Saturday, March 30, 2002

Spring Break 395 - 2002

Spring Break 2002 I headed down US395. After driving several hours to get to Lee Vining, I recall a deafening silence when I emerged from the car. It was as if sound were being sucked out of my ears, it was so quiet. I visited the tuffs at Mono Lake, then headed down to Lone Pine, where I saw the Alabama Hills and Mount Whitney. I dipped into Death Valley (and got buzzed by a couple of Navy pilots) before making my final run to San Diego.

There I met up with Paul Hewitt, John Suchoki, and Leslie Abrams Hewitt. We gave a talk on the new Conceptual Physical Science Explorations textbook and lab manual. I also met Phil Wolf while at NSTA.

B&GER Entry: I hit the highway for backroad trip through the back side of California. First stop: Lee Vining and Mono Lake. In Late March, Lee Vining is a quiet, quiet town. I got some early and late morning shots of the tufas, had breakfast at Nicely’s, and headed down US 395 to Lone Pine. Woke up to a sunlit view of Mt. Whitney (highest peak in the lower 48). In a quest to get an unobstructed shot of the peak, I drove through the Alabama Hills, an evocative landscape where many of the old Hollywood westerns were shot. But I was due in Death Valley, where I was welcomed by an overhead salute from a pair of Navy pilots from a nearby base. It was a quick in-and-out in Death Valley, as I was next due in San Diego for a professional rendezvous with the authors of Conceptual Physical Science—Explorations. We co-presented a session at the National Science Teachers’ Association convention. Bedazzled by the enormity of the meeting, I stayed too long, and missed my date to see Natalie Merchant in Bakersfield. Oh well, it was an incredible spring break nonetheless.



iMovie Bonus: Spring Break 395