Holy shit, I’m damn near 40. Still on a crew. Still a squad boss. Still hanging in there; just a little more sore than I remember being a few years ago. Today I ran with my squad for five or six miles at high elevation, then went and cut and piled green ponderosa for the rest of the day. It was good training and useful work but tonight my legs and back are kind of wrecked. Going to be a grumpy hoist to get out of bed mañana.

But, so it goes. I don’t think I’m too old for this shit yet. I’ve worked other professions with badass 60-year-olds that could still work hard physically without too much complaint. It’s also a good morale boost to look around at some of the newer, younger guys who have never worked this hard before and are clearly feeling some discomfort as well.

This is my thirteenth season on the same crew, other than a detail running a Type 2 IA crew a couple years ago, and I think I’m ready for something different. Always thought I’d stay on a shot crew my whole career like my superintendent did for 25 years before he retired, but now I’m beginning to reconsider. Not being able to move around the country for a job easily can really hamper upward mobility. There are crew foreman job opportunities every year, but not in my town. There will be a foreman vacancy this year, but it will be extremely competitive, and I am not convinced my application will be strong enough. Oh well.

There are many different ways to stay challenged in fire once you have the right qualifications. Last season I got to work in dispatch a fair amount, and found that working an IA from dispatch was just as challenging and enjoyable as being on the ground, (and not as sweaty and smoky!). Talking with the folks over there, it sounds like there are plenty of chances to get out as a division supervisor or taskforce leader or whatever, as well as more dispatch overtime availability than most people would care to work.

Sounds good to me.

Maybe in a couple years this site will have to be called Dirty Old Ex Hotshot.

That is all.