Sorry, I touch of the wrong button sent my message before I was finished.
 
The Paint Rock Saga Continued...
 
        The heat was intense, even at night.  I found out how spoiled I was to
modern conveniences.  The cabin had no electricity, air conditioning, running
water, bathroom or shower facilities.  The cabin was infested with deer mice.
Scorpions were discovered in shoes and bags each morning.  A walk along the
trails at night brought ticks and chiggers (red bugs).  I am still itching.
Poison Ivy was abundant everywhere (so far no rash).  Sleep came each night
only after exhaustion overcame the heat.  Coldness greeted us each morning as
we awoke  in the cold mountain darkness with dried sweat laden clothes which
provided no warmth.  However, we saw no snakes (I was delighted by this fact).
 
        Each morning we would begin our thirty minute trek down the mountain
to the river in the valley below.  Finally, on the last day we discovered we
could walk down the mountain trail faster that the 4-wheel drive vehicles
could travel and with less bruising as a result.
 
         I was beginning to feel a bit like Lewis and Clark, especially when
on the canoe float (drag) we were overtaken by a severe thunderstorm, still
five miles from the nearest takeout.  At the end of the day we were drenched,
cold, filthy, dried from the hot sun, drenched again from a second storm, but
elated at the  results of our efforts.  During the first round of this study,
we located two live specimens (males) of Lampsilis virescens which we
photgraphed, measured, aged and returned to the substrate.  We also found
shells of Villosa trabalis (endangered) which was believed to have been
extirpated from the Paint Rock River Drainage and the State of Alabama.
 
         At the end of this adventure, I learned where my priorities are:
 
1)  I drove to the nearest store and purchased an ice-cold Coca-Cola and a
Chocolate bar.
 
2)   I drove to the nearest phone to talk with my wife who I had not talked
with in days.
 
3)  I drove to a nearby relatives home for a shower and home cooking.
 
It was a great trip!  A true adventure.   In addition to the personal
satisfaction I feel, I am covered with chiggers from my feet to  my neck.    I
was still finding ticks as late as last night.  I hope I do not get [Key] Lime
Disease.  HaHaHa.
 
We still have two more trips on this project.  If you want some adventure or
are bored with provincialism, join us.
 
Doug Shelton
Alabama Malacological Research Center
2370-G Hillcrest Road #236
Mobile, AL 36695
U.S.A.