Field Program

Starting the week off at wonderful Myers Creek, just north of Idaho Falls, working on a dirt bike trail, here's what to expect:
- You’ll arrive at camp and set up your luxurious nylon home.
- You’ll find the most perfect spot for a latrine, then realise it’s a steep trek away…
- You’ll hit the trail, start digging and re-digging sections of trail.
- You’ll curse at rocks for getting in the way, creating craters in your perfectly smooth trail upslope… then feel bad for hurling them down the hill.
- You’ll apologise to several beetles and ants for disturbing their homes.
- You’ll become a perfectionist at trailwork and appreciate the effort it takes
- You’ll develop ‘trail eyes’ and notice your efficiency improving the more time you spend trail widening.
- You’ll learn how to build water bars.
- You’ll say or hear the term ‘bumping up’ at least 10 times a day.
- You’ll enjoy the gorgeous views and wonderful sun, trying to even up that tan, then be thankful for the spots of shade along the trail.
- You’ll forget and confuse the name of every tool and won’t be sure what people are asking for when they want you to pass them a pulaski
- You’ll do some lopping along the road you drove up on, feeling bad for the plants but not too bad because they smacked your face on the dive up cuz you had your window down
- You’ll sit around campfires every night.
- You’ll accidentally anger a local buck who thinks you're trying to steal his women.
- You’ll get back from work one day and will have to fetch your tent, about 50 feet away, cuz the wind decided it wasn’t a fan of your plot of land for it. Then you’ll go on a hunt for 9 (yes 9) tent pegs... (Apparently, that's not enough for it to stay where you left it).
- You’ll hide in the rig when the thunder and lightning are out.
- You’ll become loopy from sleep deprivation but have goofy conversations and laugh at pretty much anything.

And then, you’ll get pulled from your campsite because of worsening weather conditions, and your legend of a project partner will set you up in a cabin in Dubois…
So, for the remainder of your hitch, this is what you can expect:

- You’ll have a gloriously warm shower while feeling like you’re committing a crime cuz the hitch isn’t over.
- You’ll be swallowed whole by the comfiest couch.
- You’ll sleep in a bed that’s not on the ground.
- You’ll be able to get water from a faucet with the most incredible water pressure.
- You’ll wash dishes in a sink that is not plastic buckets.
- You’ll become thankful for the little, easy tasks you take for granted in life that take you a little longer when you’re camping (but you’ll miss camping a lot, in spite of the weather).
- You’ll get to work, tediously chipping away chunks of paint off an old shed.
- You’ll discover that anything can be a tool for paint chipping… even an old door hinge (won’t be forgetting the name of that one).
- You’ll get your jacket and gloves soaked through in the cold and wet 30-degree weather, but you’ll also have access to a lovely dryer that you’ll use to toast up your gear on your breaks.
- You’ll miss the trail, but be thankful when it starts hailing that your roof and walls are no longer made of nylon.
- You’ll go for a walk in the lovely town of Dubois and bump into the owner of the ice cream shop, who will serve you even though they are closed.
- You’ll feel mixed emotions; that you don’t feel like you worked hard enough to merit a cosy cabin stay, but you’ll be equally thankful that you weren’t waking up in 7 inches of snow, with a tree on your tent...
- You’ll complete half a dirt bike trail and half a painted shed.

All in all, you’ll remember that you had an awesome time, whatever the weather was doing.
(Shout out to project partner Jared - absolute legend, we appreciate you looking out for us)

Oh, and also, know that there are sand dunes in Idaho so some of you might get buried in the sand if you lose a bet :)