| This is where we were dropped off for the start of the field portion
of the training. Our departure point is visible at the upper left of the photo as a group
of white specs. This area was chosen for the training because it closely resembled
the terrain in the jungle areas of Vietnam. In what follows, any of you geologists
out there are invited to correct my ignorance. This terrain is characterized by an
underlying limestone formation called karst. The limestone erodes over time into
sharp ridges separated by impossibly steep and deep valleys. Walking a mile of
horizontal distance through this can take hours. Of course, the whole surface is
covered with a triple canopy forest and surface vegetation, and off a beaten track,
progress even on level ground is severely hampered by the flora. |
