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Red-eye flights suck. I don’t have much else to say about getting to Fairbanks last night, except that around 4 am, somewhere over Canada, I woke up from a neck-wrenching nap and saw the most AMAZING sunrise. This is why you always fight for a window seat! Usually it’s “meh,” but sometimes you get

Rock and Mineral Identification Believe it or not, this is something I do quite often. As the Director of the Rutgers Geology Museum, we offer rock and mineral identification events throughout the year. And more often than not, someone will walk through the door, rock in hand, wanting to speak to

Non-negotiables for Field Work Glitz and glamour aren't descriptors that come readily to mind when talking about field work. That in itself could freak some people out – the thought of no Starbucks, no makeup, no flush toilets. Ideal weather doesn't always perform on demand, there are no promises

Making new friends There have been so many people along the trails, trains, etc., that I have been making an effort to strike up a conversation with as many as I can. I have had some really interesting conversations, and I wanted to share some of those here. While taking a rest on a boulder, I

The Hills are Alive When talking to people about my upcoming trip to Switzerland, many of them mentioned the beautiful wildflowers. This was something that was not really on my radar, but once I got here, WOW, they really don’t disappoint. Not only are they everywhere, but there are countless

Daily Journal ###The journey starts with a single step I decided to tackle one of the closer hikes yesterday. Having never hiked in another country before, I wanted to see what the trail conditions were like before I attempted a trail that was farther away from my campsite. The Bargg trail would

Finally Here! After months of anticipation, I’m finally here! One long airplane ride and four trains later, I arrived at Grindelwald and stepped off the train to take in the views of the Alps around me. I couldn’t help but notice how hot it was. Not exactly the cool weather of a mountain town I

I leave tomorrow! Why are trips always so nerve-racking when it comes to it? I had what looked like a small list of things to finish up, and now I’m staring at the clock wondering where the day has gone. It doesn’t help that I’m bringing photo, audio, and video gear. What if I forget that little

What is a mist net? Imagine a fine nylon net suspended between two telescoping poles, and extended across a portion of the auklets' rock colony. The concept is simple. When birds are headed out of or into their nests, or flying around the rocks, they will be snagged in the net which is so fine it

Plucking is hard work! It requires attention to detail and long hours. Today is day eight of the work. We have worked nonstop since last Monday, somedays even until 10:30-11:00 at night. Plant identification is harder if the plants are dried out, so once we start a quadrat, it has to be finished the