With only a 60% chance of scattered thunderstorms this afternoon, Kerry was ready to ride.
We had a route that took us to two museums on the way out of town. Out first stop was the Smokejumper Museum at the Aerial Fire Dept and Smokejumper Center. This is the largest smokejumper training center in the United States.
We had an outstanding tour guide. He is describing the smokejumpers' suit and gear. Each person actually sews his/her own suit and is able to repair it as needed on a mission.
Gear ready to be donned. The smokejumpers are to be completely dressed, geared up and on the tarmac ready to board the plane 2.5 minutes after the horn sounds, alerting them to a mission.
The classic fire towers are no longer widely used. There are a couple on routes we ride regularly at home and Kerry likes to stop and climb to the top, since cycling doesn't give his legs enough workout!
There was a replica of a lookout's living quarters here, but it was chained off and I couldn't get a decent picture.
We rode past this abandoned old plant. Kerry stopped and asked a guy working nearby and he said it was a papermill which had been shut down for over ten years.
