Our first hitch was short, snappy, and full of puns and riddles. A grand ol’ time! Working with our project partner, Don of the BLM Billings office, we re-constructed fences, cleaned up a burned cabin, and magically converted a downed tree into firewood.

We discovered potential artifacts and learned the importance of preserving sites for future study. For instance, at the burned cabin we partnered with the local archeologist to keep certain items at the site while making the location safe for passing wildlife (clearing up exposed nails and glass).

Don was a wealth of knowledge. He taught us to keep the work fun and enjoyable while also passing down tricks of the trade, like teaching us how to use power tools and construction techniques that were new to us.

Using what we learned, we are excited for our next hitch. The skills we accumulated this week will be put to good use on all future hitches and we are looking forward to meeting our new project partners.