It has been nearly one week since our PI’s Scott Goetz and Michelle Mack left Cherskiy, relegating the ‘Affiliated Five’ to ‘The Gang of Three’. Since then Heather, Kami, and I have been working hard to accomplish all the things we need to before leaving in another week. Initially we spent several days collecting as many samples as possible. Having been granted access to the Landcruiser most of our sampling has taken place in and around Cherskiy. This was followed by several long days in the lab, a few more days into the field, and then back into the lab today.

We’re generally too dirty to venture into any of the other labs, but I have it on good information that the soils lab is the place to be, hands down. I’m not trying say anything, you know, about anybody else, I’m just sayin’. Anyway, I like it in here. Short field campaigns like this are always intense and after a week or two everyone is insurmountably fatigued, almost to the point of delirium. If you take about four or five people in this state and put them in a room to process soils for six hours or so the ensuing conversations can be pretty entertaining. You can learn how the clothes you wear make others feel. There is also opportunity for extreme cultural exchange; it turns out that some people have the stereotype that Americans use sandwich-making as a stress release mechanism.

At this point I’m wondering whether I should put my grilled cheese sandwich in the 60 degree or 105 degree drying oven.