Finally Home
Posted by Alyssa Howlett , Monday, July 5, 2010 2:25 PM
Well, I am back in Geneva. It was an adventure and a journey to get here, but I did it.
Last week Tuesday, we finished our final project and then had all of Tuesday and all of Wednesday to do what ever. It was such a nice feeling to be done and to just be able to hang out. People started leaving though, and that was sad. The people that we had spent the last 6 weeks with were leaving! So sad! We said goodbye to two groups of people that day and the numbers of camp slowly started getting smaller. :(
Since it was super hot, we decided it would be fun to hang out by Shell Creek that runs along the back of our camp. This is a snowmelt stream… so it is usually really cold. Well, it still was really cold, but it felt really good in the 102-degree temperature! We brought logs in and sat there and occasionally walking in a little to our thighs. Me and the boys just hanging in our creek. Later that day we went into Greybull for the last time and did our laundry. We got everything cleaned that got gross from Yellowstone and camping and were ready to head home. We made it back just in time for dinner. Later that night, I started packing up and a bunch of us watched a movie in the dinning room.
The next day, more people left and the camp became quieter and smaller. It was hot again, so we spent a long time down by Shell Creek. We sat for a while then, we got crazy and started to ride in the current. It was super cool getting your whole body in, but way fun! I only rode the stream two times since I had a rough time getting back up. I tried to stand after riding it, and just couldn’t get my footing. I banged my legs up pretty good with bruises and cuts, but after floating about 30 yards further downstream I got up and crawled out on to the bank. Ha! Wooo I went for a wild ride! We just hung out there for while and then later continued to pack. We had out last super and then we had a good last night with everyone. There was a fire and lots of bonding!
The next day we headed for home. We packed the cars up, and headed out after saying goodbye to the Nebraska people and some teachers who were staying there. I ended up driving the entire way back, not so much fun, but I had too. We had only two extra drivers, and they already had people to switch out with them. Booo. It was really odd to leave. We had made that our home for 6 weeks and it was sad to go. We drove over the Big Horns and once we made it to the other side you could see forever! It was cool, we had not been to that side of the mountains forever! We stopped for lunch, and then stopped at Devils Tower. It was nice to see, but a lot of us where just in the mood to get home. We drove to a town that I can’t remember about 2 hours west of Souix Falls South Dakota. We had dinner there and then camped. I went all out and slept outside, no tent, just me and my sleeping bag on a tarp. I wanted to go out with a bang! (I regret it a little, because I got a lot of bug bites, dang bugs!) It was fun though, perfect temp and I slept under the stars. :)
We woke up early the next morning and left at 6am! Woah, early! We hit the road and again I drove. It was rough driving this morning, I was really tired! I have my pop though so I blasted through South Dakota and then we rocked out in Iowa! We all got so excited the closer we got! We stopped in Des Moines first to drop of people at the Air Port and the Bus Station. Then we headed to ISU!!!!! We finally returned around 2:30 and unloaded the vans and said good bye to people. Kurt was really nice and took me and all me stuff to the Theta House were my car was waiting for me. I loaded up my car and said bye to Kurt. I tried getting into the Theta House, but it was all closed, darn. I then made the decision to keep my driving pattern going, and to drive home. So I grabbed some food and the kept driving towards Chicago! I stopped in to see Erin, a theta sister, in Iowa City for a bit and catch up, then I continued my drive back. I made it back to Geneva at 11pm. It was a long driving day for sure!
I have been back for a couple days now, and it is great to be home, but I do miss Wyoming. It was the perfect summer place. I really did enjoy my self. The camping outside thing I think pushed me too far, but the base camp in Shell was not that bad and it is sad to be away from all the Friends I made there. Most of them ill see in the fall at Iowa State, but some I wont for a while. I am so glad I was able to do this. It was hard and a change, but I ended up learning a ton about Geology and about my self. I am still Alyssa, but I do really enjoy the hiking and being outside and climbing mountains thing. I am even looking into other geology related jobs/internships for next summer. I love teaching, but it was nice to see that I have the potential to do other geology things. I am so glad to be back and sleep in my bed and take a nice shower, but I will miss Wyoming. I have so many great memories and stories from my adventures in Wyoming, this was definitely a summer to remember!
