Good Friends

2009-01-18 17:39:22.000 – Mike Finnegan,  IT Observer

The last day has been filled with the opportunity to spend some quality time with a few good friends I have not seen in quite a time. It is certainly one of the best parts of the job up here – the number of great folks one is able to meet and form lasting relationships with, brought together by the love the outdoors and the love of the mountain.

The first meeting yesterday came around 10 in the morning when Chris from State Park arrived for their shift change. He brought with him two of the hardest working, most fun people I have ever met on the mountain: John Lind and Greg Carges. John has been coming up for years and Greg has been joining him for the last couple. The variety and professionalism of work they have accomplished here, from building beautiful cabinets and crafting amazing meals to boring through thick concrete walls (and finding a very pesky stray piece of rebar) and providing a motorcycle for use on an awesome shirt, is simply astounding. After an excited welcoming I set back to work for the rest of the day, waiting for 5:30 to roll around. As always, it eventually did and I was able to spend some great time with these two fellows, laughing and reminiscing about past great times.

The second meeting came with the arrival of an EduTrip. Michelle Day, one of the leaders of the trip, is one of the most cheerful, upbeat people I have ever met. In an instant, the monotony of grey fog seems to be lifted and new life breathed into the summit. Perhaps it is in part due to the name Michelle however, as Michelle Cruz from the valley seems to have the same effect up here. Michelle has an immense passion for fun in the outdoors and I can’t help but get incredibly excited talking about climbing, skiing, and hiking. If I was a dog, my tail would be wagging at 100 mph. I look forward to seeing her again on the summit, hopefully first having met at the base of a gully.

Mike Finnegan,  IT Observer