On August 8, I went on a hike to Black Lake in the glacier gorge area of the national park. I had been on half of this trail already to get to Loch Vail, but I chose it because I knew it would be heavily populated. To my surprise, there weren’t nearly as many people as I thought there would be. Sure, I did pass my fair share of people, but you could see that visitation in the National Park had already dropped off significantly from August to September.

The trail at 7:30 in the morning was completely fogged over, which was a first for me. It was very peaceful though, walking through the clouds early in the morning, listening to the sounds of the forest and the nearby river. Once I got to the junction to turn to Mills Lake, I realized that I had hiked above the clouds and was now basking in the morning sunshine. Only about a mile further was Mills Lake, one of the larger lakes in the park. There were a few hikers sitting on the bank relaxing, so I continued on after snapping this picture. After all, this lake was not the reason I went out hiking this morning!

After Mills Lake, the trail got tricky. Lots of stairs, lots of elevation gain. Needless to say, I was pretty tired once I reached the top. Once I ate lunch, drank some water and recovered my energy, I shot this video for you guys.

Just yesterday, September 17, I was fortunate enough to get to go hiking with MK on a Y hike! MK is the hike master I did Timber Lake with on the west side of the national park. Because there are so few guests at the YMCA now, it’s hard to get the hikes to actually “go” because you need at least 2 or 3 people to sign up. MK hadn’t lead a hike in 2 weeks, and the day before, she had one guest signed up for her Wednesday hike and needed one more. The destination: Little Yellowstone Canyon. I thought this hike would be perfect, since Jason and I decided to drive to The Grand Canyon instead of Yellowstone on the trip home from Colorado.

MK is so much fun to hike with and really knows a lot about the plants, animals and history of the area. She also has a keen eye–I almost missed my chance to take a picture of a moose, but MK caught it! Moose are definitely a benefit to hiking on the west side of the park because it’s the only place where you’ll see them.

The trail was pretty moderate and the pace very casual. When we made it to Little Yellowstone Canyon, we were a little underwhelmed. We didn’t think this could be it, so we continued on until we ran out of trail and hit the Grand Ditch. Realizing that we were at the Canyon before, we turned around, hiked back to it and had lunch. Above is a picture of me at the Canyon.

On the way back we hiked past the site of Lulu City, which was a large mining town in the 1870′s. The only remains of the town (which used to be more than 100 block in size) were two old cabins. The city sat on a beautiful river bed though and would be a nice destination hike for beginner hikers.

After Lulu City, we stopped by “marmot city”, which isn’t an actual location on the map, but that’s what MK calls it because there are always marmots on these rocks. Sure enough, we saw plenty of them! They’re so cute!! We had a lot of fun watching them play with each other and roll around in the grass.

About an hour before reaching the trailhead, the storm clouds rolled in. We were hearing thunder about every 5 minutes, and it was getting closer. MK always hikes with poles, and she noticed that I had started lagging behind her a little. She said to me, “Karin, are you getting tired? Is the pace to fast?” I replied, “No I’m just giving you and your lighting rods a head start in front of me.” We laughed, both knowing there was an element of truth to that statement. We ended the hike just at the right time because as we reached the car, it started hailing.

I only have two more days off before I leave, so I’m still going to try and squeeze in a few more hikes before I leave. I have my eye set on Lawn Lake which is a beautiful lake that flooded about 20 years ago, and Chasm Lake which sits below Longs Peak, the tallest mountain in the park.

Well, I learned on Monday that there’s a LOT more to fishing than just saying “Heeeeeeere fishy fishy fishy!”  The Sasquatch Fishing desk inside Sweet Memorial closed about three weeks ago, but this great new guy named Dan came in to provide fly fishing trips.  All the kids at the fly fishing desk before were college students and had to go back to school, but Dan is a retired helicopter pilot from Texas and loves to come to Colorado in September to fish. One day while we were chatting in Sweet Memorial, he asked me if I would like to learn how to fly fish.  Always up for trying new things, I said sure!

On Sunday evening, I went out to a private lake with him and watched him fish.  He was talking to me the entire time about technique, how to find the fish, and how to lurer them in. Monday was my day off, so we met up again and he taught me how to cast.  It’s a lot harder than it looks!  Your timing has to be perfect.  Dan was amazingly accurate with his fly rod, and after about an hour of practice on land, he took me back to the private lake to test out my new skills.

I had to put on a pair of waders, which are like waterproof overalls with waterproof sock attached to them. I asked Dan, “Do I look like a fisherman?”  “Fisher PERSON!” he corrected me.  I put on some boots and we waded out into the lake onto the sandbar.  Dan put a dry fly on my line, which means the fly floats on top of the water, rather than sinking.  I did my first few casts, and my line got tangled a few times, but Dan was patient and always helped me out.  I was having a hard time casting the line out far enough, so Dan cast a good one for me and handed me the pole.  Then, I felt a tug on the pole so I lifted it to a 45 degree angle like I had been instructed.  I reeled in my first fish, which was a rainbow trout!  I’m pictured with the fish down below.  After we got the picture, Dan took the fish off the hook and put it back in the water.  The trout didn’t move, and kinda resembled a dead gold fish floating in an aquarium.  “Uh oh!” said Dan, “I may have to revive him!”  I started to feel really bad.  I didn’t mean to KILL the fish, just catch him.  “How are you gonna do that? Mouth to mouth?”  “No, you just gotta give them a little nudge.”  He poked the fish a bit and sure enough, it swam away to the darkest part of the lake.

I wasn’t completely satisfied  with this catch because I didn’t cast the line.  I stood out in the water for another two hours, seeing fish all around me, but I couldn’t catch them!  Meanwhile, Dan had caught three really good sided brown trout.  I decided to change locations, and moved to a different sandbar a little closer to Dan.  The sun had set behind the mountains, and it was starting to get cold.  I wasn’t going to budge though until I caught a fish on my own.  I saw a ripple come up from the water–the sign that a fish is near.  I cast my line out to the ripple and VIOLA!  A perfect cast!  A moment later, I felt a tug on my line.  “Dan!! I got one!”  Dan ran over to me as I easily reeled in the fish.  I could tell as I was reeling that this wasn’t going to be an impressive catch… I had caught a 7-8 inch brook trout!   Oh well… I told Dan to hold it and I took a picture of him with my first REAL catch.

We had stayed out at the lake for so long, that we had missed dinner at the YMCA.  Dan said, “How does Pizza sound?”  He took me out to dinner, he said, to celebrate my first catch.  We went to Poppy’s Pizza, the same place I went with Mom and Dad for my birthday.  At dinner, he told me about his days as a helicopter pilot, his travels around the world, his world records in fishing, and some fishing shows he shot for TNN.  He also told me a lot about his 4 daughters, who are all doing very different things, but are all very happy and successful.  He said he was never disappointed that he didn’t have any sons, but his own father was.

I really enjoyed his company, and it came at the right time, since most of my peers have gone home already.  Dan gave me a pair of polarized sun glasses (because you need to have them to see the fish under the water) a box of flies (including the one I caught my first fish with) and then the following day gave me a book about all the fly fishing lakes in Rocky Mountain National Park.  I told him that I appreciated his kindness more than he would know, and will always remember my first fishing experience and the pro who taught me how.

I ended up taking a lot of video of this parade, so I’ll just let the video speak for itself.  There were many high points though out the parade, but I think my favorite part was the different dog breeds from the British isles.  So cute!  It’s true, that I have never seen so many bagpipes in one place before!  And now I know the name of that one song in particular that they always play: “Scotland the Brave”.  Ug, that song was stuck in my head all day…

We started around 7 because Caroline had to work that afternoon. The trail was 9 miles total, but only the first three were uphill. This was a very engaging hike because there were just so many points of interest along the trail. We hit on this hike Lake Helene, Odessa Lake, Fern Lake, Marguerite Falls, Fern Falls, and The Pool, all in just 9 miles. This hike was also fun because we didn’t have to backtrack at all. We started at Bear Lake Trailhead–the same place I started the 18 mile traverse hike–and ended at the Fern Lake Trailhead. The reason we were able to do this is because the National Park has a hiker shuttle. Once we finished at the Fern Lake Trailhead, we just hopped onto the shuttle and rode back to our car at the Bear Lake Trailhead. This was by far one of the prettiest hikes I have been on thus far.

Because it was Caroline’s last week in the Rockies, she too had caught the hiking bug. The very next day, we decided to hike the oldest trail in the park, appropriately named the Ute trail after the Native American tribe of the same name. The plaque at the start of the trail on top of Trail Ridge Road reads as follows:

Several cultures have passed this way. Prehistoric people hunted elk, deer, and bighorn sheep in this area. Thousands of years later, Ute and Arapaho Indians walked this ridge in moccasins while journeying between their summer and winter hunting grounds. Trail Ridge is named for the narrow footpaths they left. Indian trails like this led trappers and prospectors across the Rockies in the 1800′s. In 1933, motorists driving along newly completed Trail Ridge Road crossed over this path. Today hikers can still walk along this historic Ute Trail. Take a few minutes to follow the footsteps of those who came before you.

We figured this trail would be cake–all downhill, and only 6.5 miles. The first 2 miles of the trail were the best. We were above tree line, and had spectacular views of the park from all directions. The alpine tundra is a very delicate and marvelous ecosystem, so we made sure to stay on the trail in order to protect it. After the first two miles however, the trail got rough. Besides being the oldest trail in the park, I’d have to say it is also the least maintained trail in the park. It was a very steep decent on loose rocks and gravel. Both Caroline and I wiped out a couple times. This part of the hike slowed us down significantly, and we were even worried we may not get back to the YMCA in time for Caroline to go to work. We were both in pretty bad moods, and the unusually hot sun wasn’t helping matters. The final 1.5 miles of the trail flattened out as we entered Beaver Meadows. We picked up the pace and made it back to the car, exhausted and happy it was over.

Reflecting back on this hike, I guess it was a good thing that Caroline and I did it, because then we could share our experiences with other hikers. My next day in at work, coincidentally, I had two different guests ask about the trail and I was able to give them my honest opinion: “You’re better off walking the two miles out on the alpine tundra, then backtracking to your car. That’s the best part of the hike, and the rest isn’t worth it.” Keith, who had recommended the Fern-Odessa loop, had also been considering doing the Ute Trail. Our experience however encouraged him to pursue another hike.

Just today I did a solo hike to Estes Cone in the Long’s Peak area. I wanted to do this hike for two reasons. First, I hadn’t hiked in the Long’s Peak area yet, and secondly, I also wanted to see the Eugenia Mine which was on the way up Estes Cone. Well, the mine was a disappointment. Not just to me, but to the miners who dug it centuries ago. It was pretty much just a bunch of boards over an old hole with a sign next to it that said Eugenia Mine, at the turn of the century, produced more dreams than gold.

I had heard from others who had done this trail that the last part is extremely steep, and boy were they right! You can see in the video below just how steep it actually was. How did the hike go? Watch the video to find out.

So, didn’t make it all the way, but I think it was the right decision to turn back. In fact, right after I shot that video, a group of 6 hikers were coming down the mountain. I asked them how it looked up there and they said “The clouds are coming in from the west, and they don’t look good. That’s why we’re coming down.” I guess hiking with hikemasters has really paid off! For a frame of reference, here’s a picture of my car in the parking lot, and Estes Cone in the distance. Also, note the ugly clouds looming above the mountain.

One job I have recently found–actually look forward to doing–is updating the weather board. Earlier this summer, some of my coworkers started illustrating the weather forecast on our giant white board. Our boss, Gail, praised us for doing this, saying our creative and humorous interpretations of the weather always put smiles on the guests’ faces. Once most of the staff who did this job left, I decided to keep the tradition going. Pictured below are just a few of my forecasts (the ones I remembered to take pictures of).

As you can see, I like to draw the weather as a caricature–the sun always seems to be a cocky, overconfident subject, and the clouds are mischievous. It’s always fun to watch guests look up at the weather board and watch their reactions. Usually, their face starts solemn, and then a grin or a smile slowly creeps up. A few guests have even told me that they think I’m a talented artist. I’m proud to now be carrying the weather board torch, and plan to continue this summer 2008 staff tradition thoughout the rest of my stay at the YMCA.

We had to start early in the morning, so we agreed to meet in Howard Lobby at 5:30AM.  I was the first one there, and Larissa quickly followed.  She then told me a funny thing that happened to her last night.  “Ian knocked on my door at 5AM, wearing full out Joker makeup!  He asked if we were still going on the hike!”  Apparently, Ian went to a party the night before our hike where the theme where everyone at the party painted their faces like the Joker from the movie The Dark Knight. Larissa said that we were still going, but that he should go back to his room and wash his face.  Even so, when he came to meet us in the Lobby, he still had the dark black circles around his eyes and the red joker smile across his face.  Larissa and I chucked to ourselves and decided it was good enough.  We hoped into Larissa’s car and drove to the Bear Lake trail head.

The sun was just coming up as we started our hike.  It was the coldest I had ever been this year in Colorado.  Luckily, Larissa brought an extra hat and gloves that she let me borrow.  We knew the first 5 miles of the hike were going to be the hardest, as we had to climb Flattop Mountain.  We started off at a good pace, probably hiking two miles per hour.  As we got above tree line however, I started to feel the effects of the altitude.  I was having a really hard time catching my breath and it was very difficult keeping my balance.  Since it had snowed a couple of days ago, there was also a lot of ice and snow along the trail, which didn’t make things any easier.  Ian decided that he was going to run ahead to the top of Flattop, but Larissa stayed behind and helped me along.  Larissa kept asking me, “Are you sure you’re going to make it?”  I answered, “I’m determined to make it.  It’s all downhill after this mountain.”  And sure enough, we did make it. It took us an hour longer to summit than we had anticipated.  I was worried Ian would be upset me with, but when we found him at the top of the mountain, he was asleep on a rock!  He was grateful for the nap and feeling more energetic for the rest of the hike.  A hiker passed us on top of the mountain and we asked her if she could take our picture (you may be able to make out Ian’s makeup if you look closely).

The next part of the hike was the most fun.  We followed the North Inlet trail down the backside of Flattop into the valley below.  There were breathtaking views all around us, and the freshly fallen snow only added to the beauty.  Running around the rocks were cute animals called pikas, which were too fast for me to get a picture of.  The trail was very well marked with carins (pronounced like my name), which are piles of rocks hikers construct keep other hikers on path, and to protect the fragile tundra from being trampled.  The carins on this trail were very tall, in some cases four feet high–very unusual. Below are two pictures of Ian and Larissa, each with carins behind them.  They remind me of prehistoric goal posts.

We were all in a great mood already, and then Ian spotted a  rare site–a herd of bighorn sheep! We continued on the trail until we were about 80ft from the herd.  We sat down, snapped pictures, and observed these fun animals for at least 20 minutes.  The horn of the bighorn sheep never stops growing and is made of keratin, the same material in our fingernails.  We could tell some of these sheep were very old by the size of their horns.  I took numerous pictures, but here are a few of my favorite.A

As we descended into the valley, we bumped into about 20 park rangers who were renovating parts of the trail.  We said “hello” and “good work” and continued on our way.  The more we elevation we lost, the more the scenery changed.  We went from alpine tundra to bushy chaparral to pine shaded forests in about two hours.  The final eight miles of the trail was all forest, but it did walk along a heavy flowing river. As we got more into the west side of the park, we could see how the pine beetle epidemic has really killed many of the trees.  They say that in about 5 years, 80-90% of the pine trees in the park will be dead.

I’d say by mile 15, we were all starting to go a little crazy.  Larissa and I started humming catchy theme songs to famous movies, which I’m sure annoyed Ian.  I also started a game I like to play with people while hiking called “Would You Rather”.  I would ask “would you rather…” and then pick two situations that could never happen in real life.  For example, one that started a lot of light hearted conversation was “would you rather have the ability to breath fire, or tickle people with your mind?  Both of these super powers can be controlled.”  Larissa would want to breathe fire, and Ian and I agreed tickling people with your mind would be too much fun.  This game helped us forget about how much or feet hurt and gave us that extra bit of help for the home stretch.  With about half a mile to go, Larissa and I decided to put our feet in the river. The water was icy cold, probably from all the recent snow melt, but it felt so good!

When we finally made it to the Grand Lake trail head, Ian threw his hat in the air in victory!  Now all we had to do was wait for our ride.  Our coworker and friend Caroline generously offered to pick us up.  We really appreciated this, especially since it’s about an hour and a half drive from the Y to the trail head. We all agreed we would go out to eat at a really good Mexican restaurant and we would buy Caroline her dinner.  All three exhausted hikers decided to take a short nap while we waited for Caroline.  However, we were resting on concrete with us our hiking packs as a pillow, so I didn’t sleep at all.  I gave up on sleeping and sat up.  As I did, I looked over towards the trail head, and there was a red fox!  I gently poked Larissa and Ian, saying “FOX! FOX! FOX!”  Larissa and I hopped up with our cameras and followed it down the road.  Larissa was able to snap a picture, but I was too slow.  It was an amazing last chapter to our wonderful hike.  As we chased the fox down the road, we saw Caroline pull up.  Perfect timing! Wonderful hike, wonderful company, and a wonderful Mexican dinner by Grand Lake.  What more could a girl ask for?

Ibuprofen I guess…

My parents came to Colorado to visit me for my birthday!! I drove down to Denver to pick them up from the airport the morning of August 5th. We then drove straight to the US Mint where we went on a free tour. The tour was fun, and mom was able to buy Arizona quarters to give out to friends at church who count the collection with her. We ate lunch at the local Johnny Rockets, and then drove up to Boulder for dessert. Dad had googled a local ice creamery named Glacier Ice Cream, which boasted to have over 80 flavors of ice cream and gelato at one time. I had a blackberry cream pie ice cream and it was delicious! Mom had the same, and Dad had Junior Mint ice cream, with the real candies mixed into the ice cream. That evening, we ate dinner in the Ponderosa dining hall (where I eat all my meals) and then played board games in Sweet Memorial (where I work).

The next morning, we woke up bright and early to go on a drive in the National Park. We drove past the alluvial fan waterfall, where Dad got some pictures. Next stop was Chasm Falls along Old Fall River Road. Below is a picture of Mom and Dad together at the Chasm Falls trail.

Old Fall River Road dead ends at the visitor center on top of Trail Ridge Road. We shopped for a few minutes, but then all agreed to leave because the altitude was making us feel lightheaded. We drove down Trail Ridge Road, which is the highest continuous paved road in North America! We ate lunch in the Ponderosa, then took an afternoon nap. That evening, we went into town to celebrate my birthday. We ate at Poppy’s, a local pizza place that reminded us of California Pizza Kitchen. It was a very good birthday.

The next day we decided to take it easy, as both of my lowland parents were having trouble with the high altitude. We started the day by playing miniature golf–I beat dad by two strokes. After that, we went into town to see a matinée of Forever Plaid. The show was exceptionally good for a locally produced show in a small dinner theater setting. The quartet singers were amazing. At the beginning of the first act, the group sang “Heart and Soul”, and then casually asked the audience who knew how to play the top part. I raised my hand, and the next thing I knew, I was pulled on stage! I played the top part of “Heart and Soul” and then danced with the quartet on stage. To thank me for participating in the show, I received a certificate that makes me an honorary “Plaid Performer”, and also some floss covered in plaid fabric. What a great birthday present!

All of these hikes were very different, but all very enjoyable.  I had been wanting to do the Timber Lake hike ever since my plans to do this with a group of coworkers fell through.  I did this hike with hike master MK and two other YMCA guests.  It was great hiking in such an intimate group, and we all traveled at the perfect pace.  MK was very excited to do this hike because when her father visited the park in 1968, this trail was the one hike he did.  She had me take a picture of her by the trail sign, the same spot her father had been photographed 40 years earlier.  We did this hike in 5 3/4 hours, including stops and our lunch at the lake.

One of the hikes we lead in the program department is called a “Beaver Walk”.  On grounds, we have a few beaver damns and lodges, so we go on a short hike to explore their habitat and educate the guests about the beaver.  I’ve lead this hike about 5 times now, and it hasn’t gotten old yet.  The other day, we actually lucked out and saw a beaver in daylight.  Usually you can only see them around dusk.

On Wednesday, I had originally planned to hike to Pear Lake in the Wild Basin area of the National Park.  However, plans for that fell through.  Pear Lake was rated a “D” and the only other decent hike being lead out that day was to Spectacle Lakes, which was rated a “C”.  I decided to bite the bullet and attempt this hike.  Boy am I glad I did!  The hike was moderate until we reached Ypsilon Lake where the trail ended.  After that, we scaled a waterfall for 1/2 a mile to reach Spectacle Lakes at the base of Ypsilon Mountain.  The water was a beautiful blue, and the canyon echoed like no other place I’ve found in the park.  I was definately sore after this hike, but it was worth it.

Lastly, on Thursday I hiked with my friend Larissa to Bridal Veil Falls in the Lumpy Ridge area of the National Park.  I love Lumpy Ridge because of all the interesting rock formations.  I also love waterfall hikes.  I figured this hike had to be a winner, because it was both in Lumpy Ridge and the destination was a waterfall.  The hike was extremely easy–we hiked 3.5 miles in 1.5 hours.  This was my first time hiking with Larissa too, so we got to know each other a lot better on this hike.

The other day, the entire Sweet Memorial Staff got organized and decided to take a staff photo before all of us start leaving. There were so many cameras, that by the end of the line, people just started making funny faces. That’s ok, because I think it shows off more personality. I’d like to introduce you to the “sweeties”, as we like to call ourselves.

TOP ROW (from left to right)

Keith–Our newest staff member. This is his first season volunteering with his wife at the YMCA, but he has vacationed at EPC for numerous summers with his family. His daughter actually worked at EPC for two seasons in Sweet Memorial. He’s recently retired from his job as a newspaper editor where he worked for over 30 years.

Jessie–One of our “senior staff”. This year, Jessie received her five year pin for working 5 years at the YMCA. During the non-summer season, Jessie works in the day care. Both Jessie and I share a love of nerdy things like computers and comic book movies, and we have a lot of fun hanging out together in and out of work. Jessie graduated from Purdue and is from Indiana.

Emily–The customer service queen. Emily attends College of the Ozarks in Michigan and is majoring in Health and Wellness. She is originally from Branson, Missouri. She has a lot of customer service experience, because back home, she works at Dolly Parton’s Roundup Rodeo as a guest relations manager.

Robbie–The other intern. Robbie is from Chicago and is also majoring in Recreation and Parks Management. This is his third summer at EPC, and last year he was an intern in the L.T. program. He is very religious, and comes from a large family. Robbie, as you can see from his picture, can be a goofball.

Larissa–The flatlander. She hails from a small farming town in Kansas, and knows more about farming than anyone I have ever met. Larissa is the most enthusiatic hiker I know here at the YMCA and is trying to go on as many hikes as possible before she goes back home to Kansas. Larissa is also one of the most considerate people in Sweet and always tries to include others in social events and activities. She’s a great friend.

Caroline–The girl with the cute accent. This sweetie is from Minnesota and just recently graduated with a degree in Communication. She interested in going back to school to study a newly developing field called “health communication”, which I think is very interesting. She is really fun to hike with and a great conversationalist.

Ian–The baby of the family. Ian just turned 19 last month and is the youngest member on staff. Ian loves to run and does all of the hardest hikes in park. I also envy him because he has a bottomless stomach and can eat anything without gaining an ounce. Great sense of humor, especially with his childhood partner in crime, Matt, who is also on the sweet staff. He is from Maryland.

MIDDLE ROW (from left to right)

Rojean–The glue that holds us together! Rojean has been working at EPC for 17 years and will be retiring this October. She is one of 3 year round staff in the department. Rojean is one of a kind because she is very organized and type A when it comes to her work, but is also very personable and friendly. She manages the cashiers in Sweet, and I think it says something about her management skills that all but one cashier has returned from last season.

Me–The BEST intern. By the way, I had my midseason review today… all positive notes, no negative. I’d say I’m doing a great job here! Oh, and I’m the only Californian on staff.

Terri–The quiet and lovable friend. Terri is very soft spoken, but extremely intelligent and always kind to others. It’s impossible to dislike her. She comes from a small town in Illinois. This is also Terri’s 5th season as a Sweet Memorial cashier at EPC. I have hiked with her twice now, and it’s such a pleasure to be in her company. Terri is now finished with school, and is applying for an internship with Amnesty International. I really hope she gets the position.

Crystal–The bubbly sweetheart. Crystal is from Texas and proud of it. She is very good with children and also possesses a witty sense of humor. Crystal came to the YMCA for the summer with her boyfriend (ironically named Jason) who works in the golf shack. They are a very sweet couple. Crystal comes from a Recreation family. Her mom majored in it, and now she is doing the same.

Alison–the well rounded, all smiles gal! Alison has been working at EPC for about a year now, doing all kinds of jobs. During the fall she worked in Outdoor Education and now for the summer she’s in Family Programs in Sweet. She has a lot of knowledge to share with everyone on staff, and is always willing to help out the team. Alison is one of the few staff to live off campus, and was kind enough to open her house up to us this past weekend for a summer luau party. She built a very long slip-and-slide going down the hill in her backyard. Alison is also from Minnesota and went to college with Caroline.

Letitia–the creative cat. Letitia is from Arkansas and is majoring in Graphic Design. She has an addictive, bubbly personality and gets very excited over simple pleasures. She also designs all of her own hair and jewelery accessories. She has the best fashion sense of anyone in Sweet! Letitia is one of our cashiers.

Bethany–the cheesy chick. This is Bethany’s second summer her at EPC working at Sweet as a cashier. She met her boyfriend up here last summer, and they have been reunited this summer as he is working in town at a candy store. Bethany is from Wisconsin, and of course, loves cheese. She also has a great sense of humor.

BOTTOM ROW (left to right)

Lauren–the giving friend. Lauren is one of our volunteers this summer, and works in special education back in Indiana. She is always kind to everyone and truly lives her Christian values. She is a friend to everyone, and we will all miss her. Lauren is the reason we organized to take this picture–she wanted a group photo before she went home.

Nathan–the funny fellow. Nathan is by far the funniest person in Sweet. He can brighten anyone’s day with a silly joke or funny face. He is also a very talented photographer, and very good at his job. Nathan was the Spring intern in the program department, and decided to extend his contract to work through the summer. He assisted me by co-hosting the talent show, and the audience loved him.

Matt–the goofball. Matt came out to work at EPC with his childhood friend Ian. When the two of them are together, WATCH OUT! They are a comedy force to be reckoned with. He’s very proud of his fraternity, and loves to playfully poke fun of all the ladies on staff. Matt also loves to lead programs like kickball, ultimate Frisbee, or capture the flag.

Paul–the boss. Paul Taylor. He started at EPC in March and is slowly getting used to his new position. He is very supportive and always says please and thank you. Paul also co-hosted the talent show with Nathan and me.

Well there you have it! Those are the Sweeties! The only person that’s not in the photo is Jamie, but you can read about her in the “I heart Boulder CO” article. I’ll leave you with one of my favorite picture… Forth of July cupcakes on parade!

]]> http://karinhughes.wordpress.com/2008/07/24/meet-the-sweeties/feed/ 1 especiallyk http://karinhughes.wordpress.com/2008/07/21/ive-been-workin-on-a-talent-show-all-the-live-long-day/ http://karinhughes.wordpress.com/2008/07/21/ive-been-workin-on-a-talent-show-all-the-live-long-day/#comments Mon, 21 Jul 2008 04:53:50 +0000 especiallyk http://karinhughes.wordpress.com/?p=42 ]]> For one of my intern projects, I had to organize the annual staff talent show. This show has been an EPC tradition for many years now, so I definitely felt the pressure to make this show is as good, if not better, than all the previous years. At first, I had a hard time finding people to audition for the show. By the first day of auditions, only 6 acts had signed up. I was really concerned we wouldn’t get enough participants, so I made a large poster and put it up in the staff cafeteria saying: “Missed Monday Auditions? Tryout on WEDNESDAY!” Well, I guess this worked, because by Tuesday evening, every audition time slot had been filled.

All together we had 18 acts. The show had singers, songwriters, rappers, dancers, international staff acts and more. There was a lot of variety, and the talent was vast. The dress rehearsal went very smoothly. I emceed the event along with my coworker Nathan (who is hilarious) and my boss Paul (who practically begged me to emcee the event). For intermission, we presented an 80 slide powerpoint featuring different photos taken by staff in the National Park. I figured photography is a talent too, and this was another way to bring a different flavor to the talent show and involve more staff.

Well, the show went off without a hitch! I got so many compliments from people saying how much they enjoyed the show and that they liked it more than last year’s. All of my hard work was worth it, and I actually had a lot of fun putting together the show. I didn’t have a chance to record all of the acts on my camera, but I did record a few highlights. They are featured in this 10 minutes video below. I hope you enjoy this mini show!