Almost Heaven...

After a long day of driving through Kentucky, winding through the long mountain highways of West Virginia, and passing the golden dome of the Charleston State Capital, I am finally 15 minutes away from my summer home. Tomorrow I head to this visitor center (located above) and check into the Reserve. For some of you who don't know what my job is, I'll give a quick summary.

Every morning I wake up at 5 in the morning before the morning bugle is blown. I then get changed into my work uniform and head to the flag post where hundreds of other staff members wait. The bugle sounds off, and we then wait ten minutes for troops and crews to get up and head to the flag post. Once everyone is accounted for, we raise the flag and begin breakfast. My main job on site is to set up tents and sites for incoming troops and crews. Once that is done, I check in with my supervisor to see if anything else needs to be done. This is how it is from 6:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. in the afternoon. After three o'clock, I have free time to participate in all the fun and cool activities around the property. These activities range from whitewater rafting down the New River Gorge National River, to mountain biking, to paddle boarding, to zip-lining. If any of you wish to send me a letter or parcel, please write to the following address:

Sean Brynda, Base Camp Staff

Summit Bechtel Reserve

2550 Jack Furst Drive

Glen Jean, WV 25846

I would be happy to write back to all of you if you do happen to write me.

I cannot wait to camp the summer away and spend cool nights in my tent with the smell of grass and pines all around me. I will try to write as often as I can on my phone, but I am finding it difficult to do so. Other than that minor problem, off to the Summit!