Day 63
I noticed an ironic parallel between KTC and my time working as a wildland firefighter. I was one of two females on a 20 “man” crew. It’s funny that what dug my addiction in is so similar to what’s digging me out. This seems to be a sort of family, strangely similar to the fire family.
The first time I threw on a 90lb pack, grabbed a Pulaski, got in line and headed up the hill, it SUCKED! Yes, critical week...was “the suck”. The sup’s were yelling at us rookies to close the gap. Keep up. Keep going no matter what. One foot in front of the other. It initially broke me down and made me question if I could really do it. The excuses rolled in. Then I decided to get tougher. Then it got better. Then there were times it felt easy. When there were no fires, I learned it was the time to sharpen tools, dial in the saws, oil my boots. Be READY ‘cause the next one’s coming. Cache days are like the daily promise. Take care of your resources and they’ll take care of you. WUPP EDD. If a brother/sister is being careless, you don’t just turn your head. What if you could save their life? Would you?
I lost a precious friend to a tree that fell near the fireline one summer. A group of us still hike to that spot every summer we can. Freak accident, could’ve been any of us.
“Keep one foot in the black” reminds me to remember where that area is that’s already burned. Stay close to that safety, but don’t get comfortable. Keep digging. Keep working. Keep your head on a swivel. If that fire jumps your line, you’re back where you started, or worse.