crazy end of week (HAPPY BDAY JILL!)

Burns to date: 6 (2 at Disney, 1 here, 2 in Gainsville, and 1 near hear with DoF)

Wednesday afternoon:
I got the privelidge of using a brush cutter tractor attachment wednesday to mow fireline here on our preserve. As the day got later, I noticed Matt, my coworker, hadnt come to get me with the ATV yet. I lost my watch burning last week, so i didnt know that it was 6 oclock already. Once i finished mowing, I called Matt on the walkie, and found out he was stuck in a bog with the ATV somewhere in the SE corner of my big map. I drove to find him with the tractor, and sure enough he was deep. We couldnt manually remove the ATV, so we slowly drove the tractor close to the ATV to pull it out, almost getting the tractor stuck for probably eternity. finally got the ATV out, and I raced back to put it on the trailor, tying everything down right before a huge thunderstorm hit. Matt (on the tractor) got soaked. On the ride home, we found out we would be burning the next day.
Upon getting home, we found out we would be driving up to Univ. of Florida, and needed to leave thursday at 4:45...AM!!!!
Thursday:
Met up here at the office at 5 am, way early for any normal job. Then we drove to Gainsville, getting there around 9. Fire was on the ground by 10, and we burned about 150 acres. It was just like GA...wire grass flat wood. It burned very nice and clean. Then we proceeded to spend about an hour or two after everything was done mopping up some. It wasnt so much fun. We finished around 6ish...a long day.
Highlite of the night/trip: our hotel had happy hour, which meant free drinks for an hour. Hello Ms. Margarita.
Friday Morning:
Met up at 9ish for a second day of burning. Another 150 acres went up nicely. I learned a little more about ignition techniques for higher or lower intensities. Mop up took a little longer this time, but we did a lot of it while the burn was going on. All flaming or smoking debris within 30 ft of the fire line had to be drug in or put out.
We went ahead and stayed an extra night, knowing that trying to drive after two really long days probably wouldnt end up well.
Saturday Morning:
Woke up around 9ish again...got some free breakfast and drove back. My weekend didnt start until 1:00 pm on Saturday. But then again, you could argue that everyday is like a weekend when you love the work you do...and whats not to love about burning the forest?

Other highlite: yesterday during mop-up, i got to live the fantasy of every young boy out there. I sat on top of the water pump truck while it was driving and sprayed burning and smoking debris with a waterhose...the big fire hose kind. It was tons of fun and can put out a lot of water that turns to steam when it contacts white hot burnt pine. Pretty cool.

Remember kids...only you can grow up to prevent wildfire by setting Prescribed fire!
--DAlen