Transition Weekends

The past week has been transition week, our break between projects when we get a lot of the administrative groundwork done in preparation for our next round. Staff and team leaders stay pretty busy, for us corps members, it's been a very pleasant and leisurely time. Many teams used the week to complete their portfolio, but as you saw in past posts, I got that done well ahead of time. We debriefed our last project with staff in a formal 30-minute presentation, which my team totally aced, and then briefed for our next project. I'm very proud to say that Silver 3 did a fantastic job and came off very professional and well-informed. Even though our last project was a challenge, we spoke about it very honestly and constructively and gave great feedback to the questions that the staff lobbed at us.

But on to the fun stuff. Being back in Sacramento for an extended period of time, I used the opportunity to explore Sacramento as much as possible. Last Saturday, I went downtown with my friend and old podmate Casey. We started the day in Old Sacramento (click here to read about my last trip there) and started the day with some coffee at Steamer's, which was overpriced and mediocre. We swung by good, old Evangeline's Costume Mansion and wandered around looking at all the hilarious gag gifts and books for a good hour. We then headed into the heart of downtown for lunch at Pyramid Alehouse (incredible macaroni and cheese!) in the shadow of the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament. While I had walked by this church many times before, I actually got to enter the sanctuary for once and was blown away by its sheer scale and beauty.





Afterward, we walked a few blocks down to the central branch of the Sacramento Public Library. I bought two books at their book sale for a dollar apiece and went up stairs to visit the Sacramento Room, the "jewel in the crown" of the library system with an impressive collection of books, photos, and and maps of the local area.





We ended our little urban excursion at Torch Club, a historic dive blues bar, where we watched some live guitar jams by Johnny Knox. It was a really friendly and chill little hangout spot, plus no cover charge!



The day ended perfectly with my first ever trip to In-N-Out Burger! I got an animal-style burger with animal-style french fries and a chocolate shake. It was tasty but overrated; the food definitely did not live up to the hype. The company definitely made up for any disappointment though. We met up with a group of AmeriCorps people I had never hung out with before, but I don't think I've laughed so hard all year! A fun time was had by all, and afterward, we hung out in the dorm room watching episodes of Arrested Development on DVD. Yay for meeting new friends!







Sunday was also momentous because I finally found a church in Sacramento I enjoy. I visited Christ Community Church of Carmichael, and it felt so nice to sing worship songs I knew with meaningful lyrics and listen to a great message, a series based off Timothy Keller's The Prodigal God. Afterward, we had lunch together at a gem of a restaurant called Lido's Bar and Grill. The brunch there was superb; my omelet was fluffy and perfectly cooked, prices were very reasonable, and the service was friendly albeit a bit slow.

This weekend has also been a blast. On Friday, my teammate and I went downtown and visited the lovely Sacramento City Hall to pick up free T-shirts. They were our reward for participating in the Mayor's Volunteer Challenge to donate at least 10 hours of your time to the city. That's a paltry goal for AmeriCorps members, and pretty much all of us qualified to get the shirts. After claiming our prize, we walked across the plaza to a charming little cafe called Temple Coffee that had to-die-for mocha made with Mexican hot chocolate. In the evening, I went to extreme bowling at the nearby Mardi Gras AMF lanes with some boys, and despite my terrible showing, I was consoled by a second trip to In-N-Out for yet another milkshake











Saturday was Sacramento's Free Museum Day, and while I didn't get to go to all the museums I'd have liked due to lack of interest from other parties, we did get to visit the Sacramento Zoo! I of course was in heaven with my camera, snapping happily away at the animals. The tiger was sitting right up next to the glass, so I got to get up close and personal, but my favorite exhibit was the adorable little red panda. Afterward, we grabbed lunch downtown at Hamburger Patties, and dinner later that night was at BJ's Brewhouse the the Roseville Galleria, a really beautiful and swanky upscale shopping center.

















The real highlight of this week, though, was Sunday. Sure, the Super Bowl was on, and the New Orleans Saints played a great game. But even more exciting was my first time skydiving! A group of 12 of us went out to Skydive Sacramento to take advantage of their group rates. They could only take us up two at a time, so we were at their offices for about six hours, all for a 20 minute thrill ride. Still, it was completely worth it.

The experience was exhilarating. I was more excited than nervous as I waited my turn (I was in the second to last group to go up), and everyone who went before me struggled to accurately describe their trip. I can't say I blame them, but I'll do my best to recreate it for you. It wasn't until I was on the flight up on the rickety little Cessna airplane that my heart started pumping. It didn't inspire much confidence that the pilot looked about 15 years old, and the itsy bitsy plane was just barely sealed up with electrical tape. In addition, my instructor who rode tandem with me napped on the flight up, which I wasn't sure inspired confidence because he was so calm or worry because he was asleep on the job. We flew to an altitude of 11,000 feet, which appears a lot higher when you're in the plane looking down than on the ground looking up. The reality of jumping out of a airplane really hits you when you're actually in the air.

It took about 15 minutes to reach our desired altitude, at which point the instructor kicked open the door and the freezing air came rushing in our faces. At this point, you're above the clouds, so you can't really see the ground. It feels like you're on top of the world, and you're adrenaline kicks into high gear. The instructor, who is strapped to your back, does all the work, and all you have to do is get your foot out the door. Next thing you know you're free falling, plummeting downward with the air rushing by you, and it's the most thrilling and extreme feeling you've ever known. I'm usually not much of a screamer on roller coasters and such, but I think I screamed the whole way down, or at least attempted to because I was also gasping to breathe in the thin, cold air.

Right at about cloud level as you pass through a thick, dense fog of white moisture, the instructor pulls the parachute. Suddenly your wild drop turns into a peaceful descent. You get below the cloud cover, and suddenly the sun-dappled landscape stretches out before you, a magnificent view from that altitude no matter where you are. This leg of the journey was surprisingly serene. The instructor even let me hang on the parachute pulls for a little while and put us into spins that gave me a 360-degree look at the surrounding areas. Even though they look pretty crazy to observers, the spins are actually quite pleasant and fun.

And before you know it, the trip is over. The ground rushes up at you, and suddenly, you hit the ground, gently. The momentum carries you forward, so it's by no means graceful, especially for us first-timers, but the landing is more sad than scary. I think everyone said they'd be willing to do it again, which just goes to show how amazing the experience is. Finally, here are some photos of my final descent to prove I actually did it!

What a great way to end the transition week! Now it's on to my next spike, where new adventures await. My next post will be from the redwood forest!

Second Saturday

My last day in Sacramento was one of the best I've had since arriving, primarily because it was the first time I was able to truly relax and have some time to myself since AmeriCorps NCCC began. After a long evening of hanging out at Harvey's and late-night conversation with new friends, I slept in until 11:30 a.m. and lounged cozily in bed for an additional two hours. I curled up with a good book, some green pomegranate tea, and a box of chocolate-covered almonds and put on some chill, acoustic music. It was heaven having time to myself, the last that I'd have for a long, long time.

Later that day, I met up with good old pod 22 for a reunion dinner in Midtown Sacramento. Every second Saturday of the month, the city's galleries open for a free event appropriately called the Second Saturday Art Walk. Other businesses join in on the fun with live music, outdoor vendor booths, and street performers.

This particular excursion made me fall in love with Sacramento. During my other trips to the Midtown area on Sunday afternoons, the city was always pretty and pleasant enough, but never captivating or particularly lively. This evening, however, the streets pulsated with activity, showing a vibrant, energetic side that I had not had the opportunity to see. Cafes, yogurt shops, pizza places, burger joints, bookstores, and clothing boutiques were lit with neon signs on every corner, ranging from the edgy to the quaint. But what completed the decidedly urban atmosphere was the people who flooded the sidewalks, loitering under the trees strung with Christmas lights and dancing to the music emanating from the packed nightclubs. I saw one guy doing backflips down the street for absolutely no reason at all. I loved seeing Sacramento as a living city.







Our pod left campus early to catch the light rail but had such awful luck with transportation that it took two hours to get downtown. We missed the first train, and then missed our stop, and by the time we made it to our destination, we were starving. But it was great having the opportunity to spend time with old pod members; we got updates on where everyone was going for their projects and played silly games, which is something I miss since my new team isn't very keen on such juvenile pursuits.







After wandering through town, we finally settled on an excellent diner called Hamburger Patties. It may have been our hunger, but the food was amazing. I inhaled my Buckaroo Burger (with ranch dressing and thick slabs of bacon) in a matter of minutes, and the entrees came with a side of seasoned spicy fries.





Because our detours had taken so long, we only had about an hour left to explore the galleries. Most of my pod mates dispersed to various groups of new friends to frequent the aforementioned clubs and bars. However, due to an AmeriCorps rules that prohibits alcohol consumption 24 hours before leaving on projects, I could not join them, not to mention I still had to pack. Instead my friend Casey and I decided to catch the closing hours of some of the local art exhibitors.

The first place we happened upon was the Smith Gallery, which showcases a wide variety of artists. There were some truly amazing paintings, from photorealistic to abstract, and a very impressive range of California landscapes that showcased the state's mountains and vineyards. My favorite artists there were Steve Memering and Andrew Hindman, who particularly impressed me with their work (check out Hindman's incredible painting "Breaking Boundaries").









We left with plenty of time to spare to catch the final light rail, and even had a chance to take a short detour to visit The Shiny Nickel Art Gallery. This exhibitor was not on the official list of Second Saturday participants, but we were attracted by the techno and hip-hop beats playing in the yard and the crowds of people chatting with beers and cigarettes in hand. The art here was definitely more graphic and avante garde with an edgy, indie flair.









It's a shame that my final day in Sacramento was when I finally grew to appreciate the city, but more adventures await. I was excited to finally be caught up in my posting, but I unfortunately don't have regular Internet access at my housing in Sheridan, Wyoming, making it difficult to stay updated. I've already been here for a week, not including the three-day road trip through California, Nevada, and Utah. I do love it here; it's beautiful, and there are surprisingly lots of things to do for fun. The people are wonderful, and the job is hard, tiring, and very fulfilling. Check my Facebook profile for the latest photos, and I'll try my best to get you details as soon as I can!

Weed Warriors

Earlier this week, several teams worked with the Sacramento Weed Warriors to help remove invasive plant species from the California ecosystem. On this particular day, we were fighting a species known as red sesbania, an ornamental plant originally from South America. It has flourished to such an extent that it blocks access to the water and is choking out native species. It's a beautiful plant with feathery leaves and red blooms, but it has become a real threat to biodiversity; looking down the waterway, all you could see was red sesbania densely crowding the waterline. It is poisonous to humans and animals, and the shade it creates prevents the usual grasses and rushes that naturally inhabit the area from growing.







Using an assortment of tools, we cut down these plants and managed to remove about 27,000 square feet worth of red sesbania from the shores of Dry Creek in Sacramento. The task was especially difficult because the plants multiply using dried seed pods, which easily fell to the ground and broke open. It was a real chore to try to handle the plants so delicately to prevent further proliferation. There were also lots of burrs and other spiky weeds and grasses that made things more challenging. The cut plants were brought to a Dumpster, where we chopped and compacted the branches for disposal. In the end, we collected about 8,000 pounds worth of invasive organic material.