Merry Christmas!

And a very happy Chranukkah, Festivus, Kwanzaa, Ramadan, Hanukkah, and New Year!

As a holiday gift, I present to you a video of last week's Cyclocross race. This was my first ever attempt to ride a mountain bike, much less race one. And I'm proud to say that I achieved my goal and finished within the top half of the finishers! (Allow me to clarify: I achieved my goal, which was to make it out of the race alive. Barely. I somehow happened to place well too.) I hope my clumsiness brings you joy on this special day, as it has brought so many of you so much joy in the past.*

(If the video doesn't work, or for higher resolution, try here)

With stockings full of holiday cheer,
pepe


*See for example: trying to catch a frisbee on a bicycle; "freestyle rock diving" in Brazil; and countless attempts at dribbling a soccer or basketball, only to end up flat on my face.

PS - Antarctica is largely void of seasonal decor...but not entirely! Our room is the one with the palm tree.

Adventures in the Touch Tank

Lately, I've been craving some fresh sushi. Of course, such a delicacy is never served in the galley, so I headed down to the local aquarium to find my own. What I found was the delicous Cockroachus Giganticus, or the Giant Sea Cockroach. At least, that's my best guess at its name.

I dipped him in soy sauce and prepared to gobble him up...

...when suddenly I was attacked by an enormous sea spider (real name)! These guys are the size of your fingertip normally, but grow to enormous sizes in Antarctica.

Eventually we reached a truce, and I hobnobbed with the remaining sea creatures peacefully.





yours,
pepe

The Bazaar

Several weeks ago, I signed up for the annual arts and crafts fair, hoping to exhibit and possibly sell some jewelry of my own design. There were three problems: (1) I had nothing to exhibit. (2) I'd brought few supplies with which to make anything to exhibit. (3) I'd be displaying my wares amongst ten other jewelers, all far more experienced and entirely prepared. Thus the past couple weeks have been a rather frantic test of my creativity and resourcefulness. (I can't take all the credit: mom and sis saved the day by picking out and shipping down a bunch of fantastic stones!)

Leading up to the show, some crafts were displayed in the store windows, including a set I made with copper wire from the power plant dumpster. This turned out to be exceedingly popular--a night shifter set her alarm to make sure she'd be first in line to buy it!

Perhaps most interesting was how poorly I predicted my audience's aesthetic. What I considered my finest creations were touched a lot, but went unsold. What does this mean? Wrong price point? Yet my trail flag earrings--which I thought were rather unspectacular--sold like hotcakes.

In addition to jewelers, the show featured knitters, painters, potters, and photographers. And customers. Lots of customers.

My humble booth.

Definitely an interesting, eye-opening experience...but perhaps not my calling. As nice as it was to take peoples' money, the pressures of production and salesmanship took much of the fun out of this otherwise enjoyable (if expensive) hobby.

In other news, my roommates and I finally completed the legendary "beeramid."

It toppled over soon after completion.

Flight of the Penguin

This week, I finally got a spot on a coveted "Delta trip" out to another of Scott's huts at Cape Evans. While Cape Evans and McMurdo station are both on Ross Island, an overland route would entail crossing crevasse-riddled snow and glaciers: dangerous indeed. Instead, one can simply drive between the two points over the frozen ocean! That makes for a nice flat drive with opportunities for wildlife sightings.

Pictured below is the rugged "Delta Two" (for two axles)--an articulated vehicle that can be outfitted as a tanker, flatbed, or in this case, bus. The articulated design has an interesting side effect: the human cargo can't communicate with the driver, except by radio! (Yes, I count this towards my goal of utilizing every form of transportation on earth.)

Many Weddell seals were spotted, including one up close. Seals, it seems, are quite lazy when they're out of the water. Then again, it can't be easy living further south than any other mammal--perhaps they've earned their rest.


The hut itself was a lot bigger than the first, and full of many interesting artifacts. It's currently being restored by a small team of kiwis.

Scott's desk, including his stuffed penguin. (This discovery has made me much less self-conscious about my own habit of sleeping with a stuffed seal.)

Rumor has it penguins will frequent our area later in the season. But for now penguin spottings are rare, and the experience is very much built up and coveted. Luckily, we happened upon a flock of five on the return trip, and the experience did not dissappoint.

The clan of Adelies was spotted way off in the distance, but curiosity brought them to within twenty feet. They leisurely waddled up in their adorably awkward way (waddle... waddle... lay on belly and slide... waddle...), and then simply stood around as if we were all waiting at the same bus stop. But the best part was when we finally boarded the Delta and began to drive away. Terrified by the gigantic orange monster, they turned and fled at top speed (waddle!waddle!waddle!), flippers flailing overhead in a manner that was hilariously anthropomorphic.

What a place.
pepe

Life amidst desolation

Antarctica is, as you might imagine, a rather barren place. So when one does encounter non-human lifeforms, it's very exciting!

The first wildlife has descended upon us in the form of the South Polar Skua. The pics below show both the skua itself and the reason they like to hang about the station. In the wild this nasty bird survives by stealing food, eggs, and chicks from other birds. On station it's equally vicious, and has been known to steal sandwiches right out of peoples mouths.



In a similar vein, I finally discovered the station's greenhouse. This little oasis is wonderfully humid, +86F, filled with greenery, and contains two of my most favoritest smells: fresh basil and tomato plant leaves. Bringing soil to the ice is not permitted, so the greenhouse is completely hydroponic. And no need for pest control!

Tight quarters amongst the tomatoes:

"Lay me down in a bed of lettuce" (A Wheel of Fortune "Before and After" clue?)


Another odd self-portrait:


Stop and smell the roses for me,
pepe

Thanksgiving

In Antarctica, Thanksgiving is celebrated on a Saturday. As far as I can tell, this is simply because of Saturday's proximity to Sunday, the weekly day off. Better to consolidate the merrymaking than risk it spilling into work time?

As it does for many Americans, my Thanksgiving began with a 5k Turkey Trot race.

Runners gather in front by the "Chapel of the Snows":

Outbound on the Turkey Trot--the race takes us out onto the sea ice and back:

Running back towards town, driven by the thirst for victory! (Or did I just want to get out of the wind and have some hot cocoa?)

A hearty dinner with good friends and good (okay, bad) wine:

The last bite of pumpkin pie. Truly a Thanksgiving to remember.

ASP Quiz Answers

What a treat to get so many entries for the quiz! I applaud everyone for their wonderfully logical logic. Unfortunately, reason will get one only so far in this strange place. Some things just don't make sense.

Our winners, both with five correct answers, are George (Norris?) and Holly. Congratulations! Here are the answers, with photographic evidence where appropriate:

(a) FALSE. Despite the overwhelming emphasis on safety, riding in pickup truck beds is permitted. The picture below illustrates this, as well as the extent to which some people will go for a dose of nicotine.



(b) FALSE. During working hours, wind chill is more than enough to discourage people from wearing revealing clothing. After hours, anything is fair game--though a reasonable maturity level and fear of HR tends to keep dress rather tame outside of party time. For an example of party time, see below (the legendary Halloween party).



(c) TRUE.


(Erebus, the southernmost active volcano)

(d) FALSE. A tricky question, this one. Dining is indeed cafeteria style, but dishes are done by a select few: DAs, or Dining Assistants. DAs--along with GAs (General Assitants like myself), shuttle drivers, and janitors--occupy the lowest caste of McMurdo society.



(e) TRUE. There are many types of vehicles here, but the most common are indeed vans and pickups for local travel. Note the WV plate in the pic below. Unlike ASP, vans and trucks are numbered, not named. Names are reserved for heavy equipment only--i.e. "Ivan" the Terra Bus.



(f) TRUE. As you all guessed, acronyms are a way of life nearly everywhere. But ASP and USAP bring acronymity to truly remarkable levels. ASP has the incredible one-letter-acronym (V, for volunteer). USAP, on the other hand, uses acronyms so extensively that often the meaning is lost entirely. Having met two Russian students from the ITASE project, I queried them as to the meaning of their acronym. After five minutes of unsuccessful brainstorming, they promised to Google it and get back to me.

(g) TRUE. Again, everyone nailed this one.

Be well,
pepe

Pop Quiz: ASP Edition

Once again, this quiz will be officiated in the style of Car Talk and the Sunday Puzzle: a winner will be randomly selected from all correct responses.

{Q} In what ways is Antarctica similar to the Appalachia Service Project (www.asphome.org)? Mark all that apply.

(a) Riding in the bed of a pickup truck is strictly forbidden.
(b) Workers must be constantly reminded not to wear tank tops and short shorts.
(c) The mountains are spectacular, but the weather can be dangerous and unpredictable.
(d) Meals are served cafeteria style, and people take turns doing the dishes.
(e) The most common vehicles are 10-passenger vans and pickup trucks, often with WV plates.
(f) Acronyms are used frequently in common parlance.
(g) When working outside, it is essential to stay well hydrated and wear sunscreen.

While you're pondering, check out some construction action you'll never see at ASP: (Hopefully. Maybe keep an eye on that group leader with demolition experience.)


(If the video doesn't work, try here: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5770590347432803264&hl=en)

Good luck!
pepe

Not for the squeamish

Let's get both of the scatological updates out of the way in one go.

FIRST, the answers to the pop quiz:
(A) Incorrect: as Yucaipartay pointed out, fuel "must be marked according to MSDS requirements."
(B) Incorrect: Ryan and Ray are correct that the frozen water all around is clean enough to drink. But that's mostly in the form of snow (not ice), and you'll want to melt it first so it's refreshing and doesn't sap your heat.
(C) Incorrect: penguin feces definitely do not belong in Nalgene bottles.
(D) CORRECTAMUNDO! Two Rehmeyers, Barb and dave, got this right. Barb is correct that human waste is collected, processed, and shipped back to the states (more on that below.) But out in the field, it is permissible to--as Ryan and Ray put it--"pee on the ice like the penguins do." So where does the P bottle come in? At night time, when you really really really don't want to go outside to answer nature's call. But you DO want a nice warm bottle to join you inside your sleeping bag. (Just make sure the cap is on darned tight!)
(E) Incorrect: who ever heard of Italians misplacing wine?

Since I already have a mailing ready to be sent out to dave, the grand prize (which is still a mystery even to me) shall go to Barb Rehmeyer. Any requests, Barb?

A final note: unlike the penguins, humans try to concentrate their impact on the environment into one location. Thus, there is not just a "P bottle", but a "P flag."

SECOND, many have asked for clarification on what I'm actually doing here in Antarctica. That's a bit of a big topic, but it involves a lot of odd and undesirable jobs. Yesterday's was moving a couple hundred metal tank lids at the waste treatment plant. We came to refer to them lovingly as "$h!t shields."

All dressed up and nowhere to go. Except the sewage treatment facility:

Yes mother, I have all my hepatitis immunizations.

Any young ones out there? If so, they may now uncover their ears and eyes, as we shall return to the regularly scheduled PG-rated blogging.

Ann Curry in Antarctica!

NBC has touched down in McMurdo as part of their "Pole to Pole" coverage. While I don't normally advocate watching television, and the chance that I'll be on TV is slim to none, it might be interesting to see some live footage from my 'hood. (You'll also see Matt Lauer in Greenland and Al Roker somewhere tropical.)

Here's the schedule:
-Monday, Nov 5: Today Show, 5:00-9:15 am eastern time
-Tuesday, Nov 6: Today Show, 5:00-9:15 am eastern time
-Tuesday, Nov 6: Nightly News, 6:15-7:00 pm eastern time

All this talk of television is weirding me out. Here's a shot to put things back in perspective: a cross erected on Hut Point (which derives its name from the hut mentioned earlier). Hut Point is the tip of the Hut Point Peninsula (which derives its name from the point that derives its name from the hut.) Anyway, it honors George Vince, an explorer with Scott who died in 1902, and whose body was never found.


Don't forget to set your clocks and check your fire alarms! (Jude especially!)
pepe

The Paradox and the Penguin

The Paradox.
The more interesting things happen, the more I want to share on the blog--but the less time I have to spend on the computer! Yes, I'm way behind on documenting all the fascinating developments of the past week. But I pledge to share all the good stuff in time.

The Penguin.
Rejoice: I have seen my first Antarctic penguin! The experience was a bit different than anticipated, because this penguin was neither cute nor cuddly. Nay, it was a 100-year-old carcass of mummified blubber.

(The penguin is in the middle--on the left is a mummified seal)

It seems the early explorers had a taste for penguin and seal in addition to biscuits and dog food. (Or more likely, they turned their furry friends into heating oil.) These leftovers are preserved for time immemorial in Scott's Discovery Hut. It was built in 1901 while Scott, his men, and their ship Discovery were stuck in the ice all winter. The men preferred to live aboard the stranded ship, but used the hut for storage and theatrical productions. The hut was later used by Shackleton, and Scott returned on his successful but fatal Pole attempt.

Discovery Hut in relation to McMurdo and Obs Hill (on the right):

Supplies and clothing left in the hut:

"CAPT SCOTT'S ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION 1910"


Toasting to the early explorers,
pepe

Pop Quiz

Test your Antarctica knowledge! One winner will be picked at random from all correct entries, and will receive a super-special souvenir. (post your answer to the "comments")

You're camping on the Ross Ice Shelf, and you come across a Nalgene bottle marked with a large letter "P". What should you do?

A) Pour it into a snowmobile--this is an emergency dose of PETROL.
B) Drink up--this water has been PURIFIED.
C) Return it to the nearest scientist--this is a sample of PENGUIN POO.
D) Don rubber gloves--this is a bottle of PEE (urine).
E) Toast to the Italian Antarctic Program--they've misplaced yet another expedition-ready bottle of PINOT NOIR.

View from the top

(Technical note: you should now be able to click on all pictures for an enlarged view.)

Here's a brilliant idea: on the coldest, windiest day yet, I'll climb to the highest point around and attempt to use an ultracompact camera with a metal frame and buttons too small to be manipulated with gloves on. But there aren't many days off (Sundays only) and this one offered a crystal clear view. Though I nearly froze my fingers off, I finally got the shot I've been waiting for.

This is McMurdo station, home to about 1,200. How about a quick tour? First, find the building near the middle with the red roof. That's the hospital--the last place on station you want to go. Right above the hospital is the largest building (roof is white-yellow-white), building 155, which contains--in rough order of importance--my dorm room, the galley, the station store, a sauna, laundry facilities, a hairdresser, and various offices. The other buildings serve a variety of functions: more dorms, 3 gyms of various sorts, 3 equally varied bars, science support centers, a power plant, a desalinization plant, a post office, a chapel, storage up the wazoo, fuel tanks, a heavy machinery shop, a carpentry shop, and a host of other maintenance facilities. Every building has a name, a number, and an acronym or nickname--making things very confusing at times. Would you like to stop by the Aerobics and Exercise Room, building 78, or the Gerbil Gym? Muahaha, they're all the same!

I got a great view of Erebus steaming away too:

Observation hill is also home to a large wooden cross erected in 1913 in memory of Scott and the rest of his party, who froze to death on their journey back from the pole:

And lastly, a sorry attempt at a self-portrait. I would have tried again, but they might have had to pry the camera out of my frozen fingers. Next time, perhaps I'll bring some sort of poking stick to operate the buttons with mittens on. Live and learn.

yours,
pepe

Human Snowshovel

Several have asked, and I'm sure all are wondering: "how cold is it?" It varies. Today, for example, it was a balmy +10F(-12C) with no wind chill. I'm not being sarcastic--if you're in the sun and actively shoveling snow, that's warm enough to take off your huge red parka. Yet cold enough that after a while, your fingers--beginning with the pinkies--begin to ache. (Tip: switch to a new, dry set of gloves at lunchtime.) It also cleared up for the first time today, revealing beautiful mountain ranges out beyond the ice shelf.

Generally, it's been a lot colder. Yesterday bottomed out at -9F/-23C, wind chill -36F/-38C. And I assure you, it's the wind chill number that counts: if you have exposed skin or a draft in your ECW (extreme cold weather gear), you'll know instantly.

Pepe saying "Hi friends! Every time you check my blog, I get a little bit warmer!":

Our current shoveling site is near the helo pad, so we get to witness many takeoffs and landings throughout the day. This one is silhouetted against Observation Hill:
Mountain ranges plus sea ice / sea ice runway:
Mount Erebus, the local volcano (with a wisp of smoke coming out the top), and fuel storage in the foreground (how's that for juxtaposition?):

ciao, pepe