Field Notes

With no more experiments to conduct, we’re breaking down basecamp and losing members quickly. Laura, Michelle and Garrett left yesterday, Ben and Ruben this morning. But before that, and before we started on the recycling and packing and returning gear, we took some time to celebrate the end of the season.
Catherine and Shane developed a [...]

The morning after enduros my alarm went off at 4:30 AM. Unfortunately, it was lost in a pile of unpacked bags. The beeping grew louder and faster while I frantically ripped through every pocket and compartment of my pack and listened with growing dismay to the sounds of other people waking up. By the time [...]

The enduro at 1049 rates as one of the most frustrating in the history of the project (for me anyway). I started an account of the whole tedious thing only to realize that it makes for a decidedly bad read. So, gentle reader, I’ll spare you the details. Suffice it to say that [...]

Today concludes our last round of experiments at Kenny Camp.  Everyone slept near their sites after dinner.  This morning Eric and Jay’s crew found owls at 1038 and 1049.  Both sites are hard to access with vehicles.  1038 is off of an overgrown road, so is a control site by default.  1049 is on a [...]

On the 12th we headed to Kenny Camp for two consecutive days of enduros at some sites out of driving range from Covelo. In many ways the next day was the best day of experiments since the fires. Smoke not as thick- sky actually visible. Crews found owls at three of four sites. Two riders [...]

Our second day of July enduros was the smokiest yet. Tracy helped us conduct an enduro at 6078 just as he had in May. Whereas in May it was freezing cold and misty, today was hot and smokey. A second rider flaked. Not as much enthusiasm for riding under these conditions as there is in [...]

July 10th was Catherine’s 23rd birthday. Happy B-day Catherine! So happy to share it with you!
Shane went all out, demonstrating astounding talent for party planning in the face of adversity. Seriously. No detail unattended. He capped off the whole effort by spending an entire night in the kitchen and emerging at the time we normally [...]

On our first day of July enduros I saw an owl on my drive to the sites. He flew across FH7 and perched on the top of a pine by the road. I pulled over and hooted, but he (she?) flew off over the valley. No way to know whether it was [...]

Shasta and Mendo reunited on the 7th. This time we’re all at the Eel River work station. Fifteen people in a two bedroom house with one fridge and one bathroom (that can only be accessed through one of the two bedrooms). It’s literally been 110 in the shade and, needless to say, [...]

Owl crew’s on break before the final round of enduros. Aimee, Garrett, Laura, Shane, Catherine and I went to Fort Bragg for the fourth.  No fireworks because fire crews are busy with more important things.  And we missed the world’s biggest salmon BBQ by one day.  But we had fun, browsing the book store, having [...]