Last night we slept in a tent outside for two reasons. Despite fall temperatures reaching 46 degrees at night, we are motivated to get outdoors. One reason for sleeping on the ground, actually initially on our deck out back, is due to getting a new kitchen tile floor. Our home is only eight years old built on a cement slab, which settled right down the middle of the kitchen, leaving a large crack! So we have sealed off the kitchen to the rest of the house to keep the concrete dust from circulating.

The second reason for fall camping is for a geology tour of Utah and Arizona. I’m leading a consulting project to study the water quality of San Juan County in southwestern Utah that will take us south of Moab, past Arches National Park, down to the San Juan River. We will be looking at geologic features like rock outcrops that dip below the ground surface combined with precipitation (infiltrating rain and snow melt that can be tens of thousands of years old) forming springs and underground aquifers. In some areas the water is naturally clean but in other areas the water is polluted from extensive uranium mining and milling. This is especially a concern to Native American tribes living in the area and we are working together with federal government scientists to compile information and collect new data on the regional water quality. I gave a presentation on this topic last month at the San Juan Mining and Reclamation Conference and here are the video presentations. Depending on our camping experience, including my 11 year old son, we may get all the way to the Grand Canyon.

Many camping experiences in my past have ranged from calm to calamity. My first memories as a Boy Scout were not fun being away from home (it’s lonely being a Momma’s boy), long 10-mile hikes along the C&O Canal, and we even camped out in the winter snow in icy Virginia. I did not start liking camping until going on Guilford College geology field trips to North Carolina mountains and beaches that were a blast.

In grad school at the University of Wyoming, I tried camping by myself in the Snowy Range west of Laramie by getting dropped off in the mountains. It was a beautiful summer’s day and after hiking several hours and not seeing anyone I found a place to camp by a lake. But before I could even unpack and get out the tent, an afternoon cloudburst rained and hailed. I tried to use my backpack for shelter but cold water collected beneath me and I got soaking wet. So I hiked out and hitch hiked a ride back home. Also, I was lucky there was no lightening in that storm.

Stay tuned to this blog for updates on our adventures and with God’s Grace we will reconnect with nature, be inspired by the Great Outdoors, or at least be more appreciative of a warm, soft bed!