tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7562604237283212842024-11-05T21:09:35.174-06:00The Adventures of a Lifeguard Camping for the SummerTravis Edringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01183381916587351794noreply@blogger.comBlogger79125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-756260423728321284.post-48591160474705386162014-06-08T22:01:00.001-05:002014-06-08T22:01:53.961-05:00

Another summer, same camping story.  Started the day today at 6 am to get ready to head to Chatfield to instruct a lifeguard renewal class. Nine hours later 14 guards were renewed for two more years.  That was a lot of guards, but it was fun. Now I am in my tent, all set up and ready for the summer.  This year I am almost constantly training new lifeguards and swim

Travis Edringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01183381916587351794noreply@blogger.com0Houston County, MN, USA43.558094400644535 -91.64387512333985343.535081400644536 -91.684215623339853 43.581107400644534 -91.603534623339854tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-756260423728321284.post-21921458920535937912013-07-07T23:06:00.000-05:002013-07-07T23:06:27.050-05:00

I took a week off from camping to hang out with my dad, and now I am back, we have private and group lessons tomorrow, and I am in a new camping spot.  Also went from a 2 person tent I could hardly fit in to a 6 person tent.  It’s the same tent I used two years ago. Yea I know.  Back when I thought of the title Camping Lifeguard this is not what I had in mind either, but if

Travis Edringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01183381916587351794noreply@blogger.com1Spring Grove, MN, USA43.564687181014548 -91.62919807561036143.55893418101455 -91.639283075610365 43.570440181014547 -91.619113075610358tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-756260423728321284.post-86917070706242366472013-06-23T21:20:00.003-05:002013-06-23T21:20:55.749-05:00

Wow still remember that song from Winnie the Pool.  And like the 100 Acre Woods we are getting dumped on!  6+ inches around here in the last 2 days. Not my camp site but the RV park near home was flooded out.  See the school house?  The 5' wide creek is on this side of the school.  All the rest was filled with campers and RVs.  When we took this most of them were on

Travis Edringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01183381916587351794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-756260423728321284.post-79467998342747464822013-06-21T05:59:00.001-05:002013-06-21T05:59:26.472-05:00

At 1055 I have makeup swimlessons planned. Might need to make them up another day. Hail!  We've got hail!  Pea sized but I think I missed my chance to go to my car. Yay for dry tents, even if they look like a sith. 

Travis Edringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01183381916587351794noreply@blogger.com0Spring Grove City Park Spring Grove43.556698 -91.644417tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-756260423728321284.post-31062610801047089342013-06-19T22:42:00.001-05:002013-06-19T22:42:34.689-05:00

Summer is finally here!  Saw my first lightning bug. I was wondering when that would happen.As I write this I hear an owl to the south of me calling. My coworkers think I'm nuts for camping almost every night this summer, but as I bike down the hill and see my tent at the campsite, I feel happy. From the mobile guy with his eye on the sky, Travis, the camping lifeguard. 

Travis Edringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01183381916587351794noreply@blogger.com1Spring Grove Spring Grove43.5655 -91.627625tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-756260423728321284.post-18186955207933791302013-06-17T01:21:00.000-05:002013-06-17T01:21:20.336-05:00

Even though in less than 7 hours I have swim lessons I cannot sleep, so I am going to write. I am writing this to those who come from the Spring Grove Swim Center Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/pages/Spring-Grove-SWIM-Center/115662155142765.  Most of you only know me from signing up for swim lessons this summer or from lifeguarding (or on TV during a city council meeting), but I

Travis Edringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01183381916587351794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-756260423728321284.post-34879504118267986282013-06-17T00:33:00.004-05:002013-06-17T00:33:59.034-05:00

After my last post, I noticed I had 3 drafts from 2011, The Good, The Great, and The Ugly, Becoming A Lifeguard, and If it's Brown.  I read thru them and there isn't any reason not to post them, so now I have. From the guy with his eye on the sky, Travis...the camping lifeguard

Travis Edringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01183381916587351794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-756260423728321284.post-12342356470462435082013-06-17T00:28:00.002-05:002013-06-17T01:17:32.716-05:00

Please note that the following is an egocentric rambling of bad lifeguards and represent only the opinions and nightmares of the Camping Lifeguard and not necessarily that of other lifeguards, blogspot, or Google ;) I like to classify lifeguards into 3 different categories. I have had both the fortune and misfortune to work with all of them. There are lifeguards who became certified for

Travis Edringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01183381916587351794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-756260423728321284.post-81592683551295140622013-06-17T00:28:00.001-05:002013-06-17T00:28:13.900-05:00

Back in my junior year of high school I decided to change from an ordinary person who could not swim into a red-suited superhero under the classification of lifeguard (still waiting for my cape). I started by volunteering for a summer camp called Day Camp Adventures. Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday our camp would travel to a different pool around central Iowa to spend the afternoon

Travis Edringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01183381916587351794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-756260423728321284.post-76281347135192670322013-06-17T00:28:00.000-05:002013-06-17T00:28:05.502-05:00

Please note that the following acknowledges that there is more than just water in pools. Reader discretion is advised Guarding for 6 years, I have come up with a phase, "if it’s brown and floating around, get out of town!" To put it bluntly, shit happens…a lot. My first pool, the local YMCA, was the pool where I was certified. It was also the first time I had to clean up a stranger's

Travis Edringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01183381916587351794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-756260423728321284.post-5747001854532052242013-06-17T00:27:00.001-05:002013-06-17T00:35:28.381-05:00

Sorry I was hoping to make more posts but working 12+ hours a day takes a lot out of you.  We start 8 am swim lessons tomorrow, so don't expect much from me.  I am here though, lifeguarding and camping (except for weekends). From the guy with his eye on the sky, Travis...the camping lifeguard

Travis Edringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01183381916587351794noreply@blogger.com0Home36.9724463 -93.28339779999998936.9723968 -93.283476799999988 36.972495800000004 -93.283318799999989tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-756260423728321284.post-43237692416291497612013-06-13T00:18:00.001-05:002013-06-13T00:18:20.725-05:00

Never thought you'd hear from him again did you? He's back. And this time his tent way too small. 

Travis Edringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01183381916587351794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-756260423728321284.post-24698362551745180922011-12-05T14:54:00.000-06:002011-12-05T14:54:14.163-06:00

It is the start of November, and things are still crazy but getting better.  After completing my originally assigned classes for WGU, I am doing two extra classes, one of which I passed in a week (excluding wait time to take the test).  This class, which is all about Windows 7 (which I am liking less and less (still better than Vista)), is almost done.For one of my classes I had to do a

Travis Edringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01183381916587351794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-756260423728321284.post-21882588436457373552011-11-20T19:43:00.000-06:002011-11-20T19:49:00.885-06:00

1 Red LED1 White Lantern2 Solar powered1 Hand-cranked3 Button1 iPhone 4S2 EL Wire1 HeadlampI don't know why, but I like my flashlights. I have twelve of my own... 5 in my room, one in the hall, and the rest down stairs. I know that seems a little excessive, but it is nice during times like now when the power is on the fritz and you want to see what is around you. It is odd, the power is

Travis Edringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01183381916587351794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-756260423728321284.post-29812389319395957402011-09-09T13:48:00.001-05:002013-06-17T02:13:56.099-05:00

It has been a week since I got home.  I miss camping and the lake but it has been nice to have some new food, play with the cats and dog (and I am not a dog person) and laugh at our funny and strange chickens.  Now that I am home I can work more on my classes, even though my remaining class is a research paper and I hate papers. Once this class is done, I plan a few posts about what

Travis Edringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01183381916587351794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-756260423728321284.post-82023683068497424482011-09-06T09:32:00.002-05:002013-06-17T02:13:47.615-05:00

Yay!  I won!  You can listen at http://www.npr.org/2011/09/03/140157253/bluff-the-listener.  After listening, I actually didn’t do as well as it sounded.  I first thought it was A, but the audience booed, so I said B, even though it would fall apart when it rains, I just really hoped it wasn’t C.  Well it was, a lifeguard being fired for not wearing a speedo.  This

Travis Edringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01183381916587351794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-756260423728321284.post-3108150564692897182011-09-02T17:42:00.000-05:002011-09-05T22:25:46.720-05:00

Travis Edringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01183381916587351794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-756260423728321284.post-70661888431628679982011-08-31T16:53:00.000-05:002013-06-17T02:10:40.762-05:00

Today is my last day camping up here.  I still have a few more posts to put up, but I have a test for one of my classes on Friday morning and the nearest testing center is in the Twin Cities.  Between that and missing my family and cats, I am going to be leaving tomorrow morning for home.   I will do a more proper goodbye when I can, but right now I am a little excited! I just

Travis Edringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01183381916587351794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-756260423728321284.post-66666991544868787072011-08-30T15:26:00.000-05:002013-06-17T02:10:22.949-05:00

♬This is the end, my friends♬ Yesterday was beach takedown day.  I am officially done guarding for the summer :(  At least the water was warm when I went in to bring in the buoy.  I am going to miss that beach and the loons that come out to visit.  Some days the water was nice and clear, sometimes it was mirky.  Occasionally the minks would come out and tease me with

Travis Edringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01183381916587351794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-756260423728321284.post-67832686120051565652011-08-30T15:25:00.002-05:002011-08-30T15:25:06.753-05:00

I was nice and asleep (I think I sleep better here than in my own bed) and all of a sudden I was jolted awake!  Frogs keep jumping around and two ran into my tent last night.  Normally I get a frog or two over the night for the last few nights, but two at once is a first.  They seem to not realize you need to go around the tent and instead they try to climb up and over it.From the

Travis Edringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01183381916587351794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-756260423728321284.post-32620449146467714342011-08-28T11:16:00.000-05:002013-06-17T02:09:17.951-05:00

One thing I like to do is partake in a game called Geocaching.  Geocaching is using a GPS to find containers hidden in bushes, trees, between rocks, and in other locations. Depending on the size of the cache, you can find in the cache a log of who has visited, and sometimes some trinkets like toys, coins, and other little odds and ends.  When you find a cache you take out one item and

Travis Edringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01183381916587351794noreply@blogger.com0Ashland, Wisconsin, USA46.605888895157449 -90.85839231621093945.941230395157447 -91.344011816210937 47.27054739515745 -90.37277281621094tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-756260423728321284.post-62440898713404530192011-08-23T10:38:00.002-05:002011-08-23T10:38:57.588-05:00

I don’t believe it myself but this morning I looked and less than a month (5 days less) from having 1000 views, I have now had 2000 views!  I was not expecting this to happen, to be this popular.  I love it!  Too bad the summer is almost to a close and I won’t have too many more posts to come.  I am due for a few posts both here and in Seagull Hunting, but have been really

Travis Edringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01183381916587351794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-756260423728321284.post-81474823704610723032011-08-20T10:39:00.002-05:002013-06-17T02:08:49.828-05:00

The last 10 days I have been housesitting for a church member.  Today is my last day.  One thing I really enjoyed about being here and in town is I am just a block from a local grocery store.  It is nice to be able to stop by every day or so to get something fresh.  I have lived out in the country all my life and a store run was at least 5 miles. Sorry...i am having trouble

Travis Edringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01183381916587351794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-756260423728321284.post-73889344861154165472011-08-16T00:04:00.001-05:002011-08-16T07:58:10.580-05:00

Remember my post yesterday about seagull hunting?  Well now I am kind of obsessed seagull hunting...scaring away seagulls.  As I have explained, we need to keep these seagulls away, so between making a seagull simulator and hopefully the “portable dog killer”, I think I am going to start a new blog going just for seagull stuff.  I will be here, the Camping Lifeguard, and there,

Travis Edringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01183381916587351794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-756260423728321284.post-52817913315209218102011-08-13T23:58:00.001-05:002013-06-17T02:08:10.017-05:00

Back between my junior and senior year, I spent about 10 days at a camp called Lead America. I took the engineering camp, and we had a lead instructor who is a physics professor who went to MIT. One day he told us about an underground group he was in at MIT, which performed pranks on campus. Multiple pranks involved disassembling cars and reassembling them in offices and on top of buildings (

Travis Edringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01183381916587351794noreply@blogger.com0