Cumulonimbus: July 2006

Back in Ann Arbor!

So here I am, back in AA....yet another summer well spent I would say. Now it's time to slack!!!

Class photo in front of our good old cargo van

Since it was impossible to cover the entire journey back from Wyoming to Michigan in one day, we had to split the driving into three days. For the first night, we camped in the Badlands National Park.

It was a clear night. Since we were not at high elevations anymore, the temperature was relatively warmer. For that night, I decided not to set up my tent. Instead, I laid out my tarp, and had my sleeping bag set on the tarp. After a couple rounds of card games (eukere? dunno how to spell it), I decided to go to bed.

Sleeping on a grassplain with no tents was certainly an experience not to be forgotten. The nightsky was illuminated with numerous stars, and again, the milky band of stars that was usually drown by the light pollution manifested itself that night. It ran accross the sky almost from horizon to horizon. Presented in front of my eyes, weridly enough to think of, was a whole history of universe. The light that excited my retina was probably older than the age of earth, and the source of light itself might have long ceased to exist. What an intriuging thought...I slept well that night with the company of starlight and distant human-like sounds made by the coyotes.

The next day, we had the opportunity to appreciate the scenary of the Badlands National Park before it got to hot. It somehow reminded me of the Grand Canyon and what the central southern part of US should look like.

Was that the "sunline"?

Weird landscape...

Bad lands indeed...

Badlands National Park

Still seeing stars

More photos: Badlands National Park

Goodbye Camp Davis!

So, everything that has a beginning has an end. A month just slipped by, not unlike the wind breezing through the trembling leaves of the aspens, leaving nothing but a wondrous memory which will be treasured forever. Before leaving the lovely campus, I had an oppurtunity to immortalize the images of this wonderful place in still frames:

The entrance of Camp Davis

Camp Davis with all the student cabins

My cabin 10A (farthest from the main hall)

Inside my cabin (my bed was the one which Dan was sitting on)

Cabin 10A mates (Dan, Joel and I) with Dave standing behind (....)

Fourth week in Camp Davis

Basically, the highlight of the fourth week is the much anticipated Yellowstone National Park trip. Before getting into that, let me give a brief overview of stuff we had done for the week:

Monday - Went to Snake River to do the last survey. Did the bug counting and grouping in the afternoon (which is tiring actually).

Tuesday - Did the final project writeup. A very frustrating experience indeed, had to stay in the computer lab for the whole afternoon and the most of the morning, trying hard to produce some logical explanation and hypothesis for the questions on River Continuum Concept.

Wednesday - Had a quiz at about 8.30am. Left Camp Davis at about 11 for the Yellowstone National Park. Attractions visited: The Old Faithful (yes, it's very faithful, erupts about every 90 minutes), a number of other geysers like the Castle Geyser, and Grand Prismatic Spring. Camp in at Madison. Had some burgers and dogs for dinner.

The most famous geyser in the world - the Old Faithful

Castle Geyser

Grand Prismatic Spring

Thursday - Visited the Obsidian cliff before going for a 9-mile hike to see the Osprey falls. The 150-feet-tall falls was worth all the trouble going through the not so pleasant trail. Proceeded to the Mammoth Hot springs after the hike. Took a break, and went to the "Grand Canyon of Yellowstone", where we had a majestic view of the park's tallest fall - the Lower Falls of Yellowstone River. Camped near the Canyon Village.

Osprey Falls (look carefully, and you will see me in the picture as a scale)

Mammoth Hot Springs 1

Mammoth Hot Springs 2

Lower Falls of the Yellowstone River (tallest in Yellowstone - 308 ft)

Bisons!!!

Class photo in the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Friday - Left Yellowstone in the morning. Had lunch in Jackson Hole town. Tom, our professor, was kind enough to pay for the bill (Thanks!). Went back Camp Davis, did some van cleaning, and chill for the rest of day.

Saturday - Monday - On our way back to Ann Arbor!!

More photos: Yellowstone National Park