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Your Very Next Step newsletter for June 2008

“Traveling is almost like talking with men of other centuries.”

– René Descartes

“Your Very Next Step” newsletter, published by Ned Lundquist, is a cooperative community, and everyone is invited, no…encouraged, no…urged to participate.

“”There is no moment of delight in any pilgrimage like the beginning of it.”

– Charles Dudley Warner

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*** In this issue:

*** Travel News

*** Ned Lundquist interviews Hwee Suan Ong about camping in Oman

*** Lufthansa responds…twice.

*** Mike Klein in search of the perfect brew, and finds (here’s the shocker) that it is right under his nose.

*** Philip D. Spiess III cooked up this “Ode to the Order of the Arrow” on short order.

*** Travel, Outdoor and Adventure Jobs and Volunteer Opportunities

*** Wildlife/Fish Specialist 5 Working Title: Wildlife Technician, Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Statewide

*** Staff Biologist – Wildlife, Department of Fish and Game, Boise, Idaho

*** Northwest Regional Office Director, American Rivers (AR), Seattle, Washington

…and much more…and it’s all FREE!!!

*** About Ned Lundquist:

Ned watches the crowd, and goes the other way. He values his free sunglasses and wears them until he can’t see out of them anymore. He replaces his $13 Casio watch when the wrist band breaks with another just like it. His Volvo wagon has dents in the roof from strapping on his canoe (“No moving parts,” he says about the reliability of his boat). With 267,000 miles, the car is as old as his son, Tom, is, but it starts up every morning. “My car is so old,” he says, “you need a key to lock it, and it doesn’t even have cup holders.” He likes his music, and has bought at least nine iPods, but has never owned one for himself, and has an old beat up CD player in his car that often decides not to accept the disc inserted. The Volvo, incidentally, has big blue letters that say “08 Rox,” placed there by Barbara and gabby in a moment of mischief, and celebrating their graduation from Robert E. Lee High School at 9:30 this morning in the Patriot Center.

*** Travel News:

*** American Airlines has begun flying between Chicago and Moscow, its first service to Russia.

http://www.examiner.com/p-171173~American_Airlines_Celebrates_Upcoming_Launch_of_Moscow_Service_With_Discount_Fares_and_AAdvantage_Bonus_Mile_Offer.html

*** USAirways drops pretzels, charges for water

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/TRAVEL/05/28/usairways.snacks.ap/

*** United to charge for checked bags

http://blog.orbitz.com/orbitz_blog/travel_news_/index.html

*** United, Continental grounds aircraft; Ted Dead

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2008/06/airline_cutbacks.html

*** From Christy Hagen:

My thoughts on the coffee questions…

The best coffee I've had by far is Kona Peaberry. We purchase ours from “Kona Joe” (http://www.konajoe.com/shop/peaberry_kona.html). Be careful when purchasing anything labeled “Kona” as much of what you'll find is actually a blend of only 10% Kona with something else. 100% Kona is usually amazing…100% Kona peaberry is heavenly.

For coffee while backpacking try the Big Sky Bistro French Press Mug

(http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BBS7W6/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top). I always carried an insulated mug to use as my mug/bowl for oatmeal and rehydrated meals…so this just added the plunger, and I have the best way to make coffee on the trail for little additional weight.

Christy Hagen

(You can just pour boiling hot water into the oatmeal packet and eat it that way and not get your bowl dirty. One lesss dish to clean up.)

Not lately…with a three year old and being 9 months pregnant we are on a bit of a hiatus.

My husband and I did more pre kids…we love the Sierras, I've wandered the Tetons a bit, and we did some combo backpacking/kayaking/travel for our honeymoon to New Zealand. Can't wait to do more!

Any tips on backpacking with infants and toddlers?…pre-scout age? Maybe a question for the group.

(We took Tom on his first camping trip when he was about 10 months old. We parked him in his stand-up back pack and he was pretty happy. It was a car camping experience out in Massanutten Mountain. Tom and I are going to Jackson next month.)

Great place to stay: http://www.americanalpineclub.org/pages/page/90

Don't miss the Jackson Hole Hootenanny — Either at the Snow King Center or Dornan's (just outside Jackson in Moose). I think it traditionally on Monday nights. Great local open-mic music and some great stories (I met the first woman to summit the Grand here).

Dornan's in Moose — great views of the Tetons – windows overlook the entire range. Also has a great selection of wine. Local climbers hangout/bar.

The Mangy Moose in Teton Village has live music that is fantastic. I saw one of my favorite bands (The Young Dubliners http://youngdubliners.com/) there a few years ago.

The Harvest Natural Foods Café, a combined restaurant, health food store, bakery and espresso bar. Downtown on Broadway. Good place for breakfast or lunch to go (hummus wraps were good)…also good place to mix some gorp for the trail.

As for hiking in the area, the trail that starts at Jenny Lake (take the ferry across the lake, see inspiration point and hidden falls (both pretty crowded), but then keep going) is beautiful.

The trail that folks take to summit the Grand is beautiful, too. A late spring/summer snow prevented me from summiting the Grand a couple of years ago, but I still enjoyed the trail up, overnight on the mountain (at around 11,000 ft.) and the hike down. Middle Teton is a nice climb that isn't as high or technical as the Grand.

Jackson Hole Mountain Guides have great guided hikes. We used them for some sport climbing in the valley when the weather in the mountains got too iffy.

The local library is also good. I had fun exploring a local book section on another bad weather day.

The Tetons are just heavenly. If cost of living weren't so high there, I'd be eyeing the area for retirement some day.

Enjoy — and share some pics when you get back.

*** Jim Stewart has been to Djibouti:

I have been in Djibouti twice, 1982 and 1983, both times to refuel a

Navy destroyer going to/from the Persian Gulf. Certain impressions

stuck with me like how could there be so many flies in one place.

Despite the presence of the French Foreign Legion, Djibouti was the only place I have ever been pick-pocketed. It was a well-rehearsed gaggle of kids who surrounded me asking for hand-outs, etc. while they were relieving me of the “excess” cash in my pocket. I never thought I could do worse than the Djibouti of the early 80's, but almost two decades later I went to Port Au'Prince Haiti and discovered I could.

Jim Stewart

*** Ned interviews Hwee Suan Ong in Dubai about her camping trip to Oman:

Ned: Is your name Hwee or Suan?

Suan: my first name is hwee suan (yes, both words together). i am known as 'suan' for short, and most of the time, socially.

ong is my family name.

Ned: What does your mother call you?

Suan: suan.

Ned: What does your boyfriend call you:

Suan: suan : )

Ned: How many languages do you speak?

Suan: only two – english and mandarin. i suppose chinese dialects are not counted as 'language' – i speak hokien and teochew.

i also know some arabic. had just learnt how to write the entire alphabet of 29 letters, and some simple words. ii is actually easier than chinese!

Ned: So how was your camping trip?

Suan: fabulous! a great getaway from glitzy dubai, and just be in touch with nature… and living somewhat primitively. was very windy up the mountains. and sandy too. i didn't quite enjoy the drive up the mountains. never drove in that kind of terrain before felt quite stressed. had to have one of the guys take over the wheels at one point.

i actually enjoyed the boating bit more. we hired a dhow and went out to the islands to just swim and snorkel (not much fish life unfortunately). sighted dolphins – highlight of the trip!

Ned: Did you see any creatures or critters while tenting out?

What did you cook to eat?

Suan: nope. though some were attacked by wasps the size of birds. i was too far away and safe in my car.

i am not into meats in the evenings. had hotdogs, salads… wine.

we had lunch a the golden tulip hotel. great place to chill out. there was a small little dive center. very laid-back environment. kind of reminds me of malaysia. it was really nice swimming in the sea. there is no sight of any cranes or construction everywhere i swam during that trip. unlike dubai… where the view of the sea/ horizon is dotted with cranes of all shapes and sizes.

one of my colleagues recommended that i shoud visit jebel shams in oman. he says it is like grand canyon without all the tourists! i am hoping to visit soon… so many things to do, so little time!

Ned: I've stayed at the Golden Tulip in Rotterdam. I've never been to Malaysia. Is it like Indonesia or Thailand?

I saw lots of cranes in Dubai. Countless cranes.

Is hot dogs a UAE staple? A Chinese delicacy?

Suan: don't think so. the uae (khaleejis – folks from the gcc countries) typically eat much rice and meat.

there is a chinese version of sausages… we call it 'lap cheong'. it is rather fatty, and i don't like it too much.

oh no, i don't find malaysia, thailand or i'sia similar at all! it is prob more like singapore actually. they have much more nature than us… and i find the malaysians a very warm bunch.

ain't those cranes a painful sight?

Ned: Did you have your own tent, or did you borrow or share? (I have several tents, many sleeping bags, back packs, you name it).

Where did you camp?

How far was it? How long did it take to get there? What were the roads like?

Suan: i brought my own tent and sleeping bag.

we camped at this site called “f-pin” – something like that. i am trying to check on the exact name. lovely spot actually!

it is about 2,000 ft above sea level. driving up took about an hour (including a little getting lost). the sights were amazing – such a different world from glitzy dubai. i can't wait to go back for a lazy weekend.

Ned: Was the camping trip something you did with friends or was it some kind of organized club or organization?

Where did you take the boat ride?

I love watching dolphins. It's good luck when you have dolphins in your wake, or at least we superstitious sailors think that way.

Suan: my colleague invited me to join the group. it is a facebook group (let's go camping) created by dave turner. dave is from uk, and arrived in dubai only end of last year.

took the boat from khasab port. khasab is a sleepy town that is about 60km from the borders of uae/ oman. we saw smugglers zipping out of khasab on our way back to the port. they are heading back to iran on their speedboats (shucks, should have taken photos… sometimes, i am not thinking like a 'tourist'! 🙁 ).

oh good good to all the good luck!

(Next issue: Suan takes a dive.)

*** Tell us your story about when you travel plans changed by unforeseen circumstances.

I have a contender but it's embarrassing enough for me to not want my full name posted. “Liz” is OK.

In April, just after the change to DST, I used frequent flyer miles to accompany my fiance to a conference in Durham, England. The 50K-mile itinerary required us to fly from Houston to Newark to Paris to Newcastle.

After changing planes at Newark, we flew overnight to Paris for our connection to Newcastle. On the flight we dabated whether France and England were in the same time zone. The map in the Continental magazine seemed to show that they were. First mistake.

Deplaning in Paris at the Continental terminal, we were immediately faced with a wall clock, to which time displayed we set our watches. Second mistake.

We located our terminal and gate for our Air France flight to Newcastle which was at tarmac level, earily deserted and very cold with metal bench seats with a couple of hours until flight time (we thought). So, we decided to wait upstairs where it was warmer. Third mistake.

It may have been morning in Paris but it was bedtime in Houston and we were sleepy. Did I mention it was warmer upstairs? Fourth mistake.

There are no clocks at the Air France gates at CDG. No electronic displays of flight numbers, arrival and departure times. Fifth mistake.

30 minutes prior to flight time (we thought) we went back downstairs to the gate area, which was even more earily deserted. The gate signage said “gate closed.” At that point we realized the wall clock had not been reset for DST.

Air France has one flight to Newcastle daily.

KLM flies to Newcastle. From Amsterdam.

So there we were holding a Continental frequent flyer ticket for a missed Air France flight that was not (technically) due to an Air France error.

CDG may be the most chaotic airport in the world. We were sent hither and yon (and back again) trying to find anyone who could help us get to Newcastle.

Long story short, we goofed around with inept and disinterested Air France staff long enough to miss the connection to Schiphol that would have let us catch the next flight from Schiphol to Newcastle. In the end we flew to Amsterdam on KLM and, after a 5 hour layover at the Schiphol airport, on to Newcastle.

We arrived 12 hours later than planned, turning an 18-hour itinerary into a 30 hour one.

One good thing about the whole debacle is that luggage follows travelers, so our luggage was taken off the flight we missed and re-routed along with us.

That didn't stop someone with a trolley-bag similar to mine from walking out with my luggage (leaving theirs behind) in Newcastle.

Oh well. We got there. And it solved the jet-lag nap or stay awake dilemna, since it was midnight instead of noon when we go to our hotel.

I have to praise the Schiphol airport for its wonderfully comfortable reclining chairs in the KLM waiting area. I spent about 3 hours dozing in one, in a west-facing window area. It was almost like being in a chaise on the deck of a cruise ship. Almost.

P.S. My bag was delivered the following afternoon.

*** Lufthansa responds (see last month’s issue for my letter to Lufthansa):

Dear Mr. Lundquist:

Thank you for your e-mail concerning your recent travel experience. On

behalf of Lufthansa, I apologize for your inconveniences when Lufthansa

flight 591 on May 10, 2008 was cancelled due to engine damage sustained

by ground equipment.

We know our customers expect our flights to operate on time and make

every effort to uphold our longstanding reputation. In the event of

engine damage, the aircraft must be restored to company and federal

airworthiness standards, and we assure you that safety is the overriding

consideration in flight operations.

When flight interruptions do occur we, of course, expect our personnel

to assist all passengers and to do everything in their power to hold

inconvenience to a minimum. I sincerely regret you did not receive the

information and assistance as anticipated and apologize for the many

inconveniences as described.

Most importantly, major incidents such as this afford a unique

opportunity to evaluate the success of internal procedures. Feedback

from our customers is invaluable in realizing improvements which help

prevent recurrence. Rest assured your comments have been recorded for

consideration by our Management at Addis Ababa for their information and

internal review.

Additionally, please note passengers who present an international

business class boarding pass or Star Alliance Gold card have access to

the Business Class lounges in Frankfurt. I truly regret any

misinformation you may have received regarding this entitlement and once

again apologize for the further inconveniences.

Kindly understand liability of the operating carrier is limited to

direct expenses such as overnight accommodations and ground

transportation at the origin city when a flight is cancelled.

Compensation for personal inconvenience is wholly excluded and we are

unable to provide the complimentary ticket as expected.

In spite of the less than positive impression received, I trust you will

allow us the opportunity to regain your confidence. With that in mind,

I have requested that 5,000 good will miles be credited against your

Mileage Plus Account. Please allow approximately 30 days for these

miles to appear on our account.

I appreciate the opportunity to respond to your concerns. We look

forward to regaining your confidence and trust you will give us an

opportunity to do so on a Lufthansa flight in the near future.

Sincerely,

Linda Stiene

Customer Relations North America

Lufthansa German Airlines

(Linda, will Lufthansa be making the same compensation to all the affected passengers on those flights?)

(The original commentary on the Lufthansa flight from Addis to Washington can be found at http://www.yourverynextstep.com/blog/_archives/2008/5/31/3722955.html.)

*** Then I got this message:

Dear Capt. Edward Lundquist:

Thank you for your correspondence regarding your trip with Lufthansa and for the opportunity to respond.

We know our customers rightfully expect their flights to operate as scheduled and we make every effort to do so. Because many factors such as: weather, air traffic congestion, technical malfunctions, etc., can affect operating conditions and as such, flight schedules cannot be guaranteed.

When flight interruptions occurs we, or course, expect our personnel to assist all passengers and to do everything in their power to hold inconvenience to a minimum. Lufthansa expects that its airport staff will do everything possible to minimize the resulting inconvenience of flight irregularities. Our staff are trained to effectively and professionally communicate with passengers at all times, particularly when alternate travel arrangements are required. We very sorry for the poor impression gained.

Allow us to explain: per EU guideline 261 which came into effect on February 17th, 2005, Lufthansa is obligated to reimburse a delayed passenger for all direct costs related to the flight delay. Further consideration is not mandated and we regret the misunderstanding regarding your entitlement. However, you will be refunded all incidental costs incurred, i.e., telephone calls, meals, etc. upon notification to this office.

Please know that at this time silver members of Star Alliance programs will have access to the business class lounges in Frankfurt airport when flying in business class. Again, we apologize for any confusion regarding these policies, which were put in place due to size limitations of partner lounges in relation to the number of frequent flyers.

Complimentary tickets or double miles are regrettably resources which are unavailable for our staff to offer as recompense.

As a gesture of goodwill, I have requested a mileage bonus of 5000 miles to your United Mileage Plus account. Please also expect a check for USD100.00 to arrive under separate cover and within two weeks. The check respresents reimbursement for any expenses which fall under the EU261 guideline. Should you have any receipts in addition to this amount, kindly forward to may attention for review and consideration and within the regulatory airline parameters.

We would like to assure you that your recent experience is not typical of the dependable service we normally provide. In spite of the less than positive impression received, I do hope that you will allow us the opportunity to regain your confidence.

Sincerely,

Anne McGrath

Customer Relations North America

(My check arrived. I cased it immediately. The bank teller stared at the stamp on the back, near the signature block, that says “If you sign here you accept settlement and will make no further claim against Lufthansa.”)

*** Mike Klein is in search of, above all, Mike Klein:

Mechelen–Quest for the Emperor

Needing a lift and a change of scenery after being dumped by text-message in mid week a few weeks prior, I hop on a southbound train to Belgium, opting to spend a half day and an evening in the historic city of Mechelen, midway between Antwerp and Brussels.

A city of 80,000, Mechelen's charm is that it is historic and attractive, possessing a full range of architectural styles (the big aesthetic difference between Belgium and the far more uniform cities of Holland), in a compact package unjustifiably if welcomely bereft of tourists.

Mechelen has my single favorite intersection in all of Europe: Onze Lieve Vrouwe (Dutch for “our dear lady”) and Graaf van Egmont. An art nouveau pharmacy presides over a junction containing a plaza, traditional Flemish buildings and a view down an ever-so-typically. European pedestrian street leading to the city's towering cathedral, seat of Belgium's Catholic Church.

Below my favorite intersection in all of Europe lies the Kleine Keizer, a comfortable “taverne” (bar-restaurant in Belgian parlance), serving Primus, my favorite of Belgium's basic lagers. (Half pint, Eur 1.60)

So fortified, an hour long quest for one of my top five Belgian beers-the corked 750ml bottle of the locally brewed Grand Cru of the Emperor which I found at 't Ankertje, a shop/bar offering the products of Mechelen's legendary Anker Brewery (Vismarkt 20)..

For the uninitiated, Grand Cru of the Emperor is best compared in flavor to the 'caramel' in a good creme caramel-not obscenely sweet but ethereally so with an ever-so-slight tinge of burntness to the flavor. At 10 % on the open-ended richter scale it is not for children, but a small glass conveys the flavor and power of this regal brew. I purchase three, but opt for the Gouden Carolus Tripel in a half-pint chalice for a mid afternoon pull. It is more vanilla than caramel in tone and taste, with a slight savoriness from the yeast.

Following the docking at 't Ankertje, one of the true joys of Mechelen ensued-an aimless walk through the residential streets that spin away from the Cathedral. In these streets, one can be forgiven for thinking one is back in the 17th century. These precincts are very similar to comparable streets in Brugge, except for the dearth of tourists and the abundance of locals going about their business. There are also few pubs and shops, so after an hour or so, the centre beckons with its combination of authentic and not so authhentic dining and watering venues.

One venue that I visited that was strange was the Celtic Pub off the main square, which bore more resemblance to an English Tea Room than a proper pseudo-Irish boozer. But they had Corsendonk Bruin on tap, which was enough to lure me in when the main neighbor bars were stocking Inbev's insipid and ubiquitous Leffe, Jupiler and Stella Artois.

The Corsendonk was worth the decor. Kahlua like in color, with a kind of caramel-coffee roundness and slightly ciderlike acidity, it was a perfect brew to watch twilght take hold of the Grote Markt, Mechelen's main square and one of the finest such public places in the Benelux.

As it was still before 6, I felt compelled to get one more beer before dinner-this one on the Grote Markt itself at a venue called the Oase. I have a policy in the Benelux of opting first for beers I'd never had or heard of, and the Oase delivered in style with Sint Gummarus Dubbel, a strong dark beer with a flawless burnt-caramel color and flavor.

Dinner, unusually for Belgium, failed to match the beers that preceded it, as the markt-side venue I'd long patronised has run out of its fish and fowl specials (and, no, I don't eat pork or rabbit, thank you very much). I thus found myself questing for a sole that would prove to disappoint. A bit more forethought would have yielded a tastier repast in this city of generally fine eateries, but I achieved what I'd sought in this classic city-a reunion with The Emperor.

Bastogne: Where Belgians Remember Their Liberators

One of the funny things about being an ex-pat is that it has accentuated my Americanness in a lot of ways. Despite having lived in London, Brussels and Delft for 8 of the last 12 years, I sound a lot more like Chicago Mayor Richard Daley than I do John Cleese or Jean Claude Van Damme.

But every so often, the link between my exaggerated Americanness and my sense of being at home in Europe comes together. Such was the case in Bastogne, Belgium two weeks ago.

Bastogne, for those who don’t know it, was the town in the Belgian Ardennes that was the objective of the Nazi offensive that culminated in the Battle of the Bulge. It is also the one place in Belgium that has completely embraced the American role in the liberation of Western Europe at the heart of its local narrative.

There are three defining features of this embrace—a memorial to the 80.000 American troops who fell defending Bastogne and defeating the Nazi offensive, one of similar size and grandeur to the World War II Memorial in Washington, a series of stones along roads leading to the memorial marking the “Voie de la Liberation” or the Way of Liberty, and the ubiquitous references to U.S. General Anthony MacAuliffe, (as it happens, a Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity brother of mine) whose one-word reply to a Nazi surrender demand (“NUTS!”) has become a cottage industry in the town.

The star-shaped memorial, called the “Mardassson”, is poised on hilltop with a view of town, and was built on the scene of fierce fighting. In addition to the more-or-less alphabetically arranged names of the US states (Alaska and Hawaii were added upon statehood in 1959 without rearranging the incumbents), there was an intricate story of the battle and the havoc it wreaked upon the surrounding area on ten giant panels. And in the center, underneath an open circle connecting the points of the star, is a black granite stone with the inscription in Latin: “Liberatoribus Americanis Populus Belgicus Memor. IV VII MCMXLVI”, or “Belgium Remembers its American Liberators, July 4, 1956.”

Flying in front of the Mardasson are the flags of the US and the European Union. While the US and Europe don’t always see eye-to-eye, and neither the US nor the EU make things easy for those who want to do anything more than vacation in each other’s territory, European life as it is known today would not have been possible but for the contribution of American, British and, yes, Russian soldiers who died in the process of liberation. These sacrifices are rarely given much thought in other places, but are close to daily life in Bastogne, where the American Stars and Stripes flies alongside the Belgian Tricolor and the Walloon Cockerel from the town hall, and where “Le Nut’s” café remains a popular watering hole.

Posted by Mike Klein at 8:36 AM 0 comments

2 Winners in Brussels

Naturally, history wasn’t the only item on my agenda in Belgium, as my hankering for quality and reasonably priced food has been accentuated by a long winter in the less-culinarily inclined Netherlands.

Le Petit Pont, while a trek from the centre of Brussels in the suburb of Uccle, once again reinforced its place as my single favorite restaurant in the entire world with a stunning Sunday afternoon rack of lamb. For the price of a mediocre Sunday Roast in London, the lamb arrived with an exquisitely herbed crust, dauphinoise potatoes, and some of the most delicately cooked haricots verts I had seen in ages. The service, as always was impeccable, and my restraint in ordering a small ‘pichet’ of the house red paid off masterfully with a young and unduly voluptuous number for a relatively modest investment. The exuberance of the weather on one of Brussels’ car-free-Sundays yielded an ambiance more reflective of Provence than of the Benelux.

Café Panisse, in my old neighborhood near Place Chatelaine, has a menu as reflective of Provence as was the weather on that particular evening, but it was the Magret de Canard avec saveurs de l’orient (Duck Breast with Flavors of the Middle East) that stole the show, with a mint-accented sauce and the addition of paper-thin slices of mango which added a hint of fruity sweetness to the delicately flavored dish. Café Panisse is very reasonably priced—the Magret was at the top of the menu at EUR 16 and was well garnished and amply proportioned (hint—no starter required!). I ordered a “Kir Rouge” as my beverage—leading to a chilled, uniquely flavored glass of red wine that complemented this dish exceptionally well.

*** Ode du Off Sierra

By that purveyor of purloined poesy, Philip D. Spiess III, who borrowed mightily from the OA ceremonies, which borrowed mightily from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, who shameless lifted the metre from the Nordic Kalevala.

If you ask me, I will tell you

What the great and mighty sachems

Of the Order of the Arrow,

Sitting all in solemn council

Planning for the Ordeal weekend.

Thought that they would have for breakfast:

Let us first commence with coffee –

Coffee of the finest flavor.

Dark and rich, the full Brazilian,

Foaming in the cup of plastic –

Then the eggs of hen, all scrambled

With perhaps a bit of bacon.

Or perhaps the breakfast sausage

Crackling in the pan for frying,

Full of grease and fully luscious.

Suitable for giving heartburn, bad cholesterol, and failure

Of the heart and all its vessels –And perhaps the juice of orange,

Most refreshing and nutritious,

Suitable for staining T-shirts

When the carton slips from fingers –

Oatmeal, too, that Scottish pudding,

Oleoqueous with butter

(Soppish, though, with milk and sugar) –

Mothers make their boys to eat it,

And the boys thus hate their mothers –

Cereal that comes from boxes

Is both popular and frugal:

Krispie rice that snaps and crackles,

Popping now and then quite loudly;

Flakes of corn all golden, dusted

With a crusting made of sugar;

Special K, that has a flavor

Of the packaging it comes in

(No one knows but that the latter

Has a mystic, cryptic meaning) –

Toast of course, to soak up butter,

Of your daily fatty intake!

So the mighty chiefs and sachems,

Calculating up their wampum

And accounts they held in secret,

By degrees had reached consensus.

“If you ask me, I will tell you,”

Is the way this story started…

But you did not ask me – therefore

I will never, ever tell you;

After all, I am not privy

To these meetings of the Council

And, in short, I cannot tell you:

I know nothing of the matter!

Travel, Outdoor and Adventure Jobs and Volunteer Opportunities

*** Wildlife/Fish Specialist 5 Working Title: Wildlife Technician, Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Statewide

Code: GF05-13600

Released: 3/14/2008 – Closes: 8/11/2008

Location: Statewide

Pay: FULL HIRING RANGE: $2210.00 – $2917.00 Per Month AGENCY HIRING RANGE: $2,210.00 – $2,536.00 Per Month

NOTE: As Wyoming State Law requires competitive testing (exam) for wildlife law enforcement positions, applicants MUST REGISTER to take the Wyoming game warden examination (see WGFD website for details – http://gf.state.wy.us/downloads/pdf/Websitegf.pdf. Must have a valid drivers license. PREFERENCE: Preference may be given to candidates with the following qualifications: At least 20 hours of wildlife management coursework as evidenced on their transcript, i.e. wildlife management, range management, biology, zoology, ichthyology, etc. APPLICATION/EXAMINATION PROCEDURE: First, applicants MUST submit a State of Wyoming Employment Application, transcripts. Second, visit WGF website to register to take the examination no later than 5:00 p.m., September 10, 2008; see details on the Wyoming Game and Fish Department website at (http://gf.state.wy.us/downloads/pdf/Websitegf.pdf) As Wyoming State Law requires competitive testing (exam) for wildlife law enforcement positions, applicants MUST REGISTER to take the Wyoming game warden examination (see above website).

Responsibilities:

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF WORK: Responsibilities include law enforcement duties; wildlife management data collection; wildlife conflict resolution; depredation investigations; dealing with the public; and represent the agency in day to day contact with the public. Will successfully complete the Peace Officers Basic Training at the Wyoming Law Enforcement Academy and participate in training as appropriate in order that the position will be able to follow the career track to game warden trainee and game warden positions. Will be closely supervised and work will be monitored and directed in order to assure the position is exposed to and provided an opportunity to learn the various duties of a game warden. The position will not supervise other personnel, but will be provided supervision and direction by more senior personnel and Division supervisors. ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS: Carry out routine checks to assure public compliance with rules, regulations, and state statutes governing the use of watercraft and the taking of wildlife; data collection to determine distribution, abundance, recruitment and mortality of wildlife; participate in law enforcement, wildlife management, wildlife conflict resolution, dealing with the public and other training as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: Any combination of training and experience equivalent to a bachelors degree in wildlife management, range management, biology, zoology, ichthyology or closely related field.

Skills:

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS: Knowledge of basic concepts, principles and practices of wildlife management, animal biological processes, species identification and life history; game and fish statutes and regulations; methods and techniques of animal control. Skill in application of knowledge, oral and written communication, interpersonal relations, public speaking, ability to work independently, and ability to act as an observer from small aircraft.

Application Information:

APPLICATIONS: For more information or to apply online go to http://statejobs.state.wy.us/JobSearchDetail.aspx?ID=13600 or submit a State of Wyoming Employment Application to the Human Resource Division, Emerson Building, 2001 Capitol Avenue, Cheyenne, WY 82002-0060, Phone: (307)777-7188, Fax: (307)777-6562, along with transcripts of any relevant course work. The State of Wyoming is an Equal Opportunity Employer and actively supports the ADA and reasonably accommodates qualified applicants with disabilities. No notice of eligibility will be sent to applicants who meet the minimum qualifications. DATE RELEASED: 03/14/2008

As an EEO/ADA employer, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department actively supports the ADA and reasonably accommodates qualified applicants with disabilities.

http://gf.state.wy.us/admin/hr/jobs/index.asp#2

*** Staff Biologist – Wildlife, Department of Fish and Game, Boise, Idaho

Open for Recruitment: June 2, 2008 – July 3, 2008

Announcement # 00836001512

Salary Range: $21.17 – $37.80 per hour -Plus Competitive Benefits!

Location(s): Boise

This announcement will be used to fill the current vacancy in the Wildlife Bureau.

Responsibilities:

Coordinating implementation of program activities with regional personnel, city, state and federal agencies, sportsmen organizations, private landowners, and elected officials.

Routinely providing progress reports to the Fish & Game Commission.

Designing and planning upland game, furbearers, and waterfowl program activities.

Developing harvest management recommendations for upland game, furbearers, and waterfowl.

Minimum Qualifications:

Experience demonstrating good knowledge of fish, wildlife, conservation biology, plant ecology and/or habitat management practices.

Experience evaluating the impact of land use practices and natural processes on habitats; developing and interpreting statistical data and formulas used in biological research; and evaluating and interpreting environmental documents, state and federal regulations for their effects on fish and wildlife, and providing written and oral analysis of findings.

Specialty area requirement: This staff biologist position involves the development and administration of statewide waterfowl, upland game bird, and furbearer program(s).

Examination:

Education and Experience. Enter your responses to the questions in the space provided in the examination. You must have the minimum level of experience or education described for each question to qualify for this position. Scoring will be based on the information you provide. A minimum rating of 70 is needed to pass this examination. Notification of your test results will be available online when the review process is complete. Applicants who do not Apply Online will receive written notification.

To preview the minimum qualifications for this position, click on the Preview Exam button below. You will not be able to apply from this screen. Please follow the directions under “How to Apply.”

How to Apply:

Click on the Apply Online button to the left and follow the instructions provided to complete the Application Checklist and Exam for this position. If you are unable to use the Apply Online process, you must respond to the exam questions on this announcement and complete a State of Idaho Application. For a paper application, click on Forms at the top of the screen.

When completing your online application information, to be consider for the current opening please select:

Department of Fish & Game under “Agencies,”;

Full time employment under “Job Type/Shift”

Boise under “Cities.”

When updating your online application information, complete/update all items in the Application Checklist. (This includes: Personal Information, Education, Work History, Cities, Agencies and Job type.) Without this information, your name cannot be referred to the hiring Agency.

http://dhr.idaho.gov/dhrapp/stateJobs/jobannouncement.aspx?announcement_no=00836001512

*** Northwest Regional Office Director, American Rivers (AR), Seattle, Washington

Start Date: July 1, 2008

Job Summary

The Northwest Regional Office Director (ROD) serves in a leadership position within American Rivers (AR). S/he has overall responsibility for managing AR’s operations and programs in the Regional Office, which covers the states of Washington, Oregon and Idaho. The ROD supervises a staff of eight people in two locations (Seattle, WA and Portland, OR), and ensures that the core functions — conservation programs, communications, development and finance and administration — are well executed. S/he represents American Rivers in select forums important to achieving our conservation and organizational goals in the region. The ROD reports to the Senior Vice President for Regional Operations and works closely with other executive and senior program staff to ensure that Regional Office (RO) operations are well integrated with those of the broader organization and are serving the organization’s long-term vision and strategic goals.

Duties and Responsibilities

Serves as American Rivers’ principal representative in the region, building the organization’s profile and brand recognition, and maintaining our reputation for expert advocacy on behalf of rivers and freshwater resources

Builds relationships with local, state and federal officials, civic leaders and organizations, for-profit and non-profit partners, and individual and institutional funders

Identifies and assists with recruitment of candidates for the national Board of Directors, and maintains productive relations with Board members from the region

Supported by RO Development Director, recruits and engages a Regional Advisory Council

Coordinates with Senior Vice President for Regional Operations, other Regional Directors and Program Directors to leverage resources and integrate activities

Supervises and mentors RO program staff, and co-supervises RO support staff (e.g., Development, Communications)

Creates a culture that values and supports open communications, continuous learning, and mutual respect

Hires and retains regional staff with the appropriate skill sets, experience and professionalism

Supports the professional development of regional office staff as needed to advance the organization’s goals

Ensures that all core functions (development, programs, communications, finance and administration) are well executed in the region

Supported by the RO Development Director, builds and maintains philanthropic support from individual and institutional funders for the region

Develops and manages RO budget

Ensures that all organizational policies and procedures are implemented to support strong performance while managing risk

Qualifications and Experience

Demonstrated passion for river conservation

Three to five years experience in a senior conservation leadership position

Five years experience in non-profit management

Graduate degree in conservation or related field

Demonstrated fundraising and budget management skills

Strong written and oral communication skills

Ability to effectively communicate with a variety of audiences, including policy-makers, professional colleagues, donors and the media

Excellent personnel management and team-building skills

Results-oriented, with demonstrated ability to implement effective, performance-based management

Entrepreneurial and strategic, able to recognize targets of opportunity and align resources accordingly to achieve strategic goals

Willingness and ability to travel

High degree of integrity and sense of humor

Salary and Benefits

Salary is commensurate with experience. Benefits include health, dental, and life insurance, retirement plan, and generous leave benefits. American Rivers is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Application Deadline

Applications should include a resume, professional references, and a letter addressed to: Fanette Jones, Director of Administration, American Rivers; 1101 14th street, NW, Suite 1400; Washington, DC 20005 or via e-mail fjones@AmericanRivers.org. No phone calls please.

http://www.americanrivers.org/site/PageServer?pagename=AR7_Jobs

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