Return…

2008-07-31 09:30:00.000 – Jim Salge,  Temporary Observer

Mirror to the past…

I haven’t had the opportunity to write in this space for nearly a year, and it is truly a great feeling to be back at work on the summit. After working for the Observatory for the better part of 5 years, I moved out of the valley to Southern NH to teach high school science last summer. The experience has been everything I hoped it would be, both in the classroom, where I get to challenge the next generation of scientists, and in the mountains where I introduce outdoors skills to students in the school’s outing club. n

nThough the new job is a great fit, I certainly miss the mountains. I pine for powder days on the Sherbie, a good buffeting by hurricane winds, and endless autumn views. I get quite nostalgic when I turn onto 16N in Glen and past my old place in Jackson. I read the comments daily, participate in the forums, and always keep track of the weather. So when some shifts opened up this summer due to staff turnover…I jumped at the offer to fill in and help out. It’s great to be back to a place I called home…n

nThe weather upon my arrival, however, has been less than ideal. A stubborn low will stick around most of the shift, spinning in waves of storms with brief breaks in between. The summit was rocked by lightning this morning, and the threat of more through the forecast period will keep above treeline trekking a venture with considerable risk. Fog obscures views, winds are light, but gusty, and a soaking rain is falling intermittently. I’m looking forward to some views when this eventually clears out…

Jim Salge,  Temporary Observer