sunshine

me at the ceremonial pole
south pole christmas tree
south pole area regional transit

enlarge this photo for full effect-this is 4 sleds, 3 have been shoveled, the last one is on the far right
ancient styrofoam

good morning!

i hope you all had a wonderful holiday with friends and family! 

above is the photo of what i did on your xmas day! my co-worker alex and i spent the day in the ice tunnels with a sled and cargo straps.  our mission was to collect all of the styrofoam insulation that you see above, it was at the very end of the tunnel, which is over a mile long round trip! it took us 8 trips and most of the day as these pieces are about 4.5 feet tall and 1.5 feet wide, it was quite a cold day in the -65 degree tunnels, but a great workout!  this type of insulation is no longer needed because the water and waste pipes in the tunnels are now using different pipes with new insulation.  above this is the sled photo, (these sleds are extremely slippery), we spent yesterday with the traverse shoveling off fuel sleds so they could be converted to waste sleds.  this sled carried in 8 bladders each filled with 3,000 gallons of fuel for the station.  when the hercs (C-130's) bring us fuel it's usually about 1,500 gallons per trip.  i think the fuel storage facilities can accommodate 45,000 gallons, which is necessary for winter operations. these sleds will now be loaded up with tri-walls, which are the triple layer cardboard boxes all of our waste is stored and transported in.  the traverse encountered a set back on their way in from mactown...they had to cross a convergence of 2 glaciers- one moves 3 ft a day and the other 6 ft a day. they had to build special bridges to get here, and i assume the same must be done on the return voyage.  the christmas tree is made from old iron and steel scraps, it's quite an amazing sculpture! the SPART is a total farce, many jokesters here!  the top is my 'hero' shot, well, actually a true hero shot is taken in the nude, but that won't be happening! the winds have been so calm and the temps in the negative single digits, outdoor work is such a pleasure, it's not warm enough to have any skin exposed for long, but cumbersome jackets are no longer necessary! i hope it remains this warm for awhile, it seems like it should, but flights stop in mid-feb. due to temperatures, so i suppose this is just a fleeting summer time of joy! i am glad that many are enjoying this blog, it's really fun for me to do, and guess what sorts of things that may be of interest to you, then i realize...almost everything!!! please continue to have a safe and happy holiday time as 2008 comes to a close!! take care, karen grace  

happy holiday!

big crane moving big

scaffolding for the

siding carps


the Norwegian traverse

on it's way out of town

travis kissing my trout

santa hat-

merry fishmas!

alex and me- my fellow GA 

that i spend most days with
dance party in the dish pit!

greetings on this x-mas morning for you all! i am getting ready for work, but did enjoy a very mellow x-mas yesterday! my fellow GA's and i went carolling on the 24th and then had brunch then the remainder of the station began their holiday.  we enjoyed another lovely candlelight dinner that evening, and then i washed dishes for a few hours.  i was in the pit (dish) with a man from germany, a woman from belgium, and another man from amsterdam.  we spent the whole time having a splendid dance party, everyone who came by to drop dishes was quite amused, i had loads of fun! then the festivities moved out to summer camp, all in all it was a wonderful celebration! the weather the past few days has been horrible, i do hope that it has cleared up and the winds have died down for work today, the winds were 20+ knots, making it nearly impossible to accomplish much of anything outdoors except for fighting the wind!  i hope this message finds you all enjoying a peaceful day with friends and family! miss you all! all my love from the bottom of the world!  karen grace

summer solstice

greetings from the 1st day of summer! 

the winds have died down and the sky is a majestic blue, and my mind makes the far off clouds on the horizon into mountains-i am blessed to be at the bottom of the world! someone just took off on their skis pulled by a huge kite, off into the wild blue yonder... i am driving the shuttle again today, seems to be my new monday gig, we have 2 days of work then we get weds and thurs off for x-mas then work fri and sat then sun off.  we are having another fancy meal weds, i will be washing dishes this time instead of wine stewarding, got to switch it up! i have loved getting all the holiday cards and photo updates, hi to jessica- so great to be back in touch with you!!! the station has been at 300+ for the past few days, this is about 50 people over capacity, but they found somewhere to put everyone!  we have 3 extra groups in right now, the Norwegian traverse, who is crossing the continent and doing various studies, one in particular of of the "recovery" lakes, about 4 under ice fresh water lakes in the middle of the continent.  the next is the mactown traverse, they hauled in supplies and fuel for us.  and then there's AGAP, they are on a stop over here to acclimate to 10,000 ft before going to their research station at 14,000 feet, they are studying the recently discovered mountain range that is under the ice north (hahaha) from here.  last week we cleaned up and repackaged 3.5 tons of flour that was airdropped, it was really physically demanding as we literally handled all that flour in 50 lb increments all day long, but probably the most unique project that i may have while i'm here!! i hope you all are well and enjoying the spirit of the holiday times!!! take care, karen grace   

i'll get more photos up soon!

sunday mornin

Skiers coming in from the

continent

Sledding funtimes
Mark (kiwi) Devon and me
Jesus ice... this ice is over 

2000 years old and we were doing 

shots through it!

Me and the ray gun,,,really it's 

just a weather antenna!

greetings! 

i am about to go to bed but can write as the satellite gets 4 mins earlier daily!  we had the FEMC BBQ tonight... essentially the construction crew- it was a blast! it was the 1st open flame i've seen since i've been here.... i forget about the things i've taken for granted! it was another week spent in the trenches... in essence we are digging trenches for electrical and fiber optic cables all over the station for science! i will write more soon, but it is late here and my bed is calling me! hope you're all having a lovely day! karen grace

* yes, the ice cube cable does look like a stained glass window...falls into the 'human made'  category! bev...ice cube is an ongoing experiment here, i've written about it previously...let me know if you have any other questions.... kg

stuck

cross-section of 

ice cube cable
spoolhenge
greetings!

i am sitting in the shuttle van in between passengers writing this...amazing!! some hellos... to my little brother KARL who is graduating from UCF today, Hermann- Brian's dad, Beth Leo-i'm lacking the luna, Beth Santos- of course i remember you! and my Aunt Ellen- concerning your exposure question, as i walk i try to keep all skin covered, but as i'm doing strenuous physical labor outside my ski goggles fog then ice over and they come off, then my balaclava(head and face cover) gets icey and sticks to my face and then it comes off.  essentially the worst part is getting really sweaty and then really cold, that is why the saying down here is that cotton is a killer! in regards to breathing the cold, you get used to it, the 1st week it's the combo of the altitude and cold air that seem to burn, but by the time the air reaches my lungs it's sufficiently warm.

well, i just got the shuttle stuck for the second time in the last 2 days...must be karmic retribution for putting the photo up of my pal getting stuck!  the van has been popping out of 4 wheel drive, which is impossible to drive without it in this environment! there's a storm blowing in, the flights from mactown have been cancelled and we are getting lots of blowing snow, it's wild how fast the drifts can completely cover everything!  that's why i'm here!! well, i better go and get back to driving and not getting stuck! hope you're all having a great day!  karengrace

settling in

stuck shuttle van

legs in the trench
brian inside BICEP housing
me and my pick-axe manually trenching
Pete Mason and me 

at BICEP party

greetings!

i think i have finally settled in to the pole.  it was a long week of work, i spent several days either in a trench, digging a trench, or hand filling a trench...  it was an exhausting week.  i wish i could get up early during the week to write more here, but i barely manage to make it to work on time...i have found sleep to be my most precious commodity here!  last night we had a station viewing of 'the big lebowski', such a great cult classic movie!  i dressed up in a robe and mustache, since a beard was impossible.  it was a grand end to a long week.  my pal leith also was the 1st to get the shuttle van stuck yesterday, all the remaining day shift GA's drive the shuttle van during the week, and we were warned that getting stuck is inevitable, but of course, no one wants to be the 1st!  one of the science experiments, BICEP closed this week.  it is a telescope that measures CMBR, (cosmic microwave background radiation) essentially, the  beginnings of the universe.  the scientists involved in this research are grand folks and they threw a great party this past week after they'd dismantled the instrument so we could all come over and see it!  i volunteered to drive the shuttle van over that evening so that everyone could have a chance to experience some science, the reason we're all here! Pete Mason is the oldest person to ever be on the pole and is the lead scientist of this experiment.  i have great photos to upload, but the system is to slow at the moment... beth was asking about the full moon and it's effects on the nutters here, i am sure it has some effect, but we don't see the night sky while we're here so it is difficult to assess weather it's full moon madness or just another wacky day! tonight i am going to the lecture where the Norwegian traverse will be discussed.  i was out at the edge of the base when they pulled in last week, it was an amazing sight, like seeing the calistoga wagons of Antarctica! they do this annually, it is a scientific trip, but also quite fun!!  we are also due to receive the south pole traverse in the next few days, they are bringing us fuel and supplies, they only move 5mph, so this is a very long journey for them!  the satellite that provides our internet is about to pass out of view, so i must close, but i will endeavor to write more very soon and get some photos up!!! hope you all are well!! take care, karen grace    

happy camper

greetings!

happy camper is the name for the outdoor survival school offered through the bases.  a fellow named danny flew in from mac town to teach this session.  we had a class on friday night about hypothermia and frostbite prevention and treatment and stove use in this climate and altitude. the 13 of us then gathered at 7:30 after the awesome C-17 air drop of sugar and packages to ride in the 'piston bully' out to our site which was a few miles from base.  the base was still slightly visible from our site and we had radios and a sat-com telephone in case we needed anything because the vehicles returned to base as they are integral in emergency situations there.  danny had already been out and set up the latrine and a scott tent as well as bringing all the supplies.

we set-up 1 more scott tent and 3 mountain tents, which are just 4 season tents.  the fun was building structures out of snow that would aid in survival in this environment like a 'quensie', which is a structure that is formed when you place a large amount of stuff (bags of sleeping bags) in a pile and cover it with snow, tamp it down and repeat until the structure is at least 18" thick, then you let it set for and hour.  after it has set (the snow molecules strengthen incredibly once disturbed and rearranged) we dug out the bags through a small hole and then began to carve out the inside for a sleeping shelter.  at this point hydration was necessary and my fellow ga lauren and i began the snow melting process for food and drink (this was around 12:30) time was not an element on this trip as you could barely notice the sun moving around the crown of the horizon.  others who wanted to sleep inside of snow caves began their mission of their big digs, we also cut out snow blocks which are necessary for wind protection and wht one would build an igloo out of.  our tools consisted of saws and shovels and lots of human calories!  we sat around and ate our heat and eat meals and told off color jokes, missing a campfire and figured out where we were going to sleep for the night, which was almost over!  i opted to sleep in a scott tent, i slept alone in this amazing structure that is the same style that capt. scott used in his traverse to the south pole, i have always been fascinated by this structure and it's place in the history of this continent.  it is still a very warm (the new 4 season tents were perhaps the warmest) structure in tis environment.  it was about -27 degrees and the wind was blowing at a pretty constant 10 knots for a wind chill of around -45 while we were out.  when i finally settled into my fleece liner, 2 sleeping bags on top of 2 mats inside my snow floored tent it was 5am.  we were due up at 7:30 to break down the camp as our rides were returning at 9:30.  before i knew it i heard "wake up - it's 8:40!" we had all overslept! we managed to get the camp pretty much broken down by the time the piston bullies pulled up.  we then rode home, i ride in the passenger seat with the station manager dave, who was one of the engineers who has been building the new station for the last 10 years, we swapped stories and once back at station we pulled all the bags out and set everything up in a dnf (do not freeze) building to dry off and set off for brunch!  then we returned and packed it all back up and our adventure was over.  we had such an eclectic group of people, 6 men/6 women...it just worked out that way, and we were all jokers, we laughed the whole time we were out there! it was  one of the coldest and funnest 16 hours of my life!  i then came home and showered and watched a movie and napped the rest of the day, and now it is time to get dressed to go to work!  i hope you all had a lovely weekend ! take care, grace 

quiet

greetings!

our thanksgiving meal was spectacular!  we had roasted, smoked and deep fried turkey, roasted vegi's, asparagus, yummy stuffing, fresh mashers, gravy, and pumpkin, pecan,  and apple pies! what a spread!  and they transformed the galley into a proper dining room, with candle light and white linens- so civilized here at the bottom of the earth!  there were folks from other countries who had never had a thanksgiving meal before and they seemed to be quite impressed.  wine stewarding was a blast, we had cab, merlot, shiraz, beaujolais, and chardonnay to offer.  pre-meal they had an appetizer station set in the hall with live music and crudete, smoked salmon, cheeses, and tapenades.  after i ate i sat around with some pals and talked stories, then the free sangria started flowing, yay- except there was vodka added to the sangria...this seemed to be a grave error, as the trash can full of sangria was sloshed around the station and the antics were high!  i just couldn't bring myself to get it down, and without proper alcohol saturation it seemed time to vacate.  there was supposed to be a dance party out here at summer camp and i figured that would be the perfect place to get my groove on. alas, i came home and started reading a new book and woke up at 6 this morning...oh well!!! goodness knows i have certainly been to my share of dance parties- perhaps the south pole is where i am to take a breather from party girl status, it's actually really nice!!!  we have our first ERT (emergency response team) drill tomorrow, out at ice cube- it will be cool to see all 4 teams respond and see how it's actually supposed to work.  well, the next thing to look forward to is x-mas, we will not get 2 days in a row off, instead we get the actual day and the following sunday.  the station has been so still and quiet, no cranes, forklifts, excavators or snow machines zipping around.  it has really changed the landscape and feel of the station, peace and quiet at the pole! i hope you all continue to relax and celebrate the bounty of our lives!  take care, karen grace

*tried to add some photos but the net is not cooperating, will try again soon.

thanksgiving

happy thanksgiving!

we will be enjoying our big meal today(saturday).  we worked on thursday so that we may enjoy 2 days off in a row!  the galley does an outstanding job with the food here, so, i expect that today's meal will really be something.  the chef was smoking turkeys the other day, and the other night there was a call for volunteer potato peelers, and vegi prep help, so i am assuming it will be a traditional dinner with all the trimmings(to answer my cousin Kurt's question).  as i've mentioned before the station depends upon community volunteer efforts to function, and today i have signed up to be a wine steward... one of my favorite things to do anyway!!  also, Noah was wondering if one were to take a pot of water and throw it into the air, would it turn to ice before hitting the ground? sadly, no- the temperatures do not warrant that severe of a reaction, it would have to be MUCH colder than it will be here for that to occur.  we have been doing lots of work out at ice cube this week. ice cube is an international collaboration that is searching for neutrinos.  these are the only particles that can make it through the planet, there are actually 2 parts to this experiment, the other part is called ice top.  respectively, the goal is the detection of neutrinos, ice top measures for any neutrinos that may be coming from here at the pole.  ice cube consists of VERY deep holes that DOMS (digital optical modules) are lowered into in order to detect any neutrinos coming from the north pole.  i believe there are about 36 holes with 80 DOMS in each, and accompanying each hole is 2 tanks on the surface with 2 DOMS each inside, the clear ice here is a perfect place to carry out this experiment.  this is a very simple explanation for the complex experiments, but it's good enough for the blogosphere!  in terms of the work my fellow ga's and i have been performing, well, it's lots of digging in the snow and laying these heavy cables to each hole to carry data and power... the good life! it has been warming up, and now i find myself taking my jacket off while working because it's too warm, (-30 w/o windchill).  it's amazing how quickly the human body can acclimate, i am also sleeping lots....i am feeling great, just took a bit for my body to realize and accept i was not at sea level living on an island any longer!  there's a dance party tonight and i am sure it will be a blast since everyone will already have enjoyed the free wine the station is providing during our meal.  i will sign off, so thankful for the opportunity to be here, hoping that you all are enjoying a peaceful holiday weekend!  take care, and feel free to drop a line in the snail mail!  karen grace

photos: top- is just one of the thousands of boxes out at the berms we shovel out from the winter snow drifts,

left- is my pal Leith next to some choice cuts of beef, welcome to the worlds largest freezer

right- is me out at the berms with my trusty shovel

bottom- is where i live,  J-8 room 10.

tunnels

good morning from another lovely sunday! this is a photo of me with "the sturgeon" this fish has a great tale...  originally he was brought to mc murdo station by some russian scientists as a gift.  he then lived in variuos sheds and random places in mac-town until being wrapped up in a blanket and smuggled on a C-130 hercules (plane) here to the pole and placed deep into the ice tunnels where he resides for eternity...safe from the scua, which are the seagulls of antarctica, although we have none here at the pole, the fish is now in the tunnels as part of the lore of the pole! pictured with the sturgeon is a tin of russian sturgeon caviar, mmmm.  these photos were taken on weds. down in the tunnels that i wrote about previously,  this week i was actually working down there doing snow and trash removal.  the snow came through a hole in the surface that is the site for a new rod well, which they forgot to cover tightly, and over the winter the snow drifted in.  the photo that looks like stalactites is actually "fart-cycles" ! i know, not so pleasant, but down here life is very simple, and we have to deal with the reality that everybody poops!  these beauties are formed where the sewage outflow vapors are vented before the solids are expelled.  since it's -65 down there, the smells are not present...it's not so bad!  yesterday we went to the cryo lab on a tour.  our boss shaggy makes every attempt to get us tours at every facility here, due to the difficult nature of our work, he figures we deserve to see who and what we're shoveling snow for, rather than the ominous "it's for science".  the cryo lab is where they house liquid helium to cool the telescopes at the base, it is very similar the the types of systems that are used in telescopes in space, due to the fact that in the winter here  there is no chance for resupply, just like in space.  so here they are doing cutting edge research on how to conserve and save this precious resource that likes to evaporate at a rate of 65% and can only be found at 2 places on the planet.  the helium is kept at 4 degrees kelvin, which is only 1 degree above absolute zero-COLD.  they have spacial tanks called dewars that house the liquid, if it warms anymore that 4 kelvin it will reach it's boiling point and evaporate, which is a waste of an expensive and important part of the science here.  the telescopes have to be kept so cold so that they are able to read the the radio microwaves from deep space, they are studying the origins of the universe, the big bang.  the microwaves are heat sources and the telescopes must be cold in order for their sensitive sensors to detect these very faint waves from the edges of the universe.  this is the stuff i am very excited to learn about while i'm here, one of the reasons i wanted to come.  it is at my fingertips, literally...i still have a hard time believing i'm here.  i hope you all are well and enjoying my adventures at he bottom of the world!!!  if you'd like please send a letter or card, snail mail day is very exciting and only once a week, my address is listed on the first blog in this series. take care and enjoy autumn! xo kg*

house-mouse

good mornin!

today is my day to clean the bathrooms and lounge, but i do get out of work 1.5 hours early..woohoo!  yesterday was the coldest day yet.  myself and 2 fellow GA's were assigned to put up orange construction fencing, easy enough, except for the fact that it was under the elevated station.  this meant high winds and no sunshine...brrrr! the poor siding carpenters work there everyday, glad i'm just a lowly GA! should be back to shoveling the berms today, job security! we do yoga every morning before work, it's lovely to see all these burly construction workers in yoga poses!  i have found that i am returning to my room after dinner most evenings, they do a great job of offering activities in the evenings, but i am so tired all i really want to do is be warm in my jammies!!  i am in bed by 9 usually...shocker!!! i am feeling so much stronger, but want to give my body a chance to fully acclimate, which i feel will be soon!  i think i will treat myself with my shower tonight, we are allowed 2-2 minute showers a week, i do sweat when i'm working, otherwise, showers seem kind of silly because it is so dry here, all you really want to do is maintain moisture, not wash it away! i need to do some work on my quasi-wall of my room, there's a big gap at the top of my hall facing wall and the fellah who lives across from me gets up quite early(5:30) and his light shines brightly into my room, which, admittedly has probably saved my butt a few mornings, but not the most pleasant way to awaken.   i will take some day to day photos over the next few days to show you the starkness of this amazing continent!  have a lovely day! xo kgrace*

this photo was taken in the ice tunnels last week, the thermometer next to me reads -65, notice my luxurious ice-lashes!!! they are a constant to my new look because my goggles get fogged up instantly and trying to work while looking through a thick sheet of ice is no good!!!

day off

greetings from my 1st day off!  it's early in the morning, but that's how this internet access works! i am feeling much better, i just needed a day to rest.  we got to go on a tour of the station yesterday with our awesome boss, shaggy.  we went to the power plant where 70% of the heat generated by the jet fuel engines to give us power is recirculated through the station for heat. our water comes straight from a hole they drill into the ice called a rodriguez well, then the water has to be treated because it is TOO pure!!! if it was not treated it would leach minerals from us, crazy! there is a long series of ice tunnels about 60 ft. under the station, a maze of pipes fill the tunnels, but we also got to venture into them, they remain at a constant temp of -65 degrees f.  there's work to be done down there, but they ask that we leave it for the winter-over people, because it is warmer down there in the winter than outside!! the dome that is visible from many shots of the station is used only for storage now, it used to house the station-buildings were placed inside the dome, they are all gone now.  the projected lifetime of the new station is 30 years. this is because of the extreme environment and snow accumulation that equals about 12 inches a year- give or take. the station is built on hydraulic columns so that it can be raised as the need arises. i am going to venture out and take some photos today, after brunch...yum! the food is so great!! the photos here will be from my tour yesterday!

enjoy, and i hope you're all having a lovely day! karengrace* 

* photos wouldn't post today, will try tomorrow!

the wall

well, i have hit the wall.  apparently, living at sea level and trying to come here and immediately kick butt was a little much to ask of my body... i have not been sleeping since i arrived and got to work the day after we landed, 8hrs of shoveling snow in these extreme conditions put me down...i am just exhausted and will rest up today and get back at it tomorrow! i am also the oldest GA...gotta keep up with the youngens!  this place is amazing...everything that is needed for operations, from food to scaffolding is buried under huge snow berms and it is our job to find everything...so amazing...this whole scene is really like living on another planet! there are bulldozers and forklifts ect. running 24hrs a day...3 shifts of workers...there's much work to be done this season! i love my little room in the Quonset hut the heat is always pumpin and the floor is freezing...but it's so lovely to have my own space! my boss is great and all of the other GA's are so spectacular, we spend most of our days laughing, especially Trudi and me...we're belly laughers and often don't know what we're laughing at...perhaps delirium has set in... the best! i have high hopes of having a dance party this sat. pm.....hope you all are well! xoxo kg*

****these images are from mcmurdo...too chilly for photo sessions here yet!

poleee-oh

good mornin'! it's 5:30am and i'm snuggled up in my bed ...thank goodness for wireless technology! our window for satellite use is in the starts at 4:30 am and remains for 9hrs, but i have to be at work by 7:30...so this is the only time i can write.  needless to say, i will be posting lots of short blogs!!! the pole is really like being on another planet, a vast sea of white with a few buildings scattered about.  it's been between -40 and -70f below with windchill since i arrived...which isn't so bad to shovel snow in...but with almost 11,000 ft altitude, much harder to walk in and climbing stairs has proven to be difficult...the many pounds of clothing they issued to us are quite adequate, but also a cumbersome load when trying to move about.  the food ROCKS!!! so many good folks...it's a very tight knit community, 250 people at the bottom of the world.  i'll put some fotos up tomorrow! hope you all are well!!!  xo kgrace* 

first day!

greetings from Antarctica!! i made it! it was and amazing trip and i still can't really believe i made it!!!! the C-17 we got to fly down on was one of the coolest experiences i've had in a long time, although, i think i'll be rackin' up the cool experiences in the next few months!!!!  it was a 5 hr flight here...thanks to jet engine technology! when we arrived it was -5F with wind chill...we then got on a monster shuttle and came to base for more briefs and room assignments...1/2 of us flew to pole this morning...i was not picked and have had the bonus of a paid vacay here at mcmurdo until monday morning!!! i have been to several trainings in the last 24 hrs since our arrival, but also went to check out the greenhouse (which i will have photos of on my next post) and am hoping to go on a 6 hr hike tonight from 6-12 to the ice caves!! i am an alternate...but have high hopes!!! tomorrow the whole base has the day off and the weather has been unbelievably beautiful so the trails will be FULL with hikers!! we are surrounded by mountains and an active volcano..mt. erebus, it spits out crazy black bombs...i will begin taking a high altitude relief medication tomorrow, hoping to stave off altitude sickness... several people have been medivac'd from pole already...reception is in and out...so i will sign off...until next time...xoxo karen grace*

bye-bye nz

just packing up my things and went out for 1 last spin around town...and i found just what i was looking for- the famous bacon flavored crisps!! NZ loves their wacky chip flavors, this was by far my favorite, but there is lamb, and many varieties of chicken chips....mmmmm. they are holding their major elections this weekend and are hoping for some pretty big change themselves!!! i also found a map of the world and one of antarctica as well....things for my walls...hope u all are well! xo kg*

also, the photo of the little man is my godson, Liam. he and his dad were on my flight from denver to la!!! life is good!

OBAMA!

what a relief!!!! i was afraid the kiwis would throw rocks at us if he didn't win!! 

all is well here, of course NZ rocks!!!! i experienced no jet lag...pretty amazing, guess that is just another indication that i am supposed to be a globetrekker!  as soon as i got to my hotel and settled in i went to the botanical gardens....wow! they were taking out the bulbs and putting new annuals in at the entrance....spring again!!! lovey! i spent about 5 hrs in the gardens...soaking it up, even in the rain...then i went to the natural history museum and then to the art museum..all FREEEE! whilst i was collecting my bag at the art museum the attendant asked if i'd heard the good news, and of course i began jumping up and down and such...i then found all the polers at a pub and had some pints and continued to amble the streets of christchurch...i am staying on cathedral square, in the center of town...everything is so close, i've been enjoying walking in the rain....i know i will miss it soon enough! went today and collected and tried on all my gear...wow.  we are getting picked up at 5:30am to go to the hanger and weigh in and do any final adjustments with our luggage, ect and we fly to mc murdo at 9am, it will be a 5hr flight(if the weather permits, if not we will boomerang-turn around and fly back here till we can try again).  we will be there at least one day but they are hoping the weather cooperates so we can get to pole asap...running behind already...and all their snow shovelers are on this deployment!!! there are 5 men and 5 women GA's, pretty cool!  we are all so excited to get started!!!! i have met so many awesome people so far, it is going to be a wonderful summer!!!    sending lots of love! kg*

**it rained all night, couldn't look for southern cross....boo-hoo hopefully tonight!

first of the fun...

Greetings!

i got into denver yesterday (11/1) morning and was quite spun out from staying up all night long packing....   i met some great fellow polers and then came to my cush hotel room and passed out!  as i saddled myself down to a yummy buffet breakfast this morning, i found myself back in middle school again... the 'who do i sit with?' delima, well, it turns out that birds of a feather really do flock together and i found myself surrounded by fellow GA's for the pole! as there are only 7 total in this position, it was pretty cool that we found each other at 6:30 am!  i suspect that we all had the same questioning look about us, as everyone else has a specific job title, but we the GA's have no real job description- and i think that our cluelessness was collectively apparent on our faces!  needless to say this was a great way to start the day! i also found a mutual friend, Travis Moose - we have both farmed with shawna and atilla (who have both spent much time on the ice), me on orcas island and him in n. virginia...we were told to look out for each other and once again..the forces brought us together...i have a feeling that this will be a reoccurring theme on this journey!  my old pal erik is on his way down from boulder and we're gonna have some dinner and catch-up!  tomorrow training begins at 7am and then we fly from denver to l.a. and on to auckland and finally christchurch for a few days...i will update from there!! next time i write we will have elected a new president....due to the time warp tuesday won't really exist for me....woah.  i am very excited for the change we will be a part of come january....crossing my fingers!!!!

                                                                         wishing you all the best!  xoxo kgrace*

the good news

Hi there!

i am writing this first post as i sit on my parents back porch in Orlando, FL with the crickets chirping and the peepers peeping... my world is about to change!  as this blog(my 1st attempt) evolves i hope to offer an exciting window into life on the bottom of the world and that all who tune in enjoy my adventure from the warmth of their homes!  i will be quite busy for the next 6 days with preparations... i fly out of orlando on saturday morning the 1st of nov.  and will spend 2 days in colorado in training.  from there i fly through LAX and Auckland, NZ  and into Christchurch for more training and will receive my cold weather gear.  from Christchurch we fly to McMurdo base which is the large logistical center for south pole operations.  from there we fly to the pole as weather conditions allow, but i am due at the pole on Nov. 7th.  so.....there you have it! i understand that our internet availability at the pole is 11 hours a day and that scientific materials obviously take precedence so i will do my best to keep this silly thing current!! i am not able to participate in the skype world while i'm on the ice, so...this is it, but feel free to drop me a line at:

Karen Grace Clark, RPSC

South Pole Station

PSC 468, BOX 400

APO AP 96598

you can use regular(1st class) postage 

please don't send any "care packages" a silly request, i know, but you have to remember that everything that goes in must go out....like extreme camping... letters and stationary and stamps will be lovely though! 

                                                           take care....more soon!  karengrace