so long civilization - hello bush!

well... here I goez again!

So I have spent the last two weeks in the shadow of the Superstack here in sunny Sudbury training to go out in the bush. I have completed my training and all that remains is to fininsh accumulating our inventory, pack the trucks and shove off to Armstrong.

here is a summary of my training thus far:

1) learned about safety and what paperwork I must fill out if someone gets seriously injured
2) watched a pile of videos on the use and safety regarding various situations (propane, bears, hypothermia, west nile and Lyme disease)
3) learned to drive a 3/4 pickup truck in the bush -over rocks logs, up steep hills, get them unstuck.
4) learned how to drive an ATV - maintennance, shifting, uphill, on roads, bush roads and off road, through mud and water.

I have done a ton of shopping too - thankfully, most of it is not on my budget (I have no money - this is the poorest I have ever been. I managed to live within my means in university). But another crew - the far north crew - have 8 extra people (bringing their numbers up to 20!) have cleaned the warehouse out, so we have had to go and buy all new stuff - gas cans, water cans, air pumps, etc. And with a crew of 7, 3 40L propane tanks, 2 3/4 pickups hauling 2 ATVs each and a suburban that seats 9, we need a lot of fuel, water and just general supplies (it takes a lot to set up a permanent bush camp for 3 months). I'll be mapping with Dave, the other "senior" geologist for the first bit, and liekly teaching the junoirs what to do.

I've met 3 of the guys on our crew - Dave, Scott, and Dan. Dave and I are the oldest memebers among the crews (with the exception of the Geoscientists leading the projects) by a year or two. most of the crew are second year students from various universities. Scott's entire family apparently went to Queen's, but he didn't -he's a Lakehead boy- and he's been trying to get me to do the Oil Thigh by myself (yeah, right - I may not be cool, but I'm not that uncool). Dan also goes to Lakehead, and is going into second year. Dave is from out east - went to Memorial, I think, and is going for his Master's this fall. We will apparently meet another of our crew up at Armstrong, and another girl, Mariska, will come later in the summer. We will also have 2 native kids from the nearby reserve to add to our crew.

I'm looking forward to this summer. It should be good. Have a good one, guys - and contact me by email if you wanna get a hold of me - it's the easiest way.