Thursday, September 8, 2011

Surveying with Ralph

This morning, I was allowed to sleep in and woke up to the thought of oat meal.  After my bowl of you know what, I went to help Ralph survey.  He is an architect designing a new clinic for the Surmang Foundation.  In the morning, we walked down to the land on which the new clinic is to be built.  Ralph set up a a tripod with a compass on the top.  On the compass there is a little sight that you can look through to see a desired point in a straight line ahead of you.  This is used by surveyors to mark out lines on the property.  We staked out straight lines for the walls of the clinic and recorded all the angles. 

Ralph and I walked back home and were just in time for lunch.  When lunch was over, the Tibetan ladies laughed and pushed each other to sit by the men.  Soon men and women of all ages were getting their pictures taken.  

Later, Ralph entered our data into the computer.  He realized that the information we had collected was inaccurate.  We had to go back into the field and measure the same lines and angles in a different way.  We quickly found the errors in a couple of angles.  We headed home feeling tired but happy that we had found our mistake.  Back in our clinic, sadly the readings were still wrong.   Tomorrow we will try again. 

On the second journey, I found two skulls in the river. We think one is a horse skull and the other a dog.  We brought them both back to the clinic, and my dad loves them!

5 MORE DAYS TILL XINING!

Thank you for reading Rohan Geographic!!!!   

6 comments:

  1. Hi Rohan,
    Only 5 more days until a hotel and real shower. I can imagine me thinking that next week in the GC!

    Did you learn the word "triangulation" when you were surveying? It is a surveying technique that I used when doing research unrelated to the kind of work you and Ralph were doing. For me, it meant studying a topic in more than one way in order to most accurately discover the "truth" about that topic.

    I shared your blog with Christine Terrell who showed it to Doran. They said they would keep following your fantastic adventure!
    Love, Grandma Doris

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  3. For the new clinic design,
    Ralph eschewed plumb bob and line.
    He used a compass and sight,
    But the angles aren't right!

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  4. Rohan..maybe one of the best things that ever happened to you was losing that camera in Europe..This one is incredible!!!
    Handing out the pop after the trash detail brought to mind 'The Shawshank Redemption'..wonder where the family movie critic rates that flic..
    Even as I write I am in Austin..your Grandmaa's town. She is right it is warm but apparently better. I'm here for grandsons first birthday and to baptize him (any recommended Tibetan or other ceremonies?)
    Have grandma let me know if she wants my other persona to visit the renters.

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  5. To acchamp: thanks for the offer, but all is quiet on the rental front for the moment. Besides, I'm out of town and won't be aware of them for a week or so!
    Doris

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