This week brought more variety to the 2021 Starker Summer Crew.
Monday, we all went out to do some very much needed brushing and road clearing with Tyler. All of us used chainsaws until 1 p.m., when our fire watch started. Because of the high fire danger, all work involving machinery has to stop early afternoon and, depending on the fire level in the area, a watch must take place for one to three hours to ensure nothing has sparked that could lead to a fie. There was more debris we could have cut up but we will probably go back to finish that up when the days get a little cooler.
Cruising big timber in Upper Marys.
On Tuesday, a couple of us (myself included) went out to finish cruising the non-GPS site we started last week.
While hiking through forests it’s not uncommon to come across skeletal remains. Speculation is that this is a femur from a bovine (or Bigfoot’s offspring).
Yesterday, we went out to work on some more 20-year-old stands where John and I found this massive femur bone. We cannot figure out what it is from.
Because of the hot weather we all went slow and made sure to stay hydrated and watch for any signs of heat stress, which I’ve gotten quite good at keeping an eye out for now.
Thursday, we began the morning with some pre-harvest cruising. Natalie and I got to cruise big timber, and John, Andrew and Griffin laid out boundaries and roads for harvest, which was a fun new thing to learn!
I’m curious to see what Starker has in store for us next week.
– Nic Haye