Sunday, August 8, 2010
Fun, Fit and Fossilized at the Mammoth Dig
![Coyote Canyon Mammoth Dig – Dave Harris
Not knowing what to expect, 21 people carpooled to the site now known as the Coyote Canyon Mammoth Site. We were introduced to Bax Barton and Gary Last, the lead paleontologist and geologist respectively, by Gary Kleinknecht, a geologist and teacher at Kamiakan High School. He is coordinating the community and school interface. The site is unremarkable from sage brush hills we see every day. But at this location, mammoth bones were found in a silt bank, at a low level, perhaps a million years before last ice age flood. Dr Barton recognized the opportunity to study the sediments layer by layer to assess the change in the local flora and fauna over that long period. The dig therefore requires careful sifting of dirt to find and categorize parts of insect, animals and plant life, in addition to uncovering the remaining mammoth bones.
Our group helped prepare the site for starting the teaching and sifting operations. One group cleaned the main building, housing the office, maintenance, lab, and learning area, and setup chairs for students. The second group cut a path down the hillside to the sifting station, trenched and ran a water line to the station, and setup a canopy and a sifting box.
We were well please with the work we had done and with the information we gained that was new to most of us. The participants were: Margie Runyon, Barb Whitney, Darrel Duncan, John Roberts, Judy Taylor, Bruce Nicoll, Chuck Rodgers, Margaret McColloch, Joan Bradley, Bill and Laura Broderick, Rick and Vicky Woods, Dave and Becky Bechtold, Dave and Pat Harris, Muriel Templeton, Nadine Highland and Mike McCoy.
The Coyote Canyon dig will be active for a number of years. It will become an important investigative site with emphasis on involving teachers and school kids. Volunteers are welcome to be a part of this growing institution. People are needed to support the sifting operations, perform maintenance and landscaping, or provide skills of almost any type. More information will be on the FFOFC website. You may also contact Gary Kleinknecht at 509-6271654.
Three Parks Paddle Trip – Max Vogel
Seventeen inspiring, over 50 (some way over 50), kayakers paddled between Sacajawea, Hood and Two Rivers parks, crossing the Snake and Columbia rivers. This 4+ mile trip offered a variety of scenery and included some large expanses of open water. Many of the participants had never been to all these parks and certainly never to all in one day. The participants were: Dave and Pat Harris, Barbara LaPrath, Dennis Trimble, Tatiana Ignatova, Tatiana Derrick, Kathy Walker, Bill and Lisa Kinner, Barb and Harold Whitney, Bruce and Eileen Nicoll, Angela Cox, Gay Fitzgibbon, Pam Woodward and your leader Max Vogel with his dog Leon.

On the Way to Two Rivers Park [dh]
Sacajawea Trail Bike Ride, Part 2 – Tom and Wilma Page
Twelve bike riders did the second portion of the Sacajawea trail, from Chiawana Park to Sacajawea Park. Riders were: Anne Hoppe, Rob Koenig, John and Sue Decker, Bruce and Eileen Nicoll, Skip and Linda Claeson, Jerry Chiaramonte, Angela Cox, and Tom and Wilma Page. The weather was perfect for biking and the riders completed the 20 mile round trip at a brisk pace of nearly 11 mph.
Badger Mountain Walk – Beccy Chiaramonte
Twelve intrepid walkers traveled in timely fashion to the top: Evelyn Painter, Joan Bradley, Dennis Trimble, Charles Rogers, Dave Harris, Margaret McCulloch, Wilma Page, Eileen and Don Hogaboam, John Roberts, Joanne Holloman, and Beccy Chiaramonte. See you next time on the Dalles Road side.

Sacajawea Trail Riders at Sacajawea Park [ tp]

Badger Mountain Group Did It Again [bc]
John Wayne Trail Bike Ride – Dennis Trimble
A nine-mile portion (18 miles round trip) of the John Wayne Pioneer Trail was biked on a warm and sunny day by Annie Hoppe, Chuck Rogers, Kathy Walker, Dave Harris, and Dennis Trimble. The ride was different than advertised due to "closure" of the tunnels. We started at Lake Easton State Park and proceeded west to first tunnel. It is a short tunnel, and since we saw no danger or Park Rangers, we rode through the tunnel and on to Stampede Pass Road a distance of nine miles before turning back. There were three scenic bridges crossing the Yakima River and a tributary creek.
Amon Basin Walk – Pam Woodward
Seven adventurous hikers walked the local Amon Basin Preserve. The morning was beautiful and warmed quickly. Along the hike, black-tailed jack rabbits were seen as well as 3 playful river otters and several side blotched lizards. Evidence of geological events was evident with fault lines, glacial erratics and bubbling springs. Even at this time of year there were several desert flowers in bloom. The walk through the preserve reinforced the necessity of keeping Amon Basin in its natural state and not having it be developed. Those hiking were Bev Hunter, Mary Peters, Max Vogel, Dennis Trimble, Eileen Nicoll, and Pam and Scott Woodward

John Wayne Trail at NoNo Tunnel [dt]

The Amon Basin Walkers [ pw]
--- About Us –
--- Don’t forget about the tour of the LIGO facility on Monday, August 9th. This will be a chance for us to try to understand what is happening WAY OUT THERE. Contact Teri Warner at 943-6676.
--- Advance signup is required for the Dust Devils baseball game and all you can eat barbeque. Contact Lee Steel at 967-0204
--- Dave and Becky Bechtold completed their Idaho bike ride of 290 miles, with a combined altitude gain of 11,200 feet.
--- There will be no FFOFC Update next week. Please keep sending your reports and pictures please.
Upcoming Events – Check the Website Calendar for the Details
August 9th – Tour the LIGO research facility – Show up at 10am at the RCC
August 10th – Walk up Badger Mountain – Show up at the Dalles Road access, 7:30am
August 10th - Board Meeting at the Richland Library – All members are invited, 6:30pm
August 11th – Hike to Fremont Lookout, Mt Rainier – Contact Diana Stevens
August 12th – Happy Hour at the Shilo Inn in Richland –
Starts at 5pm, all members and guests are invited to attend
August 13th – Bike ride around Canyon Lakes – Contact Jerry Chiaramonte
August 16th – Paddle the Snake River at Charbonneau Park – Contact Dennis Trimble
August 16th – Start multi-day outing at Charbonneau Park – Contact Ron Filkowski
August 17th - Walk up Badger Mountain – Show up at Shockley Road access, 7:30am
August 17th – Attend Dust Devils Baseball and Barbeque – Contact Lee Steel
August 18th – Hike and picnic at Jubilee Lake – Contact Tatiana Ignatova
August 19th – Tennis social- Players of all abilities are welcome.
Show up at the Lawrence Scott Park tennis courts at 5pm. Contact Carol Kerkow.
August 23rd – Bike the West Richland Highlands-Suitable for all capabilities, Contact Dave Harris.
Please share this update with persons who might enjoy participating in any of the activities we offer. New members bring new ideas, new places to go, and interesting fellow travelers.](5D298746-242A-4039-8B03-CA86687628F8_files/shapeimage_2.png)
