(This post was supposed to be done a couple weeks ago. But seeing as how those two weeks were some of the busiest ones of my existence - although that designation can be applied to almost any week now that I'm at college - blogging somehow dropped out of my priorities list. But now that my tests are over and I should be working on a paper, I've decided it's time.)
Two weeks ago I went camping for the first time in my life. But it wasn't just any camping. No, this was legit - 20 science nerds missing two days of class to revel in the beauty and microbiological wonder that is Yellowstone. Our group was easily identifiable amid the hundreds of other visitors during those days - if you heard the words, hydrogen bond, thermophile, or biofilm, you knew you were in the right place. It was definitely one of the few times in my life where microbiological small talk was normal. And I've never had a "smurf" be "pipetting" in any other setting. Ah, the nerdiness.
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| For those of you who share my nerdiness, the fingers of different biofilms here are fascinating. The orange fingers you see are composed of more thermophilic mats, while the darker ones do not have hot water from the spring running over them, so they are cooler. They likely have different metabolic pathways as well. |
But it wasn't all biology. There were dance parties, s'mores, spontaneous games, and a lot of bonding (not just the hydrogen type). We talked with people from all over the world, including the raucous but friendly Brits who shared our campground and the sweet ladies from Germany who were excited when I spoke to them in their native tongue. And breathtaking beauty.
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| Views like this make me feel alive inside. |
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| A beautiful underground hot spring near Fountain Paint Pots |
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| Elizabeth and Knesha! At this point it had warmed up a little and it wasn't even raining. While the rain sometimes enhanced the beauty of our surroundings, it made it rather cold so we were glad for the reprieve. |
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| Old Faithful |
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| The clouds completely make this scene. |
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| As I came around the corner and could see the waterfall in Yellowstone's Grand Canyon, the sheer beauty took my breath away. The picture can't quite capture the grandeur that God created here. |
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| My tent buddies! Some of the greatest girls ever. :) |
The beauty of God's nature, and biological discussions about His works, combined with the forging of deep friendships made that weekend one I will never forget. Definitely worth it. :)
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