Monday, May 21, 2007 near Morrison, CO - After about five plus hours on the highway (with a lunch stop in Limon, CO) we finally arrived at our first geological stops on the west side of Denver. Our first stop was the spectacular I-70 roadcut south of Morrison, CO.
The cut is well known for its exposure of the Jurassic Morrison Formation and the Cretaceous Dakota Formation (which holds up the Hogback that this cut pierces). There are beautfully preserved sedimentary structures here, both Mesozoic and Quaternary (below).
Crossbedding in the Dakota sandstones (left) and mudcracks and trace fossils in the Qal (right).
But it’s not all fun and admiration… students get to break out their fieldbooks and Bruntons and start measuring. And yes, this is being graded.
Now what’s the trend and plunge on those slickensides, Carol?
[Note: Due to the demands of field work and sporadic internet access I'm beginning to chronicle camp with about a two week delay. I'll try to keep the posts in chronological order, but the events portrayed are not "live".]
Monday, May 21, 2007 Hays, KS - So here’s the official “Before” photo. Back lot of Tomanek Hall, all packed up and ready to roll. Note the clean van. The smiling faces belie the fact that none of us really got enough sleep last night.
Next stop: I-70 roadcut near Morrison, CO.
Field Camp 2007 is off and running. No time to post more at the moment. Check back in a couple of days and hopefully we’ll get some photos and a more complete update up here.
Ron
There are a pair of articles by Alexei Barrionuevo in today’s New York Times that touch on issues very close to home here in western Kansas.
The first, Crop Rotation in the Grain Belt details the decline of wheat in the Plains states at the expense of corn and soybeans. A combination of government subsidies and genetic modifications have made corn and soy more profitable per acre than wheat over the past few decades. As a result America, which used to boast of being the world’s breadbasket, has seen its share of wheat exports shrink significantly over the same time frame.
The second article, For Kansas Farmers, Water Is a Vanishing Commodity recognizes the cost of the move to corn. Corn and soybeans require almost twice as much water as wheat to cultivate. Much of that water in western Kansas is pumped from the Ogallala aquifer. Because of rising energy costs (required for pumping groundwater) and declining groundwater supplies (where discharge exceeds recharge) this tradeoff is unsustainable in most parts of western Kansas.
Here is a very real issue that affects all of us here in western Kansas, either directly or indirectly. Geology (groundwater resources) plays and important role in any course of action we choose to take. What alternatives do we have? What choices should we make?
6-7-6
As it stands now, I have the Coal-Ridge project completed. Considering I was up late last night to finish. Yesterday I took a spill down the side of a hill and now have a 2 inch laceration along my right arm. I was so clumsy yesterday. It was a day to avoid cliffs. It was weird. When I slipped, my left side was facing the hillside. When my feet slipped, I tried to catch myself like I was sliding, my left-side on the hill. When that didn’t work, I twisted my hips and managed to stop myself from sliding continuously down the hill. But right now I must work on our next mapping project and plot the strike and dip of several beds around folds. Stereonet is cunfuzzling (misspelling intended).
Later!
~DR
Oh, have we got photos!
Yes photos!
Photos of rocks!
Photos of geology campers!
Big hike today. Should be lots more photos tomorrow.
Ron
6-5-6
Well, 2 out of 3 Durango projects are, shall we say out of the way. I passed the coal Bridge assignment, and finish the Coal Ridge one tonight. Our next project will take 2.5 days to do, not counting touching it up, turning it in and then spending the night in Durango. The next project is a mapping one dealing with sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic rocks in a decent sized area. Then we go to a new reservoir being built along the river here in Durango. But that’s on Friday.
Later!
~DR
6-4-6
To day started our trek through the Durango projects. This time started as usual with Josh, Jason and Mark going off and Jake and Lydia or the other side. This trim however, I was on my own. I had lost Grandpa’s rebar rock hammer but luckily it was returned. Perhaps whir I get my PhD, I’ll have it framed, since it is one it the few things I have to know him by. I believe I have an ides of what is going on within our project area. Bat then again, I’m wrong as always.
Later!
~DR
6-3-6
We are currently in Durango, CO. Tomorrow we start our hardest part of this trip by doing 3 separate projects around this area. The two that scare me most are the Ones that are due at the end of the field day. This is why I’m worried. One is due at end of the day, the other is due after 1 hour of work and measurements. Right now the net is being picky so I don’t know how much I’ll actually be able to post. I’ll be lucky to get a decent signal. Here is hoping that it starts to work. . .
Later!
~DR
6-1-6
The sky around Arches is amazing! We traveled from Price to Arches Nat’l Park today in 90° Weather. Several stops today: Dead horse Point for lunch, Arches for camp, and as many sights that we could squeeze into a day. Once we hit Cortez, CO, this should update with some pictures of our travels. I may Line to add them to my Facebook account however. The stars are beautiful, better than at Dinosaur. Several of us are sleeping out Side without a tout, but we’ll see how that lasts. It is nice out here. Were rousting Marshmallows now so I’ll sign off for now.
Later!
~DR
Later!