Late Night 10.26.06

Good Morning everyone...
Normally, getting to bed by midnight would be somewhat of an early night but in just two short days I expect to experience the craziest Halloween party I've ever lived through...Although I've still never been to Madison! Spent two hours working on Halloween costumes in the paint barn and when we finally made it back I realized I had left my bag of laundry on top of a washer. Since I'm intimate with toilets on a daily basis I decided that washing my clothes was a priority over an extra hour of sleep. In the meantime, I though I would shout out a few pics.

Temperatures today were supposed to reach a high of 18 degrees Fahrenheit but I'm certain we didn't make it. Still, it was a beautiful day with clear skies and sunshine. A bit windy but who can complain, we are in Antarctica!?! The sun is now just barely dipping behind the Royal Society Range during the night but that will change in as little as two weeks. Soon the sun will continue to circle the sky without setting until February-March. It's no wonder it's so hard to go to bed at a decent hour.

The following photos are from last week when my friend Jared and I climbed Observation Hill overlooking MacTown. Town is at sea level and the top of Ob Hill rests just under 800 feet. Luckily, it was a clear day and we captured some great shots of Mt. Erebus, the southern most active volcano on the planet, just under 14,000'.


On the way up Ob Hill overlooking McMurdo Sound



Ran into Maria and Seth who were on their way down...




Mt. Erebus

Top of Ob Hill. The cross is dedicated to Scott's Team who died on their way back from the South Pole in 1912.

Overlooking McMurdo and Erebus

View of Ice Runway

MacTown

Earlier tonight working on Halloween costumes in the Paint Barn

MacTown and Scott Base 10.12.06

What an exciting first week...not even! It will be one week tomorrow since I arrived although it feels like it's been MUCH longer! So much to say but can't find the words. I feel like I've been on an absolute high the past 6 days. Being in my room or in this computer lab right now is a challenge because with so much going on, literally all of the time, I feel like I might be missing out on something! This week I've signed up for league volleyball, league dodgeball (yeah, only in Antarctica I guess!), a trip to Cape Evans on Sunday and found the perfect outfit for the 70's party at Gallagher's bar tomorrow night! You wouldn't believe the costume closet this place has! It is stocked with more funky wigs than I have ever seen in one place at one time! And I was worried that I didn't bring a Halloween costume with me!

Anyways, here are some pic from the last couple of days...



A view of McMurdo from "Ice Runway" this afternoon when I had to go out and clean the toilets...



MacTown










Me next to a piston bully...



This is for my dad...


And this...





On our way to Scott Base, the Kiwi base, about 1.5 miles away from McMurdo. Thursdays are "American Night" at the Kiwi Bar. A real night out...
Left to Right: Shane, me, Nathan, Maria and Jared all in our "BIG REDS!"

A view of Scott Base from the Road...

Taking over the Kiwi's bar...damn Yanks!

Can those Kiwi's party!

But not quite as much as us!

Okay, I've got to run! I'm missing live music at Gallagher's! Will write more later!

MacTown Arrival

McMurdo Station, Antarctica 10.8.06

Just so you are all aware, the date and time displayed by this blog site is still set on that of the states. I'm putting my own date in each entry so that you'll know what day I'M on!

So we finally made it to MacTown yesterday afternoon around 2pm. My day started at about 3am in order to make it over to the CDC (clothing distribution center) by 4:30am. There, we changed into our ECW gear (extreme cold weather), re-weighed our checked baggage, ate some breakfast and were briefed on what would happen in the next 7 hours. Our flight aboard the Airforce C-17 cargo plane took off at 7:30.


Inside the C-17

Being inside the plane reminded me of how Pinnocio and Gipeto must of felt when they were stuck inside the belly of a whale! No windows to look out of except two tiny peak holes which were accessable once we were in the air. The flight took about 5 hours including one pass over the runway before actually landing. It's difficult for me to describe the feelings I had when I walked off that huge aircraft into what still seems like another world. Before yesterday I pictured Antarctica as being a big, frozen Nebraska but it's quite the opposite. The Royal Society Mountains, part of the Trans-Antarctic Range, were enough to bring tears to my eyes.

Because of the temperatures they kept the aircraft running while we exited. Once off the plane we were quickly herded onto huge snowcat-type vehicles which took us from the ice runway, into McMurdo.




Piling onto the shuttle from Pegasus to McMurdo


Outside the C-17 on the ice runway

Luckily, we got here on a Saturday so after a quick briefing we were given our room key and set free until Monday morning when I will happily dive into the practice of custodial arts! Surprisingly, there seems to be more going on here between swing dancing, cyber bowling, science lectures, 2 bars, a coffee house, movie theater, 2 gyms ect. than there is in a normal community. I am thrilled to call MacTown home for the next 4 1/2 month!


McMurdo Station from the window of the shuttle. Observation Hill is to the right


View of the Royal Society Mountain from the shuttle window



MacTown Saturday October, 7 at 2am

Christchurch, New Zealand 10.6.06

What an amazing experience this has been already. If for some reason I was forced to go home right now, I would be completly satisfied with the experience I’ve had until this point. I’ve learned so much in such a short period of time and, as expected, I’ve already begun my planning post ice time. New people are bound to bring insight and meaning to life and that has been happening daily since first arriving in Denver one week ago.

I’ve found two things especially funny since I left. One is that my first all expense paid “business” trip is as a janitor in Antarctica and the second being that venturing to the coldest, driest, most isolated continent on this planet has allowed me to meet people who I’ve been able to most closely relate to. When I expressed that to one girl in the program her response was that most people who go to the ice have a screw lose but that it’s usually a good one. It’s always comforting to meet people who are also wondering where they should go next with their life and who realize it’s okay not to know. Like truly does attract like.

I should backup for a moment and correct myself when I talk about being on the ice as I haven’t actually gotten there yet. My original ice date was Friday Oct. 5 out of Christchurch but because of weather conditions the flight has been pushed back until Saturday (tomorrow) morning. Instead of taking off and “boomeranging” back to Christchurch it’s much more cost effective to delay the flight until the weather conditions are absolutely ideal. I was informed today that a single round trip flight to McMurdo from Christchurh on a C-117 costs the United States Anarctic program around $22,000. However anxious I am to begin my ice time, it’s not as disappointing as it might sound to have our schedule moved back. Most of us are actually making more money off the $200 per day allowance in Christchurch than we will be at our jobs. We’re basically getting paid to hang out and sight see. Yesterday a group of us rented a couple of cars and popped over to some hot springs in the mountain town of Hanmer Springs about 125km north of Christchurch. I actually spent my 25th birthday at Hanmer Springs less than two years ago.

It’s a beautiful day in Christchurch and I’m beginning to feel a bit guilty for spending this time indoors. I’ll probably take a wander through the Botanical Gardens before meeting everyone a bit later in the Cathedral Square for dinner. I'm thrilled to be back in New Zealand...I don't think I've felt this good and had this kind of excitement keeping me up at night since I was here in 2005. I don't know what I'm more excited about, being on the ice for 4 1/2 months with some truly amazing people or coming back to these friendly little islands :) God bless New Zealand!

Cheers



Striking a pose after a relaxing day at the hotsprings