Thursday, June 10, 2010

And to think....I'm leaving all this behind!?

Can you see it?  Can you see it?  That very fine, steady downpour of rain, rain, rain.  I wish I could capture it with the camera.  It is what I've always called a "Seattle Soaker".  It fascinates me how the sky can just open up and pour for hours at a slow, steady rate. This is happening (unfortunately) as we pack up the RV for our trip to Utah. No doubt everything will be damp until we hit the dry, heat of the desert!

It might be the last time I see such lush greenery and cool temperatures for a while.   I'm looking forward to the start of a summer adventure! 

Monday, June 7, 2010

Almost On The Way

This summer, I plan to do something a little bit different. I've taken an internship through GeoCorps and will be working under the direction of the Bureau of Land Management near the tip of the San Rafael Swell.

The San Rafael Swell is one of the emptiest regions in Utah.  The "Swell" is actually a gigantic oval-shaped fold in Earth's rocks.  This type of fold is called a plunging anticline.  You can see the nose of the fold in the page banner/title photo!  This wide plateau is surrounded by an upturned ring of interesting rock layers.  The plateau is a desert with little vegetation, but has been dissected by streams.  Many scenic mesas, buttes, canyons, and slot canyons abound! 

Here is a view of the Cleveland Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry Visitor's Center where I will be spending about 1/2 my time.  Yesterday it was already in the 90's!   We haven't even had a 70 degree day here in Seattle!

I'm looking forward to what this summer will bring!  We (my spouse and I) leave for our 12 week adventure in 4 days.