A roller coaster day, emotionally wise

Last night when I checked my e-mail, I read an interesting possibility for this summer on the Workamper Hotline.  Seems there was a private campground very close to the Blue Ridge Parkway that was looking for workampers for the summer season in North Carolina.  Solos would be required to do 16 hours/week for a full hook-up site.  The campground is just south of the Smokey Mountain Nat’l Park and within 3 miles of the Blue Ridge Parkway.  I’ve never spent much time in this area so it caught my interest.  I gave them a call, and left a message.  They called me back this morning while I was working in the Visitor’s Center.  It would require a commitment of six months, and most of my work would be in the office.  At only 16 hours/week, I was pretty excited about the possibilities of being in this area.  Just imagine the Blue Ridge in October with all the brilliant fall colors!  I had plans to send my resume and pictures of the rig and myself to them tonight.

Then I checked my e-mail when I got home tonight.  A little less than two weeks ago I had sent an e-mail to the volunteer coordinator at Pea Island/Alligator River Nat’l Wildlife Refuges to see if there were any openings for Aug.- Oct. this year.  I volunteered there in 2007.

15 Pea Island, Alligator River NWR, NC

Since I hadn’t heard back from her, I was considering other possibilities such as that campground in the Blue Ridge.  Well, the e-mail tonight said :

Hi Judy!! I've kept up with you a bit through other volunteers that have known you!!! I do have opening for that time and it is going to be a pretty busy place with our new hug Alligator River complex opening up....will definitely need help with Visitor Center/ a canoe trip or 2/ etc....Let me know if you want me to right you down in the books...I remember you liking Alligator River camper sites better than Pea Island, right?? Take care, Abbey.

15 Pea Island, Alligator River NWR, NC1

While at these refuges in 2007 (pre-blog time), I worked the very busy visitor’s center, conducted canoe tours in the swamps, lead bear tours, helped sea turtle hatches make their way to the sea, and maintained the ‘Charles Karault Trail’.  Pea Island is right in the middle of the Outer Banks of North Carolina, and Alligator River has bears and red wolves.  I also helped with the banding of young brown pelicans while I was there.  It was one of the best gigs I ever did.

IMG_0488

So, can you tell what choice I’m leaning towards?  A lot more hours are required at the refuges, but the experiences just excite my soul! 

Thanks for stopping by… talk to you later,  Judy

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