Nerd Roamer

Dinosaur Boot Camp

Grab your shovels, rock picks and brushes, because this episode we are headed to Dino Camp! Dinosaurs ruled the land in the Mesozoic Era, inhabiting every continent on earth. The secrets revealed by their fossils can enliven any journey, whether to one of our great science museums, or to one of the actual fossil dig sitesscattered across the US. Let's face it - many of us went through a dinosaur phase during childhood, and in this episode, we'll brush up on all the awe-inspiring reasons why that phase should never end. 

 

We'll brush up on the progression of dinosaurs from small beasts filling an ecological niche after the "Great Dying" at the end of the Permian age, to the rich cast of characters you know and love from the late Cretaceous. After that, a quick detour to highlight fascinating aspects of dinosaur physiology and answer questions like - were they warm-blooded? Did they have feathers? What's their relationship to birds? 

 

We'll finish out the episode by covering a top ten list of my favorite dinosaurs, and delve into the extinction event that led to the end of the Age of Dinosaurs. Along the way, we'll also cover loads of geology and highlight some of the best places in  the US you can go to indulge your inner Dino Nerd.

 

This episode really can pair well with trips just about anywhere in the US. It is especially great if you are headed out on a trip and are thinking of visiting a dinosaur site such as Dinosaur National Monument in Colorado/Utah, Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry in Utah, Two Medicine Dinosaur Center in Montana, or Dinosaur related state parks in Texas, Massachusetts and Connecticut. City trips should not be lost opportunities either, as you might want to brush up before visiting Chicago's Field Museum, or the Smithsonian in Washington, DC.

 

Knowledge Nugget: Radioisotope Dating

 

Deep Dive: The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs: A New History of a Lost World by Stephen L. Brusatte

 

Deep Dive - Silly: Dinosaurs! - A Fun-Filled Trip Back in Time! Short film by Will Vinton starring Fred Savage

Night of the Grizzlies - One Terrifying Night in Glacier National Park That Changed America's National Parks Forever (Part 2 of 2)

The race to find the bears responsible for the attacks in August 1967 is in full swing. As rangers consider the events of the Night of the Grizzlies, they must grapple with park policies toward bear management and safety. Many of the reforms made to park practice are still in place today.

For today's knowledge nugget, we are going to review safety principles that you can embrace in bear country to avoid having a bad encounter with a bear. We will cover expert advice regarding hiking strategies, response to a surprise bear encounter, and what is the deal with bear spray anyway? All of our tips are practical and come from the National Park Service. Number one piece of advice is to read up on bear activity in ANY area you plan on hiking, and to chat with a park or forest service ranger to get the most up to date information if possible!

Our Night of the Grizzlies two-part series pairs well with trips to Glacier National Park, Yellowstone and Grand Teton. It also pairs well with road trips through the mountains of Montana and Wyoming on roads like I-15, I-90, Beartooth Highway, US-2, US-93, US-191 and US-26. Broadening our horizons a bit, it is also a good listen for travelers in the Canadian Rockies such as those of Alberta, British Columbia, Banff, Jasper, Yoho, etc. as well as anywhere in Alaska.

Deep Dive Recommendation: Montana PBS has a fabulous documentary on The Night of the Grizzlies if you want to see more period footage and photographs. It is available here!

Be sure to visit our website, nerdroamer.com, for show notes and links to pictures and articles relevant to each episode. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter for pictures, updates and alerts on new episodes. You can listen to our show, subscribe, and download on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Podbean.

Night of the Grizzlies - One Terrifying Night in Glacier National Park That Changed America's National Parks Forever (Part 1 of 2)

Glacier National Park - the Crown of the Continent. Its jagged peaks, icy cirques and green valleys have drawn generations to experience one of the most beautiful places on earth. In 1967, the park was as popular as it had ever been. Visitation soared as Americans took a renewed interest in connecting with nature and taking to the open road. The summer had been warm and dry - splendid conditions for hiking and camping. Venturing into the park's backcountry could not have felt safer - in the 57 years since it had been established, not a single serious grizzly bear attack had ever occurred. Visitors clamored to see bears from their lodges and campgrounds as the creatures would come in the evening to sift through the park's refuse. If the beautiful mountains and sheer drop-offs of Going to the Sun Road were the main event, the bears were a worthy encore for most tourists.

Then on one night everything changed. In the early morning morning hours of August 13th, two campers on opposite sides of the park would fall victim to separate attacks by bears. In this episode, the first of two parts, we examine the attacks themselves, and consider the history of human development in the park to better place the attacks in historical context. Next episode, we will explore the natural history of grizzly bears, learn about the parks' response to the attacks, and close a summary of bear safety tactics from the National Park Service. 

Be sure to visit our website, nerdroamer.com, for show notes and links to pictures and articles relevant to each episode. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter for pictures, updates and alerts on new episodes. You can listen to our show, subscribe, and download on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Podbean.

What's the Deal with Dugway? The Story of Utah's Very Own Secret Military Testing Ground

Everyone has heard of Area-51, the classified facility operated by the United States government in the Nevada desert. But did you know that just an hour and half from Salt Lake City, Utah has a clandestine government complex of its own?

Since 1942, the Dugway Proving Ground as well as the Utah Test and Training range have been critical to the United States' chemical, biological and nuclear weapons programs. Learn about the history of chemical and biological warfare, and how weapons developed at Dugway helped turn the tide of World War II in the favor of the allies. Later in the 20th century, highly publicized testing mishaps at Dugway would change the US policy on weapons testing. While off limits to the public, Dugway continues to serve as a place for government research and development - as well as a lightning rod for conspiracy theorists - to this day. All just 30 minutes south of Exit 77 on I-80 in Utah. 

Pairs well with trips on I-80 through Utah, particularly the western half of the state. 

Knowledge Nugget: Vegetable Killer Acid

Deep Dives: Visit our website at https://nerdroamer.com for external links to pictures of Dugway from WWII to today! Our website is a great place to catch up on archives of past episodes and show notes.

Feeling Salty: The Great Salt Lake, Its Ancient Predecessor and the Island that Saved America's Bison

Continuing on our Season One journey through Utah, we will consider the Salt Lake Valley. For some travelers, it can be nothing more than a spot to stock up on supplies or get a night's rest before venturing on to one of Utah's national parks. Don't sleep on the GSL, though. The Great Salt Lake has a pretty cool natural history of its own. From its predecessor in the Pleistocene, Lake Bonneville, to its modern incarnation as the largest saltwater lake in the Western Hemisphere, the Great Salt Lake has shaped the land around it in thousands of different ways. Just how salty is it? You'll have to listen to find out.

Pairs well with I-80 and I-15, and is perfect for passing through the Salt Lake Valley.

Beyond the lake itself, the land around it plays host to thousands of migrating birds, unique endemic species, and a herd of American Bison with a winding controversial history of their own.

Knowledge Nugget: The (Disappearing?) Bonneville Salt Flats and Speedway

Deep Dive: Refuge: An Unnatural History of Family and Place by Terry Tempest Williams

 

Who Were the Anasazi Anyway?

In exploring the desert southwest, references to the "Anasazi" people are common. For some, the term may conjure up images of cliff dwellers, or creators of striking rock art. Many may associate their society with their sudden and swift disappearance - the so-called "Mystery of the Anasazi." There are much more to these to people than that. The ancestral Puebloans built a rich culture over millennia in one the harshest climates on earth - their legends, petroglyphs, pottery and remarkable structures endure to this day, as do their descendants. 

Pairs well with Utah, Arizona, New Mexico and Western Colorado. Great for drives on I-70, I-15, I-40 and I-25, as well as US 191 and US 160. 

Knowledge Nugget: Kokopelli - Naughty Door to Door Salesman or Hip Flute Player?

Deep Dive Reads:

Indian Rock Art of the Southwest - Polly Schaafsma

In Search of the Old Ones: Exploring the Anasazi World of the Southwest - David Roberts

Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid

The first episode in our Season One: Utah. The real story on two mythic figures of the Old West - Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid.

Pairs well with trips to Utah, Wyoming, Southern Idaho and Western Colorado. Great for road trips on I-70, I-80 and I-15. Enjoy while cruising to Bryce Canyon, especially.