Special K

Today was the first day I was out on my own roaming around on my own all day. I started off the day riding the bus from Grand Canyon in to Tusayan. On the trip out of the park it was only the bus driver and I, but on the way back in to the park we had a crew of riders. The bus driver I was riding with was hilarious, joking around. I joined in, giving information, but cracking jokes.

After we dropped off our passengers the bus driver and I spoke for a little. He told me he thought I was naturally talented at working with people, and he was impressed. He also said that if he had a nickname for me it would be Special K. From that point on that's what he called me. On the bus, to the new passengers, over the microphone, and apparently to another staff member who later came and found me.

For the rest of the morning an into the afternoon I roved around the Grand Canyon Visitor's Center, answering questions. At one point as I hiked along Mather Point I came upon an abandoned walking cane. Asking a few visitors in the area I found out the cane had been there for about a half hour. As I carried the cane in to the Visitor's Center to put it in our lost and found I received quite a few odd looks. Usually I cracked a joke saying the canyon healed me, or reassuring people the cane wasn't mine.

One of the neat things about walking around the Grand Canyon is the great number of different people you meet. I spent a good ten minutes with a group of German-speaking folks, most of which spoke little English, except for one young man. I tried desperately to convince them it was probably not a good idea. Later I handed out guides in Spanish, French, Japanese, Italian, German, and English!

Random fact of the day... in Grand Canyon we have Pinyon Pines. Do you know what comes from Pinyon Pine trees? Pine nuts!! Also, juniper berries are used to make... gin!! Very cool foody facts for you all.

In the afternoon I worked at the environmental education table. I got to talk with a lot of kids about becoming junior rangers, and explain the length of the condor's wing span by standing with my arms out connecting with a coworkers arms. It was a blast!! I love hamming it up and educating people about the cool things in the Grand Canyon.

In exhaustion and awe... I'm headed in. Night all!