![]() Several decades ago, the State Department of Transportation attempted to reroute the highway. Here, Sheila laid out a plan for the day and gave a bit of background on the road we would be following to reach Newport. Our first stop on the way to the coast was Ellmaker State Wayside off Highway 20. “I can teach basic principles of physical science within the context of earth science.” Everything has a geology connection. In Earth Science, you also talk about the oceans and atmosphere,” Sheila explained-It is all the Earth Systems. “In Geology, you aren’t just talking about the rocks, but what they tell us about the history, and therefore, future of the planet. Sheila found her passion-teaching geology. She started teaching high school science and eventually moved on to teaching college courses, some with her mentor, Bill (William) Orr. Soon enough, Sheila had earned an associate degree, and later a Bachelor’s in Geology and Spanish, and a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT). “My first class was oceanography,” Sheila gushed, “and the first thing we talked about was plate tectonics…This was everything I wanted to know. Then, when state requirements insisted she go back to school for her job, her mind and life path were changed. She started out as a volunteer and teacher’s assistant at her own children’s schools where she realized she had an interest in and a knack for teaching. Sheila’s path to geology was a circuitous one. As we headed out, she told me a bit about her background. I met Sheila in Philomath so we could drive to the coast together and talk geology along the way. So, when I reached out to Sheila Alfsen from the Geological Society of Oregon Country for a hike and interview and she suggested we visit Seal Rock, it was met with a resounding “yes! “ Circuitous routes Seal Rock State Park is the site of one such flow-making it a premier location for geology enthusiasts. ![]() Other flows traveled hundreds of miles from their origin through the Coast Range mountains to the Pacific Ocean. Flows can be found in locations as far afield as Silver Falls State Park, for example. What is perhaps most intriguing is just how far some Columbia River Basalts traveled. Collectively these flows are known as the Columbia River Basalts. About 15 million years ago basaltic lava released from fissures in northeast Oregon and southwest Washington poured through the Columbia River basin, traveling across the Pacific Northwest.
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