GSA May 10-13

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Originally uploaded by J Semenza

Geological Society of America: GSA, Conference Location: Orem Utah, Special Speaker: Nick Semenza.

I got home on Saturday from my trip ILA North trip. Sunday we had a graduation lunch with friends at our house. Because of all of the traveling I've had to do recently, I wasn't looking forward to taking off on Sunday evening to head for the GSA conference. Nor had we made arrangements for our dog for Sunday evening. See, we had thought to drive down on Monday. It wasn't till Saturday evening when we realized that the conference actually started at 8:00 a.m. on Monday. We decided to take two cars down. This way I could sleep and sleep and sleep and drive down in time to hear Nick speak. And he could leave Sunday and be there first thing in the morning. It's probably too late to try and make this story any shorter so ...

Sunday after lunch Nick gathered stuff up, packed, and headed out while I sat and talked with our friends. They left early and I did a wonderful bunch of nothing. I did get to Orem in time to find Nick (who was all decked out in a suit looking very professional) and go to his session. He did such a great job, everyone loved it. He spoke about using historical records and geoscience/mapping to find lost springs.

The first evening we went out to dinner at the Brazillian Grill "Tucanos" near the mouth of Provo Canyon. Annie met us there and we gorged on the all you can eat grilled food. I am in LOVE with grilled pineapple.

I went birding while he attended GSA for the next couple of days. First I visited the South end of Utah lake. Here I found:

Western meadowlarks
Yellow-headed, and Red-winged blackbirds, Brown-headed cowbirds

House sparrows, Robins, Mourning doves, Western kingbirds, Magpies,

Tree, Bank, and Barn swallows

Canada geese, Redheads, Coots, Mallards, Western grebes, Pied-billed grebes, White-faced Ibises, American-white pelicans, American wigeons, Cinnamon teals, kildeer, Double-crested cormorants, Cattle egret

American goldfinches, Western tanagers, Yellow-rumbed warblers

Turkey vultures

The second evening we were looking for much lighter fare and discovered a relatively new place that served great salads, sandwiches and tea. A lovely change to the heavy Brazillian fare. After dinner we drove out Provo Canyon to Bridal Veil Falls. I thought Nick should see the amazing rocks and mountains of the canyon. It is too bad night fell so swiftly.

We had to check out on Wednesday so I headed north for a leisurely drive home with more birding while Nick attended more conference sessions. I stopped at Willard State Park, Brigham City, Honeyville, and the Bear River Refuge. The Refuge is STUPENDOUS! I saw so many birds...

Tree, Violet-green, Cliff, Bank, and Barn swallows

Great-tailed grackle, Robins, Magpies, House sparrows, Crows, Ravens, Starlings, Rock doves

Bullocks oriole, Western kingbirds, Western meadowlark, Horned lark, Marsh wrens

Kildeer, White-faced ibises, Cattle egret, Long-billed curlew, American avocets, Willets, Black-neck stilt, Snowy egrets, American-white pelcians, Wilson's phaleropes, Western grebes, Clarks grebes, Canada geese, Great-blue herons, Double-crested comorant

Mallards, Coots, American wigeons, Cinnamon teals, Redhead, Ruddy duck, Northern shovelers, Gadwalls, Northern pintail

Kestrel, Red-tailed hawk

Yellow-headed, Red-winged, and Brewers blackbird

Bonaparte's gulls, Forsters Terns

The best part was driving out of the Refuge. I was driving along and glanced to my left and thought, oh northern pintail duck. My inner critic then said Nah, so I stopped and turned around and sure enough it really was a northern pintail. I was very, VERY excited. I've been birding for a long time and it is getting more and more fun as I can identify many birds at a glance and many more after a bit of study. It is only now and then that I have to get out the book and ponder. And I've only had to email a picture to Melinda once so far this year. Whoo HOOO!

Notes from February's Sabbatical Visits to Utah

slc urban room01
Originally uploaded by J Semenza

At Salt Lake City Public I discovered the new and exciting world of library photography policies. I had no idea such a thing existed. It makes sense though, when you consider all the professional photographers coming into the SLC publilc library to use it as a backdrop.

My visit to Orem included the mandatory stop at La Dolce Vita in Provo, an incredible Italian restaurant.
It is located at:
61 North 100 East
Provo, UT 84606
(801) 373-8482
http://www.ladolcevitaprovo.com/

On the drive to Logan I had an incredible impulse to call my aunt Susan. It seemed a little nuts since I have a brother, sister-in-law and 4 nieces/nephews there and I was going to be stealthy and not visit them. I eventually gave into the impulse and arranged to go to lunch with Susan. I met her at the Utah Festival Opera's building. Susan is the director for 'Opera for Children'. See: http://www.operabychildren.org/. We headed over to Great Harvest Bread Co., for a lunch of sandwiches. In the middle of a great conversation she suddenly looks up and says "there's your brother."

He, of course, loudly exclaims "Aunt Susan!" and comes over. I then get the best double-take I've ever seen from him. And he continues "and my sister!"

It was great to see both of them.

The way out of town was particularly exciting when deer jumped out in front of me on the road. I was driving slowly in part to save gas money and in part because of the 'watch for deer' sign.

Visited:
Salt Lake City Public - Photos at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jsemenza/sets/72157604004657195/
University of Utah - Photos at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jsemenza/sets/72157604000775304/
Provo Public Library - Photos at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jsemenza/sets/72157604005050647/
Utah Valley University - Photos at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jsemenza/sets/72157604000953468/
Logan Public Library - Photos at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jsemenza/sets/72157604001499630/
Utah State University - Photos at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jsemenza/sets/72157604005331249/

April 1 & 2, Pocatello to Logan to Provo and Back

April 1, 2006

We got up bright and early (6:00 a.m.) so we’d be on the road in time to hook up with Melinda at Nanette’s in Logan. Our ETA was 9:30… allegedly. The plan would have worked, except for the distraction of the geology books and maps. I wanted the books sequenced; so that I’d know what to read at which part of the journey. So instead of leaving at 7:00 a.m. which would have put us there waaaay too early, we left at 8:30 which put us there late (10:15ish).

Drive to Logan
I was shocked to discover that the Roadside Geology guides were not up to par for the road from here to Logan. Actually, I’m not all that shocked. They are definitely weaker than I’d like. If I ever have time I’d love to rewrite those books… We only stopped a couple of times to look at birds. The red tailed hawk sitting on a tree was a must to stop for. Then Nick definitely had to climb the hill by the Geology marker for Red Rock Pass. This is the pass that Lake Bonneville eroded away to flood Pocatello and parts of Idaho. What’s disappointing is that the geology marker at the bottom doesn’t tell you that the monument at the top is for a group of graves.

At Logan we found Nanette’s new place. It’s fabulous. Lots of room, plenty of storage, a great place to live. We went to breakfast at the nearby diner and then back to her house. Nick and Nan loaded the wagon wheel bunk beds into the jeep. It was raining. They got damp. Thanks guys.

Drive to Provo
Melinda left her car at Nan’s house and took off with us towards Provo. We used a Utah Geological Association (1) field trip guide to explore the geologic features around Logan. This field guide was designed to stat in Salt Lake City an end in Logan. So I had to try and read it in reverse. Not fun, but it was a lot more interesting and thorough than using one of those roadside guides So we went up the canyon, along the valley, through the snow… over the dam, around the bend, up the hill, down the highway, along the dirt track… Pretty rocks on a hillside, faults, folds, mountains, rivers, lakes, alluvial fans… Melinda brought her geography book to study for a test. I had the mini-library and we had a great time. The reasonably short trip from Logan to Provo took us 8 hours. We saw lots of rocks and birds.

In Provo, we toted the bed up the stairs of Melinda’s new place and helped her put the beds together as a trundle set. This way she can use the top bed as a shelf and the bottom bed as a bed. Nick and I drove over to the Marriott hotel. While Nick was in working on the reservation situation I called Shanna. Apparently the power went off in our part of Pocatello. Someone hit a power pole. Two hours later everything was fine. Shanna is so cool. She already had a candle lit and wasn’t worried a bit. We went to bed and I slept like a rock.

April 2, 2006

And Back
The time changed while we slept. I hate daylight savings time. Got up, got moving early and headed back to Logan (yes Melinda came with us). Anyway, we drove to Antelope Island and did ½ the field trip there. Nan called, and unfortunately she had to go to Pocatello, leaving before we got to Logan. After Antelope Island we headed for Logan. Nick and I talked geology while Melinda napped.

At Logan we parted ways and Nick and I headed for Idaho. I was tired of talking/reading. So we stopped at the nearby Borders and bought a book on tape, or rather CD., a Louis L’Amour story read/acted by Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings. It was great.

I’ve become fascinated by the scope of Lake Bonneville and the scale of the flood. I want to pursue this a little more, and am planning to do a Lake Bonneville trip soon.

Weekend Bird List:
Crows
California Gulls
Coots
Canada Geese
Red Winged Blackbirds
Starlings
Magpies
Red Tailed Hawk
Domestic Geese – on way up canyon
Chinese Swan Goose
Mallards
Horned Larks – triangle intersection by McMurdie Hollow
Meadowlarks
Kestrel
Robins
Brewers blackbirds
Kildeer
Avocets
Cormorants
Northern shovelers
Ring necked ducks
Great blue herons
Cinnamon teals
Canvasback ducks
Dark variant Canada goose
Rough legged hawk
Northern harrier
Song sparrow
Coopers hawk
Gadwalls
Eared grebes
Chukkar
Ravens
Yellowheaded blackbird
Snowy egrets
Sandhill cranes

Weekend Mammal List:
Muskrat
Bison
Coyote

(1)

“Geology of the Northern Wasatch Front, Utah: Utah Geological Association Field trip Road Log September 11, 1999. Compiled by W. Adolph Yonkee and Jeffrey G. Eaton, Department of Geosciences, Weber State University, Ogden UT.” In Geology of Northern Utah and Vicinity, Utah Geological Association Publication Vol 27 pages 378-402.