Possible Earthquake in the Mojave?

30 January 2009

Image: Lounging around in Sprig Cave. From left, back and to right - Tim, Dave, Greg, Dan and me. Credit: Amanda Stockton.

We continue to make great progress here in the Mojave. We have an impressively dedicated team. I am proud to lead such a group of professional and hard-working cavers.

Today, Dan’s team completed the sketch map and volumetric mapping of Sprig Cave. Dan in quite pleased with the equipment he has designed to collect volumetric data; it appears both mapping teams are becoming proficient at mapping cave volume.

Image: Another scary dark hole that we will have to go into. Credit: Dan Ruby.

Tim and I went to Bumble Bee Cave, we deployed sensors in this feature as well. We are moving right along and well ahead of schedule.

Dan, Tim and I went into to Barstow to eat tonight. We went to the infamous Bun Boy. If you’ve never eaten at the Bun Boy, then you ain’t living. It doesn’t look like much from outside, but culinary delights await you once you pass through those doors framed in the 1960s. The past few times I’ve eaten there, I go with the Gyro Platter – plenty of food…man, it is good!

While chatting at dinner, Dan mentioned that he thinks he felt a small earthquake during the night last night…I didn’t feel anything b/c I was sleeping in vehicle. We’ll need to check to see if there was an earthquake reported in the area for last night…

Upon our arrival back to camp, I decided to pull out the guitar. After an almost two year hiatus from playing, the calluses on my fingers have returned. I’m remembering many songs that I used to play and I’m learning new songs once again. So, although quite rusty, I played by the camp fire for about an hour before calling it a night.

Another excellent day in the beautiful Mojave Desert!

Image: Dan's mapping team mapping the collapse pit associated with the southern entrance of Sprig Cave. Sabine featured here. Credit: Dan Ruby.