Notes from the Field

MY TENT

First day of work at Petrified Forest National Park (PEFO): Eight mile hike in the badlands. Fence post pounding. Barbed wire tightening. Back at camp, my tent clung to the ground by one staked corner. (The rest of the tent blew upside down in the wind, contents toppled, door hanging open).

I sleep in a Greatland Outdoors tent. Something my dad bought years ago, I think from Target. After six months of intense use, the poles are still functional and the material remains more or less waterproof. 

All is well except for the entrance zipper. It started sticking near the bottom, and since then I have had some fun times trying to escape from inside the tent. Annoying, I'll admit, but the zipper was functional. Until this week. High winds ripped at my tent, and the entire zipper split.  It wasn't terribly cold, and there weren't coyotes or skunks to wander in, but I did end up living with a layer of fine red sand...

BADLAND SAND HILLS

Sand is really the best word to describe the week. Everything covered in sand. Eyes full of sand. Winds at least 40 mph throwing sand. Hiking up and skiing down badland hills of sand. Sweeping accumulated sand from the PEFO maintenance yard and park road. Six days later, I'm still cleaning sand from my ears and sweeping sand from my floor.

Highlights from the fencing project at PEFO: driving on and off bumpy roads, avoiding bovine park intruders, Knife City (actually not that exciting), snow (rough week for weather...), and holding a winter-lulled collared lizard. 

COLLARED LIZARD

NEAT MUSHROOM ROCKS