Remember that time…?
We moved to the desert,
Clouds rarely existed unless they consisted of dirt.
There were times we felt slightly lost and confused,
My brand new boots already looked tattered and used.

Remember that time…?
We had training for weeks,
All the while, salty sweat pouring down our cheeks.
We were warned of the desert and how it could eat us for lunch,
Able to cook meals on the dashboard for brunch.

Remember that time…?
We stared at the road ahead,
Thinking, “There’s no way we can make it with our current tread.”
Driving down a wash for what seemed like forever,
Realizing that this internship was one mighty endeavor.

Remember that time…?
We spent hours identifying unknown plants,
After days in the field getting holes in our pants.
The aroma of the herbarium wafting through the air,
Running veg transects even when the ground seemed bare.

Remember that time…?
We camped during a storm,
Or when we could hear nothing for a moment, but an insect swarm.
Having to watch every step for rattlesnakes,
Marking every new monitoring site with a brightly painted stake.

Remember that time…?
We spent an entire summer learning desert ecology,
Completely out of range of almost any technology.
We learned and accomplished more than I ever could have thought,
But we tackled it all, no matter how hot.

There are times when the unknown of my future fills me with fear,
But the CLM internship provided me with skills and memories that I will forever hold dear.

So long Phoenix District BLM…