Long van ride and trail blazing...we look good





Today is the end of day 2 in Lorton, Virginia.  We are blazing a trail.  Not too sure if anyone reading this has ever done such a task, but it is HARD.  Before that, we had an exciting road trip to get through before we got here.  We left Vicksburg on Monday after an awesome week of transition work, laying at the pool, and catching up with familiar faces we missed.  Monday came quick.  We got in the van at 8am to depart for Virgina.  Monday we drove 8 and 1/2 hours to Knoxville, TN.  We stayed the night in a hotel to wake up at 5:45 to leave at 6am on Tuesday morning.  We drove 9 hours Tuesday.  I can honestly say that we live in a beautiful country.  I really know why Bobby's advice to me was to not fall asleep in the van.  The mountains were amazing and the land everywhere is nothing like I have ever seen before.  My team was probably sick of me saying how beautiful it was, but it was amazing. 



Our home.



Tuesday we arrived in Lorton at Mason Neck State Park to meet Mark, the ranger.  He took us to the James House where we live.  It is LITERALLY amazing.  On the bay, tons of beds, 5 bathrooms, a huge kitchen, a long dining room table, and a plethora of seats in the living room.  It is unreal.  The girls took the room with 4 beds so we can just be with each other all hours of the day.  We unpacked a bit and threw on PT clothes and went right to work.  After that van ride, PT was not fun. 



After day 1. Gross.



Wednesday we got to get right to work.  Mark said we would have orientation, but his orientation was here are the tools, go at it.  We did just that.  We are blazing a 1.7 mile trail from scratch.  It is attached to another trail that is made of rock and already a path.  Our trail is made of dirt and we are blazing it with just our tools and our strong muscles.  It is hard work.  I love it.  We blaze the trail and stop where there are hills to make it even with the ground.  Making it even is called making a bench.  It looks like somewhere you could stop and sit, so it is called a bench.  After day 1 I can say that I haven't sweat this much since my last hockey game of high school.  Sweat was dripping off my face and we all smelt horrible.  I haven't loved such physical labor so much in my life.  We all came home and were starving.  However, we did PT again because the PT coordinator on our team (me) is hardcore.  After PT we got to eat Terrell's favorite soup, Hobo soup.  It was spicy as all hell, but so good.  The best part of dinner was the fact that we all sat at our table and ate together.  It was a nice day as a team that ended with dinner and movie with each other.

Today was day 2 on the trail.  Same work as day 1.  Lots of sweat, LOTS.  Oh and I got my first encounter with snakes.  I nearly died.  Not died, but I am that afraid of snakes that I was looking all around for the rest of the day.  3 nice big black racers.  They're not venomous, no worries, but they were large.  We ended the day with another nice family dinner made by Sam and I.  All sweaty and a mess again, we looked DAMN good.  Now we are at Caribou Coffee house using their free WiFi and having coffee. 



River 10 building benches.

 The work we are doing is so awesome.  I couldn't be happier.  After leaving my friends again in Vicksburg for spike 2 it was nice to come to work that is so fun and fulfilling.  At the end of the 2 days we have worked, we have been a mess, sweaty, tired, and so happy with what we are doing.  We live in great housing, have awesome work to do, and are getting along as a team better than we ever have before.  River 10 is thriving and loving all we are doing. 

This weekend is a long weekend and I get visitors! We also have an all day ISP at a strawberry festival.  I can't wait to see Katie, Caroline, Kristen, and Robyn.  We are going to enjoy the weekend catching up and hanging out.  I need the comforts of home a bit, it has been a LONG time since I have been home and I am kind of feeling it now.  I feel like I am so close to home, yet so far away, so this weekend will be a nice touch of home.  I miss everyone! That's all from Lorton.