The truck is fueled and ready. Do you want to go for a ride along?
Ralph was a state forester. He’s retired now, but he’s been a friend throughout my career. He gave me my first ride along.
When I met Ralph, I was a firefighter in the summer and attending community college. I declared my Forestry Major and was preparing to transfer to Humboldt State University. I had not taken any forestry classes yet. That would start the next year. I didn’t have much forestry work experience. I knew Ralph from my job at the fire station. I asked if I could ride along with him for a day. He gladly took me up on it. I learned a lot from Ralph.
Jaime spent the day exploring a little West Coast forestry.
The other day I took a young woman, named Jaime, for a ride along. She’s contemplating her next career move. She is a cousin of a close friend.
The night before, Mary and I visited with our friends, Jaime, and her father. We had a wonderful conversation. Jaime recently completed her Bachelor degree at Warren Wilson College in North Carolina. Now she was considering going for an environmental law degree. Mary and I were both thinking, She needs to go for a ride along. When offered, she leaped at the chance.
The next day we started out with an introduction to our company’s head research scientist, CJ. These two women hit it off famously. After an insightful conversation about environmental science, careers and education, we headed out to the mill.
We toured the mill complex where Jaime started out watching the pole plant processing logs. Next, we went through the sawmill. She asked a ton of questions about the process and took a few pictures to send to her friends back in North Carolina. After the mill tour it was back to the truck.
She saw some modern logging technology in this tree shear.
We headed out to look at the timberlands. Our conversation centered on forestry practices, land management and environmental issues. We started near Shingletown, looking at forestry practices, and ended the day at the Ponderosa Burn, talking about fire restoration.
Valley Quail in the Ponderosa Burn.
Now, if I sound like the wise professional bestowing my vast knowledge from on high, let me correct that right now. This education process is a two way street. Our conversations weren’t all about forestry. I learned about all manner of issues important to her generation. We both had a fun and instructive day.
Channeling her inner Vanna White, Jaime shows off some old time milling technology in this teepee burner.
Making time for young people to go for a ride along or job shadow for a day is time well spent. A day job shadowing does something for them that a semester of school doesn’t do. It gives them a big picture of the profession. As professionals we benefit from this time too. We’re never too old to learn and they too have a lot to share.
Jaime’s career is a like this little pine tree, just starting out.
Blitz likes a good ride along, but don’t take her seat!
THE FORESTER ARTIST 
A couple weeks ago I got to go out to the bush with my brother, a logging contractor. I had a great day!. We started out at 6am and drove for two hours down a forest road, meeting many loaded off-highway trucks. My brother showed me his entire “show,” and explained how it all works together; loading the trucks, processing the logs, skidding and stacking them in decks, cutting trees with feller-bunchers and building the roads . We even did some snowshoeing. I spent the day taking photos of his machines and the general view of the land. We got a load of firewood for our mom, cut by a processor and then drove back.
I always love riding along!
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I want to go on your ride along Annerose! Processor cut wood too! 🙂
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A great day for both of you. So many things to teach and discuss. A lovely chance for the yourg woman to learn about forestry. Love seeing the quail. They blended in perfectly with the burned out trees.
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We had a great day. When I first posted, I forgot Blitz! She’s there now….I hope she didn’t notice the delay.
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Well, indeed! How could you miss the red head? I was going to mention her absence but forgot to put it my comment. .
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Nice article, Tim. Hey, what is a “teepee burner”?
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Thanks Zach. Here is the answer to your teepee burner question, https://theforesterartist.com/2013/06/07/a-memory-in-the-mist-revisited/.
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Bravo! A ride along is a great idea for teaching and learning more about forestry. I loved the comparison to a small pine and Jamie’s career. A day Jamie will always remember too.
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I hope so Linda. She is quite an intelligent and energetic young woman. I’m certain she will have a great career.
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What a great opportunity for you both! I also love the transition from your friend and mentor, to this wonderful young lady. Taking what you’ve been given and reaching back to bring someone else along. It’s what a good life is all about!
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Well said Judy. Sometimes a little of our time can mean a lot. 🙂
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What a great experience for Jaime. It seems too often that people with responsibility for something have no practical real life experience in it. Book learning can only go so far and we must learn how to effectively apply what we “know”. I once read someone say that the hardest thing she had to deal with was a bureaucrat who had no practical experience, just theory and regulation. Without any real life reference points, all he had to rely on was the “rule” and boy did he hold onto that.
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You are soooo right Ruth. I wish the politians and bureaucrats running this country were required to have practical, hands on experience. Perhaps their decision making would improve.
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I was trying to be subtle, but you are so right. LOL Temple Grandin talks about this in one of her books pertaining to the cattle meat packing industry
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jealous of Jaime! (You have such a healthy-looking dog. His sprirt shines through all your photos of him – bright, curious, loving and strong).
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Blitz is the best. But I won’t tell her that you called her a him! Actually, she gets that all the time. She’s the one who get to “ride along” the most.
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