Before the memory fades

Here are a few shots from our Snow Canyon field trip, March 27-29. Even though I'm pretty sure every one of us suffered a few qualms about camping while there are so many books to be read and papers to be written, there seemed to be no apparent difficulties with falling into laid back camp life.

After a short debate about where best to place tents, we took off for self-paced explorations before dinner time.

Personally, I found it most excellent to have Navajo domes underfoot again. It had been way too long. This is Rachel and Ryan as we attempted to track Drew, Katy, Jack, and Lilly, who had disappeared from sight, engendering an extremely literary discussion of Western outlaw lore regarding successful evasion of capture.

Some creatures are easier to track, even though they have not lived here for quite some time. These are the tracks of large aquatic dinosaurs, captured in mud millennia ago and preserved in sandstone until eroded free by wind and water, according to the informational sign posted by the Bureau of Land Management.

Other BLM signage was not so informative.

My favorite riddle of the trip. Why does a privy need solar power?

Answer found inside.

Other highlights not pictured:

The "one match, no paper" campfire starting contest handily won by Jack, with Diane claiming an honorable mention for not requiring a pocketknife to make shavings for tinder.

And my personal favorite--the campfire cultural initiation of Ryan into the wonders of S'mores!