SCALC 2002

[Koontz John E]

I'll second the comment that it was great to see so many Siouanists (and
one lone Caddoanist) again.  Those of you who weren't there were missed
and missed a great conference, hosted by Dick Carter, in pleasant
surroundings.  John Boyle picked great local restaurants and does as
urbane a job of herding cats as any Siouanist ever has, dead or alive.

I'm hoping we'll get a post on the venue for the next meeting soon.  I am
afraid that I managed to be absent when this was resolved.  I think I may
have been listening to long vowels in some very sing-songy Assiniboine at
the time.  I have several rumors and fragments of information, but I'm not
sure they go together!

On Mon, 3 Jun 2002 rlarson at unlnotes01.unl.edu wrote:
> If we ever get up that way again, may I suggest getting lost on foot in the
> Badlands as a delightful early morning activity?  ...

Uh, just out of curiosity, you're not still lost, right?  In this age of
wireless networks and Java-enabled cellphones, and given the diffidence of
some scholarly pesonalities, it might be worth asking.

Armik and I took a route home that he recommended that led us out through
Hot Springs via Chadron and Scottsbluff (it IS a bluff!) through the
Nebraska National Forest.  The reports that this is an inside joke for
something more like the Nebraska National Grasslands appear to be greatly
exagerated.  It's at least as forested as Colorado's Black Forest (no
connection with the Bavarian one)  and has some interesting chalk
formations, especially at Crawfurd (sp?).  We saw some fantastic lightning
displays south of Harrison.  Fortunately they stayed outside the car.
One or two looked like wire trash baskets growing upward.  I think this is
old Oglala territory and I can see why they hung out here.

It was also nice to see Spearfish Canyon again (twice), and full of
Juneberry (Saskatoon?), right on the mark (1 June).  Are the shad blowing
anywhere?

JEK