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Peter Haan
Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
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Dec 23, 2009 - 11:47pm PT
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Agreed Scuff. The narrative was bombastic; this includes the soundtrack. Modest cool scientists--- our friends here!--- doing their job and this TV template falls on them like a waffle iron. The persons were all great, certainly. There could have been a tremendous amount more science and a whole lot less gasping and repetition from History Channels carnies and barkers. Much repeating with the narrative. I recorded the sucker and after watching it, realized there were four points--- got them of course---and then erased it--- get this junk off my drive. Probably would have been more successful had it been PBS or something similar. Another one-inch show.
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Minerals
Social climber
The Deli
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 24, 2009 - 01:16am PT
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Hey, it’s good to hear that a bunch of you were able to catch the documentary and I’m glad that you enjoyed it! Thanks for all of the nice comments!
I like how Cleo gets to climb up the outcrop at Olmsted Point after she describes it! Too cool. “Exfoliation” cards… Nice idea! :)
The scene with Allen repeatedly swinging a geology sledge into a boulder had me laughing… because I’ve never seen him beat up a rock like that before – it’s usually my job!
So, did anyone pay attention to the wall climbing footage? Was that Leo Houlding on Leaning Tower? Or someone else? And, the “Evil Tree Roof”?
Bill called me last night to say that the kayakers in the documentary were monkeys… Timmy O’Neill, Jonny Blair, and Sir Swilliam Russell himself! I had no idea, but recognized them later after a closer look. Also note Josh Helling in the credits at the end for the camera work!
Well, I got a call on my cell phone on a Sunday morning in June, when I was hanging out at the Mono Craters to get out of all of the rain in the High Country. At first, I was a bit confused and didn’t know whom I was talking to, but when I heard the word “geology” I started to pay more attention. Turns out they wanted to film with me for a day in Tuolumne and I figured I’d give it some thought and consult with my professor in Reno first, to refresh my memory on some things. But, the film crew was in Yosemite at that time, and they wanted to film that week! Whew, I thought!
Shower…? Umm, yeah… I had to bust out my solar shower at one of my eastside bivies if I was going to be on camera! :)
Allen had suggested that they get a hold of me for the Tuolumne bit and so I talked with him first, to see what it was all about. He said that he had a lot of fun with the filming and that I should give it a go, if I wanted to. So, three days later, on Wednesday, I met the crew in the May Lake parking area, and we headed up to the metaseds, just below the lake. I was super-nervous for the first several takes and never had a camera in my face before. After a while, I “warmed up” and it felt a little bit easier, but whew, remembering everything that you are supposed to say without botching any of it… Ha! Yeah, bloopers!
That first scene that we did, I messed up like 5 or 6 times, getting a little frustrated at times, and then just laughing at myself. BASE104 says that I look like a climber, but the very last scene of me – that was at least a second take. The first time, I got right next to the camera and stepped on a cobble the wrong way and just about pitched to the ground! Ha! I just laughed and we started over again. So much for climbing… The film crew was extremely patient and a lot of fun to work with. It’s interesting to see how so much filming gets condensed/edited into a one-hour program. I think they did a really nice job with the camera work, and with the dramatic footage of the Valley – that was fun to watch. Cole’s Real Nose???
The “wax demo” was something that they (Laura?) found on the Internet – neat that you all liked it so much! They had printed out a step-by-step sequence for the experiment/demo and gave it to me for a look. Laura had done at least two tests beforehand, and had it dialed. The first time I tried it, I must have put in too much sand, because we all sat there forever, with the camera running, until the wax was completely molten, and still nothing… and then it got a little shake, but that was off camera while we set up trial #2. Uh, oh… Take note, Jaybro and other teachers! You gotta practice first!
Yeah, it’s wild to see cobbles/erratics of Cathedral Peak granodiorite (knobby rock) in moraines in the Valley – those rocks went for a ride – from somewhere upstream of Tenaya Lake!
BASE104, what are you doing collecting data at 3 in the morning…? Drill rig? I’m not going to address any Sierra uplift models, until I consult with my professional, I mean professor first. After all, he’s the structural geologist! Thanks for picking up the geo slack around here when some of us are… umm… climbing! :) Cheers, my fellow McPhee fan!
Peter, I agree that the documentary certainly could have used a little more science content, but that would mean that Darwin would have to have his job back, if the History Channel’s “masses” of viewers were going to actually watch and understand it, that is…
Yeah, it’s just TV… but I thought it was a ton of fun, both in June and last night!
If anyone of you is ever interested in the geology of the Tuolumne area, hit me up in the store parking lot sometime – if I’m not climbing, I’m usually psyched to look at rocks and will try to explain things, on a more detailed level. All you have to bring is your curiosity.
Thanks again, all!!!
Syn-plutonic deformation: tightly-banded and folded metavolcanic rock, cut by folded granitic dikes, eastern margin of the Tuolumne Intrusive Suite, Steelhead Lake area
ROCKS ARE BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!
Edit: I screwed up the caption for the above photo. It should read “metasedimentary” rock… Ooops!
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Peter Haan
Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
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Dec 24, 2009 - 01:24am PT
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Thanks Minerals!! You are a stud. And too, thrilled that you are thrilled, certainly. And thanks tons, tons, for you characters doing your parts in the show!
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Dec 24, 2009 - 01:38am PT
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Z- folds? My dyslexic mind puts me at a serious disadvantage discerning them from s-folds....
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Minerals
Social climber
The Deli
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 24, 2009 - 01:47am PT
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Hey, thanks Peter! We were just having fun.
Z-folds? Nah, that’s Mother’s artwork! ;) Cheers, Geobro!
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Klimmer
Mountain climber
San Diego
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Dec 24, 2009 - 01:49am PT
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Enjoyed it and made a copy, although I will buy the DVD.
Nice how they brought out the people interest story/scientific debate between Muir and Whitney. The Sheep Herder vs. the CA State Geologist.
Just goes to show you, you have to get out there and hike/climb the miles and observe and think.
Liked how they kept bringing in thin-sections of rock and showing the colorful birefrigence in x-polarized transmitted light. They could have briely mentioned the petrographic microscope as a tool to do this and to make these effects and imagery. They showed the petrographic porn images but they didn't let the audience know about this wonderful tool.
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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
sorry, just posting out loud.
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Dec 24, 2009 - 02:25am PT
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good stuff, but why does anyone have to wail on the granite to get a sample?
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Klimmer
Mountain climber
San Diego
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Dec 24, 2009 - 11:14am PT
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BASE104,
You are a geologist so help your friend. You can do this . . .
Before your friend goes off and embarrasses himself, you can help him identify that it truly is an iron meteorite first. There are many meteorwrongs out there. Iron meteorites are by far the easiest to properly ID, and you should do this 1st. You want to absolutely know, and he wants to absolutely know it is a real, and not a big chunk of iron slag which happens far more than you can imagine.
Polish that already cut corner and prepare it for acid etching to expose Widmanstatten pattern. Once properly etched with acid, if it shows the tell-tale Widmanstatten pattern within the Fe-Ni alloy (Kamacite-Taenite) you are home free. It is a meteorite. Widmanstatten pattern only occurs in extra-terrestrial iron meteorites because the time required to develope the pattern takes an incredibly long-time and period of cooling, millions of years. It is impossible for this process to occur at the surface of the Earth, therefore it is extra-terrestrial. Also does it have regmaglypts? Iron rust patina on the outside?
http://www.meteoritemarket.com/hobby.htm
Then ID what kind of Iron meteorite it is. Classify it. You can do this. See the text:
Field Guide to Meteors and Meteorites (Patrick Moore's Practical Astronomy Series) (Paperback)
O. Richard Norton (Author)
(Author), Lawrence A. Chitwood (Author)
http://www.amazon.com/Meteors-Meteorites-Patrick-Practical-Astronomy/dp/1848001568/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1261668639&sr=8-3
Now that you know it is a Iron meteorite for sure, and can possibly classify what type of Iron meteorite, your meteorite is now much more valuable. If you want to go all the way, write-up a research article and team-up with a meteoritics professor and co-write the article to be published in the Meteorlogical Bulletin together. Now your meteorite is even more valuable and the scientific world knows about it and it will be given an official name.
Also he better know the full history of it, it's full provenance, and was it found on his land? Or was it found on federal land? That brings in other legal issues. The landowner owns the meteorite in the USA. However as I say, "there are no scientific discoveries without the ones who make the discoveries, and doing science is not a crime." In a fair world the discoverer is entitled to being rewarded:
LAW OF OWNERSHIP AND CONTROL OF METEORITES.
http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/metsoc2001/pdf/5150.pdf
The more you can do yourself, the better off you are, and he is in a much better position legally and can see the full value realized. Personally, I would go all the way first and do the study, write-up the article and get it published in the Meteoritical Bulletin first, then down the road consider the financial gains. Do the science first and get credit for that first.
He can then keep it. He can donate or loan it to a scientific musuem, he can sell it (if he owns it) or he can go through a well-known dealer such as . . .
Meteorites for the descriminating collector.
The Macovich Collection is the finest collection of aesthetic iron
meteorites in the world. Most often this site is used as an adjunct to printed auction catalog offerings of with major auction houses in a traditional auction environment.
Darryl Pitt
http://www.meteorite.com/meteorite-dealers/dealer-listings/macovich.htm
http://www.macovich.com/
Hope this helps.
Do it yourself, there are many out there who will mislead and mistreat you if you are not careful. I know this from experience, and many other people know this also.
"Contrary to their public image, scientists are normal, flawed human beings."13 They are as capable of prejudice, covetousness, pride, deceitfulness, etc., as anyone.”
David Weatherall, "Conduct Unbecoming," American Scientist (vol. 93, January-February 2005), p. 73.
Want a really good read? Read all about how the US Governement and the Smithsonian Institute mistreated the 3 miners who discovered The Old Woman Meteorite, in the Old Woman Mtns. in California. It is an incredible infamous and sad story and worth checking out for you and your friend. These are the legal issues you can face. It is the first story in this book and it is the complete story. You won't get the complete story on the web:
The Silence and the Sun (Paperback)
~ Joe de Kehoe (Author)
http://www.amazon.com/Silence-Sun-Joe-Kehoe/dp/097938270X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1261670716&sr=1-1
This is my best advice.
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Minerals
Social climber
The Deli
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 25, 2009 - 02:52pm PT
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To expand on what BASE 104 just wrote…
A few points:
1) I think the film crew must have asked Allen to repeatedly wail on that boulder to show how hard and solid the granite (El Capitan granite) in Yosemite is. It usually doesn’t take that much effort to collect a sample and Allen is pretty nice to the rocks. I, on the other hand, like to swing a hammer and break stuff!
2) We rarely take a sample from a loose boulder – most samples are broken off of solid bedrock outcrops, so that we know exactly where the sample came from, in order to analyze the data collected on the sample – geochronology, geochemistry, etc. Geochemical samples have to be very fresh and clean – a weathered sample will give you erroneous/incorrect data, whereas the mineral zircon is quite impervious to weathering and so geochronology samples that are not totally fresh can be used to “date” the rock (U-Pb zircon; radioactive decay…).
3) Sampling in Yosemite is done with a special geologic research permit, issued by the Park Service.
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Joe
Social climber
Santa Cruz Mountains/Los Gatos
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Dec 25, 2009 - 05:56pm PT
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hey b
I missed it. is there a dvd version or on line version for those of us that are lame?
happy holidazed
j
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dougs510
Social climber
down south
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Dec 25, 2009 - 11:52pm PT
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Great show. Mostly I had studied this prior to watching it, but can't ever get enough of the history. What's most fascinating to me is that some of YOU GUYS are in the film..... Hell, I share virtual communication with T.V. Stars... Ha!
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luggi
Trad climber
from the backseat of Jake& Elwood Blues car
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Dec 26, 2009 - 12:25am PT
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Cleo your earlier post...finally watched it...thought you did an outstanding job with the deck of cards!! ...very good and well done...I was surprised by the moraine and where they found it.
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tuolumne_tradster
Trad climber
Leading Edge of North American Plate
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Dec 26, 2009 - 01:44am PT
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more photos of tightly folded meta-volcanic rocks and other roof pendant materials please
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Mighty Hiker
climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Dec 26, 2009 - 02:32am PT
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more photos of tightly folded meta-volcanic rocks and other roof pendant materials please
"geo-porn" :-)
Can't wait for the DVD.
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neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
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Dec 26, 2009 - 04:21am PT
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hey there say, all... sure hope there will be a dvd, as, i missed it! ... was at the grandkids... and... i even missed the "try" to bump this, as well, before the "night show"... oh my... :(
thanks for the share... :)
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hossjulia
Trad climber
Eastside
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Dec 26, 2009 - 10:04am PT
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I caught the show, plus the segment on the Rockies afterwards, and I must say, what a fantastic series! Really well done, and Bryan, your part was great! Your enthusiasm for the subject really came through, and you looked totally natural. Sorry I missed the wax thing in person, that was cool.
NOW I understand what you were talking about with regards to the Valley....
I'll never look at a landscape the same way again, that's for sure.
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luggi
Trad climber
from the backseat of Jake& Elwood Blues car
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Dec 26, 2009 - 11:38am PT
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MIghty ....crazy how Geo Porn is more interesting.....
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tuolumne_tradster
Trad climber
Leading Edge of North American Plate
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Dec 26, 2009 - 12:46pm PT
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you want geo porn? check out this cool outcrop of folded sedimentary rocks!
Apologies for the thread drift violation. For additional reading on the Origin of Yosemite Valley see Chapter 4 of "Glaciers of California." Francois Matthes had essentially described all the steps in the evolution of Yosemite Valley mentioned in the documentary back in the 1930s.
http://www.ucpress.edu/books/pages/8119/8119.ch04.php
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