefully things will live through the summer!

I do have to work next Monday on my birthday. Or rather I have training stuff going on. I will not start actually guiding tours until the week after that, but I appreciate that because it is giving us a lot of time to really learn things and be good at what we are doing. I am pretty sure that I am not being paid for the training. That has been a bit unclear, so I don't know for sure, but that is the impression that I am getting. That is certainly most unfortunate, but it is what it is! Hopefully things will all work out even if I am not getting any sort of paycheck for probably about a month!

I will also get to see a lot of the surrounding area as a part of the training and we will be going on the four hour "wild cave" tour a week from tomorrow. That is the super exciting, crawl on our belly with hard hats and headlamps tour. :) I want to see if I can lead that one also!!

So phone reception is definitely none existent here. I am having to drive four miles away and sit on the side of the road in order to get anything right now! so you can leave me messages, but not so much actually call me. I don't know how much I am going to be able to call, so mail will probably be the best option!

The general number for the park is 605-745-4600 (or 605-745-1134 is the direct line to the front desk-they both ring in the same place).

If there is ever some real emergency and you need to get a message to me right away you can call 605-745-1133. Please do not call this number unless it really is an emergency. This is the line that is always manned by one of the lead staff that is also the line that is used if something goes wrong in the cave or anything like that. They will always know where I am and what I am doing and be able to get a message to me, but it is definitely not a number that you call if you just want to say hello! Unfortunately for that you pretty much just have to call my cell and leave a message and then I have to call back.

I am pretty tired and exhausted right now! I am trying to decide if I want to go be adventurous or just go back to the house and end up trying to go to bed earlier. We'll see!

I love you all very much!

Hope and Love Amidst the Sorrow

Today is the seventh day of December in the year of our Lord two thousand and eight. Some of you may be expecting this email from me, and for others you still have no idea why I am writing. It has become a bit of a tradition for me to take a few moments to put some of my incoherent and scattered thoughts down on paper  a few times a year on days that mark a significant moment of pain and sacrifice for our country. The greatest and most significant of those days for me is today, December seventh.

It was 67 years ago that our country was rocked by the Japanese attacks on Pearl Harbor. That is the reason for me writing at this particular time on this particular day. In years past I have focused on the significance of that day as a day that would "live in infamy" for all time and talked about our world today and the infamy that still surrounds us. I have thought a lot about what I wanted to write today and I have been very conflicted. But I think I know now what I should write. I want to make it a little more personal this time. I want to write a bit more about me than I usually do.

I am sad today. Several things have occurred in my life recently that have combined to really make me quite sad. I have experienced a wide range of emotions and have been feeling very unsettled. I suppose you could say that I was attacked, bombed, torpedoed, and am now trying to deal with the chaos that comes with such attacks. Much like the Americans stationed at Pearl 67 years ago I was not ready to deal with the magnitude of what has hit me and ships in my fleet have been sinking. I know the metaphor may be silly or unwarranted, but it is helping me to think of it that way, so I am running with it. So really you are getting a glimpse into my thoughts and mind. I don't know if you care to see inside, but for good or ill, you are in it if you have read this far.

It is easy to become to focused on the negative in life, on the things that seem to be falling apart and out of our control. It is easy to wallow in misery and be caught in the snare of depression and the trap of angst and worry. There are times when it seems like the whole world is against you, like all you can see is fire and destruction, like the ships around you are sinking and it is all you can do to keep from sinking and burning up yourself. Those are not fun times, Those are not good times. But those are significant times.

We have a choice in such times. Do we cower in fear and anguish, do we run away, do we isolate ourselves in our pain and suffer alone, believing that there is no hope? Or do we do something more than that? It is in such times that we are most open to God and his leading. It is in times of sorrow, amidst the pain and amidst the loss that God is often most able to get through to us. We listen better, we pay more attention, because we are hurting and our hearts crave solace and comfort.

It was because of the determination and courage of those men who did not simply lie down and give up on December 7th, 1941 that America was inspired to take action and enter into the great war that cost so many lives and caused so much pain. I recently watched "Saving Private Ryan" again and was reminded anew of the significance of each and every life that was sacrificed on both sides of that war. Life is precious. Do not throw it away.

There is no pain that is too strong, no loss to overwhelming, that God cannot work in us and heal us if we let him. Life doesn't always go how we think it should. In fact, in my twenty five years I have found that it often doesn't. We cannot control many of the circumstances in our lives and we often make mistakes in the things we can control. But we can learn from those mistakes and learn to recognize what we cannot control and not be consumed by the doubt, fear, and pain that threaten to rob us of joy and peace. God is bigger than anything that we will every face. I am keenly reminded of that as I sit here today.

I am working on creating a video commemorating the 60th anniversary celebration for my grandparents that I was a part of last week. It is reminding me of the power of love, or devotion, and of forgiveness. Their marriage has been far from perfect, and their family is far from perfect, but I am proud to be a part of it. And when I see my name on that family tree it means something, something that is worth fighting for.

So I guess all that is really to say this. We cannot control much of what happens in our lives, but we can control how we respond. We have to make changes, we have to take action, we have to persevere in faith, hope, and love, no matter what.

As I think of how to conclude my ramblings for the day I am once again reminded of the words of Gandalf in that great and epic story we know as Lord of the Rings (you had to know I would work it in somewhere! :p) If you have known me long you have doubtless heard me speak of these words before. I end with them once again today...

Frodo: "I wish the ring had never come to me. I wish none of this had happened."

Gandalf: "So do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All you have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to you."

Use your time well. Live a live filled with faith, hope, and love, no matter what may cross your path.

Living in Dangerous Wonder,

Garrett

Remembering What Really Matters

Seven years. There is something oddly holy and more transcendent about that number than the ones that have come before. Some of you have received an email from me on this day for the last six years, and for others of you this is the first such email of mine that has crossed your path. Whatever the case, I believe that there is value in me taking a few minutes to reflect on the significance of what this day should mean. 

September 11 was a significant day in the history of our country. Many people (including myself) have compared 9/11 to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in terms of the surprise, devastation, and shock that affected our country. But there is more than just the pain and destruction of that day that is worthy of note. It was a day of hope and of the common man making a difference and showing love and compassion. Like the attacks on Pearl in 1941, the terrorist action on 9/11 proved to be a catalyst for simple common individuals to step up and make a difference in the lives of other people. While it is important to think of the big picture as well, today I want to focus on the individual moments.

It is those little moments that live forever in our memories. 9/11 is already just another page in a history textbook for many grade school students. There isn't a child in my Mom's class who was even born when the attack happened. For most of us it is only a distant memory, akin to Pearl Harbor, Vietnam, the Kennedy assassination, or a myriad of other significant causes of death and mourning in our country's history. But at the same time, the moments are still with us. Watching the movie with Nicholas Cage portraying the heroic police officer who was willing to give his life to save those in need, seeing a picture on the internet, or hearing the story of someone who was there can all bring something back and give us pause. This morning I listened to the world trade center tribute set to the music of Enya in her song "Only Time" and it made me remember that day very clearly. It is the only day of my entire life that I have intentionally ditched school and just not gone to a class. It was a significant day.

So remember 9/11 today. Take a moment and stop and remember the significance of that day. Say a prayer for the thousands of lives that are still attempting to recover from the sudden ravishing of seven years ago. And then expand your prayer. Think of the 30,000 children that will die today from stupid preventable poverty and hunger related illness. Think of the thousands of people whose lives have been destroyed by flood, fire, and famine. We are a blessed people who have been given a task by our God in Heaven to bless the world we live in. So lets remember what really matters and seek to love each other and advance God's kingdom in the world rather than just being focused on ourselves.

This is an important season for our country. We will soon be facing one of the most significant presidential elections in American history. It is a big deal and our future will look very different depending on what happens in that election. But as we think about who to vote for and listen to the rhetoric of both candidates, lets think beyond simply our own personal needs and think about what we should do as citizens of God's kingdom. I don't really care if you profess to follow God or not. I don't really care if you show up in a church building somewhere on Sunday mornings or not. I do care if you think and operate out of a base of love and compassion. Lets be who God told us to be. Lets live out of love and fill each day with the kind of selfless loving sacrifice that we saw exhibited on 9/11. 

I hesitate to quote Edmund Burke because so many people do and I don't want to just seem like everyone else, but right now his oft quoted statement comes to mind...

All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing

Frequent usage does not make it any less true. Evil will indeed prevail if the good stands by and watches. Don't watch. Don't wait. Be a part of the solution.