TALES FROM THE FIELD Give Them an Inch… Vic Ridgley, CPG-05138
Vic Ridgley, CPG-05138, worked 15 years in hard- and soft-rock uranium exploration, and 34 years in gold, including 20 years at 4 producing Nevada mines. He is now semi-retired and freelances in technical writing and editing.
In 1993, two prominent structural geologists approached AIPG in Nevada about running a 9-day field course through central Nevada to examine some classic basement structural styles relevant to large-scale crustal deforma- tion. The trip was tightly scripted; after completing our travel on Day 1, rounded off with catered dinner, a regional geol- ogy lecture and slide show, we mentally prepared for the rigors of the next 8 days. Each day would follow the same rigorous routine:
•Early morning Continental Breakfast
•Morning class (lectures, slides & problem sets), 7:00 to 10:30 AM
•Afternoon field trip with sack lunch
•Evening catered dinner, followed by unsupervised lounge time.
The course content was fascinating. Day by day, we tackled shallow vs. deep crustal folds; rock comminution in proximity to faults; different fold styles; tilting of large crustal blocks; tilt- ing limited to sedimentary cover rocks; metamorphic core complexes; trap-door faults; and an uneroded volcanic vent.
As fascinating as the geology was, the human relations aspect took center stage. I was one of two logistics organiz- ers for the trip. My colleague handled the administrative details, and I took on the daily nuts and bolts of operations. All together, there were two professors, my logistical colleague and I, and 16 paid attendees, including 11 Americans, 3 Australians, 1 Canadian and 1 Irish. So, there were 20 people to look after, and I could easily imagine myself becoming their shepherd, their cruise director and activities coordinator. You see, the two professors were there to teach; the 16 paid attendees were there to learn and my colleague was there to enjoy himself, so that left me responsible for everybody’s welfare and HAPPINESS.
Problems surfaced immediately and centered on the meals. Everybody – I thought – understood that Continental Breakfast is just that: rolls and coffee. The morning of Day 2 I began to hear complaints from the “fruits and nuts” crowd that it was poor “public policy” for our group – known as we are for our robust HEALTHY lifestyles – to
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be served fatty, cholesterol-rich, non- nourishing foods.
The tour group had a charge account at the local market, and I had been authorized to buy whatever I needed for the day’s supplies, including the picnic lunches. So, during the evening shopping trip on Day 2, I took it upon myself to buy some bananas for the morning of Day 3. They were an instant hit. For one day. On the morning of Day 4 I brought in more bananas. Right away, the “fruits” started in on me: “This is boring; why can’t we have granola?” (This is supposed to be a ringing endorsement of natural food.)
I got somewhat agitated about this, because I felt I was being abused. After all, we had already PAID for the Continental Breakfasts, which were being left UNEATEN in favor of the bananas. So, the next morning I brought in granola bars. This quieted the com- plaining “fruits” for awhile. But then they started in with: “This is still bor- ing. Can’t you find anything else?” So the next day I brought in a couple of cantaloupes and cut them up right on the serving table.
At this point the banquet manager for the hotel approached me and asked if there was something wrong with his breakfasts. I replied, “Nothing that los- ing a few of these conference attendees wouldn’t cure!” He said, “Well, if they don’t like the food, I can supply a couple of other things.” So then the two of us got into a US-Soviet style arms race – me outdoing myself each morning with more treasures from the market, he opening the bidding with fruit juices, then fruit cups, then croissants, then scrambled eggs, and finally fried eggs. By the end of the week, we had escalated from 20 rolls (for 20 people) to a full Swedish smorgasbord (at what financial cost I hesitate to guess).
And, at the end of the week, the chief “fruit” was still complaining because I hadn’t been able (not so – I refused!!) to provide loose granola cereal.
That is what went on in the mornings. A similar tale involved lunch.
We had contracted with a local store, “Drew’s VCR and Sandwich Shoppe” (convenient one-stop shopping for mov- ies and lunch!), to supply 8” long sub sandwiches and 1 bag of potato chips for each of 20 participants, for $4 per person per day. Every night, I’d deliver two empty ice chests which he’d fill up with bagged ice in the bottom, and 20 bagged sandwiches on top. After morning class, I’d stop by and pick up the prepared coolers and 20 bags of chips. As well, I had also added miscellaneous items like soft drinks during the previous night’s visit. I stuffed all these items in my long-bed pickup, which was the supply vehicle trailing the main expeditionary force each day.
The first day out (Day 2), there had been really no time to study the menu, or decide on selections intelligently, so I had gambled and taken what Drew (an Indian from India) had suggested the night before – turkey and ham combo with everything on it. The sandwiches were prepared and ready to go on time after class, so I took them. As soon as we got to the field stop and set up for lunch, it started: “What are we having? Why? Isn’t there anything else? All I see is
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Jan.Feb.Mar 2019 • TPG 27
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