Ed took me behind the museum and bathrooms to an area that I didn't know existed. There was a pump room which housed all of the water systems for the monument and there was another room with a huge water tank. The maintenance workers have to know a lot about the technical workings of the park. They do most of the behind the scenes work that most people don't even think about. Ed was working on testing the chlorine content in the drinking water and he did this with a small device that reads the chlorine content and changes the color of the water that is put into it. The small vial of water that is placed in the device turns a lighter colored pink with less chlorine and turns a darker colored pink with more chlorine. Ed determined that the water is perfect for drinking as usual!
I spent the rest of my day working on interpretation and answering questions as usual. I also got to spend time socializing with some of the staff at Tuzigoot and I really enjoyed being able to talk to everyone. One of the main topics was military experience, which I don't have but it was really enjoyable to listen to everyone's personal experiences. I also gained more insight into the National Park Service and what working at other parks is like. Everyone has been more than willing to give me advice on my future career path and I really appreciate it.
Someone came in today and asked where the best bird watching spot would be in the area. One of the park service employees was more than willing to help on this matter and told the man all about the different birds in the area and where he could see them. I am not a birder but I was impressed by the passion that some people have for this hobby. It turns out there are a lot of bird names that I have never heard of and also can't pronounce. I had a great week of interpretation at Tuzigoot and I really appreciate all of the friendly visitors, staff members, and volunteers!
