RE: [Geology2] Video of The Day: Yosemite HD Time Lapse

Allison,

 

I only know a couple dozen words in Russian.  A few of them are actually polite.  ;o)  Not all my teachers were um, formal.  And Russian has the advantage that even if you’re saying something clean and pure, it sounds rude to our ears (no offense meant, German is similar, it’s a cultural thing).  I used to be fluent in Spanish, know enough Japanese to get a place to eat and sleep and can insult you in a few more languages (bad teachers). 

 

The first phrase I learn in ANY language is ‘thank you’.  That opens more doors than not because it shows you have manners and are trying to learn about the culture you’re visiting.  The Asians are most forgiving then, others vary.

 

I know that phrase in the above plus Chinese, Korean, Tagolog, Arabic, French, Dine (Navajo), Vietnamese and a few others.  That doesn’t mean I speak those languages, but I listen to the music of them when I travel and how it flows.  If you learn the words, you learn the culture; they’re tightly integrated.  [Because I listen, if it’s English, I sound like a local within 4 days tops.  Being in Canada drove my ex nuts, eh?  Ask Lin if ah soun lahk a Suthrun local.]  Going deaf sux, I’m missing too much now.

 

My kids know that when I cuss, it’s like this:

 

English = agitated; be alert

Spanish = mad; where’s the door?

Russian = time to hide

Silence = too late, notify the coroner, we’re dead

 

The black bear had golden blond hair. 

 

Brown bears are also known as grizzlies; polar bears are white (well, yellow haired actually) and both black and brown bears come in many colors ranging from black to blond.  Brown bears often gain ‘highlights’ which give them a ‘grizzled’ appearance (hence the name).

 

Brown bears have muscular humps between their shoulders to support their massive heads (they are larger than black bears).  Black bears don’t have that hump.  Polar bears are freaking HUGE (1200 pounds, 9 feet tall and can smell prey more than ten MILES away) and are genetically very close to brown bears, they diverged at the last ice age, now are merging again as part of global warming (less ice).

 

I’ve been fortunate enough to have been to many parks across the country over the last 15 years (my employer knew I always took April off and Christmas weeks too, some was traded shifts; it was presumed and rarely asked).  Yellowstone is my hands down favorite park.  It has it all, geology, wildlife and scenery in very easy access.  I find things easier there, than at say Denali (ten times the size of Yellowstone).  Moose, bears (brown/black), elk, deer, wolves, coyotes, marmots, eagles, osprey, beaver (yay, they’re returning!!), river otters and Lin’s fave, bison (bison, bison, bison!) are all accessible because it’s compressed into a smaller area. (Denali has caribou and most of the above.)

 

What bothers me the most is humans and their irresponsible and erratic behavior.  Destroying “Newspaper Rock” is a classic example.

 

While I’m definitely a social creature; there are a few places I hunger for because no one is around for many tens or hundreds of miles.  Google “Top of the World Highway” (turn north at Tok Junction, go to Chicken, AK, head into the Yukon Territory); we passed 10 cars/RV’s in about 100 miles of road (dirt, mud, gravel, sorta level-ish).  That road takes you to Dawson (just across the Yukon River).  Leave Dawson and there is ONE intersection 5 miles south of town (turn left to go to Inuvik, NWT, 1000 miles further north).  The next intersection (no side roads, no dirt roads, JUST the highway) is 120 miles down the road; go straight for Keno or turn right for Carcross.  There are NO words that describe the sense of solitude, it is deeper than profound and soaks in as an infection (like Hawaii or Alaska or the Sonoran desert where I was last week).  It affects your very nature, to the core of your being.

 

We came back from AK via Jasper and Banff (stunning geology, fabulous wildlife), then stayed in Whitefish MT (a few thousand people, next to Glacier) JUST to get acclimated to being around people again (after two months).  That trip changed us, we crave more of it (solitude).  But I’m still a social critter; I just want less (stupid) humans around me.  Part of that is from the job I used to do, but being in such places has certainly affected me.

 

Ok, I wandered off from geology, sorry.

 

Rick

 

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From: Allison Loukanis
 

lol Rick... you cuss in Russian? For some reason I am really impressed by that!

The black bear had long golden hair or the ranger?I am confused...But... it all sounds beautiful. I envy you being so close to some of the prettiest places I have ever heard about. Here in WI it is pretty too... But not as grand.  I think the most remote spot I have been to was the Big Bend of Texas..it is lovely and not near so many people around. But I didn't see so much wildlife there, except a few javelinas and they left us alone. I have never seen a bear or moose out in the wild but would love to from a safe distance. I have heard they can be very grumpy. Like  Park rangers....lol

 Good advice about the timing on going to the National Parks... we went to the Grand Canyon in April a few years ago and that was perfect. We saw deer, elk, it was still too cool for snakes and very few humans. lovely.. Allison

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