Happy I didn’t listen…

[Bladestrike]

38 years and counting, some 40 different countries - plenty of long line and fires, years of EMS, a decade of offshore off the East coast in some very challenging weather, plus summers and winters in the Arctic, military support in unmentionable and dangerous places, SAR both coasts of Africa and in South America, a few years kicking around the Caribbean... The experiences I've had, the challenges I've overcome, the people I've met - would not change a single thing. Best life there is.

[displayname]

I agree 100 percent. 

[212wrench]

Two things.  

As an engineer, helisking with a group realizing that you could ski every day for a whole year at any ski resort in North America and not have an experience like one blue sky day heliskiing.  Also looking at the group realizing they were paying up to 1200 bucks per day to ski and I was making 600 to ski.

Second, we were on a fire south of Monterey California, the fire was for all intents done.  We were just monitoring the fire and bucketing anything they thought needed bucketing.  We are going to do a recon.  Pilot says, "why don't you come along?"  Hopped in the machine (212) and off we went over the Pacific.  We popped open the doors, I was in the back, and flew for about 30 miles along the Pacific coast, probably 3-400 yards off the shoreline around 200 feet over the waves and it was unbelievably spectacular.  No chance of ever doing those events without doing what we do for a living.