Paleontology Field Study Journal 1991

Paleontology Field Study 1991 July 7, 1991 -- August 4, 1991

Sun. July 7, 1991 -- Day 1
	Left Home at 8:30 a.m. for Erskine. I did not get much sleep last night. The trip was very relaxing, because I drove the 65 miles. When I arrived, I suddenly was tired, Jany and Josh were there, but no one else was, partially because it was only 9:30. I pushed the seat back and rested. I was awoken when Dr. Jan Haldeman appeared, with Mrs. Thomas Gorry. I spoke to everyone and looked around, then returned to my comfortable front seat to rest until everyone had arrived. Dr. Yenke and Syble, finally arrived, but Leigh Anne Poston, and Lisa Buckley were late. Leigh Anne arrived at 10:45, and Lisa just at 12:00 p.m. With the rear seat removed, we packed the van for the first time. Everyone's gear fit fine. Pictures were being taken everywhere as the group, ten explorers on an uncharted trail into the Wild West, posed before leaving. Finally, all the good-byes were said and everyone boarded the van. More pictures were taken as we left the parking lot of the Erskine Building. We traveled from Due West, to Princeton, and then drove 25 to the Green Giver exit just north of Travelers Rest, where a small store was. We ate our lunch of ham and bologna sandwiches outside. Everyone took advantage of the facilities, and we loaded up and left. We traveled toward Asheville and rode Interstates 26 and 40 to Knoxville and Nashville, Tennessee. Our Campsite for the first night was in Lebanon, Tn., Cedars of Lebanon State Park. We stayed in camping area 3. Our misfit group put up 4 tents, Dr. Yenke's small and large tents, Benson's tent, and Leigh Anne's blue tent. We ate a hot meal of Baked Beans and sausage. I called home, then I called John Anthony, and we decided to go out to Shoney's to get dessert. Over hot fudge cake we discussed his summer job and my trip. He had organized a lovers quarrel murder/assault for the Nashville DA's office. I returned at 10:30 and went to sleep.
Mon. July 8, 1991 -- Day 2
	Got up early, 7:00 a.m., and had oatmeal for breakfast. Everyone was slow to awake, kind of grumpy. Took down the tents, and packed everything up in the van. We left around 9:00 headed for St. Joseph, Missouri. Lunch today was at the Gateway rest area just east of St. Louis. Sandwiches are becoming a staple food. Just before getting to St. Louis, we discover the briefcase is missing. We decide that it is at Gateway, or Cedars of Lebanon. We make a gas stop and call both places. On the way to Lewis and Clark State Park spades was a popular game. The van ride was not boring as there were many interesting discussions occurring. We passed the big City of Kansas City, Mo today, turned north toward St. Joseph. Lewis and Clark State Park is out in the middle of nowhere. Arrive and pit stop is necessary, a latrine is only bathroom we see, so the girls get a new experience. We pay and move to a wide-open area to set up our tents, just behind the fence of a private home with dogs. We set up Dr. Yenke's two tents and Benson's tent and Leigh Anne's blue tent. Eat good hot supper of Beans and sandwiches. We went swimming in the lake, and swam for almost two hours. Lightning way off in the distance was beautiful. Leigh Anne, Lisa, and Jany, Josh, and I finally got out and took showers. I slept well.
Tues. July 9, 1991 -- Day 3
	Got up at 6:00 a.m. and ate a big breakfast of cereal and fruit. We loaded up the van to head for Royal, Nebraska. Doug has turned the second seat around so it now faces the rear. Stopped in Council Bluffs, Iowa at a Sinclair station, and took pictures on the fiberglass dinosaur. We followed the Missouri river north to Sioux City, Iowa. Stopped at the chamber of commerce to get directions to a restaurant. Several people bought flip-flops. Found a Bonanza, beside a drive-in liquor store. Ate a hot bar, and ate, and ate. Everyone filled himself or herself. Got groceries at a store with curb service. Had an interesting discussion while waiting. We left Sioux City and headed west on Hwy. 20 traveling towards Royal, Nebraska. The town is a gas station and a rural route. Ashfall Fossil Beds State Historic Park is 2 miles west of town and 5 miles down a dirt road. It opened on May 27, 1991, but preliminary digging at the site occurred several years ago. Stayed from 3:00 to 5:30 p.m. We talked with Dr. Michael Voorhees and discussed the animal, and how they dig. We learned many techniques for digging. Traveled back to Royal and went to Grove Lake State Park, just to the north, it is a Fisherman's Paradise. Set up camp and put up the Apartment, an 8-man tent. Fixed leaks in the tent, and had soup for supper. We used a hand pump to get water. We played on the playground, and went walking around the park at twilight. Everyone sat and talked till 10:00. Friendship seems to have spread over the entire group.
Wed. July 10, 1991 -- Day 4
	I slept well and got up early. I had frosted flakes and cocoa for breakfast. We left for the Badlands of South Dakota. Stopped in Murdo, S.D. and bought groceries, and postcards. I saw a real Jackalope! We headed west to a place called 1880's Town, just off the interstate, to have lunch. Had ham, and bologna sandwiches, pickle, and cookies. We travel west to Badlands National Monument. The incredible beauty and fierceness of the badlands is evident upon arrival. We visited the Visitor Center to get an understanding and feel for the area. We get our campsite and set up camp, then proceed to climb the 200 ft. spires behind the camp. After an hour, we come down, and relax for a few minutes, before going on a nature walk. Followed a ranger to an area off the main road, he led us on a nature walk through a sodbed, which is recent, only a million years old. Talked about how rock would sluff off the Cliffs. Saw a variety of animals, including the cliff sparrows, Mule Deer, Antelope, and some other animals. Learned the variety of plants growing on the prairie. Two-hour hike ended, and we went back to camp to fix spaghetti. Several people went to gift shop to buy trinkets and film. When we returned ten minutes later, a violent thunderstorm was approaching and supper was quickly forgotten. The Wind gusts blew at 40-60 Mph, and tents were quickly taken down and put up. Josh's tent had an aluminum pole broken, and Leigh Anne's tent buckled under the force. Jany and Telani were going to stay in the van, but Benson and Josh had put Benson's tent in a ditch and the water flooded them out, so they stayed in the van. Lisa, Doug, Leigh Anne, and I stayed in Dr. Yenke's Brown tent. I slept with my poncho over me, to keep the rain off. It was blowing in the sides of the tent covering Lisa and me with water. The storm was finally over at 12:30, and Lisa and I headed to the van for dry clothes. I also got a warm blanket and a pillow. I finally got warm and comfortable and slept until 8:30 a.m.
Thurs., July 11, 1991 -- Day 5
	Woke up at 8:30, ate big breakfast of oatmeal, coffee, and cocoa. Everyone cleaned up and Doug climbed up on the picnic area to set things out to dry. The humidity was so low that everything dried in 3 hours. We met a German group traveling in a chartered bus, and staying in tents. We ate our Spaghetti for lunch and packed up. Left the Badlands on a dirt road that traveled by a Prairie Dog Town, and several missile silos. After a detour to Wall Drug Store (Billboards for 50 miles) for ice cream and soda's, we finally returned to the interstate, and drove west. Our next destination was Hill City, S.D., where Glen and Neil Larsen, and Bob Ferrar operate the Black Hills Institute of Geological Research (BHIGR). We stopped in Rapid City, for groceries, and then headed the remaining 20 miles to Hill City, a nice little town 10 miles from Mt. Rushmore. The BHIGR is on Main St. in an old school or civic center, still had the basketball goal frames. Dr. Yenke went in and got directions to Neil Larsen's house. We went back toward Rapid City, turned right, passed near a little league baseball game, across several railroad tracks, and up into the hills for 2 miles, then we turned off and stopped at this cabin in the woods. We found a side road, grown up with small pines and parked the van. We went across to the next hill, and set up camp in an opening among the fir trees. Returned to the van for supper on the plastic sheet that served as a picnic table. Decided to go to Mt. Rushmore. We arrived at twilight and took pictures. I called home. There was an evening program at 9:00, giving a history of the mountain, after which the faces were illuminated. A jet bound for Rapid City passed low overhead just as this occurred. It must have been a good view. Mt. Rushmore -- 4 small faces on a mountain, patriotic program -- good propaganda. We passed the road to Deadwood, S.D., where "Wild Bill" Hickock is buried. Was shot in the back while playing poker. He had a pair of aces and eights in his hand. The hand is now called the Dead-man's hand. Went back and went to the tent. We watched many satellites orbit, and looked at the constellations. It was good sleeping weather, and the temperature dropped into the low forties. Comfortable.
Fri., July 12, 1991 -- Day 6
	Woke up late (9:30) to 45 degrees. I had cinnamon rolls and cocoa for breakfast. We packed up the van, and headed to the BHIGR. We met Bob Ferrar, who showed us downstairs to the gift shop to browse and examine the specimens. I bought an ammonite, and a small piece of dinosaur bone, and a caprolite for two dollars. they are not the best specimens, but they are nice to have, I also got a candy dinosaur egg with a gummy dinosaur inside. We were then shown to the main gallery where we were shown a large palm frond and a baleen whale, a horse, and the forearm of Sue, the Institute's 14 ft. at the hips T. Rex. Next we were shown the cleaning of the bones, and one bone was finished, so we were shown the process of preserving the bone. BHIGR uses watered down Elmer's glue and Butvar (poly-vinyl crystals dissolved in acetate) to preserve their bones. The glue is applied, and then the Butvar is squirted on. Condiment bottles are used to hold the glue and Butvar. The bones are then baked at low temperatures in an oven to dry the glue. We were led into another building that was the warehouse and workroom for some of the bigger projects. There were bones from floor to ceiling of this two-story complex. Bob brought to our attention the fossils of an ostrich like bird, and a marine sloth-like animal. Bob went into a dark room and turned on some lights to illuminate this large piece of rock, nine by six by three feet, the skull and hips, and some other parts of Sue. The skull is tremendous, it was partially prepared, and Sue's teeth are in very good condition. Although Leigh Anne grabbed one and almost made Sue snaggle-toothed. It is theorized that this is a robust type of T. Rex, because the arms have been tested using bioengineering. They are capable of lifting 1200 lbs. The specimen at the Museum of the Rockies is capable of 432 lbs. The fingers are opposable (Dave Swingle). Sue is capable of large amounts of crushing and biting force with her 3-inch long teeth. The next are we went to was the fish preparation. Pneumatic chisels are used to remove the layers of rock above the fossil. It takes a very delicate touch to not destroy the fossil. The lady had been doing fish for nine years. The next area was small and somewhat cramped; it contained three micro-blasters, and several working areas. The micro-blasters each had different compounds to be used for different types of rock, and different types of fossils. Bob was putting together a million-piece puzzle-like Penguin, using a modern day skeleton for comparison. That concluded the tour and we were shown to the gift shop. We shopped for about thirty minutes, and Darlene told us the place to eat lunch was the Hill City Cafe just a hundred feet down the street. A log building, but the jumbo cheeseburger plate was delicious. The post office was just around the corner. Several people mailed cards. We left Hill City and headed south to Custer. On the way we passed the Crazy Horse Memorial. It is a gigantic undertaking and the mountain is very large. Stopped in Osage, Wyoming for gas, then on past Devil's Tower, twenty miles in the distance, to the interstate. We rode the interstate to a place called Tongue Lake State Park in Dover, Montana. The town was a small general store that doubled as the post office. A one-room school was just across the street. The main business was the Dover Mining Company, which gave us directions down a gravel road to the state park. We got out and had to cover our bodies with 100% DEET so mosquitoes would not eat us. We put up the big tent, and had a delightful supper of sandwiches. We went swimming in the lake to clean up. The water was cool. I took a quick bath then swam for about thirty minutes. I got out and immediately applied DEET. We hung up our dirty clothes, and hung them on a line. We went to sleep, and slept very well.
Sat., July 13, 1991 -- Day 7
	I got up at 5:00 to watch the sunrise over the lake. Beautiful sunrise. The white pelicans passing overhead only made it better. I also watched the bank swallow flying around. I went to sleep around 6:00 and slept until 8:30. I woke up and ate a hot breakfast of oatmeal and black coffee. We packed up the gear and said good-bye to Dover as we headed toward Billings. We arrived in Billings about 11:00 and did our laundry at a campground there. While we did laundry Dr. Yenke had the van's oil changed. This was a good chance to work on our journals, and to write postcards. We left Billings and ate in Laurel, Montana at the city park and campground beside the Yellowstone River. We had a wonderful lunch, and headed south on route 212 to Red Lodge. From Red Lodge to Silver Gate, route 212 is called the Beartooth Highway. There is a group of mountain peaks that look like a bear's tooth. We spent most of the afternoon climbing 7,000 ft. in elevation to the Bear tooth Pass at 10,976 feet elevation. The road did not have guardrails, and had just opened in mid-June. It is not maintained in the winter. We stopped at the first campground west of the pass, only to find it full. We headed across the road toward two fishing lakes, and went up a hill to the right. There was a side path of ruts that we then took over a hill into a depression. We stopped the van and pulled out of the ruts onto a small plateau. We set up camp at 10,000 ft. elev. in an alpine area. The Yenke's set up their tent near the van, and we went over the hill into the edge of an alpine meadow to set up our tent. I cooked spaghetti for supper, while everyone explored. After supper I got the chore of washing the dishes in a stream that began 300 yards away in a snowfield. It was maybe 33 degrees. I would wash a dish, and then warm my hands, and then begin the procedure of washing and warming until all the dishes were done. After supper I went up on top of the ridge and set up my short-wave antenna and listened to a rugby game on the BBC. I also found two good FM stations. One was a country station and the other was 98.0 located in Billings, Montana. We built a fire on a large rock outcropping, and turned on the radio. They played Led Zeppelin and the Eagles. We talked until I saw the Aurora Borealis. No one knew what I was talking about until I said, "I see the northern lights". I climbed up on the ridge with seven curious teenagers following. The lights put on a show for us for two or three hours. Tonight they were thin vertical wisps that would suddenly grow bright, as if to draw attention to their show. The satellites were fighting overhead. They seem headed toward one another, and then would pass harmlessly by each other. There are lots of satellites overhead. It must be in the center of the satellite belt. We watched two thunderstorms move down the adjacent ridges to the north and south. They must have been 15 miles away on either side, but the show was still very beautiful. This evening the sunset occurred about 10:00 p.m. because of the latitude and elevation, so it must have been two in the morning before we finally put out the fire and went to sleep. It was a cold night. I put on my sweatpants, jeans, T-shirt and Long-sleeve shirt before climbing into my sleeping bag.
Sun., July 14, 1991 -- Day 8
	After a very comfortable, but cold night, I awoke at 7:00. I went to the bathroom behind a rock outcropping, and woke up by washing my face with snow. Six thirty seems like ten o'clock. The sun must have rose about 5:30. I decided to climb back in my warm sleeping bag and sleep in. I slept until lunchtime. We had a good lunch of sandwiches, and the rest of the spaghetti and french bread. After lunch, Benson and the Yenkes headed towards Silver Gate in hopes of finding some groceries, and a campground. The rest of us went hiking. The high altitude was getting to me. I walked a slower pace and observed the plants and animals of the alpine meadow. I chased out several rodents -- six-inch long meadow mice not including the tail. The group ahead scared up a yellow-bellied marmot. It ran past not more than six feet away. A marmot is a small mammal that burrows under rocks,and has short appendages, and is chubby. It hibernates during the winter. I regret that I did not have my camera. I chased it for several hundred feet, before giving out of breath and sitting on a rock. I heard the caw of a crow and looked up to see a Raven sitting in the tree above me. I never thought of a crow as being a majestic bird, but this was the most beautiful bird. It was glistening in the sun in the top of the fir tree. I rejoined the group, who by this time had reached a large snowfield. I snuck up and made my presence known with a quick barrage of snowballs that landed near the group but did not hit anybody. For my consideration I was rewarded with a barrage of snowballs that hit their target. I retaliated and the group broke up into a free-for-all. this went on for just a short while. We discovered the warm rocks among the snow, and Jany and Leigh Anne proceeded to get some sun. I made a small snowman as we talked about our likes and dislikes. Leigh Anne decided to move to a different rock. Suddenly she fell through the snow. I feared that she had broken an ankle or worse and quickly rushed to her aid. I went way around the break in the ice and got down on the rock to help her up. Her foot was caught, but she managed to work it free and get up. She sat on the rock for several minutes, but refused our offers to carry her back to camp. As the Yenke's arrived, she got up with a grimace and walked back towards camp. The alpine meadow was very marshy. Pain was in her eyes as she walked back to camp. We heard that Dr. Yenke had found a campsite, and a well stocked store just down the road. We packed up and left at 4:30. Our campground was Beartooth Lakes. It was in Montana, but the Wyoming border was nearby. We went shopping at the store. The game-warden was on the front porch talking, with his pistol in his leather holster. A pretty white malamute dog was sitting beside him. We went inside the store to find a Small treasure trove. I bought a T-shirt, ring, and some postcards. I also bought a Mylar emergency blanket. It was going to be cold, and I wanted to be prepared. We returned to the campsite. I went exploring, and slipped into the fast flowing stream. I needed a bath, and my feet were already wet, so I got my soap, shampoo, a towel, and shirt and headed for the stream. I slipped, again, even though I had waded in with my shoes on, and dropped my Zip-lock bag with my soap. I chased it for fifteen feet down the stream. I caught it, but in my rush, my black New York T-shirt slipped off my shoulder. I did not see it go down the stream. I had a good bath, except for my bruised legs and the loss of my shirt I was fine. The water was cold. I did not realize that it was so cold, but it was only about 55 degrees. We had hot dogs for supper.and had Marshmallows for desert. I later found out that we also had graham crackers and Hershey bars. I went to sleep early, but was awoken by everyone when they finally came in the tent. Lisa complained about the cold, so I gave her my wool blanket, and used the mylar sheet. I put it in my sleeping bag and was perfectly comfortable, but I was constantly being poked and prodded. The mylar rattled every time I moved, and people kept poking me so I kept moving. Finally I took the Mylar and put in the corner. I got prodded the worst for this and I was trying to appease the "restless natives". Later I got cold and grabbed the Mylar sheet. Somebody grumbled and I told them to "Stuff it, I am cold and Lisa has my blanket". It got quiet, and I got warmer, and finally got some sleep.
Mon., July 15, 1991 -- Day 9
	We got up around 7:00 and packed up. The warm breakfast of oatmeal was wonderful, and HOT. Last night was cold. down into the low 40's. We were on our way west down to Yellowstone by 9:00. We passed through Silver City, Wyoming, where we stopped to get gas and soda. The on into Yellowstone National Park. We travelled through the Lamar valley, past Roosevelt-Tower, and on to Mammoth Hot Springs. We went to the Visitor Center / Museum. We saw all the history of the Yellowstone area. We saw photographs from the Hayden expedition of 1871. I was the only person who knew the significance of this geological survey. We also saw the incredible watercolors Moran painted of the park on the same expedition. I saw a movie, Winter in Yellowstone which showed how difficult life is in the park during the winter. The only road into the park maintained during the winter is the one to Silver Gate, out of necessity. I left the Visitor Center with a much better understanding of Yellowstone's history and purpose. We travelled north, out of the park to Gardiner, Montana, to eat lunch. Our destination was a hole-in-the-wall greasy-spoon cafe. Helen's Coral served the best food a ranger had told us, so we each had a cheeseburger basket. It was delicious. We stayed in Gardiner for a while to shop and get groceries. Our afternoon destination was the Norris Geyser Basin, to the south of Mammoth Hot Springs. The basin is the most active area in the park. We decided to give ourselves an hour and a half to see the area, a two or three mile walk to see all the many cauldrons, hot springs, and geysers. We watched the Echinius Geyser erupt thirty or forty feet into the air. We passed a place and looked out and saw a hat in the Geyser Basin. It resembled Lisa's, and in fact, was Lisa's. She later got a ranger to retrieve it, and was late returning to the van. We were all thirsty, and I had two apple juices from the coke machine. It was bottled by the Coca-Cola Company. We went to Old Faithful. It had just erupted, It erupts on intervals of 60-90 minutes. I worked on my Journal, and called home. It was my father's birthday. Old Faithful was not so spectacular, but I am glad we got to see it erupt. It took us about another hour to get to our campground at Grant Village. We set up camp in the group camp section. A rabbit was eating in the middle of our campsite. We put up our tents and had a good meal, sandwiches and a garden salad. I worked on my journal and talked by the fire. I went to sleep dressed in a T-shirt and wool sweater, and sweatpants. The night was cool, 45 degrees.
Tues., July 16, 1991 -- Day 10
	We woke up early, and packed our lunch. Today we work for a paleo-ecologist, in Soda Butte Valley. We travelled north through West Thumb, and Land Bridge to Canyon. We made a side-trip to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. The Lower Falls fall 836 ft. to the bottom of the canyon. I see why Yellowstone got its name, all the yellow stone. The canyon is Incrediblely beautiful. I see why Moran's watercolors are so striking, and the photographs were so difficult to make. We stopped to make reservations and shop at the Roosevelt Lodge before travelling to Soda Butte Valley. We stopped at a picnic area beside the Lamar River. The location of Liz Barnofski's dig was the first dry gulch after the road crossed Soda Butte Creek. The Soda Butte was a hot spring formation fifteen feet high. We hiked up the gulch for about ten minutes to reach the dig site. Liz Bafnofski, and her assistant Chris were hard at work. Liz was working on her doctorate at UC-Berkley, and gave us a short lecture to bring us up to date on her work. We learned that Taphonomy means - What has happened to an animals bones since its death. Bone Appearance is important. Owls swallow their prey whole, and their stomach acids leave microscopic pits in the bone. Hawks dismember their prey, so the bones are usually broken or crushed. She is excavating a pack-rats nest. There are seventeen levels, that are in chronological order. Some parts of the have been carbon dated to 2500 years ago. The glaciation of Yellowstone only ended 10,000 years ago, so the pack rats nest gives a history of the small population in the recent history of the park. Today was the last day of excavation at the site. We strained units 16 and 17. Unit 16 consisted of a nest area, and unit 17 was an alluvial area deposited during a flash flood. We hiked up the mountain, and saw bright orange Indian Paintbrushes, then returned to help carry out the screenings. We left for Roosevelt Lodge for supper. Several people stayed in the van and worked on journals. Today was a good day, although there was some grumbling about the screening. We had a wonderful supper. I had Trout Almondine. On our return trip to Grant village, we saw more, deer, elk, buffalo, and our first Grizzly Bears. A mother and her two cubs were crossing a meadow almost a mile away. Jany took fifteen minutes to realize the three small brown dots were actually grizzly bears. We returned and had a restful sleep.
Wed., July 17, 1991 -- Day 11
	We woke up late (9:00) and packed quickly. We left Yellowstone through West Yellowstone. We stopped for gas, ice,and milk-shakes. Mmm, Mmm Good!! Our next stop was Headwaters of the Missouri State Park. Major renovations were underway and we stayed free. We had lunch, and left for Bozeman. The Museum of the Rockies is behind the large dome of the Field House, It is a nice new facility. We met Dave Swingle, the education director, who led us on a tour of the museum. We were instructed to enter a room quickly, because of the extreme security. We first saw the comparative anatomy area. Live lizards,snakes,crocodiles and turtles that are used in life-like models. Next was the preparation area. They have a separate laboratory where they micro-disect dinosaur bones to discover what kind of haversian systems the animals had, and to offer insight as to whether they were endothermic or exothermic. Saw the museums T.Rex that was found articulated, and 90% complete. The animal stood about nine or ten feet at the hips. The Miasaura Peeblesaurium is shown in great detail since Jack Horner is one the Paleontological Curator at the museum. We saw a great planetarium show produced at Montana State University, The Dinosaur Chronicles. Museum has many good collections, including Western Life, Art, Toys, Games, and Photography. It is a very fine museum. We washed clothes and got groceries in Bozeman, before returning to Headwaters S.P. for Supper. Supper was hot soup, and Saltines. Several people worked on journals before going to sleep. The low temperature was 50-55 degrees.
Thurs., July 18, 1991 -- Day 12
	We got up at 8:30, had breakfast, and left for Great Falls. We got groceries, gas and other necessities. We stopped along the interstate and had fried chicken for lunch. We also had potato salad, and bean salad. We crossed the border with very little difficulty. We stopped in Lethbridge at the Visitor Center to get information and directions. We stopped at a Mall in Lethbridge to change our currency. Dinosaur Provincial Park is located near Patricia, Alberta. We arrived about six in the evening and had supper of leftover chicken and sandwiches. We visited the Tyrell Field Museum, A small but very dramatic museum. It shows four Dromeosaurs attacking a duckbill dinosaur, much like lions attack Zebras in the wilds of Africa. Also had a good theater with a video projector as well as a film projector. We watched part of a film about Dinosaur Provincial Park during the age of dinosaurs. It was in a river delta, and the allusion was made to the Everglades of Florida. We returned to camp and headed for the swings. Leigh Anne, Jany, Doug, and I talked and discussed the trip and what we would be doing after the trip. The night was very comfortable, and I slept well.
Fri., July 19, 1991 -- Day 13
	We woke up early 8:00 a.m. and quickly ate and got ready for a tour of the park at 9:00. We rode out into a restricted area and parked the van. George Zarkads introduced himself and led us down a path. Dinosaur Provincial Park is a part of the Judith River Formation, and is 68-75 million years old. It was a deltaic area with riparian forests. The term fossilization is not used in Canada. Permineralization is the correct term for the process. The replacement of bone by minerals, Permineralization, occurs when a carcass is covered with mud, and protected from aerobic bacteria. Then over a period of several million years the calcium of the bone is leached out and replaced by silicates, which preserve the original structures found in the bone. George uses several other terms. Bioterbation, the squishing of mud up and down by dinosaurs or other animals that results in a displacement of layers from their correct position, such as dinosaurs squishing around in a muddy river bank. George pointed out an area where this might have occurred 68 to 75 MYA. He described the "badlands valley" as a coulee. A rill is a small rain erosion area on the side of a hill. An auro is a small highly eroding dry creek. We were shown to an area where several juvenile Carnithasaurs that died at the same time and were buried in the mud. Another dinosaur Ornithimandes, were small carnivorous dinosaurs that may be a possible forerunner to the birds. The Ostrich might give us clues to the behavior of these dinosaurs. The Canadian Geological Survey and Toronto University had their names on the benchmark with the dates 1920 and 1936. The next place of interest was the Centrosaurus bone bed. It is about four inches thick and covers several acres. Digging has been occurring for twelve years at the site. The Centrosaurs looks similar to triceratops, except has one horn in the center of its forehead. The latest figure on the number of animals found is sixty-six, arrived at by the number of occipital condile's found. There may be as many as 300 or more individuals. Paleontologists theorize that a heard of Centrosaurs were crossing the river and were caught by a flash flood 75 MYA, they were covered by the silt and preserved during the course of a day. Herds of 10,000,00 or more possibly migrated from Texas to Alberta. The herd behavior was for protection from the roaming packs of Tyranids. The next stop was an area of the same bone bed, but was on the side of a cliff. We were able to talk to the volunteers digging. One was from Winchester, Virginia, twenty miles from Front Royal, Doug's Bowen's hometown. They must volunteer for three weeks, but food and lodging are provided. Each volunteer must arrange his or her transportation to Calgary, though. We talked with the diggers for about fifteen minutes, and then we walked back to the van. Lunch was sandwiches and some chicken. We took down the tents and packed the van. We arrived at Drumheller at 2:30, and had an appointment at the museum at 3:00. We quickly set up camp, and arrived at the Tyrell Museum just in time for our tour. Kym Jensen, the educational director of the museum, met us and guided us back into the museum's work area. Our first stop was the warehouse where 20 or more man years of unprepared fossils wait. The warehouse was extremely neat. We walked down a corridor and arrived at the small prep lab. It was as clean as a hospital and had ten work areas with laminated tops. Everyone was out in the field. The field season lasts from late may through September, depending upon funding. The museum uses wax in the casting of fossils for its shock absorbing properties. We walked into the large prep lab, which is visible from the museum itself. We saw a cretaceous alligator found in Midlands Provincial Park, near the museum. The alligator is very hard to prepare because of the coal deposit that it was in. we also learned of the joint study on the Continental Evolution of the Dinosaurs is being conducted between Bill Curry, of the Tyrell Museum, and Don Cha Ming of China. The Collections room, which stores prepared fossils, was our next stop. Small fossils are in metal storage cases, while larger fossils are on metal shelves. Kym pointed out a Pachy-Rhinoceros from Pipestone Creek in Alberta. Also she showed us the Tyrell's Tyrannosaurus Rex, which was found at Crow's Nest Pass on the Alberta - British Columbia border. The per mineralized bones lay in a very hard limestone that has preserved them well, but is a major under taking to remove. Only a portion of the skull has been prepared, but this took four years to complete. The collection includes Ammonites, Fish from Kansas, and fossilized wood. We stopped for questions and began a discussion of the birds. Jacque Guthier and the California Academy of Science were discussed, as well as "Proto-Aves", an as yet un-named fossil that was discovered in Texas in the 1980's. The museum did not close until 9:00, so we stayed until 6:00 p.m. It is a state-of-the-art museum that opened in 1986, and the exhibits are very good, showing the evolution, biomechanics, fossils, realistic sculptures, and a terrarium of plants that existed when the dinosaurs lived. We decided to return the next morning and left for the campground. We had soup for supper, and I burned my tongue. Then everyone went swimming. We swam for about an hour and the pool closed, so we got out and took showers. The girls met and talked with Tenile, a fifteen year-old Canadian, who lived in Alberta. She looked older, 18 or 19. We learned the term "Loonie" referred to the one-dollar coin. I slept well after I was allowed to go to sleep, because of the goings on in the tent.
Sat., July 20, 1991 -- Day 14
	Woke up early to ground covered by heavy dew, and headed to the bathhouse to shave for the first time during the trip. When I returned everyone was up and breakfast was being served. I had strawberries and cream flavored oatmeal. We returned to the museum to see the remaining exhibits. It was very informative. I called home, and stopped by the gift shop. We left the museum and stopped in Drumheller for groceries, then headed west toward Calgary, which we by-passed to the north, and finally to Banff. We made a wrong turn and had a quick tour of downtown, before returning to the correct road and entering Banff National Park. We paid a usage fee, and headed west to a campground to pick up the keys to our campground. Castle Meadows was about fifteen miles west of Banff and was entered through a locked gate, for security. We arrived at our group campsite, and met the Campbell and his wife, who had a group of six children. They were staying the weekend, and invited us to eat their leftover tacos. We graciously thanked them and devoured the tacos. We put up three tents. I put up Dr. Yenke's brown tent, so I might get some rest. Dr. Yenke and Syble put up their tent, and then everyone else put up the apartment. Doug helped Campbell build a fire, and everyone sat around, talked, and worked on journals. We learned Campbell was a photographer who had recently photographed the Tyrell Museum. Learned that the children had been abused, and some were abusers themselves. Camping is a reward for their being good, and it was carefully planned and set up where the children were carefully monitored and controlled. The procedures were almost straightforward, and worked pretty well. Marshmallows were given out for being good, and were roasted over the fire. Campbell is from South Africa, and his wife is Australian. They lived to the west of Banff Park. It started raining, so we stayed under the shelter and discussed the Canadian political scene, and their medical practices. Also talked about other subjects to gain an insight to the country and the province. The rain continued all night, so I put down my Mylar blanket under my sleeping bag. , then I put my pillow and mattress down, then my sleeping bag and blanket. I was warm and comfortable, but some people's stuff got wet. I slept very good.
Sun., July 21, 1991 -- Day 15
	We got up early, and warmed the water; Campbell was already up and fixing bacon and eggs. I had two bowls of oatmeal, and drank several cups of coffee. Today we were going to Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump, near Ft. McLeod, to see the museum and the Pow Wow that was occurring. The Pigean Indians of the Blackfeet Nation were the hosts. Pigean is pronounced like Pagan. The dancers had exquisite outfits. Several groups did the calls and drumming for the different dances from several different areas. Some of the dances performed were the Hoop dance, the Sneak dance, Bell dance, and an Inter-tribal, a group dance. Each tribe has a different costume and each part of the costume is symbolic. One man had the British flag across the back of his costume. An Indian man stated this was because the Pigean had signed a treaty with the British. The museum was very interesting. It was built into the edge of the mountain. It told the story of the Buffalo Jump. The Indians would dress up as Buffalo, and Wolves. They would build a grass fence between the stone posts that were shaped like a funnel. The grass would look like a wall to the buffalo. The Indians dressed as Buffalo would lead the buffalo to the jump, while those dressed as wolves would herd them toward the jump. The first buffalo would run off the cliff and then the herd would follow. The Indians would get food, and skins. The last jump was only eighty some years ago. We stopped to get groceries in a small town. Mrs. Lee's Bakery was located in the town. It had good cinnamon rolls and apple pastries. The cookies were good also. Several people called home. We returned to the campground via the south side of Calgary. We cooked a quick supper and went to sleep. It was a cool night.
Monday, July 22, 1991 -- Day 16
	Last night was very cold -2 degrees Celsius or 28 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the rangers. I woke up at 8:00 a.m. and heated the water. I ate a quick breakfast and went back to sleep. I was woken up at 10:30; we were going into Banff for a day of shipping. We went swimming at the Cave and Basin, a hot spring filled swimming pool, which was the First part of Canada's national park system in 1885. Hot springs were thought to be therapeutic, and also were slightly radioactive. The Basin was closed in 1971 because it could not be properly chlorinated. We swam for an hour and took a quick shower. We strolled the streets of Banff for several hours looking and making small purchased in several different stores. I bought several postcards. I found Doug, then we found Leigh Anne, then Jany, and Telani. It was time for dinner, so we looked for a restaurant. We chose to eat at The Yard, on the third floor, with an excellent view of the Canadian Rockies. The five of us had a great meal and good conversation. I had sea chowder for an appetizer, and fried halibut with beer fries for supper. We finished supper and returned to the van. Washing was very expensive, so we decided to spend another hour walking around town. Dr. Yenke and Syble invited me to join them at a coffee shop. I had a very delicious mug of hot chocolate. Nine o'clock came quickly, and we returned to the campground. Lisa decided to put up Leigh Anne's tent. I was very tired and went to sleep.
Tues, July 23, 1991 -- Day 17
	We woke up, ate breakfast, and quickly packed lunch. Today our destination was the small town of Field, British Columbia, in Yoho National Park. The Burgess Shale is located in the surrounding mountains. Walcott's Quarry is a day’s hike up the mountain from Field. We arrived in Field and met our guide, Rosemary Tower in the middle of town. She then led us through town and by her house. Then we headed in to the mountains to behind her house, (southerly ridge). There we found a trail and began a hard hike up the ridge. Over 2.5 miles we climbed 2500 feet elevation, which took about three and one-quarter hours. We sat down on the rocks and had lunch. We had a short question and answer session, in which rosemary showed us some trilobites, which she had hidden away. She had a prime specimen of Ollinoides, which was spiny, and Ogygopsis, which was smooth and rounded. She also had a type of Sponges, Crustaceans, and several other animals that were preserved in the shale. She even had a claw-like appendage from an Anamolacaris, another strange creature of the Shale. All these animals were 530 Million Years old. I picked up three small partial Trilobites and put them in my pack. It was a long hike back down, and very tiring. We saw mushrooms, and a small native orchid that was blooming. We returned to town, and stopped at the visitor center. We watched a film about the Burgess Shale that Rosemary's husband Eric, had produced. Rosemary's son was named Burgess. We left Field, and headed north to the Columbia Glacier, about 40 miles to the north. The mountains along the road were very scenic, with waterfalls, glacial rivers, and small ice fields. When we arrived at the glacier, the wind had picked up to about 25 Mph, and the temperature with wind chill was about 30 degrees. We followed the parallel scratch marks created by the glacier, and up several moraines, to the edge of the ice. Several of us ventured onto the ice. There were several crevasses, some 20 feet deep. We had a snowball fight, and headed back down to the van. The terminal moraine for this glacier was built in 1880, and ever since then it has been receding. It also has several lateral moraines, some with large glacial creeks, in the low areas. We stopped at the Petrol station. The station attendant was very nice, and pretty girl. The Japanese probably owned the Resort Inn next door. We used the bathrooms. On the way back to camp we stopped in Lake Louise, a small resort town, we got gas and pastries. I got some good chocolate ice cream. We returned to camp and cooked supper. I ate quickly and went to bed. I slept well. It was a warm night; 48 degrees Fahrenheit was the low.
Wed., July 24, 1991 -- Day 18
	I woke up at 8:30 and started the stove. I had several cups of coffee and some oatmeal. I took the quiet time to re-pack, and write in my journal. I re-organized my clothes, and aired out my sleeping bag. I got warm, curled up, and went to sleep. I was awoken at 12:00; I quickly ate two sandwiches, and got my dirty clothes. We were off to Lake Louise for the afternoon. The village of Lake Louise, is really just a shopping center, with everything located there, a bank, grocery store, photography shop, and a laundry, as well as other stores. Everyone washed clothes. I took a shower in very warm water. I forgot my towel, but used my cotton sweatpants dried me sufficiently. I shopped for some postcards and quickly browsed through all the shops. I had time to work on my journal and call home. Called my grandparents. It was a hundred and one degrees in South Carolina. Six o'clock came and the Yenke's who had gone shopping in Canmore picked us up. We returned to camp and started fixing supper. We were going to have chicken for supper. Syble par-boiled it, and then we put it on a charcoal grill. Benson, Jany and I set up the grills. We divided the charcoal, and put lighter fluid on the coals. Jany waited for a minute, and lit the fire. Flames leaped five feet up and Jany leapt up and back several feet. Whoosh!! Now that was a fire. Jany was much more careful when lighting the second fire. It flamed up also, but she had dropped the match and moved away. What had started off in a big way quickly became an insufficient fire. We stoked it up, and it slowly got ready. We put the chicken and sausage on the flames, Dr. Yenke fixed up some sauce using the EXTRA hot bar-b-que sauce and spaghetti sauce. Everything turned out wonderfully. Syble had even cooked some cabbage and potatoes. It was a delicious supper. I worked on my journal, and caught up around the large fire Doug had built. I slept well, it was a very comfortable night.
Thurs., July 25, 1991 -- Day 19
	I woke up at 7:00, and heated the water. I drank several cups of coffee, without cream or sugar. It was not too bad. I helped cut the Swiss cheese and mushrooms for an omelet. While everything was cooking, I took down my tent, and packed up for the trip to Glacier National Park, in Montana. The omelet was very good. We finally finished packing and left at 11:00 a.m. We headed toward the border to Ft. McLeod, and the border on Route 2. We again had no trouble crossing the border back into the U.S. We stopped in St. Mary's Montana to shop and get groceries. We quickly stopped at the Visitor Center for Glacier N.P. and then went to our campground at Many Glacier, a small village with a campground and cabins, and a hotel and trading post. Many Glaciers is located in an east-west valley near the continental divide, and had no misquotes, but there were biting flies that made up for them. We set up camp and ate soup and sandwiches for supper. We drank Coca-Cola. Then we put everything back in the van. Bear Warnings were posted and a few weeks before a bear had been sighted in the village. I did not sleep to well, the caffeine in the Coke kept me awake. I walked out of the tent, and was awestruck by the full moon over the mountains. It looked like an alien landscape.
Friday July 26, 1991 -- Day 20
	I woke up at 10:00 and prepared the hot water. I ate breakfast and drank my coffee black. Today is our day off. We have absolutely nothing that we have to do. I worked on my journal until 12:00, and then fixed me to sandwiches for lunch. Josh left camp and headed of hiking by himself. Jany, Benson, Doug, Lisa, and Leigh Anne headed off toward Ptaramain Tunnel, 6.1 miles away. Dr. Yenke, and Syble hiked about 2 miles to a lake, while Telani and I stayed around camp and worked on our journals and listened to the radio. The clouds have been driven quickly across the mountains. The wind has never dropped below 5 Mph the whole day. I also found time for a three-hour slumber. I woke up and read some more of "Digging Dinosaurs". Everyone started returning, so I got the stove out and started boiling water, for our spaghetti. Everyone enjoyed the supper and several people enjoyed taking a shower. I read more of Jack Horner's book "Digging Dinosaurs", because we would be at Egg Mountain, near Choteau tomorrow. Everyone went to sleep at 9:00, but some unthoughtfull people kept me up until 3:15. I not wanting to waste any time, took the opportunity to write down some ideas for a program that I had been thinking about. It was relatively quiet and I could think pretty good and accomplished much. My writing did not need to be neat, and I have written in the dark many times before, when I would come up with a good idea, so it was very readable print. I finally checked my watch. It was 3:15 a.m., and wake-up was at 6:00 a.m. I had to leave the tent and again was stunned by the beauty of the full moon.
Sat., July 27, 1991 -- Day 21
	We got up at 6:00, fixed breakfast, and packed the van. We headed to Browning, Montana. Jany needed to pick up some money at the Western Union, in a grocery store. I bought some film, and went into the little cafe next door. It was a very interesting place. One sign read, "Smoking permitted in all areas". Another read, "We reserve the right to serve anyone." Dr. Yenke and Syble enjoyed their cup of coffee, among cowboys and Indians. We stopped at a small tourist trap, open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. six days a week. Syble and Jany enjoyed shopping. As we drew near Choteau, we passed a church that had once been a rock and fossil shop. We later learned that this had once been run by the Bravolds, and was where Jack Horner had found his coffee can full of dinosaur bones. We stopped in Choteau for groceries. The van stood out in a parking lot full of four wheel drive trucks and old cars. People gave us their warmest regards when the found we were going to Egg Mountain. I bought some super-glue to repair my sunglasses. The road to the Museum of the Rockies Field Paleontology School is locates on the southern outskirts of town toward Augusta. Egg Mountain is located twelve miles down this road, which is maintained by the defense department. There are two missile silos along it. A small sign directs us to the camp, which is visible, because of the many white tee-pees. We arrived at 11:30 and were met by Biata Golda, the camp manager. She showed us where to put our food, and told us we could use the tee-pees. We unpacked the food, and sorted it into the correct boxes, then stored it in the kitchen. Everyone chose their tee-pees, and set up camp. We had sandwiches for lunch, and were introduced to Suzannah Kitchens, a staff member from Greenwood, who is a rising junior at Smith College in Massachusetts. We talked and rested until 2:00 when there was a tour of Egg Mountain. There was a large crowd for the presentation. The Egg Mountain contained the remains of 500 dinosaur eggs, and is 80 million years old. It was discovered when some oil geologist asked Jack Horner to check a charge line. He found some fragments under the dynamite, and marked the spot. The charge line was moved and Egg Mountain was discovered. Several species of dinosaurs are found in the Willow Creek Anticline. Veranid lizards are found; they liked eggs. Oreodromeous is a predatory beast that would attack in groups in hope of getting a helpless baby. Truadon, a non-parental, carnivorous type of dinosaur, that laid most of the eggs found. Albertosaurus is a large tyranid, capable of killing an adult dinosaur. Maiasaurs, which are a duck-billed type and exhibited parental care, roamed the range in large herds. Pterosaurs, a flying reptile, have also been found at the site, which is now owned by the Nature Conservancy. It is its first extinct species preserve. The theories of how the eggs were covered and preserved, as well as how a herd of ten thousand Maiasaurs perished and were preserved is told in Jack Horner’s "Digging Dinosaurs". The explanation is a very interesting one and deserves his expert treatment of the subject. We returned to camp and met Tim Young and Joel ????. We also met Carol Cunningham, editor of Montana Magazine, and a free-lance writer. We waited until four o'clock, then we went surface collecting on the anticline. I found a femur from a small mammal, but recent. We saw lots of eggshell. Doug found several items that were kept because of their possible value. Jack Horner, had said that you can be no more than eighteen inches above the ground if you hope to find anything. He was very correct. The fossils in the Egg Mountain area are very difficult to find, but sometimes they are obvious. We visited the 1978 and 1979 nest sites, Egg Gulch, Nest in the wall, and the Brandvold site, before walking to the top of the ridge to get a perspective of the anticline. We returned to camp and fixed hamburgers and French fries for supper. Carol joined us, and got our names. She is working on an article for "Delta Magazine". Tim Young is working on, or has his doctorate, from the University of Georgia, and teaches biology at Mercer University. He was at Georgia with Dr. Doug Facey. We watched the moonrise, and went down the hill to watch a slide show. This slide show lasted about an hour. We went to sleep at ten thirty. I slept very well, even though I had to sleep on big round rocks.
Sun., July 28, 1991 -- Day 22
	I got up around 8:00, and had breakfast. Then I quickly packed up. I returned to the kitchen area and talked with Tim and Joel. Tim is a very interesting person, and a very good professor. He seems to be very interesting. Joel is a quiet guy who is spending the whole summer at Egg Mountain. Everyone finally woke up and we packed up the van. I took advantage of my free time to examine the Camposaur bone bed, on the edge of the kitchen complex. On our way out of the camp, we stopped at what once was called the Children's Dig. It is now called "That's Nice", and pronounced (That'z N-ice) using a drawn out southern accent. The name changed when the people digging there started bringing up some good bones and someone exclaimed "That's Nice." Gary Collins, who wore Penn State Hockey T-shirts and was a science teacher in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was digging at the site. Also Carol Ford, an older lady, who is Director of Preparations, at a museum in Detroit, Michigan. I was up but was packing when they headed up the hill, but Doug had been around the Kitchen and followed them up the hill. He had moved about six inches of dirt from above the bones, and was now finding several large bones. A mustard bottle was nearby that contained Butvar. Carol graciously gave us the recipe -- Poly-Vinyl Crystals that are dissolved in Acetone. We were offered fragments of dinosaur bone, so I picked up two pieces of Maiasaura fossils. We left for Afton, Wyoming around 10:00. Augusta, Montana was our first stop. we got gas and some groceries from a general store. Jany almost got left, because she wandered off shopping. We stopped just south of Butte, Montana for lunch. Butte is a large strip mine, and lots of people. We entered a new state today, Idaho. We stopped in Idaho Falls for supper and groceries. I bought a wall Street Journal, and called home. We got four large pizzas, and a 12-pack of coke. The road from Idaho Falls to Afton, Wyoming was mountainous, so driving was slow. We decided to stop at Palisade Lake Campground in Palisade National Recreation Area. It was twenty miles from Afton. We set up the tents, and built a big fire. Several people roasted marshmallows. I worked on my journal and listened to the voice of the Navajo nation on the AM band. I took a long time to go to sleep, so I worked on my computer program for a while. I slept pretty well on the rough ground.
Monday, July 29,1991 -- Day 23
	I woke up with a backache, and then heated the water. I had oatmeal and coffee for breakfast, and then I found the pastries. I had one that was just delicious. We packed and headed to Rick Hebdon's home, a beautiful two-story log cabin, with a basement that houses their fossil shop and studio. The Hebdon's have a very nice and neat operation. They also have a very fine private collection. We saw soft-shelled turtles, and a crocodile, a duck-billed Flamingo, and most of their private collection. We traveled to Fossil Butte National Monument. It is part of the Green River formation, a 40 to 60 million-year-old area from the Eocene. We saw a video. Dr. Lance Grande, and Dr. Paul Burkheim, a sedimentologist from Loma Linda University were shown. Dr. Yenke had contacted Dr. Burkheim, and he said he would sow us the fossil beds if he was in the area. He had returned to California, though when we arrived. Trinichids are soft-shelled freshwater turtles. Another interesting fact is that Fossil Paddlefish are found at fossil butte, and modern ones are found in the Mississippi River and the Nile river. We met Kevin who was working at the desk. He was from Greenville, S.C. and lived in Kentucky, but he was working at Fossil Butte for the summer. We spent about thirty minutes in the Visitor Center, and then went to a picnic area at Fossil Butte for lunch. Kemmerer, Wyoming is a short distance away, and Telani needed some money from the Western Union, so we stopped for to get boxes for the fossils, and to mail letters, and to get gas. There was not a Western Union, though. Leigh small Visitor Center/Museum about the town. The Warfield Quarry is located seven miles out of Kemmerer on the highway to Evanston. Amoco operates a mine and a refinery, in the area. The dirt road is on the right and zigzags eight miles into the hills. Then there is a small encampment that is the Warfield Quarry. It has the only flowing spring for 50 miles. John Conway, a gemologist and fossil collector, who was the supervisor of the quarry. He gave us some tools and led us up the hill. We started removing the overburden, and started finding fish, but all of these we were destroying, because we were not proficient in the use of a chisel. As time progressed, Kevin stopped by and gave us lots of useful hints. We should be splitting the shale that is under our feet. Doug and Dr. Yenke were able to find several good specimens. Kevin invited us down to his car and showed us some of the fossils that he had collected. He gave Leigh Ann and me a rock, which contained fish. I continued quarrying and found a few broken fish, but kept them anyway. A partial would mean just as much as a whole fish. We fixed seafood and noodles for supper and packed some of our fossils. Then we cooked up beans and sausage for the next days supper. Doug and I visited an older man, who was prospecting with his son. We learned several small tips from him. He was drunk, but made pretty good sense. He was a retired navy veteran. I went to sleep at 11:30.
Tues. July 30,1991 -- Day 24
	I woke up at 6:30 and had a quick breakfast. I got my tools and was in the quarry by 7:00 a.m. I have gotten better at splitting the rocks and picked up a new chisel. I found several partials, and was happy. Syble found a nice large specimen. It was six inches wide and about ten inches long. Patience is the KEY, along with a light touch. We quit at 11:30 a.m. and returned to camp to pack up and eat lunch. We made the decision to carry our fossils home in the van. Syble had 3 boxes, and the rest of us only had either a box or less. We took showers to try to get all the dust off. It was a fine chalky powder. The spring fed a stream, which had a Ram, which used the water pressure to pump the water up the hill 50 feet or so to a 500 gallon storage tank. After a fall of 100 feet, pipe led to the Office, and to the restrooms. A propane water-heater warmed the water, and also provided energy for a gas stove and heater in the office. The pressure was less than a normal shower, but the setup worked fine. A tobacco tin was the kitty for showers, which cost a dollar. It was good to be clean. We returned to Kemmerer and headed to Rock Springs, Wyoming. We stopped and got gas. Jany and Telani received money through Western Union. We went shopping there at a very large shopping center. I went to a bank, but they would not convert my Canadian currency to American dollars. We turned south and passed through the Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area, before reaching the outskirts of Vernal, Utah. We stopped at the Dino Trail campground. Dr. Yenke got a good deal. It would have cost us $40, but he got a spot for $20. We had beans, and corn-on-the-cob, as well as a salad. It was a very good supper. Several people did laundry, but I cleaned up the campsite, and locked up the van. I worked on my journal and went to sleep. I slept well, until everyone returned to the van and woke me up. I went to sleep again and slept pretty well. The low was about 55 degrees.
Wed., July 31,1991 -- Day 25
	I woke up at 7:00. I had oatmeal, real milk, and blueberry muffins for breakfast. We finished packing and left by 8:30 a.m. We stopped to get gas in Vernal, and learned of a museum across the street. The Dinosaur Field House Museum was a very nice museum for its size. It had lots of good exhibits. Folk Heritage, Minerals, Dinosaurs, and Vertebrate Zoology were some of the collections they housed. All of these collections were excellent. Some of the exhibits were worded wrong though. The evolution of Equs was shown as being a serial progression instead of the parallel evolution that now appears to have occurred. They had a machine that completely defaced pennies, and minted out a dinosaur coin. It cost a dollar to get a souvenir. It was so simply constructed. It was just a small microcomputer, and lots of relays and servomotors, and a 190,000 lb. press. The gift shop was nice. It had some nice trinkets. Doug got a sculpture of Maiasaura. A dinosaur sculpture garden was outside. We enjoyed our visit, and left to go to the Vernal Visitor Center. I picked up several pamphlets on Dinosaur National Monument and returned to the van. We made one last stop in Vernal, to have the Oil changed. It took 15 minutes for an oil change and lube job. The proprietors were very folksy people. We reached Dinosaur National Monument at 11:00, and got a fee waiver. Then we traveled to the petroglyphs. The drawings on the rock are very detailed and stylistic. We took several pictures, including a group picture. We ate sandwiches for lunch a campground, and then traveled back to the Visitor Center. We had a fifteen-minute wait for the tram, so I called home. The Quarry, is located on the top f a ridge, and is tilted almost 75 degrees toward vertical. The bone bed is about forty-five million years old. Some of the fossils that appeared on the rock face are an Apatosaurus, a Saurapod, a Stegasaurus, and a Camarasaurus. Also a fossilized tree-trunk appears. This area was once a sandbar on a stream, and the bones would get trapped and be buried by the river. One reconstruction that stood out as a Camarasaurus Lentus, that was found in 1925 by Charles Gilmore of the Smithsonian Institution. It was articulated and 90% complete. The original is at the Carnegie Museum in Pennsylvania. The museum had a good gift shop and had glow-in-the-dark dinosaur posters. Several people purchased the posters. We returned to the van, and someone bumped a custom van as they got in. The custom van's alarm went off and we just laughed and left. Our destination was Douglass Pass, Colorado. We traveled East for about 50 miles, and Stopped in Rangeley Colorado for groceries. Douglass Pass is at 8000+ feet elevation and is located on Colorado highway 139. We reached the pass about five o'clock p.m. and immediately found some fossils at the edge of the road cut. A highway maintenance shed is where we parked and prospected. Doug climbed up the cliff and found a fossil layer. Everyone immediately climbed up and began removing rubble and searching for fossils. We dug for about an hour, and then headed down the mountain to find a campsite. We stopped at a hunting cabin that was empty. The cabin was posted, but the yard was not. We set up camp, while Dr. Yenke returned to the pass, to pick up Doug and Leigh Anne who had been splitting rocks. We had Hamburger-helper Lasagna and salad for supper, as well as beans. We went to sleep about 9:30 and were to be up at 6:00. The low was about 50 degrees, but the ground was hard. I woke up with a backache.
Thursday, August 1, 1991 -- Day 26
	I woke up and had a cup of coffee, then packed up. We decided not to prospect any more because of the quantity of fossils and last night’s sporadic showers. We left for Grand Junction and a real breakfast. I had steak and eggs, with toast. The coffee and food was delicious. Today we were going to the Florissant Fossil Beds in Florissant, Colorado. We drove east, and turned south toward Florissant, but the road had been damaged and construction was occurring, so we returned to the interstate and headed east towards Denver. We passed all of the prime ski areas, and through the suburbs of Denver, before stopping in Limon, Colorado for pizza. We had four pizzas and breadsticks. The Yenke's left early, to go get groceries. Jany went shopping, and some calls home were made. I sat and finished eating. The waitress was very nice and said we could stay at our table, while we waited. The Yenke's returned and had a story to tell. While Syble was shopping, Dr. Yenke had asked a gentleman where the nearest state park was located. The man replied that there was not one anywhere close, and said," I have a ranch about thirteen miles north of town, you cam camp there if you like." We left the Pizza Hut following Harry and Shirley Thompson, north thirteen miles on Highway 71 to their 2000-acre ranch. We quickly set up camp and then visited with the Thompsons for twenty minutes. Everyone thanked them for their kindness. We went to sleep about 9:30, because we were getting up at 6:00. Doug and Leigh Anne wrestled for a while. I finally went to sleep at 10:30 and slept good.
Friday, August 2, 1991 -- Day 27
	I woke up at 6:15 and had breakfast. We took some group pictures, and said good-bye to the Thompsons. We left by 8:30 and headed toward Kansas City, Missouri. We stopped in Oakley, Kansas for lunch. Then we loaded back up for the long drive east. We arrived in Kansas City about 6:00 and the temperature was 102 degrees. We went into the edge of town looking for a restaurant, and a camping store. We stopped at K-Mart and got some Coleman fuel. We did not find a restaurant, so we headed east. We stopped in Odessa Missouri, at the Countryside Restaurant. I had a sixteen-ounce Kansas City Strip for supper, and everyone had a good meal. A campground was only another 1/4 of a mile away. We set up camp. Several people took showers. I shaved for the first time since Drumheller. I called John Anthony. He was going back to South Carolina the next day. I wanted to call Howard Johnson, but could not remember his hometown. It was only thirty miles away, in Windsor, Missouri. Leigh Anne chased me off the telephone. I went to sleep at about 11:00 and slept good.
Saturday, August 3, 1991 -- Day 28
	I woke up late. Dr. Yenke had to wake me up. I packed quickly and ate breakfast. We wanted to get to Nashville, Tennessee by night. We stopped for lunch at the Gateway rest area and welcome center. We made it to Cedars of Lebanon State Park and set up camp about 6:00. We washed the van, inside and out. It took about an hour and a half. Everyone, except Syble and I, left to go Swimming. Syble took a shower, and then everyone returned, because the pool was closed. I took a shower and shaved, and got ready to go to supper. We went into Lebanon, and ate at Bonanza. I had a small rib eye, and a chocolate mousse. I had a good supper and enjoyed the evening very much. I did not sleep well. I had indigestion from eating too much food, and it was a warm evening.
Sunday, August 4, 1991 -- Day 29
	We got up at 6:00 a.m. The Yenke's stormed the tent with flashing cameras. I had gotten up and was ready. I had on my jungle hat and was packing. I quickly had pastries and coffee for breakfast. We packed up and quickly left. We stopped in Nashville at a Shoney's for breakfast. Everyone ordered the Breakfast Bar and stuffed himself or herself. I enjoyed several cups of coffee and a glass of orange juice. We made a short stop in Travelers Rest for gas. We arrived in Due West at 3:15. Everyone jumped out of the van. Photo opportunities abounded. We had a bunch of pictures taken. We had a quick exposition of fossils. We unloaded the van and turned the seat around. Then we said our good-byes. Finally at 5:30 p.m., I was on my way back home.