Author Archives: Jerry Begly

Habitat for Humanity’s High Altitude Project

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Why are these people smiling so much? Maybe it’s because it’s lunch time, maybe it’s because they’re enjoying each other’s company, or maybe it’s because they have the satisfaction of helping someone build their home.

My home.

Habitat for Humanity is helping us finish our home in Marble, Colorado. Volunteers have come off and on over the summer, and are being directed by Clay, a Habitat employee.

Three and a half summers ago, I got laid off as an excavator. We had been paying cash for our project, and the house building came to a grinding crawl, as I’ve been underemployed during the summers. (Thanks, Aspen Skiing Company for great winter income!).

Habitat came to the rescue, and Scott Gilbert has been a marvel, pulling it all together. My family all works on the house, with or without Habitat present, but our family is hoping for a warm house come this winter.

Thank you so much, Habitat for Humanity and all of our friends, relatives, and helpers..

I’m deeply humbled.

The Last Bungee Jump

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The lady standing on the Jump Tower in the photo was finding it very hard to leap. She stood there for what seemed like an eternity, and may be 10 eternities for her. She’s at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park where I work as a cave tour guide.

The bungee tower jumpers were a fun thing to watch, and the screams by little girls, (and men who screamed louder than little girls), was a real smile maker.

That tower saw its last jumper a week ago. The bungee tower will not be used next year. Something about money I suppose.

Anyway, it was a fun part of working at the park.

Oh…she never did jump. ‘Can’t blame her.

Jerry Begly, Wilderness Ranger

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This painting hangs in Alpine Bank, in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. You’re looking at Haggerman Peak and Snowmass Lake, in the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness Area, near Aspen, Colorado.

I used to be a GS-4 Wilderness Ranger at Snowmass Lake. I would backpack up to the lake and camp there for 4 nights as part of my patrol. My campsite was in a “secret” location about 200 feet from the viewpoint of this artist.

I used to make pudding, and keep it cold in the creek right over where that tree stump is on the left side.

The stories of my summer at Snowmass Lake would amuse, stun, and chill you to the bone.

I had the pleasure of camping there with my wife, Marti, several years after working there. I caught the biggest fish of my life on that trip, and surprised Marti when she woke up to a frying pan 2 feet from her head, and a monster trout hanging out both ends of the pan.

If you ever get to Snowmass Lake and see this view, you’ll know why I think it’s the most beautiful place in Colorado.

Horse Jumps Over Bear

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Yesterday I saw this horse jump over the bear.

It didn’t actually jump OVER the bear, but it tried to. Right as the picture was being snapped, the bear reached down, picked up a shovel and smacked the horse down like a wounded dragonfly.

The bear leaned over the horse and said, “Only YOU can prevent Pegasus!”

Then he went back to holding that little sign.

My World Record Spaceflight

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My space flight yesterday smashed all world records.

Wearing an army surplus gas mask and being propelled by sky-high gas prices, I was able to launch my new garage into orbit at 7:15 MDT.

I performed several useful scientific experiments while in orbit; experiments like Does Spaghetti Stick To Walls in Outer Space? and What Happens to Gangsta Pants in Zero Gravity?

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Here you see me as I floated from the tool cabinet towards the garage door opener. A fly landed on the garage door opener and I was afraid that the door would open, sucking my expensive tools and myself out into the unknown.

My flight broke Dave Gullenex’s world record when in 1974 he and his cousin accidentally blew their garage 28 miles into the air while working on a Chevy Nova upgrade.

The reentry was smooth, but TSA frisked me upon landing at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport.

Let me know if I can ever do any experiments for you when I take my storage shed to the moon in November.

To the moon, Alice! To the moon!