Monday, March 29, 2010

Fringe Benefits

Let's face it; lifeguarding doesn't pay a whole lot and the forced 3 minths off every year strains our finances immensely. However, every once in a while I get to do cool stuff that people with "normal jobs" can only dream of doing or have to pay a lot of money for the same experience.

Last November was one of those moments when I spent a few days piloting a Jet Ski in the surf and around jettys.

Just over a week ago, I got a call from the boss telling me I'd been chosen for joint helicopter insertion training with County Sheriff's, Encinitas Lifeguards and Solana Beach Lifeguards.

It was as AWESOME as it sounds...

Waiting for the "go ahead" from the co-pilot (I'm the short one with the orange fins and whit helmet). Yes, that's a triathlon wetsuit. Notice the legs are cut for easy wetsuit removal in T1 ;). Loading up

"Thumbs up" to the co-pilot that we're ready to go.

Whee!

Helicopter skids are SMALL when you're standing on them 30 feet in the air.

Out over the water
Cool vantage point because you can see all the bottom features that create the currents and surf. Very cool!


1...2...3...GO!

...and then we did it 2 more times. All that and a paycheck too! Way stoked I got to be a part of that. No idea when or IF we'll ever use that sort of thing, but we all had a blast jumping off the helo a bunvh of times. :D
As for training, it's been very hit-or-miss. Ten-hour shifts make it tough to get up the next day and drag my ass to Master's or head out the door for a run when the sun isnt even up yet. It's seriously making me think I should just race MTB this year; especially given that MTB races are HALF the cost of tri's. So tempting.
I've got a few days off right now so I'm putting some solid training down, but Wednesday I start 9 days in a row. Ouch.
Time to knuckle up.
E.

2 comments:

Luke said...

very cool bro! i would almost pay to do something like that!

Erin said...

SWEEEET!