Friendly people, the prarie and pencils!

Just got back from a trip to South Dakota with Christin. We had a great time--driving our giant Suburban around, stopping randomly for wildlife, soaking in the prairie. We met up with the ferret folks for the 30th anniversary of black-footed ferret rediscovery in Meeteetse, WY. It was fun watching the playful ferrets released into prairie dog holes for their first meal. The group of scientists and land managers who have spent their careers dedicated to bringing these rare mammals back from the brink of extinction. Also got to meet some people who put conversation to practice on their own land and create their own small sanctuaries for native species. Of course I also did drag Christin along as we saw some of the paleontological and geological highlights of Badlands NP, thanks to Matt!

Back to the title of this post. As soon as I stepped off the plane in Rapid City something was different. People were so kind and friendly and deferential. If I was walking too fast (I have a problem with this) and cut someone off, they were the one apologizing to me. It made quite an impression on me. People in the Midwest really are friendlier!! We also had a couple of random conversations with strangers at viewpoints where we would talk for 10 or 15 minutes and they were so impressed we worked for the park service and we were happy they were enjoying their vacation and it was just lovely.

The prairie...I had forgotten how much I love the prairie. My first experience with it was in Nebraska, on my two week trip around the northern part of the state visiting paleontological sites, helping sift for fossils and scan for fossils and grid out and excavate for fossils. The sandhills was totally my favorite part of the trip. The gently rolling hills and softly moving grasses are such a contrast to my harsh yet still beautiful landscape out here. It was nice to visit somewhere a little less intense. It was a nice time of year to visit, too. We saw some great sunsets, light catching on the grasses.

And finally...pencils. It was odd, but it seemed like everywhere we went, instead of just sticker machines and gum ball machines, there were pencil machines. Maybe this is because South Dakotans are much more studious or more wholesome or something. But at Badlands, at restaurants, everywhere you could get pencils. Go Wall Eagles!! =)

Earthquakes

In regards to the two earthquakes today--one near Trinidad, CO (5.3) and the other near Mineral, VA (5.8). Its worth checking out the USGS seismic hazard maps, as both earthquakes occurred where it was predicted earthquakes were likely. (The star shows where today's earthquake occurred.)

Colorado: http://neic.usgs.gov/neis/eq_depot/2011/eq_110823_c0005idz/neic_c0005idz_z.html

Virginia: http://neic.usgs.gov/neis/eq_depot/2011/eq_110823_se082311a/se082311a_z.html

For some more interesting discussion of today's earthquakes, see: http://live.washingtonpost.com/east-coast-earthquake.html?tid=sm_twitter_washingtonpost.

Although the east coast is an old plate boundary, it can still have minor earthquake activity. The New Madrid fault zone near St. Louis, MO is a zone with potentially large earthquakes. According to USGS "The geologic record of pre-1811 earthquakes reveals that the New Madrid seismic zone has repeatedly produced sequences of major earthquakes, including several of magnitude 7 to 8, over the past 4,500 years." The 1811-1812 earthquakes included three earthquakes with a magnitude likely more than 7.

It is good to prepare for how to respond to an earthquake (stop, cover and hold on), even if you live on the east coast. Learn more about earthquake "drills" from the Great Shake Out program, see http://www.shakeout.org/.

Finally, a good commercial

Have you seen the latest Payless commercial? Its about paleontologists. =)

Keys, tents and travels, oh my!

My feeble excuse for the lack of posts is my busy summer schedule. In May I went to Grand Canyon to help with their paleo program. I had a great time there. First, there were trees (imagine, not being able to see for miles in every direction while running). Second, there was snow! And hail. And rain. I had a nice place to stay, I went running to see the South Rim every day, and I worked with great people.

Since June, I have been working in Kanab, UT, which is only 1hr 15min from Page, but feels a world away. Utah is a different time zone, and although I try to stay on UT time, I still spend a lot of time adding and subtracting hours and trying to make sure I'm not late for work. Kanab has been around a lot longer than Page, and used to be the site of many western films. It is thrown in with the Salt Lake City/St. George/Cedar City news cycle, rather than the Flagstaff and northern Arizona news. There are some really great restaurants here, and more variety in terms of what is at the grocery stores.

For the first half of my time here I camped and/or drove back and forth. I camped both in town (with a showerhouse and even wireless internet) and on BLM land (beautiful vistas and solitude). Both were good in their own ways. Now I am renting a bedroom in a house, which frees up more time to catch up on things in the evenings.

Travels

Christy suggested I post this map. The colored states are the ones I've visited (not just driven through). Still a few states to go, but not too shabby...

National Park Service

There is created in the Department of the Interior a service to be called the National Park Service, which shall be under the charge of a director who shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. The Director shall have substantial experience and demonstrated competence in land management and natural or cultural resource conservation. The Director shall select two Deputy Directors. The first Deputy Director shall have responsibility for National Park Service operations, and the second Deputy Director shall have responsibility for other programs assigned to the National Park Service. There shall also be in said service such subordinate officers, clerks, and employees as may be appropriated for by Congress. The service thus established shall promote and regulate the use of the Federal areas known as national parks, monuments, and reservations hereinafter specified, except such as are under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of the Army, as provided by law, by such means and measures as conform to the fundamental purpose of the said parks, monuments, and reservations, which purpose is to conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wild life therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations.

New digs

Moving this weekend! I will miss the winter morning drives along the lake, watching the sun rise. And running/biking/walking along the lake. But otherwise, I am ecstatic to be moving into town. We have leased a lovely house, very open with nice big windows and a walled in backyard with lots of bushes and trees. Although my room itself is smaller and I'll eventually be sharing a bathroom, the rest of the house is huge, so space is definitely not a problem. Plus I can walk to church, to the grocery store, library, etc. Or also bike around town more.

Despite the turbulence of ever-changing roommates, my room on Scorpion Way has been a haven for me. Nine months in the same place was a nice treat after so many moves in D.C. I will miss my walk-in closet. And randomly running into people on the street. Scorpion Thanksgiving and Christmas were definitely some of the highlights. But I'm sure there will be many more card nights and dinner parties in town as well.

Farewell, my first home in Page!