You are welcome.

I was watching Pole Canyon today, when the sudden rumbling of the ground and growl of distant engines signaled the arrival of several truckloads of Ventura County firemen (roughly the equivalent of two years' worth of Hot Firemen calendars). As soon as they saw me, sitting in a broken chair on the road with one eye to a scope and the other squinting in what I'm sure was a most attractive way, they began to pour out of their vehicles, undoubtedly drawn like oppositely charged magnets to my sunburnt shoulders and the sheen of perspiration on my brow. Be still my beating heart!

They came out to see the condors, of course. And ended up getting quite a show. Of course, I missed writing down precise times for the switchout and probably a feeding session or two, but most of the guys seemed genuinely excited at the chance to see the birds in action and to learn some fun condor facts! (but probably mostly the former). For many, it was their first time.

Returning to the ranch house that evening, I caught glimpses of several of the firefighters working shirtless in the fields. I was too cowed to go outside after that, so I watched from the window as they packed up for the day, fired up the grill and played baseball in the yard. Eventually, I worked up the courage to go hang out on the porch with the less intimidating "old guys"--the rounder and mustachioed members of the team who were sitting out what they described as "a younger man's game." I'm cool like that. They seemed surprised to hear how us Fish and Wildlife girls routinely camp out alone on the job, since I'd mentioned that Molly was out at Hopper Canyon at the time. "All by yourselves?" They asked, incredulously? "Yup." "Do you have bear spray with you at all times??" "Nope." It was a highly reassuring conversation. (It was not).


*Image courtesy of getrealdenver.com