Back to Business, Little Fox Archaeologist 2.

Hiya Friends.

Little Fox, Archaeologist back at the quarry working on cataloging and recording items for the museum.

Found this dino bone.  Not bad eh?

In the archaeology community Dino 4344 is beary special.  Since I am not a licensed archaeologist the secret of Dino 4344 has not been shared with me.  It's an honor to be in the presence of this Dino though. 

This is a good sample.  It should make the museum happy with my abilities. 

More samples.

Oh my I have my work cut out for me. 

I certainly have lots of work ahead of me.  Before I get going I better get some food.  This place looks interesting.  Country Grub, Local Beef and Great Fries. I'm in. 

This critter is really into his cheeseburger.  He seems like my kind of guy.

Little Fox, Archaeologist 1.

Hello archaeological and blog world.
Little Fox here.  On my way from Colorado I received an important message from the museum.  They need some help tracking, excavating, and locating dinosaur remains.  Dinosaurs is one of my archaeological specialties so here I am.

I followed my GPS to the location of the dig that the museum needs help with.  I am at the Dinosaur National Monument.  Dinosaur National Monument has sites in Utah and Colorado.  Colorado has more scenery (Green River runs through it, lots more camping etc) and the Utah side has the dinosaur bones.  My work for the museum is on the Utah side.

It's a hot day today (post dated blog you know).  Temps are in the low 90s (32c for my international friends).  This archaeologist can handle it.

For some reason, I don't think this is the dinosaur dig they want my archaeological expertise at.

Dinosaur National Monument is here because they found a ton of dinosaur bones.  This story starts back in 1909 (okay, I know dinosaurs are much older than 1909)  when paleontologist Earl Douglass found the quarry where the bones were.  He was  collecting dinosaur bones for the Carnegie Museum.  Douglass' crews excavated thousands of bones and sent them to Carnegie Museum for display.  

1915 rolls around and Woodrow Wilson steps in and declares the quarry area where Douglass was excavating a National Monument so no more bones were allowed to be sent to the Carnegie 

Museum.  Hmm, sounds like the Carnegie might be a good place for this fox to visit.

I am not sure why they called me here.  Looks like these remains are pretty well preserved. 

It's a nice museum.  Still confused why I am here. 

I met with a staff member and they told me they needed my skills at the quarry.  It was a short hike to the quarry.  No challenge for this fox.  Along the hike I came across this sign.  Escalante was the first European who documented the area that is known at the Unitas Basin (Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and Northern Arizona).  One of the cool things about Escalante's journal is that it's surprisingly accurate for the time in the description of the Native American's they met, the land, and the geology. 

After a short hike I made it to the quarry building.  

Wait, I could have driven up here.  Why did I hike this trail in the heat.  Perhaps my roommate didn't listen too well to the staff at the visitor's center or perhaps my roommate wanted me to get a paws on feel of the monument by hiking.  

Okay, this is pretty cool.  There is literally a wall of bones inside.  This is the same quarry that Douglass and his team excavated for Carnegie was back in 1909.

Hard to see, but there are lots of dino bones here for my team (ie me and my roommate) to document for the museum. 

Time for this archaeologist to get to work. 

Castle Valley, Corona Arch, and Petroglyphs. Oh my, I am a busy fox.

I wanted to see the famous Corona Arch but my roommates told me that we were going to Castle Valley, then to look at some petroglyphs and if time, take a hike to Corona Arch. I didn't like the "if time" comment and I am  a little worried.

 Before we left Arches National Park we had to stop at a place called Balanced Rock. I hope it doesn't fall.

Next stop was lunch then to a place called Castle Valley.  Many famous movies were filmed in this area:

Thelma and Louise

Lone Ranger 2013

And my personal favorite, MacGyver.  

This area of Castle Valley is called the Priest and the Nuns. Hmm, not a great picture of the rocks (but a smashing one of me if you ask). 

Do you see it now?

Ah, here is a better (i.e. professional photograph) of the formation. 

Off to Corona Arch. 

Hiking in the desert is different than hiking in the Northwest.  The trails down here aren't as easily marked but they do have cairns (trail markers) to follow. 

Some humans went overboard on marking the trail here. 

Ok got it.  Enough cairns already. 

I found it!  Coronoa Arch.  Excellent.

Wow, that arch is big.  I hope to get closer.

I have crossed the arch and I am on the other side.  My gosh it's a big arch.

Utah was great. I hope to go back and maybe lead a tour with Stuffie Tours. 

Welcome to Utah!

Hello Blog Pals ~
Welcome to Utah where Life is Elevated!
After a smooth flight from my hometown to Salt Lake City my roommates put me in a car and we headed to south central Utah.
Our first destination, after lunch that is, was Goblins Valley State Park.  This parks claim to fame is the huge amount of hoodoos rock formations all concentrated in one place.

I should have brought a color scarf or my sombrero to stand out among these fox colored rocks. 

Little Fox on red rocks (Ok, hoodoos to be more exact but it doesn't rhyme).

Lots of places for a fox to hide. 

Time to move on, looks like the rain is coming. 

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After a good nights sleep and a big meal including homemade bread this little fox is ready to explore.

Time to explore Canyonlands National Park near Moab, Utah. Our first stop is at a park of the park called Islands in the sky.  A flat top mesa where you can enjoy many panoramic views.  There is no concession services in the park.  Don't worry Jerry and Ben I brought snacks,  lunch, and a lot of water.

It's a long way down. 

Lots of little caves and arches for a stuffy to hide in. 

There are mountains behind me, can you see them?