By Chuck Bailey
Saturday, Feb. 26th was a day like no other.
I participated in both a William & Mary departmental field trip while simultaneously ‘hosting’ an episode of the Bachelor as we rolled across the Blue Ridge foothills in central Virginia.
The Geology department runs a field trip every semester that is open to all – from Fresh Peeps to Super Seniors. In the Spring semester, Geology majors typically lead the trip and highlight their research findings to their peers – it’s uniquely fun.
The Schuyler Sisters decided to spice things up by having the field trip broadly-themed around the long-running TV series the Bachelor. At each of our stops, one of the Schuyler Sisters guided our discussion, asked questions of the participants, and ultimately gifted a piece of rose quartz to somebody special!
As host, I tried to keep everything on the rails. Unfortunately, I had to intervene as one of the participants was there ‘for the wrong reasons’. The participant was originally banished, but the Sisters showed mercy and let them return (albeit wearing the hat of shame:). The full ‘episode’ is still in production, but trust me – it’ll be a must-see spectacle when released! Here’s a short video snippet to pique your interest.
The first three outcrops told the story of rifting and volcanism which, by the early Cambrian had, spawned a new ocean basin – the Iapetus. Armand and Bernice Theiblot welcomed us to Quarry Gardens where we lunched and then explored the old soapstone quarries which now flourish as native plant gardens. We finished the day by crossing The Great Unconformity and venturing further back in time to see the Blue Ridge basement complex.
These out-of-classroom experiences are a big part of what makes Geology at William & Mary special.
More Field Trip Pics!
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