Monday, June 21, 2010

Monday, June 21: The home stretch.

Today we began the last leg our field school adventure. We have lost the use of the vans, and are now traveling via convoy to the site, packed into any vehicle capable of handling our numbers and the gravel road into the forest, champion of which is Eileen's Dodge Durango, proud carrier of eight, seen here with a view from the front seat.






Work continued in the units, with the majority of the day being spent on mapping and bringing other units down to level.  We bisected the hearth in the center of the structure in Block 1, and removed approximately 10 bags of soil for flotation in Norman.  Mike bravely took on the task of pulling them up the mountain in the cart, which he promptly regretted.  In Block 2, Patrick Livingood and crew finished excavating the domestic feature and took the remainder of the unit down a few levels, to the transition to sterile clay.  In Block 3, one of the units seems to have hit sterile at 110 cmbd, although Amanda is forcing them to excavate another level into the clay to be certain.  In the other Block 3 unit, Bryce recovered what may be the medial section of another Dalton point just east of the fire-cracked rock feature.

Trey measuring the depth of a unit

Kevin creating a map from coordinates taken by a partner in the unit.

Though we did not set any records or have any ground breaking revelations today, it was a record setter as the hottest day we have had yet on site. After returning to camp we were informed that the weather forecast advised against any outdoor activity today. Our only options regarding this suggestion are to huddle within the air conditioned bathrooms, or weather the heat in the same manner we weathered last week's storms, with a quiet dignity and stoic demeanor for which we have become known.


Mike demonstrates.


We take comfort and solace from the heat in the homemade ice cream left over from Sunday night, provided by Ms. Ellie of J-D Trail Riding Camp, along with strawberries and wild black berries, "fresh from the mountain," in her own words. Thanks again, Ms. Ellie.

Signing out, Justin Anderson, Mike Carlock, Eileen Schaumleffle, and Bridgett Kiefer.

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