The Valley of Fires State Park, New MexicoAmber learned the nuances of the volcanologist's equipment and GPS units. Alex and Tom showed her how each piece worked, and how important they were for studying volcanoes, as well as earthquakes. Though she knew the basics, it had always been someone else's job to set up the equipment, while she scouted the area looking for telltale fault scars.
The rough ground made travel slow. A month ago, the trip would have taken a week of camping, sightseeing, and stories along the way. No time now. They had to hurry, and not slow down for the scenery. Rocks tripped them. Sand slipped into their shoes. Scorpions peeked out at them from the shadows of boulders. The sun scorched their skin, with not a cloud in sight.
Her skin burned from the intense rays, as
