July 22nd

TODAY IS THE DAY WE GO HOME!!! But first...

I was extremely excited to go home today because I miss my family. But first, inventory.
I took down the tent, stuffed my sleeping bag in its case, returned my backpack and water pouch.

After cleaning up camp and cleaning the van I am ready to head home. I've learned a lot and I have more of a opened mind to nature and reservations focusing on their forest and water. Not only I leave this part of the adventure with new friend but with knowledge along with it.

July 21st

Today didn't have anything planned out but we found out a way.

This morning we drove to Pullman, WA to meet a WSU student that is graduating with his PHD. His name is London Charlo. London is studying the Pileated Woodpecker  (Dryocopus Pileatus). He was giving this assignment by his professor, Mike Schutt, who is the Senior Environment Wildlife Coordinator.

London Charlo explained how he been researching the Woodpecker. He talked about how much g's force a Pileated Woodpecker's brain can take, comparing it to the human brain. The ability for a Pileated Woodpecker to stand g's force in its brian repeatadly ranges from 600 - 1,500  g's force. For a human brain repeatedly being striked at the head can only take around 200 g's force if the most. That is pushing it.

After talking with London Charlo and we drove to the Coeur D'Alene wellness center, to shower up for pow wow.

Once we arrived at the fair grounds of Coeur D'Alene, I felt weird having to be under rules on how to behave at a pow wow and needing a buddy. Overall I enjoyed my time at the pow wow. A few Yakama member were mentioned at the pow wow that I never thought would be there.

One more day to go and I will see my family and be in my own bed and wash my own clothes.

July 20

" Get up girls we are going to leave to o up to shower in 15 minutes" This morning was actually pretty slow and a nice shower would be nice to start off the day. We arrived at the Couer D'Alene Wellness Center to get ready for showers but all the showers were occupied and so I sat waiting then walk around the locker room and found out that there was a sauna, well actually two of them. Best believe I sat in the sauna for 15 minutes waiting for my turn for shower time.

Not much has happened for the afternoon.

July 19th Wellpinit To Coeur D'Alene

Blogging is the first thing to get done before we ever did anything. I enjoyed Wellpinit because i understand how losing culture can be hard to bring back.

Yesterday night really had me at awe. I travled with students for two and a half weeks and did not know how students felt and how thankful they are for getting this opportunity, because something may stressing the students and teachers at home or they needed to go outside their comfort zone.

Today wasn't so intense, traveling to Coeur D'Alene. Tonight is a feast. Of course every feast should be attended with respect. I was thinking of a church with a bunch of members. But actually it was much smaller but more meaningful in my opinion. The tribe had Elk, Deer, Bitter Root, and Moss. Today is turning into tonight and I am ready to sleep.

July 18th

   Another morning to waking up early. I was dumbfound seeing how cloudy it is even though its not clouds. It was smoke.

  Today was more of a learning day. The first place on our schedule is the fish hatchery. Tim Peone is one of many to start the Hatchery 15 years ago. Tim attended Eastern. In 1980 The Roosevelt still had fish that weighed 78 pounds. Once the damns were built the damns were blocking fish but not killing fish. Spokane Tribal Hatchery is cooperative enhancement and restoration project between Spokane tribe, Colville confederate tribes, Bonneville Power Administration and Washington department of wildlife.

   The goal for the Spokane tribal hatchery is to work with Sherman Creek Hatchery and lake Roosevelt rainbow trout net pen rearing projects to produce 3.7 million kokanee salmon fry, 250,000 kokanee salmon and 750.000 rainbow trout yearlings annually for the release into lake Roosevelt.

   I've leaned so much about how Spokane were fish people and how they are trying to bring back the salmon although it can take years but starting with clean rivers and breeding trout.

 

 

 

July 17th

  Pancakes, Hot Cocoa, and milk is what calls my name to wake up this morning. This morning is a volunteer day at the Chamocane Lake with Brian Water who is a fish manager.

  Brian told us the history about Little Falls Damn and how the damn doesn't not have a federal license because the damn is ran by the tribe meanwhile all the other damns are running by the state and ran by the BPA. Actually, Brian said that Yakamas have gotten fish or salmon from their river and went up to Wellpinit to drop fish down the stream (Sockeye Fish). The Chamocane lake has two Hatcheries, the Tribal Hatchery and the State Hatchery.

  My peers and I started getting gear on. Our goal today is to Trap and Release Pit Tagging For Rainbow trout. We continued going upstream for one mile trying to shock fish into nets so we can tag the fish and collect DNA data.

   After we got done and headed out to the camp, we had dinner. After dinner we then drove up to the hill where there is a lookout to watch over the town and trees. Once we reached the top of the hill and on the tower we watched the sunset and watched the night come in.

 

July 16th

" Okay students it is a rest day and we will go swimming tonight" Waking up at 6:30 AM every morning got to me at one point considering before this trip I woke up at 12 PM every day. Today wasn't so busy because we slept in till 10 AM and technically had brunch at 11 AM. Then around Four PM we went swimming at Two Rivers. I am going to fun in Wellpinit.