I realize
that my absence from the blogging world would lead you to believe that I died
out in the mountains of Colorado due to my case Giardia. However, that is not what
happened. I simply am not very
good at communicating via blog. Again,
I will try to be better than last year and the year before.
Brief Update
Since Last July
- I recovered from Giardia.
- The last few weeks of the summer were hectic and stressful, but very fruitful and fun.
- I started my last semester of college in August. Graduated in December with the degree Youth and Family Studies in Christian Ministry.
- I worked at Vertical Endeavors (an indoor rock climbing gym in St. Paul).
- I took two trips to visit friends. One to College Station, TX and the other to go skiing in Colorado.
- I removed a bunch of head weight (aka: I had my wisdom teeth taken out and cut a bunch of my hair off).
- I accepted a summer job in Colorado and that brings us to where I am now.
This summer
I will be working for Journey Quest, a brand new Christian wilderness ministry. It was started by Mark and Sarah
Anderson (who worked with me at Redcloud the past two summers). Mark and Sarah were able to buy a
rafting company called Vessels For Honor (VFH) and because of that they are
able to start leading trips this summer!
I’m still not entirely sure what I’ll be doing, where I’ll be living, or
how to do what I’m doing (I may have had a small melt down the other night
because of that), but here’s what I do know…
Journey
Quest/VFH is located in Texas Creek, Colorado right along the Arkansas River. They have permits to guide customers down parts of the Arkansas River in
Colorado and the Green River in Utah.
There are already 15+ groups signed up for ½ day whitewater rafting
trips, full day trips, and multi-day trips. Steve Nutting (one of the other full time JQ staff who I
worked with at Redcloud) is hoping to have a rock climbing/mountaineering
multi-day trip run as well. My
main role this summer will be whitewater raft guide. So, I will be spending the majority of the next 3-4 weeks in
the water learning how to do such a thing. This will definitely be an adventure!
I am
currently staying with Mark and Sarah at their home in Johnstown, CO. Soon we will be cleaning and packing up
a bunch of gear, food, and other supplies. Then driving to Texas Creek, CO where Journey Quest/VFH is
located. We’re leaving for the
Green River in the near future for a 6 day rafting trip. Nothing like learning by doing! I’m excited for the trip and learning
something new, but I’m not so excited about cold water… and LOTS of it. We have wetsuits and PFD’s, plus Mark,
Sarah, and a few of the other staff I’ll be working with have a TON of experience
in whitewater rafting so I’m not too worried about safety.
Feel free to
check out Journey Quest’s website www.journeyquest.org
for a more in depth explanation.
And of course, if you would like to see and do instead of just read and
imagine… (shameless plug) There are some special deals if you book before May 1st!
I’ll be sure
to let you all know more once I know more (and have internet). Until then… Thanks for all your prayers
and support!
Here is my address in case you should want to send me anything...
Elise Holmstrom
27077 Highway 50 Suite 4
Texas Creek, CO 81223
Here is my address in case you should want to send me anything...
Elise Holmstrom
27077 Highway 50 Suite 4
Texas Creek, CO 81223
Also, here’s
a collage of the people I’ll be working with this summer!
