Walks of Life

Today we regained our land-legs in dramatic fashion -- half of us went
on a beautiful forest valley walk, while the other half hiked up the
side of a mountain.
The valley walk consisted primarily of two things: avoiding ants, and
spotting birds. Professor Rodenhouse showed us firsthand how formic
acid from an ant hill can act as insect repellent by rubbing his hand
on an ant hill very nearly as tall as he is. Literal hand. Yikes. On a
less terrifying note, we spotted a Great Spotted Woodpecker, listened
to the creaking of the birch trees, and marveled at the swiftness and
water volume of the streams after the storm.
The mountain hikers went north along Baikal to a set of crags known as
"Skriper." It was a delightfully steep climb, with multiple high view
points looking out over the lake and surrounding forests. We ate
lunches kindly packed for us by the kitchen staff, took naps on the
beach, and then hiked back to the Biostation in time for hot showers
and dinner. Highlights of the trip included viewing fog patterns
caused by the recent cold upwelling in the waters of the lake, and
eating hard boiled eggs on a precarious bluff. Low points included
ants. So many ants.
We are all safely back at the Biostation now, about to spend the
evening catching up on journaling while watching a movie called "The
Way Back," in which Baikal plays a significant role.
Rosamond and Abby