Rain!

Task of the day: complete the lynx habitat survey by creating polygons around good habitat. This basically entails returning to the points where we found suitable habitat and walking a perimeter while carrying a Trimble GPS that is constantly logging points. I am out alone, as Chrissy is now focusing on the pothole study and Chelsea is still recovering from the cold that has been going around. I mark several large areas of good habitat - perhaps enough to save part of the area from being cut over. Just before noon, a cloud rolls up from the south. As I am rather far from the truck and in a valley where lightning is unlikely, I decide to wait it out. The storm proves to be a soaker, and by the time it is over my clothes are all dripping and the ground has turned to mud. The storm sent down only one close lightning that hit a ridgetop a quarter mile south of my location. After finishing my surveys, I wallow down the mud road in four weel drive, return to the office, and prepare for guzzler-seeking tomorrow.

In search of a guzzler...

Spent the morning working on Lynx data, putting files together. Tomorrow will finish field work for lynx by walking polygons around good habitat. Started the guzzler project in the afternoon - looking for 40-year-old "raintraps" - essentially large rectangles of roofing tins that drain into a tank and a watering trough. Most are in poor states of disrepair or have been removed. Today I walked around a beautiful area and found a guzzler that looked as if a tornado had hit it - twisted tins scattered for 500 feet. Probably just the effect of 20 years of winter blizzards and no maintenance.

Pinedale Ho!

It appears that Mark Luterra has finally got himself a blog. An online diary of sorts, though of course I don't plan on divulging all of my personal secrets. Anyway, look for updates on the mundane and not-so-mundane events of my daily life here in Pinedale, Wyoming.

This weekend has gone by quickly, consumed by work on this website and watching the Lord of the Rings movies. As of last Friday we have DSL in our trailer, so I also been busy catching up with Facebook, downloading songs, videos, and games, and checking my favorite websites that I haven't seen for over a month.