WATCH THE ROAD!!!
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Friday, October 18, 2013
Falling Over The Edge
Green. The grass is green. Four leaf clovers are green. Even Kermit the Frog is green.
You know who else is green? Me.
I came from a triathlon and personal training background. Rigging, climbing and rescue gear: This is all new to me; fortunately, I love to learn and I adapt quickly. So when the CEO of Rescue Response Gear suggested I take the Rigging Physics class at the end of September, I agreed excitedly.
Monday morning, I walked into the classroom, coffee in hand, ready to go. Nine men looked over at me as I took a seat. Some smiled, others gave a doubtful eye. What is this chick doing here? Youngest in the room? Check. Least experienced in the room? Check. Only one without chest hair in the room? Double check.
"Alright, if all y'all had a theme song that played every time you entered a room, what would it be and why," I broke the silence. More silence was the response I received. "C'mon guys," I laughed. "It's eight AM! You should be awake by now!"
Frank, a paramedic from San Diego, played around on his phone nonchalantly. Suddenly, the theme music from Shaft flooded the room, followed by chuckles from the other men. "Who came up with this question," Jim Bolton asked as he set up the rigging physics powerpoint and passed out lengths of rope.
The Rigging Lab at Rescue Response Gear is a state of the art rope access and rope rescue training
facility. We aim to provide top quality, industry standard training taught by elite instructors. We brought
in one of the best instructors in the business, Jim Bolton, for this class. Jim has been in professional
service since 1987. Currently, he works in Nevada as an operator/paramedic for the Reno Fire
Department, but he was willing to take a week to come up and show our class the ropes! He has a vast
knowledge of the subject matter and presented it in a fun yet challenging manner.
"Alright," Jim addressed the class. "I want to see if everyone knows the basics. Tie a figure eight on a bite."
I awkwardly shaped the rope in my fingers, trying to remember what I learned while rock climbing in Wyoming. "Do the disco... the boy is trying to run away from the girl because she has cooties... that is not a figure eight..." Trying to hide my inexperience, my eyes glanced over at my neighbor's rope. A perfect figure eight on a bite met my gaze. In fact, everyone had perfectly dressed knots except for me. This is going to be a long week...
After spending the morning scribbling down notes about simple, compound and complex mechanical advantage systems, we made our way into the rigging lab. I watched as the eyes of the men lit up like little boys in a Star Wars Lego store. "Whoa! This is the spot where they filmed the clip about the CMC MPD!" "Look at all the lights! They could host raves in here!"
"Grab that, that, that and that," Jim pointed at gear and walked outside, waiting for us to follow him. He displayed how to set up multi- and single-point anchors. My head was nodding like I understood exactly what he was showing us, but my brain was desperately trying to grasp both the words Jim was speaking as well as the actions his hands were doing. Jim looked up at the class to confirm that everyone was following along. His gaze met mine. I nodded harder. Yeah, yeah! Totally following, Jim! "Now practice it yourself," he said. Aw shoot. He caught me.
The men grabbed webbing and carabiners and began creating perfect anchor systems. I stood behind and watched them work. The shadow of a man crept beside me and I could feel Jim's presence as he waited for me to explain why I was just standing around. "I'm just watching and learning," I told him.
He handed me some webbing and gestured toward a tree. "Go practice what I just showed. Ask me if you have any questions," he challenged me.
The rest of the week was spent with Jim and the other men challenging and teaching me. At times, it was a humbling experience. I am the type of girl who likes to be acknowledged for areas in which she excels, so being at the bottom of the totem pole, the only one in the class who did not know how to tie a figure eight on a bite, was humiliating at times. What encouraged me was the class participants' ability to teach me without making me feel inferior. Everyone in the class was supportive and encouraging of one another. It was refreshing and made for a positive atmosphere. Friendships were formed quickly, which led to some teasing and witty banter, but it also felt like everyone was on the same team.
One of the many wonderful perks about Rescue Response Gear's Rigging Lab being located in Sisters, Oregon, is the availability of natural resources for training. We spent most of the week outdoors surrounded by the beauty of Smith Rock State Park. After learning the multi-faceted training complex and practicing it in the rigging lab, we applied our new and existing knowledge in more practical situations. This allowed the students to negotiate an edge, practice pick-offs and work with the Vortex and artificial high directionals.
My first time working as an edge guy, I hooked myself up to the system, was safety checked and slowly backed up over the edge. Next thing I knew, my feet flew up over my head, my hands grabbed for the rock and a curse word escaped my lips. The deep laughter of nine men was all I could hear from the ledge. "Was that Ashlee?" No one expected the F-word to fly out of my mouth. I quickly readjusted myself and struggled to position myself on the rock.
Struggle. This class was definitely a struggle; it stretched my physical limits and my knowledge base. I was amazed by what these men are capable of doing. The demands placed on their body are great. After just one day of trying to lead a haul crew or set up a belay system, I was exhausted. I gained an incredible amount of respect for firemen and paramedics. Without taking this class, I never would have understood not only how these various products work, but also how much devotion, dedication and perseverance rescue situations require.
I recently heard a story about a master Kung Fu teacher who had earned multiple black belts and was one of the best Kung Fu artists of his time. Despite his hard work and accomplishments, he requested that upon his death, he be buried wearing a white belt, the sign of a beginner. This white belt would symbolize that the master still had more to learn and would always be in a state of learning.
As humans, we will always be learning. In fact, I strive to learn at least one new thing every single day. We may develop a vast amount of experience and knowledge, but there is always more to learn. Whether you have been working in the industry since you graduated high school or if you are green like me, I highly recommend taking a Rigging Physics class. Come into the class with an open mind and a desire to learn and I guarantee you will take a lot out of the experience!
You know who else is green? Me.
I came from a triathlon and personal training background. Rigging, climbing and rescue gear: This is all new to me; fortunately, I love to learn and I adapt quickly. So when the CEO of Rescue Response Gear suggested I take the Rigging Physics class at the end of September, I agreed excitedly.
Monday morning, I walked into the classroom, coffee in hand, ready to go. Nine men looked over at me as I took a seat. Some smiled, others gave a doubtful eye. What is this chick doing here? Youngest in the room? Check. Least experienced in the room? Check. Only one without chest hair in the room? Double check.
"Alright, if all y'all had a theme song that played every time you entered a room, what would it be and why," I broke the silence. More silence was the response I received. "C'mon guys," I laughed. "It's eight AM! You should be awake by now!"
Frank, a paramedic from San Diego, played around on his phone nonchalantly. Suddenly, the theme music from Shaft flooded the room, followed by chuckles from the other men. "Who came up with this question," Jim Bolton asked as he set up the rigging physics powerpoint and passed out lengths of rope.
The Rigging Lab at Rescue Response Gear is a state of the art rope access and rope rescue training
facility. We aim to provide top quality, industry standard training taught by elite instructors. We brought
in one of the best instructors in the business, Jim Bolton, for this class. Jim has been in professional
service since 1987. Currently, he works in Nevada as an operator/paramedic for the Reno Fire
Department, but he was willing to take a week to come up and show our class the ropes! He has a vast
knowledge of the subject matter and presented it in a fun yet challenging manner.
"Alright," Jim addressed the class. "I want to see if everyone knows the basics. Tie a figure eight on a bite."
I awkwardly shaped the rope in my fingers, trying to remember what I learned while rock climbing in Wyoming. "Do the disco... the boy is trying to run away from the girl because she has cooties... that is not a figure eight..." Trying to hide my inexperience, my eyes glanced over at my neighbor's rope. A perfect figure eight on a bite met my gaze. In fact, everyone had perfectly dressed knots except for me. This is going to be a long week...
After spending the morning scribbling down notes about simple, compound and complex mechanical advantage systems, we made our way into the rigging lab. I watched as the eyes of the men lit up like little boys in a Star Wars Lego store. "Whoa! This is the spot where they filmed the clip about the CMC MPD!" "Look at all the lights! They could host raves in here!"
"Grab that, that, that and that," Jim pointed at gear and walked outside, waiting for us to follow him. He displayed how to set up multi- and single-point anchors. My head was nodding like I understood exactly what he was showing us, but my brain was desperately trying to grasp both the words Jim was speaking as well as the actions his hands were doing. Jim looked up at the class to confirm that everyone was following along. His gaze met mine. I nodded harder. Yeah, yeah! Totally following, Jim! "Now practice it yourself," he said. Aw shoot. He caught me.
The men grabbed webbing and carabiners and began creating perfect anchor systems. I stood behind and watched them work. The shadow of a man crept beside me and I could feel Jim's presence as he waited for me to explain why I was just standing around. "I'm just watching and learning," I told him.
He handed me some webbing and gestured toward a tree. "Go practice what I just showed. Ask me if you have any questions," he challenged me.
The rest of the week was spent with Jim and the other men challenging and teaching me. At times, it was a humbling experience. I am the type of girl who likes to be acknowledged for areas in which she excels, so being at the bottom of the totem pole, the only one in the class who did not know how to tie a figure eight on a bite, was humiliating at times. What encouraged me was the class participants' ability to teach me without making me feel inferior. Everyone in the class was supportive and encouraging of one another. It was refreshing and made for a positive atmosphere. Friendships were formed quickly, which led to some teasing and witty banter, but it also felt like everyone was on the same team.
One of the many wonderful perks about Rescue Response Gear's Rigging Lab being located in Sisters, Oregon, is the availability of natural resources for training. We spent most of the week outdoors surrounded by the beauty of Smith Rock State Park. After learning the multi-faceted training complex and practicing it in the rigging lab, we applied our new and existing knowledge in more practical situations. This allowed the students to negotiate an edge, practice pick-offs and work with the Vortex and artificial high directionals.
My first time working as an edge guy, I hooked myself up to the system, was safety checked and slowly backed up over the edge. Next thing I knew, my feet flew up over my head, my hands grabbed for the rock and a curse word escaped my lips. The deep laughter of nine men was all I could hear from the ledge. "Was that Ashlee?" No one expected the F-word to fly out of my mouth. I quickly readjusted myself and struggled to position myself on the rock.
Struggle. This class was definitely a struggle; it stretched my physical limits and my knowledge base. I was amazed by what these men are capable of doing. The demands placed on their body are great. After just one day of trying to lead a haul crew or set up a belay system, I was exhausted. I gained an incredible amount of respect for firemen and paramedics. Without taking this class, I never would have understood not only how these various products work, but also how much devotion, dedication and perseverance rescue situations require.
I recently heard a story about a master Kung Fu teacher who had earned multiple black belts and was one of the best Kung Fu artists of his time. Despite his hard work and accomplishments, he requested that upon his death, he be buried wearing a white belt, the sign of a beginner. This white belt would symbolize that the master still had more to learn and would always be in a state of learning.
As humans, we will always be learning. In fact, I strive to learn at least one new thing every single day. We may develop a vast amount of experience and knowledge, but there is always more to learn. Whether you have been working in the industry since you graduated high school or if you are green like me, I highly recommend taking a Rigging Physics class. Come into the class with an open mind and a desire to learn and I guarantee you will take a lot out of the experience!
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
Shifting Gears
I had a beautiful breakdown last night. The night sky was dark, the stars barely visible despite the clear, crisp air. Maybe it wasn't a bad day, but it was an off day. Nothing felt right. The night prior, I had an intense, amazing conversation with God. It felt really good and I thought, "This is it. This is the type of relationship for which I have been searching."
But yesterday left me wondering what was wrong. There was no explanation for my lack of energy. Even on my lunch break, I had to drag myself to the gym. Once there, I assumed my endorphins would be given a boost, but every minute on that darn elliptical ticked by like I was waiting for a class to end.
My body is totally worn down and I don't know why. My workouts have been lackluster; when they are finished, I am glad I did them, but the action of running or cycling or Pilates... it all seems like a chore. A necessary evil. Working out has never felt like that for me. Sluggish, lethargic, unmotivated... now that I can use my leg to an extent, what has been holding me back?
I sat in my car, staring at the road ahead and just praying to God. Wow. It felt like he kept pouring all of these words into my heart and I was completely receptive. No, I didn't leave the conversation feeling totally energized. I didn't go out and run without pain today. In fact, the cycle class I took today absolutely sucked and I felt worse than I ever have before. BUT that's okay. It is a call to shift focus from what I want for my life and my selfish reasons for getting fit and active again. It is a call to redirect my attention to my spiritual walk with God.
Sometimes God gives us exactly what we ask for in ways we never expected or ever could have imagined.
But yesterday left me wondering what was wrong. There was no explanation for my lack of energy. Even on my lunch break, I had to drag myself to the gym. Once there, I assumed my endorphins would be given a boost, but every minute on that darn elliptical ticked by like I was waiting for a class to end.
My body is totally worn down and I don't know why. My workouts have been lackluster; when they are finished, I am glad I did them, but the action of running or cycling or Pilates... it all seems like a chore. A necessary evil. Working out has never felt like that for me. Sluggish, lethargic, unmotivated... now that I can use my leg to an extent, what has been holding me back?
I sat in my car, staring at the road ahead and just praying to God. Wow. It felt like he kept pouring all of these words into my heart and I was completely receptive. No, I didn't leave the conversation feeling totally energized. I didn't go out and run without pain today. In fact, the cycle class I took today absolutely sucked and I felt worse than I ever have before. BUT that's okay. It is a call to shift focus from what I want for my life and my selfish reasons for getting fit and active again. It is a call to redirect my attention to my spiritual walk with God.
Sometimes God gives us exactly what we ask for in ways we never expected or ever could have imagined.
Friday, October 11, 2013
Adult Slumber Party
I just had the best weekend. Two of my dearest friends came out to Bend to visit. Three hours before I got off of work for the day, the texts started coming.
"We are three hours away!"
20 minutes later...
"Oregon is an enchanted fairy land!"
10 minutes later...
"Two and a half hours until I get to see your beautiful face!"
20 minutes later...
"We will be in Bend at 6!"
10 minutes later...
... you get the point.
"We are 3 minutes away!"
"2 minutes away!"
"2 minutes and 11 seconds away!"
"We are here!"
Oh Sophie. I love that Sophie has so much gusto for life. She is ALWAYS excited about everything!!!
"Hey, Sophie, please clean that mud off the floor."
"Okay! Oh my goodness! This mud is glorious! Look at the way it has soaked in the dirt and created an odd shape on the linoleum floor! Oh wow!"
"When you're done, will you take out the trash?"
"Of course! Oh wow... this trash bag has a hole in it and is spilling everywhere! It has made an epic obstacle course! Let's create a game out of it!!!"
Seriously... coolest person I know award goes to Sophie!
Back to the story, Sophie, Nicole, Thanittha and I met up for Thai food at the Fall Festival downtown. Parking was impossible, but that didn't matter! We were all so excited to be together that nothing could put a damper on our weekend!
We had a great weekend filled with champagne, celebration, Disney movies, cuddling and just absorbing the vibe of pure happiness.
I have been so blessed by these two women and also by my visit from Nani the weekend prior. Wyoming reunions left and right! I'm bummed that Nani was here during crummy weather, but just seeing her brightened my day.
Here are some photos of my friends and their amazingness. Enjoy!
"We are three hours away!"
20 minutes later...
"Oregon is an enchanted fairy land!"
10 minutes later...
"Two and a half hours until I get to see your beautiful face!"
20 minutes later...
"We will be in Bend at 6!"
10 minutes later...
... you get the point.
"We are 3 minutes away!"
"2 minutes away!"
"2 minutes and 11 seconds away!"
"We are here!"
Oh Sophie. I love that Sophie has so much gusto for life. She is ALWAYS excited about everything!!!
"Hey, Sophie, please clean that mud off the floor."
"Okay! Oh my goodness! This mud is glorious! Look at the way it has soaked in the dirt and created an odd shape on the linoleum floor! Oh wow!"
"When you're done, will you take out the trash?"
"Of course! Oh wow... this trash bag has a hole in it and is spilling everywhere! It has made an epic obstacle course! Let's create a game out of it!!!"
Seriously... coolest person I know award goes to Sophie!
Back to the story, Sophie, Nicole, Thanittha and I met up for Thai food at the Fall Festival downtown. Parking was impossible, but that didn't matter! We were all so excited to be together that nothing could put a damper on our weekend!
We had a great weekend filled with champagne, celebration, Disney movies, cuddling and just absorbing the vibe of pure happiness.
I have been so blessed by these two women and also by my visit from Nani the weekend prior. Wyoming reunions left and right! I'm bummed that Nani was here during crummy weather, but just seeing her brightened my day.
Here are some photos of my friends and their amazingness. Enjoy!
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| Goal in life: Kiss my future husband on this bridge |
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| Girls who eat like men! |
Monday, October 7, 2013
My Takeover, The Break's Over
The doctor was wrong. He was so wrong. I knew he was wrong the moment he told me I would never run again.
Okay, that's a lie. When the words, "You will NEVER run again" came out of his mouth, I bit my tongue (because for some reason, I always think that will keep the tears back... it never works) and tried to mentally tell the redness in my cheeks to go away. After I left the doctor's office that day, I sat in the back of the car, crumpled into a little ball and cried like a drama queen with no audience. I remember wanting to scream and shout and get angry, but at the same time I just wanted to be in silence. Half of me wanted to be held and comforted while the other half wanted to be alone. I was a mess of emotions in a ball on the backseat. THEN I knew he was wrong. So I guess it wasn't immediate.
But my physical therapist is awesome. He knew what he was doing. Being a competitive runner himself, he told me to listen to my body. For the first time since... ever, I did not push when it hurt. I did not try to run when I knew my foot would not be able to take the force of impact. I waited patiently. When I was given exercises that were dull and seemed like "time-wasters", I did them.
And guess what? I went on a 10-mile trail run yesterday. My second run since my surgery. Two weeks ago, I did a quick 5-mile run with Nani and yesterday, Nicole joined me for 10. So take that, man who hit me, doctor who said I would never run again and my stupid anterior cruciate tendon! This is proof that hard work, determination, patience and perseverance PAYS OFF.
Watch out, guys! I'm ready to take over because my break is over!
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