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Ocean, Atmosphere, Sea Ice, and Snowpack Interactions

Hi Betsy!

I can't believe you are off on another adventure - Grand Canyon! You are one busy person. So, you've been home a whole week....what is it like? What do people ask you?

Janet

Wed, 04/22/2009 - 19:04

Betsy Wilkening

I guess I can truly say that I am truly home now!  As soon as I got back from Barrow, AK it was a very quick catch-up at school and then plan for the Grand Canyon field trip with my students that occurred on 4/16 & 4/17.
We had an awesome time at the Grand Canyon.  I hiked with my students and a geologist who has the most hours of anyone hiking in the Canyon.  I learned a lot from him even though I have spent some time there myself and lots of time learning about the Canyon.  I would like to go hiking with him all of the time!  The students got to play outside at the South Rim after dinner while it was snowing.  Some of them had never seen snow.  We rode on boats in the Colorado River from Glen Canyon Dam to Lees Ferry.  Most of the people were very cold on the boats in the early morning with not much sun and wind and water.  I was perfectly comfortable!
One thing I learned in Barrow is that cold can hurt!  In Tucson and most places in AZ it is only a nuisance or uncomfortable.
People asked me a lot about the cold, since it is so hard to imagine when you live in the desert.  We have had temperatures above 90F all week, but no 100F days yet.  I learned with any temperature extremes, (now that I have experienced both) it is a matter of preparing yourself with the proper clothes and hydration. It is a lot about your state of mind.  It has been so much easier riding my bike home from school on very windy days that almost blow me off the road when I realize that blowing dirt is so much nicer than blowing snow!
 Betsy Wilkening