Day 20

From: Shureice
Date: July 20, 2000
Subject: Fun with the JP's

Today was the first day that the JP's were taken out into the field. We met up at the museum and made everyone tell us about themselves, like their favorite dinosaurs and why they were there.

Then we took them to the JP site which is known as a roller coaster ride because of the ups and downs on the ride there. Some of them were scared that we would get hurt driving the van over all the cliffs and things, but we were fine.

When we got there we stopped and showed them some coprolite (fossilized dino poop) and some of them dropped it (it's only rock now). They took the hike up there pretty well, and were very helpful.

Once we got up there, we were to regroup and I gave them a little talk, which turned into a lecture about the land geology and how the JP site was found by the other JP's the year before.

Then we split into two groups: one prospecting and one excavating. I was with the prospectors almost all day, except when I did overburden with Kierre. We dug for a little bit, and we had fun working with the pickaxes, too.

The first group was led by Todd and was looking around on this layer of bentonite (layer of volcanic ash deposited millions of years ago). We were just about to leave when Natasha found a lot of huge bone fragments. She had discovered a new site and then she got to name it. She named it Lowe Bone Hill.

Then we took the second group out with us and we were with two kids that went to my high school, Susan and Robert. Then we started to clean up so we could leave the site for lunch.

When we were there, Kit was asking us alot of questions, like, "If you wanted to be eaten by a non-avian dino, who would it be?" I just laughed on my way to the van where the JP's were. They were discussing who would and how to escape if a lion attacked them in the van. When I came I suggested throwing me outside the van and while I was being eaten alive, they could lock up all the doors and save themselves.

Then after lunch we excavated a bit longer. Crazy Kierre and Griffey were climbing cliffs and stuff for no reason at all, but it looked fun.

When we got to the Micro Site, we looked for more fragments and found quite a bit and then headed back down. Griffey, Kierre and I climbed all the way up to the top to take a few pictures.

Then we headed back to the museum, but not before a few stops. Becca let me and Marco off at 4:00 but we had to be back at 6:30 for dinner. I was happy to see my family so early.

I got ready, and Kathy drove me up to the schoolhouse for dinner. Dinner was great. Makerah even brought the camera and the boys did their thing, which was very funny.

They made up their own songs and they were really funny. Then me and Makerah did our thing. We had a ninja fight where we just did improvisational comedy. I have never seen my boss laugh so hard.

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