17 December, 2001

Question of the Day: What is a moraine?

Rough day today. We traversed (rode over) the hillsides over different types of ice: scalloped (ok to traverse, but very bumpy), snow covered (good to traverse if it's packed snow), and blue ice (very slick and dangerous to traverse). Twice, I ended up in trouble. On the way up a parcticularly steep blue ice-covered hill, my skidoo stalled, and I ended up sliding. I tried to turn and traverse diagnolly, and it almost worked, but I hit another patch of slick blue ice, and started to slide again.

Ralph and John had to help me start uphill, again. It involved having to slide backwards down the hill partway and then changing direction so that I would ride uphill on a diagnol looking for every snow patch I could find. I made it to the top--slowly, but surely. Later, "skidooing up ice hills" was reviewed with the whole group because others were having difficulty, too.

I only had one other incident of back-sliding (today) when I hit a patch of blue ice, and my skidoo spun out. I ended up going downhill--backwards--very fast. The brakes wouldn't hold because the ice was so slick. Fortunately, I was able to turn the skidoo ski and stop. Nancy helped me readjust, and get back on track. We were on our way again.

It turned out to be a good search day--30 meteorites found today (including 3 by me). By 6pm we were on our way back to camp. Unfortunately, one of our team members had a set of skidoo wheels (bogies) break off his skidoo. Not too sure what we-ll do tomorrow--8people, only 7 skidoos??

Answer to today's "Question of the Day": A moraine is an area filled with rocks that have been weathered off nearby ridges or hillsides. It is difficult work to search for meteorites in an area like this. Meteorites are "hidden" among the terrestrial (earth) rocks!

Try this!

Work with a friend to collect about a dozen rocks of different sizes and shapes. Using a black marker or black paint add a fusion crust to each rock. (Remember, as a meteorite falls through the earth's atmosphere, the outer part often melts leaving a black "fusion crust".) You do not need to color every rock completely black. (Some meteorites break as they land, and this exposes some of the inner rock.)

Once you have completed the "fusion crusts" (coloring). Have your friend scatter them in a rocky area. You will then become the "meteorite hunter" searching forr "meteorites" in the moraine. Good luck!

***Save the rocks for tomorrow's activity.

*Do not send messages to my TEA e-mail address. Messages can only reach me in the field through: teamansmet@webexpeditions.net.