I have been settled into Buffalo, Wyoming for one month now and I have very much been enjoying my work and my play. I was brought in to fill the need for GIS help within this very busy BLM office. Unfortunately, this would have to wait for a few weeks while my access cards and clearance to come through. But I would not be sitting idly by as such a busy office abounds with wonderful opportunities to go into the field. I got to get hands on with the AIM process, land reclamation, plugging defunct mineral wells, and my personal favorite, proper flow and conditioning of a river (this one required sidehilling up and down a 1200 foot canyon wall) that took my breath away (literally and figuratively). Once my access was granted, I’ve taken every opportunity to increase my GIS skills by learning from my mentor, Courtney. I’ve created several wall maps to be  used in the office and have started digesting the wildlife data that comes into the office.

My play around Buffalo has featured much hiking and fishing. Despite the obscene cost of an out of state fishing license, I took the plunge and have been enjoying the local lakes and streams. This is my first foray into trout fishing and the results have been mixed at best. The hiking is also a new beast to me as I didn’t realize there would be a difference between Michigan hiking shape and Wyoming hiking shape. The mountains and rivers provide the perfect backdrop for an afternoons travels and eating a sandwich alongside a mountain lake surround by the sounds of nature just puts a soul at ease.

The balance has been great and with so much still yet to explore, I look forward to my next four months here in Buffalo. And, like the title said, I got my own cubicle.