I was teaching at Venado Middle School in Irvine, California when I got a call from Ranger Roger Rudolph about my application to be a Seasonal Park Ranger.
At first, the school secretary thought it was a practical joke, “Ranger Roger Rudolph?” But she paged me anyway to come to the front office and take the call.
“Hello. This is Rick Gale.”
“Hello Rick. I’m District Ranger Rudolph calling from Yellowstone National Park and I’d like to offer you a position at Lake Ranger Station. If you take the position, you’ll be working out of one of the best and most scenic duty stations in the country.”
It was during the spring of 1978 when I took that call.
A few weeks later, I reported for duty at Lake Ranger Station beginning some of the most incredible adventures and experiences one could ever imagine.
My 22 summers in Yellowstone from 1978-1999 as a Seasonal Ranger included serving as a campground ranger, road patrol ranger, boat patrol ranger, field training ranger, night shift supervisor, and crisis negotiator.
A Ranger's Journal 