It's like fricking National Geographic around here

Yesterday I saw a wolf! It was chasing a caribou, but I couldn't see the caribou because I was busy trying to get out my video camera. I got the wolf on film at 20x zoom, so it's like tv!... if tv was shot using a mini dv camcorder with no tripod... anyway, it was the coolest thing I have seen yet out here. Farley Mowat would be proud. Also eventful was our helicopter trip back to camp. We were at the far north end of the claim property, which is about 45km from home, so it take about 30 minutes to get back. About 15 minutes into the flight we start coming in on this big thunderhead, which is perched directly on top of Zip Camp. All of a sudden a huge fork of lightning strikes about 4 or 5 km away from us, which is not very far when you are in a helicopter and there are no trees to attract the lightning. Then it starts raining like mad and the pilot is thinking that maybe we should land until it blows over, but then decides that he will go around the storm. Let me tell you that was a bit of a bumpy ride- I've been told I shouldn't sit in the front seat anymore because I am bad luck. Alas!

Today wasn't quite as exciting biologically or meteorologically, but very exciting geologically. I was paired up with Brenda and Paul instead of my usual partner Heather. Paul kind of heads the Aurora crew out here as he is the senior geologist and Brenda is a geologist and also his wife. Anyway, they were going to go check out some conductor highs (geophysics talk meaning good rocks to look at) and sent me off by myself to the west of their traverse. I ended up being by myself most of the day and found this awesome arsenopyrite zone in some volcanic rock. In itself aresnopyrite is kind of useless unless you need arsenic, but it is a very good indicator that gold is nearby, and gold is very not useless. If they build a mine there I'm going to get them to name it after my nephew Grady. Aside from that zone, I just kept finding great stuff all day. I would break open a rock and there would be shiny stuff inside- like a geology pinata! It's days like yesterday and today that make me remember what a completely amazing job I have.

I am sure you are tired of reading by now, so I will leave you for today. Happy trails.

-A.