August 8, 2005

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  (L to R) Dash, Cari, Big Matt [Tom], Little Matt [Jijig] (me), Amgalan, Undaria, Sunderia
  
  Mongolia 2005
  
  Brought to you by:
  
  “Banning mascots since 2005″
  
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  So, this is a little late, but I’ve basically taken the last week+ off, and have some more days off in the near future. I’m getting to some much needed work on my couch ass-grove. Overall, I’d have to say the field season was as I thought it would be; the hardest thing I’ve ever done. It was generally sucsessful, and I got a lot done, but it was hard.
  
  
  
  I did know, of course, as long as I kept faith in Cod, I’d be just fine.
  
  
  
  I left Aly and the US late on June 26th. I got to Ulaanbaatar, the capitol of Mongolia, midday on the 28th. In Beijing, I met my field assistant Matt. UB was nice, as always. We stayed in a crappy hostel, but was only $8/night/person.
  
  
  
  
  We checked out the paleontology museum, and this time, I was not cheap enough to shell out the $5 for photo-taking rights. Above are the massive forearms of the Ornithomimosaur Deinocherrus mifificus.
  
  
  
  
  Here is possibly the greatest fossile discovery EVER: a Velociraptor fighting with a Protoceratops. Note the Velciraptor’s sickle claw in the side of the Protoceratops, and the arm of the Veociraptor within the mouth of the Protoceratops.
  
  
  
  We headed off to the field on the 30th. We had two vehicles, a russian van and a russian jeep. I was in the jeep cheifly, and I got my CD car-kit to hook up to the sound system. So, on the trip, we got to listen to my CD player through the single Pie-on-ear speaker.
  
  
  
  Here’s the group, posing with Amgalan’s friend in Dalanzadgad. One thing I should point out: though I am of below average height here in the states, I am easily above average in Mongolia. Well, the other Matt is a foot taller than me. So, I was little Matt (jijig) and he was big Matt (tom).
  
  
  
  The country side on the way south towards the Gobi can be nice…
  
  
  
  Not so much in the Gobi.
  
  
  
  Here is a fairly typical Gobi meal: mutton w/ potatoes and carrots, rice/pasta, and some vegetable (highly variable). Any sheep or goat product is forever ruined for me. Rack of lamb? Yuck.
  
  
  
  Easily a highlight of the trip was riding a camel. Big Matt really wanted to do it, so when we stopped at a local ger to get directions, we talked them into a short ride. It’s very smooth, smoother than a horse, but getting on is tougher.
  
  
  
  Down in the Bulgan Uul area (near 42 N 105 E) we were doing a quick overview. We will most likely go back there next year (pending funding).
  
  
  
  We were close to China; in fact, most of the time, we were in a restricted zone, and had to have a military escort.
  
  
  
  Here is the place I was asking you all to find earlier.
  
  
  
  Now, we head to the Nomgon area, the focus of the field study. Here is the ruins of a Buddist Temple within a massive Carbonate Klippe.
  
  
  
  
  It’s amazing the things you can see when you don’t have TV and internet to distract you. Oh, by the way, don’t miss Monday Night Football and my Dolphins tonight!
  
  
  
  At dusk one night, we had a pack of wild ass, called Khulan, run through camp. It kinda looks like a donkey. I’d show you a picture in the light, but you can’t get close enough to take a picture. they are too fast.
  
  
  
  We also saw a lot of camels… I mean a LOT of camels.
  
  
  
  One of the worst days was caused by this duststorm. I came in at about 4 PM, and locked in the heat of the day. We all were miserable, sweating the night away.
  
  
  
  I was mainly looking at marine rocks, from shallow marine (shorface) sands and muds (pictured) to turbidites. And, by the way, the pool cue jacob staff works wonders.
  
  
  
  Here’s a nice transgressive surface.
  
  From the hike day:
  
  
  
  It only had one previous owner…
  
  
  
  
  
  At one point, we got the idea of captureing a camel, not to ride to saftey, but to attract the owner’s attention to get a rescue. Dash wrangelled and got on it, but could not control it, so we let it go.
  
  
  
  After the van day, we drove to Ivanhoe’s Oyu Tolgoi Mining camp to pick up my advisor Cari. Matt and I got our very own ger to stay in. Most importantly, we got cold things (soda, beer, etc.), internet, and showers. Cari was with us for one week.
  
  
  Before and after
  
  I went though my first full field book on this trip. I write very small, but I did so much (as you can see), I actually filled up a whole book, plus some on a new book. Oh, and I actually READ a book and then some on the trip. I read Brave New World (+revisited) and am now working on the Bil Clinton Autobiography.
  
  
  
  Some other (non-geo) cool things we saw: petroglifs (these were surley not fake because we were so far from anything),
  
  
  
  and Tibetan Buddest carvings.
  
  
  
  When we got back to UB, we got bumped from the hostel to a luxurious 3 bedroom apartment, complete with private bath, TV, and DVD. And only $16/night/person. Shop around, you can’t beat that price.
  
  
  
  We did one awesome thing back in UB, went to a traditional concert, complete with traditional sining, including throat singing. If you don’t know what this is, you’re missing out. It is famous from the movie Ghengis Blues. It is this low, metallic(?) computer-y sound that sounds like it does not belond eminating from a human. Here’s a link to a place where you can here what it sounds like. My favorite part was when they played WA Mozart’s Rondo alla Turka with the traditional instruments.
  
  
  
  So, I can’t say this was that terrible, but it’s hard. 5 weeks away from your normal life is not easy, and this year, with my gf waiting for me made it even more painful but even more wonderful on my return. I just wish I was more than half way done with my field work.

  • 1:25 pm
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