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*