Bobby Jindal would love the latest equipment at my lookout tower!

[DemoTex]

I got back yesterday after a couple of days off in Bend, and found that the US Geological Survey folks had payed a visit to my lookout tower. Near the base of the tower they set up a solar-powered volcano monitoring station. Bobby Jindal? Paging Bobby Jindal! Bwaa haa haa haa!

However, I am just a leeeetle bit concerned. After all I am sitting on a cinder cone volcano that is on the flanks of the big one, the Newberry Caldera. What do they know that I don't know? Is this sucka gonna blow?

Thanks again to EarlG for allowing my dispatches from the Oregon wilds in DU GD Forum.




The volcano monitoring equipment from the steps of the lookout tower.


WTF? R2D2? Will this thing start walking around and kill Nick and crush my pickup?


And there I am, sitting in a tiny lookout tower on a big cinder cone volcano. Believe me, it puts ones significance in the great scheme of things in perspective.

[Suich]

1. LOL!

If it starts beeping or something, I'd get outta there right quick!

:hi:

[havocmom]

3. A DUer in Bozeman area, asked about Yellowstone getting active said

he wasn't worried when the geologists and vulcanologists came INTO the area, it was when they left in a hurry that would bother him.

[DemoTex]

7. Ain't that the truth!

I do want to pick their brains when they come back (which is supposed to be today or tomorrow).

[havocmom]

17. Will look forward to your post about that chat

[DemoTex]

12. If it starts walking, I'm calling for helo evacuation!

:hi:

[havocmom]

2. LOL Glad to hear from you

And, is it possible the punk kids are just messin with the 'old guy' with that equipment? It's what I'd do! :hi:

Seriously, maybe we should check the sites that show quake activity? I say this as one living in the plume of death should Yellowstone blow ;)

[greatauntoftriplets]

4. Sounds like you are having one hell of a fun stay there.

:hi:

[DemoTex]

10. Indeed! Good to hear from you.

Dr. D. is in Chicago tonight .. well, you know which burb.

[onehandle]

5. Stop wasting taxpayer money!...

...or some other equally insane response.

Seriously, What a cool thing you are doing!

[Canuckistanian]

6. Lightning, fires, wildcats

What possible EXTRA risk would a volcano be? I hear a few moments of terror help to break the monotony! :D

Still, I envy you. What a mysterious, beautiful place.

[DemoTex]

9. Don't forget the glass in the USGov MRE!

Nature and government both conspiring against me! It ain't fair.

[Suich]

15. I forgot about the MRE glass...

what ever happened with that? I think you were going to post something but you had internet problems.

[DemoTex]

21. That went to the top. USFS, Dept of Ag., DoD, and Defense Procurement Agency

All I've heard is that some people in DC (not USFS) are not happy with the tune I blew on my whistle. My guess is the DPA is in full CYA mode again. The same MRE vendor, Ameriqual, had a big salmonella problem in their MRE milkshakes earlier in the summer.

[spanone]

8. k&r....

[Union Yes]

11. You might just have the coolest job!

Im kinda jealous.

The job description "An office with a view." wouldn't do it justice.

:hi:

[GrantDem]

13. That equipment is a hyper sensitive GPS unit.

It is measuring the bulge (if any) of the volcano on which you work.

Edit to add:

http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/activity/methods/deformation/gps/index.php

[Cresent City Kid]

23. I recognized it from my surveying days

I only did it for a few years, but I gained an enormous respect for surveyors in that time. Some people can do highly technical work, and others can brave the elements, but surveyors manage both.

[DemoTex]

27. Great link. Thanks.

I have written many articles about differential GPS in aviation navigation applications. Build your own ILS, etc.

[EarlG]

14. Edited

My mistake, you already have a Journal!

As I was saying, these posts are great :)

[Suich]

19. Since you edited,

never mind! I thought you were making a funny.

[DemoTex]

20. I'm posting them to my DU Journal, when I remember to.

I've been doing that all along. But I started off linking to Google's Picasa Web. A lot of those great pic links are broken. I'm now linking DU pics thru Flickr. Maybe, when I finally get back home in late November, I can clean up the Journal and re-link the pics.

My big problem is severly limited broadband access. Just like my other problems in the wilderness (water, food, sanitation, wild animals, etc), but I'm loving it and I'm loving sharing this great adventure. Thanks for facilitating that end!

Mac

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/DemoTex

[Mythbuster]

16. I agree

You've got an awesome view from your office!! You should send a picture of "R2D2" there to Jindal and write "Ain't this cool! I hear each box cost over $500K!!!" Anything to get that little twirp's "pull-ups" in a wand!! :7

[The Doctor.]

18. Hmmm... Volcano insurance?

Still wish I were you.

[stevedeshazer]

22. Anything can happen. I just got a speeding ticket on a 'tsunami evacuation route' at the coast.

But I know you know you're sitting among scads of cinder cones.

Central Oregon is a geological trip, isn't it?

Have you made it to Hole-in-the-Ground? I know you're close to it.

[DemoTex]

24. Have not been there, but spotted some fires down there

T25 R13 S13 NE/NE

Hole-In-The-Ground is just WNW of Ft. Rock


Ft. Rock from the lookout tower

[merh]

25. Damn, you sure chose a great summer camp to attend.

Fires, lighting storms, smoke and now volcano monitoring.

I hope you get some great merit badges out of this! :silly:

Your essay "What I did this Summer" will NOT be boring.

Thanks again for sharing with us and for agreeing to watch over nature for the rest of us.

Stay safe. :hug:

[DemoTex]

26. My 18 y/o neice and her dad spent a week here in late July.

She just started college in the Clemson Honors Program. From her emails it sounds like her brilliant classmates are in awe of her summer trip and her photos of this area.

[merh]

28. I am truly jealous.

I join her classmates, what a wonderful gift you shared with her.

[this_side_up]

29. Most likely explanation is GPSing South Sister

SummitPost - South Sister -- Climbing, Hiking & Mountaineering
The uplift is located about 3 miles West of South Sister and covers an area of about 9-12 miles. The uplift is only about 4 inches but has been detectible ...
www.summitpost.org/mountain/rock/.../south-sister.html - Cached - Similar


Geological Society of America - Another Cascade Range Volcano May ...
May 13, 2002 ... South Sister volcano in Oregon's Cascade Range is beginning to show ... the ground west of South Sister swelled about 4 inches since 1996. ...
www.geosociety.org/news/pr/02-31.htm - Cached - Similar


Scientists Keep Eye On South Sister
necessarily mean the South Sister will erupt, but the magma three to four ... across had risen about 4 Inch es from to 2000 Geologists said It was the most ...
news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1310&dat...id...pg... - Similar

[sybylla]

30. I wonder what would happen if you just tapped it with a finger?

Only a couple of times. Just to see if it starts walking. :evilgrin:

[alfredo]

33. The last person who did that pulled back a stub.

[DemoTex]

35. Stub? Disrupting a volcano monitoring robot gets you this:

[alfredo]

36. That's better than this:

[Catshrink]

31. I was going to say something about Nick damaging it if

he did his business there -- but it needs to withstand rain, right? Apologize to Nick for me.

You have such a cool job! Sure beats reading lab reports.

[david13]

32. Tex. I have obtained insider information from Washington that

that thing is all set to blow sky high real soon, I haven't yet found the exact date.
However, the CIA is going to set up a huge catcher's mitt about 45 miles south, which is where they have determined you will come down from your flight.
So not to worry.
Enjoy the journey, that's the best life motto.
Or is that a slogan?
dc

[DemoTex]

34. Ride the rocket.

Don't fall off.

[Motown_Johnny]

37. stand right next to it, and jump up and down a while

[krispos42]

38. You need to slap a DU sticker on that puppy

:-)

[nadinbrzezinski]

39. LOL... bobby would have a conniption

even after the same equipment went bonkers in Alaska.