Notes from Montana
M. Schweitzer's Field Notes

June 4

June 4

We got to the Andisaurus site about 8 am. The crew had unloaded most of the equipment before I got there, so only carting it down the hill on our backs remained. Nels, who was the crew chief on my favorite Brex dig, is trying to bring field paleontology into the 21st century. He is doing 3-D laser scanning of the site, with pictures every 20 seconds to document progress and monitor things we might miss.

!http://blogs.lib.ncsu.edu/resources/schweitzer/june4-2.jpg!

At left you can see our crew, or part of it, inspecting our bone find at the end of my first day. We were looking for evidence that there was more dinosaur to go with the articulated foot and leg we took out last summer.

!http://blogs.lib.ncsu.edu/resources/schweitzer/june4-1.jpg!

Even though the crew had removed about 10 feet of the soft sand before I got there, there was still at least 5 to go to get to the level of bone. Bend, scoop, straighten, toss, bend, scoop, straighten, toss...hour after hour, stopping only long enough to let the jackhammer loosen more of the back wall. There is not a lot of talking in the quarry. Most people are just trying to get the work done. Occasionally though, we get rather choice comments. After about the 15th faceful of sand, Lee started singing: "Just a spoonful of silicates makes the medicine go down..." (you get a little loopy from the sun out here). During a short lunch break, I took the time to walk around and just drink in the emptiness, majesty and beauty of this stark land.

!http://blogs.lib.ncsu.edu/resources/schweitzer/june4-4.jpg!

Looking down at my feet, I saw prairie flowers. They are all tiny, and ephemeral. They have to grow quickly, because there won't be enough water for long to keep them alive. But if you take the time to look close,  they are incredibly beautiful.

!http://blogs.lib.ncsu.edu/resources/schweitzer/june4-3.jpg!

As we get closer to the bone level, things slowed. Finally, about 6 pm, amidst a lot of protest from Nels, we decided we had gone far enough. Oh...I don't think I have a muscle that doesn't hurt! I know that I will need my legs for fieldwork, and stamina, so I make a point of running all year round so that I am in shape for the ups and downs of prospecting in the badlands. But--I forget about my arms and shoulders, and now I am paying. It was a rough first quarry day for me, but we took down 5 feet, and tomorrow should show whether or not more dinosaur remains hidden.

It was hot most of the day with the sun beating down as we worked, reflected off the buff sands of the quarry walls. I am sunburned, with hands that feel permanently claw shaped and back permanently bent. The sand on my face has sand on it, and no shower is in sight till we are done. Whoever invented wet-wipes, I am  forever indebted.

But, after cleaning up, and making a slight dent in the first several layers, there is hamburger on the grill, and the food tastes especially good. Even the sleeping bag on the leaking air mattress sounds lovely. The sunset is beautiful, and I am looking forward to sleep sooo much.

!http://blogs.lib.ncsu.edu/resources/schweitzer/june4-5.jpg!

Ah, but the night was again not so restful. After about two hours of exhausted unconsciousness, my dreams were penetrated by the yips and howls of a passing band of coyotes. They have high pitched barks, so much that it is almost hard to take them seriously as predators. Each one tries to outdo the other for loudness, and the cacophony went on for at least an hour. They sound quite close, and I am glad Barney, my cat, is safely back with the horses and dogs, not here.

Posted at 11:21AM Jun 22, 2007 by tppeake in General  |  Comments[1]