I think our own DemoTex is one of these "freaks on the peaks," yes?

[TygrBright]

'Freaks on the peaks': the lonely lives of the last remaining forest fire lookouts

Dozens more like him do the same across the US every summer, perched in 15ft by 15ft wooden cabins atop remote towers with sweeping panoramas, a low-tech, very human first line of defense against conflagrations. They are known, unofficially, as the “freaks on the peaks”.

The nickname is affectionate, not derogatory. It recognizes certain qualities needed to operate in lonely eyries – an embrace of nature, solitude and disconnectedness. And an ability to shift mental gears and respond when tempests and fires interrupt serene observation of cloud and canopy.

But yanno, I think DemoTex's posts here are even better than the nice Guardian article. Here's a few for those (like me) who count ourselves fans of the "eyes above" who keep us safe in fire-prone country.

"Earth, Wind and Fire (and Smoke, Lots of Smoke)"

"The Emmy landed at Lemmon Rock fire lookout today - incredible!"

"Bye Bye Birdie"

Maybe it does take a very special few to be the "eyes on high" or the "freaks on the peaks," but all of us who live in fire country can appreciate them!

Thanks, DemoTex and all of you Eyes on High!

appreciatively,
Bright

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. DemoTex is indeed one of the "freaks on the peaks" my dear TygrBright!

We are lucky to have his posts here.

He writes so compellingly and his photos are among the best ever posted here.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

7. His photos are amazing!!

[elleng]

2. Yes, he's certainly been one.

and received an emmy! 'This might just be the first time in history an Emmy statue has been photographed at a fire lookout, and standing on an Osborne Fire-Finder. I share this 2015 Emmy with the Arizona Public Media staffers who worked on the Lemmon Rock Lookout PBS documentary in 2014. Thanks to all of them for making this project a winner.

The AZPM producer actually hiked this in to the lookout this morning for this photo op (the Emmy resides at AZPM on the U of AZ campus). We did an NPR interview while he was there. I'm getting good at these!'


"Bye Bye Birdie"

It was so sad leaving my bird friends at Lemmon Rock today. Dave the Rave, Birdie Boy, the Hawks (flight of four, always tight). The hummingbirds buzzed me as I loaded my truck .. of course they did, with the bright yellow waterproof bags I was lashing to my roof rack with survival orange ratchet straps. The Yellow-eyed juncos pranced around, and a couple of blue streaks marked the flight paths of two Steller's jays. And the ubiquitous LGBs! Always there! The ornithological "cast of thousands." I thank Edward Abbey for the term and concept: LGBs .. little gray birds.'

[Delphinus]

3. Thank you -

nice to read this.

[etherealtruth]

4. K&R

to all the freaks on the peaks

[malaise]

5. K & R

I thought of him immediately as I read that but he's no freak.

[SHRED]

6. $12 per hour is way low

IMHO

[gladium et scutum]

8. When I worked a tower in the late 60s

the USFS paid me $1.25 per hour for 48 hours a week. No electricity, no running water, a supply run every two weeks.

[matt819]

9. More kudos for DemoTex

His posts and his photos are a wonderful insight to the natural world. His love for what he does comes through in everything in posts.

[awoke_in_2003]

10. He's a freak off the peaks, too

Just kidding, DT

[DemoTex]

11. Glad to be lumped in with some great "Freaks-on-the-Peaks!"

Kerouac, Snyder, Whalen, Abbey, Connors, and many more.

Thanks for all the kind words,
Mac

[url=https://flic.kr/p/JgKEnq][img][/img][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/JgKEnq]
Let the Freak flag fly!