Spring!

Well spring break went by very quick and the quarter is already off to a fast start. The past week I went back home to California and spent some time with family and friends... On Friday I departed in my new 1995 Honda Odyssey! The drive north was around 750 miles and I spent one night in Ashland at some hot springs and camped in the car. The next morning after a quick soak I hit the road again and made it to Olympia around 6pm... It was a long weekend that surprisingly went by quick. On Monday I reoriented myself with campus and had a long list of tasks to complete. I drove to campus and parked then ran to buy a spring pass and get it on the car in time... Luckily I made it in time and had no tickets! So then I went to print and scan forms both for work and insurance. Next I paid tuition, got my paycheck, and a new sticker for spring quarter to prove I was updated for spring. My boss wanted me to get a set of keys to the Rec Center so I signed out keys to open the building! After all the business I went to lab stores and checked out a flash recorder, microphone, pole for the mic, and audio cables. I had also requested many books from the library and will hang on to them till the end of the quarter. Lastly I went to lab stores and checked out a spotting scope, tripod, and gps unit. I currently have some ideas brewing for a project and want to have all this equipment at my disposal before everything gets checked out. After finishing my list I then sat down and started writing a rough draft of ideas for my class. Once all the important work was taken care of I then desperately needed to relax. Fortunately the climbing wall is getting new crash pads so the grips can be raised even higher, however this mean the climbing wall is closed the next few weeks... Instead I did some cardio and weights then the good ol sauna. That night I made an effort to try to get to bed before 12 which was very difficult.
This morning I awoke at 5 am, scrambled around, and somehow ate some food... I then drove off to campus, and arrived at the rec center at 545am... I was surprised that people were already waiting for me to let them in. The morning shift was pretty relaxed and I worked till 8 am... Once I finished my shift I then had an hour and half to spend working out before class began. I haven't done serious swimming in a while so it was finally time to hop in a public pool again... My lifeguarding course begins on the 11th and I want to train and improve my skills a bit. After warming up with laps I then went to the diving pool and practiced pulling a 10 pound brick from the bottom of the water, carrying it above the surface with both hands, and maneuvering it onto the deck... I tried this many times with and without goggles. The first day of the course we have to pass a proficiency and this is one of the skills they test on. I feel pretty prepared, but will keep swimming the next few days to get even better! Then after a sauna I had my first day of class... In the morning we had a lecture about the scientific method and predictions. In the afternoon we discussed project ideas then analyzed animal adaptations! It was a good first start and later this week I will be meeting one on one with my professor to work on a project proposal. I have also received my new heavy duty backpacking bag today and strolled around the block while having it loaded up with many books... Cant wait to be backpacking! Also Remy is arriving this weekend and we will be exploring her potential college (Fairhaven) together up in Bellingham ! Well I have many things to keep me busy now and lots of reading to be doing, all I need is a little sun!

Orcas Island

Well we made it up to Orcas Island the past Tuesday. Luckily the majority of the snow had melted so we were able to make the drive up to Anacortes and catch the ferry. We ended up at the ferry destination early so we decided to go drive to Deception Pass for a quick hike. This pass was very amazing and the sky was filled with military planes from the air base close by. The ferry held many cars (including our three large vans) and stopped at Shaw, Lopez, and finally Orcas Island. Once we got onto Orcas Island we had about a half hour drive to Moran State Park. This island is one of the largest and there is a surprisingly large amount amount of land including many farms and state parks on the island. There are even a few mountains... We arrived pretty late and after unpacking and moving into cabins we then proceeded to gather in the mess hall and have dinner. The entire class divided into food groups and a few people would cook and clean for every meal. The food was amazing, and my class can sure cook up some feasts! The next mornings after a 730 breakfast we decided to make an approach up Mt. Constitution since the weather was moderately clear. The mountain was about 2400 ft and we were basically staying in cabins at the base. I prepared for the worst and brought lots of gear and was wearing heavy hiking boots with gators. As we began ascending it got snowier and layers of ice began to build. It was a long and strenuous hike and the switchbacks began to get very steep. With every two steps we seemed to loose one... Eventually we made it to the summit and on the top a 1000 ton tower had been built as a lookout post and shelter. Once we stopped moving it began to get very cold and we all gathered inside the stone wood shelter and refueled. We were going to do a loop but by the time we made it to the top it began to snow and we were worried about visibility. After a long rest we all began descending and had a blast literally sliding down all the slush and ice. We even took a few breaks to have some snowball fights with a few people and the teacher. When we returned to camp a nice hot lunch was waiting for us. Also, I forgot to mention on these trips coffe is consumed constantly so everyone has energy all day.... After eating I proceeded to go canoeing on a large lake with a friend. The water the deceiving and after making it out it began to get very 'choppy' and we had to tack somewhat to avoid being tipped over... Later I on a walk and looked at some old growth trees with friends. At night we would all gather and play games or have a fire. The next morning we went to the coastal side of the island to look at shorebirds. I was on lunch crew later and we cooked up an amazing tai feast with exotic food and peanut sauce. After cooking I took a long hike around the lake and was able to observe and identify many species! The next day after lots of cleaning we departed back to the ferrys and arrived in Olympia around 6pm.. Everyone required lots of rest after this trip, however the weekend was still packed with many hours spent working on our projects.
Im very pleased with how my paper turned out and it has some interesting and informative information and potential causations and correlations. We presented the project and powerpoint on monday and received excellent feedback about it! This quarter has been a great learning expecting and I am being exposed to a whole new vocabulary and scientific mindset. If anyone want to read the paper or view the powerpoint I will gladly email them!
I registered for classes a few days ago and will be staying in my current program for 16 credits and most likely attempting to create a framework and potential model for plumage taxes in birds and how the 'dilution effect' changes species... Still a lot to figure out. I will also be taking a four credit metal working class and will be learning how to forge metals and work with them! This was an extremely competitive class (it only has 8 students!) so I feel very fortunate. I had my last day of class today and only have one more day of work at the rec center. I will be going down to California on tuesday and am ready to relax a little.
To see the rest of the photos check them out here