Trip Log: Saturday, July 27, 2002

Alaskan weather still leaves us guessing and hoping. Though we were all hoping for something a bit warmer, We began the day with 31 degree F temperatures. After a few hours in the quarries, we were victims of a drive-by snowing as it lightly fell on our hands and backsides. It didn’t last for long, due to the brief showing of the sun and blue skies. Later in the afternoon we felt the bite of the wind off the ice to the north.

Quarry 3, a.k.a. Chips and Dips or Meticulous Maids (Pat, Pam and Holly) are still working hard at excavating the upper layers of their bone bed. They found a beautiful, large chevron, a huge Albertosaurus tooth (slightly used), as well as a tibia.

Quarry 1 a.k.a. Big Bone Women (Phelana, Peg and Rena), found an articulated scapula, femur, tibia and so much more that they stayed true to their self-imposed name of Fossil Ferrets.

Quarry 4 a.k.a. Rubble Rousers (Judy, Steve) they found humor in a humerus, illumination in an illium, and the ultimate ulna.

Quarry 2 a.k.a. Paleo Rockers (Phil, Janet, and Chris) they are still finding tibias all over the place. They hit rock bottom today: actually the bottom is clay, so they jacketed a tibia they found yesterday. When asked about the event they said, “Anything for a good time!” They have also decided that they have a bone mass that needed to be put on a pedestal, jacketed, and then taken back to the lab for future extraction.

Some quarries have reached the bottom of the bed in which bones are found. Under this is a heavy grey clay. Quarry 2 found solid ice in the rock as they dug in the back of their quarry.

This was our last full day in the quarries. Tomorrow we will finish up our excavations in the morning and then begin packing up for our departure on Monday.

Reporters for the day: Phil and Holly

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