Field Work – Page 3 – Penny Higgins – Storyteller • Artist • Scientist

Field Work Travelogue: Day 4 – Science and Errands #NTCave15

Today was the big day! We began to do some science.

Today dawned a beautiful day. The sun was shining. The breeze was light.

This is really the fourth day of my field season, but day two in which the Principal Investigator has been on the road, so we’ll call it day two.

One might consider today day one, because today is the day that we made it to the field site and pitched our tents.

The drive was lovely. We had to cross the Bighorn Mountains.

Tuesday afternoon, I finally pulled the truck back into my own driveway.

I was so exhausted that I only managed to grab the few necessities out of the truck, have dinner, and go to bed.

The next day, I came down with a cold. I nasty one.

Which is why I’m only now writing this.

What’s important?

I’m home.

Today we drove from Des Moines, IA to Middlebury, IN. Now we have a little less than 500 miles to go to get home.

For a fleeting moment, I had considered trying the all-nighter drive, but, you know, I’M TIRED.

It’s interesting to be back in the world of humidity.

It’s fun to explain to people why our truck is so muddy.

It’s a relief to know that it seems that the truck is going to make it, despite the severe oil leak.

I’m going to be so glad to sleep in my own bed tomorrow night.

It flooded.

Still got some science done: jackets made, samples collected.

All good.

Photos forthcoming.

When last we were in the field, we had noted three fossils that needed plaster jackets. Today was the day to jacket them.
Continue reading “Field work travelog – Day 26, Plaster jackets”