week 5: plants and animals

Perhaps thing I am most grateful for regarding my western excursion was the opportunity to experience and study many new and exciting lifeforms. The first half of the trip was somewhat less productive in this sense, possibly just because the second half was so exciting.

Upon entering the dead, dry land I mentioned earlier, I thought it impossible for any form of life to exist in such an unforgiving climate. Marvelously, I was wrong. Not only did I find some strange and unique shrub life, we even came across a pack of deer. What do they eat? Where do they find water? This poses so many interesting questions.

In the middle of a hilly grassland I met a large pack of wonderful looking deer-like animals. They had white spots all over their bodies and the males had shirt antlers. I spent a few hours making sketches and studying their behavior. I figured they must be indigenous to the area. In the mountains past these plains I finally encountered the beast I have be warned about countless times by the natives: the grizzly bear. While making observations I made sure to keep my distance, as they have a reputation for being extremely aggressive. Also in this area I found several species of wildflowers in striking colors of blue and purple. This region is surely a fruitful one and must be returned to for further study.

As we approached our destination we slowly we cast into shadows by some extremely tall coniferous trees. They were familiar, but distinguishably different from similar conifers back home in Europe. These dense forests were filled with what seemed to be and endless amount of undiscovered plant life. For a moment I entertained the thought that I had in fact gotten too close to the Grizzly Bear and ended up in heaven.

week 4: lands, climates, water availability

The expedition started off in a fairly unimpressive manner. The land was flat and relatively uniform throughout our first few weeks of travel. Day after day, more and more of the same. I should not be complaining, as scientifically tedious land often makes for easy travel. Water is readily available in many small streams and the weather is fair. Also, I have never seen the sky look so big.

The landscape morphed gradually, until I found myself in a land more dry and dead than I had ever seen before. Water had vanished, vegetation was extremely rare, and the terrain was almost unnavigable. The land was being baked in sunlight, and us along with it. I had never seen a landscape so alien, it almost seemed not of this earth. Rock formations were baffling and exotic. God is surely a eclectic architect.

After the expedition through the strange dry lands, we came across a mountain range. As we climbed, trees and vegetation came back to us, as well a decent amount of snow. The snow was surely not welcome. Following the edge of a great canyon, we thankfully were out of the snow in a few hours and on our way down. We were given a view of a great hilly plain with more mountains visible far in the distance. Its views like these that put our journey into perspective.

Navigating the plains was relatively easy compared to recent terrain, and we were at the base of the second mountain range before we knew it. As we headed into the mountains, nature seemed to unfold before us. All the sudden we were in what seemed like a organic paradise. Rivers, lakes, waterfalls, geysers, hot springs, the shining sun, and wildlife everywhere. If i was an animal, this is surely where I would live. Looking back over the land shows a great forest with rivers snaking through, and steam lifting up out of the trees in various locations. This will be hard to top.

The trees remained large for quite a while longer until the land flatted out, dried up, and turned yellow. This was somewhat welcome after the previous hard-traveled terrain. We were almost out of water when we came upon a great river, nestled into a brown rocky gorge. As we followed the river, the sun was covered by a layer of grey clouds and the landscape turned gradually more green and rich.

week 3 - roads and paths

It started off fairly easily. The paths of the midwest were well traveled enough. I set off West through the flat trails of Michigan and Illinois and made a turn North through Wisconsin and southern Minnesota where i crossed the great Mississippi River. Here I met the road West and ventured through the lands recently gained by the Louisiana Purchase. These paths were much less traveled, but the trip was fairly easy going until we hit a series of mountain ranges. Beautiful sights were beheld, but very hard travel nonetheless. As paths were almost nonexistent, I made much use of my compass. The second mountain range was exceptionally beautiful, scattered with geysers, waterfalls, and great meadows. From there I headed northwest and encountered dense and tall forests around a wonderful lake, guided by my compass and extremely primitive trails, probably made by local natives. Heading west, the land suddenly became vast and dry plains. This was less exciting, but made travel much easier. I then headed south on a dirt path until i came across a great river. I decided to follow it, and as I did the landscape changed from dry and brown to a lush green forest. I had arrived at my destination.

week 2: leaving

After many days of preparation it was finally time to leave these stagnant lands for a more scientifically fruitful region. Just the thought was so exciting I could hardly contain myself. The horses were ready and the wagons were packed. We left at sunrise on the first day of October (not the best time of year to leave in hindsight.) For a moment I slipped into a reverie about these simple and peaceful lands, but it was soon broken by the sheer excitement of the journey. What kinds of unique species could be living in the great forests of the Northwest? I couldn't wait to find out. These hopeful thoughts were not in vain, as the trip proved to be a great scientific success.

week 1: background

After spending a summer in the flat and grassy lands of the midwest I decided it was time for a change. I decided to make the journey to Portland, Oregon and continue my work in the dense forests of the Northwest. This was a 2556 mile journey, and not an easy one. I crossed everything from vast plains of Minnesota to Wyoming's beautiful mountains to the otherworldly dry lands of South Dakota. This journey, though tough, was rewarding both personally and scientifically.