The Deep Time Project

The Deep Time Project documents the human and pre-human history embedded in the landscapes where each expedition takes place. At every race venue, it records visible traces of deep time—archaeological context, fossil evidence, and the long geological processes that shaped both. Rather than treating anthropology and paleontology as abstract disciplines, the project approaches them as place-based observations: what lived here, what came before, and how layers of time remain physically present beneath modern terrain. The goal is not discovery or interpretation, but continuity—restoring the deeper record that exists below the surface of every course, trail, and shoreline.

The Deep Time Project follows a simple, preparatory research approach. Before arriving at a race venue, background reading is used to understand the region’s geological history, known archaeological context, and documented fossil record. When possible, local museums, archives, and nature centers are visited to ground that research in established scholarship and regional knowledge. Field observations are then limited to what is visible and accessible on the surface—landforms, exposed materials, and contextual markers—without excavation or disturbance. The sole working assumption is that understanding a place improves by knowing what existed there long before the present moment.

Ethical Boundary

The Deep Time Project involves no excavation, removal, or collection of artifacts or fossils; all observations are non-invasive and limited to publicly accessible surfaces and existing institutional records.

Research Method

The Deep Time Project uses a preparatory, place-based research approach. Prior to each expedition, background reading is conducted to understand the geological history, archaeological context, and known fossil record of the region. When available, local museums, archives, and nature centers are visited to anchor that research in established scholarship and regional expertise. Fieldwork is observational only, focused on landscape features, exposed materials, and contextual clues visible without disturbance. The project does not seek discovery or verification, but orientation—arriving informed, attentive, and grounded in what is already known.

What This Is / What This Is Not

What This Is

• A place-based record connecting geology, archaeology, fossils, and human presence

• An effort to understand race venues within deep time rather than treating them as neutral terrain

• A synthesis of reading, institutional learning, and direct observation

What This Is Not

• An academic study or excavation project

• A claim of expertise or original discovery

• An attempt to interpret or resolve contested historical debates

Expeditions

EXP 001 DTP 001 SoCal Perris Lake