On Saturday we woke up bright and early, had breakfast, and went over to the WDC. We were loaded onto a van and hauled over some truly bumpy terrain to a dinosaur dig site where we spent about four hours helping the WDC staff dig stuff up.
The big black thing on the right of zson is a Camarasaurus leg bone, I think it was a femur. zson found a small piece of Camarasaurus tendon which they let him keep along with some fossilized plant matter and "float bone" (random tiny bone fragments) that I found. He was thrilled. Then they loaded us up again and took us even further out onto a ridge that used to be below an ocean. It's littered with fossilized sea life. We found and kept a bunch of clam and squid fossils, then went back to the museum for a behind-the-scenes tour including a Maiasaura mid-assembly and various pieces of Jimbo the Supersaurus. He's 106 feet long.
Then we got a guided museum tour. It was dope, as the kids say. Here's a Camarasaurus:
And here's the best Archaeopteryx in the US:
And here's an explanation of the Archaeopteryx:
Then we headed back to Casper. On Sunday we fished again with great success including this 20 inch rainbow trout.
Then we went back to Denver on Monday. zson was too pooped to do much other than swim in the hotel's saltwater pool and play with other kids at a McDonald's playground. I guess he needed some kid interaction after six days with just me. Then we flew home. I read "The Boilerplate Rhino" by David Quammen through most of the flight and it's perfect airplane material, especially after our week in the field. It's a collection of Quammen's essays from Outside magazine. They're all about 5-6 pages long so it's easy to stop and start the book, and the one about T. rex fossils in Montana was particularly resonant given recent events.
None of this is a humblebrag (except for that last photo of the fish). I have no idea how to parent properly. My guiding principle when I'm faced with a decision about my kids is to avoid doing what my parents would have done. So rather than have him watch TV all summer I took zson to a place I've never been to do stuff I wanted to do as a kid (and as an adult, truth be told). I'm just trying to get things right.
Hopefully zson will look back at this trip fondly. I know I will.
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62 comments:
Good lookin trout. Did you get to keep or did you have to release?
Well done on the trip. How'd uou find the right guide? Referral or due diligence?
turns out there are consequences to enabling child rape. let’s hope acosta is but the first domino to fall.
I hope Marls was not eating at the KFC in Eden, NC yesterday. Quite an explosion there, and I don't mean of the colon blow variety.
We released all of the trout. I didn’t ask to keep any because there’s no way I’m cooking on vacation. The outfitter also owns that stretch of river and I think they require release unless it’s a real whopper/trophy fish. After all, on fish can be caught ten times by ten different vacationers. More fish = better fishing so keep them in the river.
I found the outfitter and WDC through research. The Orvis website was helpful. We considered Montana but it’s hard to get there from NJ and the fish are like 8 hours away from the dinosaurs. Wyoming is almost as good for fish and dinos and easier to get to.
zson wants to go back next year but I don’t know if he’ll still be into dinosaurs. I feel like that interest can turn on a dime.
Ain't no dinosaurs in the Bible.
My daughters are going to the Dierks Bentley show tonight. I’m a Jason Isbell guy. You hate to see a family torn apart like this. A house divided cannot stand.
Next thing you know they'll be going to a Brian Jonestown Massacre gig.
On a less dipshittery note, I think the Zman and Zson trip is an outstanding thing in both concept and execution. Bad assed dad work, Z.
just passed bangor. that’s the last civilization i’ll see for a week or so. try to keep the country on the rails, kids.
Bangor, I hardly ... forget it.
Brian Jonestown Massacre >> Dandy Warhols
Speaking of trout. 1988, friend's party. Female friend heads to ladies room, executes a #2, flushes, or so she thinks. Another friend, this one male, heads in afterwards, discovers the floater. To this day, 31 years later, she is known as "the brown trout". A sad group indeed. I am not proud.
Currently watching 5 people in the parking lot below place post-it notes on every square inch of non-window space of someone's car. It's pretty impressive.
Correction....windows is phase 2 apparently.
In tennis, we had the nadal/federerer match on. Lovely.
Are, is, whatever
Z knows I'm a Dandys guy.
Wait. That sounded... not so studly.
4th set of Federer-Nadal was pretty great. Roger breaking Rafa to go up 2-1 felt huge. Rafa couldn’t recover, despite fending off the first four match points.
Rob is likely out of touch for the next week. Feel free to say whatever you want about him now.
The Zboys summer trip is really cool and a great job of Zman with regard to the timing of Kemba’s interests. I feel a bit less adequate as a parent.
Related: I can never quite wrap my mind around Zman being a fishing enthusiast. No shade at all. I live around and socialize with many fishing enthusiasts. Just not something I’d ever predict based on the little know of the elder Z.
I enjoy fishing for a number of reasons, including that you never really know what you’re going to dredge up until you get it to the surface. I guess digging for dinosaurs is similar in that regard.
Just in case you aren’t following along, our country currently doesn’t have a Secretary of Defense, Homeland Security, and now Labor. We’re also missing an Administrator of the Small Business Association, FAA, FDA, FEMA, OMB, OSHA, and ICE. Oh, we don’t have an Ambassador to the UN either. Good thing rob is off the grid!
It’s somewhat easy (and strangely comforting) to ignore the systematic dysfunction of the executive branch of our government. Shitshow is an overused term but that’s exactly what it is and not a single republican seems to care enough to make a meaningful fuss.
Which doesn’t even begin to touch on the Secretary of Labor’s comments regarding his crimes or our President’s full throated indignation at his appointees (forced) resignation.
I’m not looking forward to 2020.
On a lighter note, Nas was awesome last night. He played Illmatic and then all the subsequent hits. Somehow I ended up out at a club with Drake’s tour DJ. I CANNOT handle 3 am bedtimes at this point in my life. Shout out to drunk pizza.
I have thoroughly enjoyed the Z Chronicles. My takeaway? You’re an awesome dad.
Agreed. We’re all figuring it out on the fly. Zman is putting in the effort, with a mind to the environment created. More than half the battle. At least in the early years.
I have a legal (not legal because you’re a minor) weed story to share that will complicate the issues of older children. It’s involves THC and nicotine and, honestly, I’m more upset about the nicotine. And the laughable lies/excuses that were floated. The 17 year old actually told me she was doing research. Bold. And stupid.
This throwback is for Mark:
https://youtu.be/rfj3dPkeaqI
I turned down an offer from a big boozehound friend last night to watch the Phish show stream at his house. Instead, I sipped two couch scotches and watched the Yankees w/ my 11 y/o. Was in bed at 11 and at the gym at 7 AM. Did food shopping after that and then cleaned the fuck out of my garage and back shed. About to make eggs and bacon for my 9 y/o. I am dadding the hell out of this day.
Unfortunately, mean reversion is highly likely after my kid’s 230 baseball game in 90 degree weather.
Bill and Ted’s Part 3 next summer. Excellent.
Stong dadding this week Z. Cool trip.
My kid lost his baseball game by two TDs. On the plus side, it was only 87, not 90.
Finally got around to looking at the link in TR’s comment from last night. Damn you.
If only I had a mustache as cool the cokehead Dad.
My wife is in St Augustine for a Jojo Siwa concert with our kid and other kids/moms. Not sure there has ever been a more dramatic flip in a 48 hour period.
Jojo Siwa sounds like a Star Wars character.
I am sipping wine in my backyard. Youngest kid practicing his baseball swing on our swing device. Dog tearing up the yard. Black Crfowes’ Three Snakes and One Charm playing in the background. Fireflies feeling themselves. Life is simple and good.
I re-preposed to my wife tonight in the streets of DC. Our 7th anniversary is tomorrow.
I left my job of 14+ years yesterday. I start a new job Monday.
Life is indeed good.
I can’t really compete with TJ or TR, but I didn’t have to attend a Jojo Siwa concert tonight so life is pretty swell.
OK, I’ll bite: what the fuck is a Jojo Siwa?
Teej - would’ve been cooler if you re-proposed 36 days earlier. Did you borrow Marls’ Johnny Paycheck CD
I believe she’s a kid from one of those dance moms reality shows. Or honey boo boo. I’m not totally sure but I know enough to know to stay far away.
Anywho, the kid has made a fortune selling obnoxiously large hair bows. Then she started making bad pop music. And then making even more money with a bad Target based little girls clothing line.
I am sipping a nightcap of red after 27 NE IPA’s (numbers approximate) and cranking Fleetwood Mac Rumors. They all were banging each other.
Apparently I replied rather than commenting. Who knew? Clearly not me. I’m never going back again
I just learned of JoJo last week as the parent on duty for my son and another dancer. The girl kept singing her song ‘boomerang’,and it earwormed me for about a day and a half. Do not recommend.
Federer serves the way Maddux pitched.
And he’s hitting his backhand like me, which is to without a ton of confidence.
Novak unlikely to win this 4th set, but he is mentally tough as hell. Crowd is totally behind Federer, but he keeps scrapping. 5th set shaping up to be epic.
This isn’t great tennis but it’s great drama.
The fact that their combined age is 69 (for reals) is a factor. I can’t believe no up-and-comer has been able to consistently elbow their way into top three against the old guys.
Fifty-four combined finals but these two guys are tight as hell. It’s remarkable.
Djokovic will go for broke here.
I hate swinging volleys.
Onions.
Unreal. Federer won this tournament eight times but he played that service game like it was his first finals appearance. He’s shook.
This is high drama. At this point I may never get to the gym today.
You’re right, Z. He wants it too much. Got real tight with the tournament in his sight.
I’m not going to accomplish as much as I planned to today.
I will be disappointed if this match is decided by a tie breaker.
I think tiebreaker after 12-12 is fair. Unbelievable match. Djoker’s smile was something to see. I’ve always liked that dude since learning his backstory.
The phrase “bacon wrapped brussel sprouts” was just introduced to me. That sounds fun.
RIP Sweet Pea Whitaker
Yoodge day here.
We are still waiting for Marls’ review
Gheorghe is sleepy
RIP John Paul Stevens.
John Paul Jones > John Paul Stevens
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