Chris’s travels in 2010

It’s travel meme time! Following the example Silver Fox, Garry Hayes, Callan Bentley and Jess Ball, here’s a summary of my travels this year. If nothing else, it’s a good chance to (re)post pretty photos.

In January, a trip to the US saw me spending a few days in chilly New York City before heading to North Carolina for the ScienceOnline 2009 conference, and a day trip into the foothills of the Appalachians.

New York from the Empire State Building. Photo: Chris Rowan, 2010

Caesar's Head, North Carolina. Photo: Chris Rowan, 2010

In February, my travels were limited and distinctly ungeological in nature, although I did end up in the birthplace of the world-famous Melton Mowbray pork pie – with predictable (if unphotographed) results.

March saw me hunting plunging folds and baby geology students from the cliffs south of St Andrews.

Plunging Paleozoic Folds near St Andrews, Scotland. Photo: Chris Rowan, 2010.

In April, I was fortunate not to be travelling to far during the rather disruptive eruption of the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajoekull, although I did hike up Arthur’s Seat one evening to take some pictures of the ash-enhanced sunset.

A volcanic sunset from Arthur's Seat, Edinburgh. Photo: Chris Rowan, 2010.

In May I stayed mostly in Edinburgh, but this did include a walk in the Pentland hills just south of the city – one of my favourite places for an afternoon wander.

Pentland Hills near Edinburgh. Photo: Chris Rowan, 2010

June was my big trip to Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons: a geological wonderland of mountains and geysers.

The central part of the Grand Teton Range. Photo: Chris Rowan, 2010

Plume Geyser, Upper Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park. Photo: Chris Rowan, 2010.

July I was visited by my co-blogger Anne, and together we explored the geology of Edinburgh Castle.

My co-blogger Anne on the basaltic foundations of Edinburgh Castle. Photo: Anne Jefferson, 2010

August I ventured to the whisky-soaked Island of Islay, also hope to some impressive 6-700 million year-old glacial deposits.

Boulder in the Port Askaig Formation, with Chris for scale

September saw me visiting Boston for a conference – although I did take the time to walk some of the Freedom Trail, trying to avoid making snide comments in the accent of the evil English occupiers.

October was spent encamped in my lab, as I attempted to tidy up all of my loose research ends before…

November, when I made the move across the Atlantic to Chicago, to start a new post-doc. It’s very flat here – unless you count downtown, of course.

Downtown Chicago. Photo: Chris Rowan, 2010.

I had barely settled in before December, and the AGU Fall conference, came around, and I was off to San Francisco!

All in all, it’s been a pretty busy year for this blogger. Perhaps it’s a good thing for my wallet, my body clock, and my carbon footprint that – for the moment at least – next year is looking a bit more sedate.