The last hitch of the season was a rollercoaster of emotions for all of us. We were happy to be out in the Wind River Range, watching the fresh powder accumulate as we were working to propagate dormant willow trees. It got cold and frosty, and our bodies and emotions were drained from all the hitches before. But we also had some beautiful baby blue skies and fiery sunrises to reflect on. Whenever we got a bit tired of cutting the 12,000 willows that we did, all we had to do was look up at the snowcapped mountains that encircled our entire workspace. That, and also have a little dance party or two.

On top of being in beautiful Bondurant, Wyoming (population 108), we also got to work on a ranch, constantly surrounded by dozens of cows. At first, they steered clear, but after the 5th or 6th day, they got a bit closer to us. We barely minded crunching and lunching next to all those cow patties! I will fondly remember our stretch of the Hoback River as the 'Pie Shoppe.'

"This job is weird. We're weird," we kept saying to each other. Because it is! We've spent 3 months, 9 days on and 5 days off, living very (VERY) close to each other; laughing, crying, and farting together. Strangers at first back in August, just coworkers. But now, after all of the hard work and sleepless nights spent together, we feel like siblings. So it was hard to accept, I think for all of us, the end of this adventure. We may all be parting ways after this, but some small part of us will always be with each other.