It has been over a year of morningstache dailystache and I think I am done. This is what I look like today. On January 14th I will compete in the 2nd anual 7th continent beard and moustache competition (13th back in the states. We are in the future here. http://beardteamusa.org/calendar/) and on the 15th the Manuary Moustache Roulette where I will most likely be shorn. Whoo! Hair that still grows back!
It's warm at -11 but the wind is blowing at 23 knots. Not bad out but hard to see. This is walking to lunch
It's warm at -11 but the wind is blowing at 23 knots. Not bad out but hard to see. This is walking to lunch
Things are melting! We should get another storm soon but it is getting nicer. I can't believe it's been over 2 months already.
I got to drive Delta Scharen to Pegusus runway and LDB yesterday which was awesome.
I am slotted to do the Black island fuel traverse too the second week of November. I very much hope this happens.
Thanks for the letters. Package mail is still backed up.
Let me know if you want a post card
I did snow school 1, AKA Happy Camper. It was a lot of fun, and pretty cold.
Via Flickr:
Dinner!
I got to do snow school! It is a 2 day, 1 night course out in the elements. I love this new thing called outside!
It's nice out! Mainbody is staring with a bang and lots of people. I like these people! I like the mail that comes with them! I got mail!
I got a travel bug! I got a wedding invitation! I got an awesome book my friend Lindsey published!
I also learned how to ride a snow mobile, drive giant cargo and fuel deltas, how to profile, spot and navigate over sea ice cracks. Soon I will learn how to build an emergency snow trench to sleep in.
We have not yet gotten our field camp info yet but soon I will find out if I go to the pole or the dry valleys or maybe just stay here.
I'll be sending out post cards soon so if you want one let me know.
Not much to see when driving Delta Sharen back from Pegasus road. The wind blew all the fresh snow around and we could not see. Luckily I could follow this dozer back in.
Went to Castle Rock for a sunset Nodwell trip. So amazing!
Via Flickr:
Castle Rock sunset Nodwell trip.
Sastrugi are compacted ice imprints. The snow around them blows away. Snow is not a good word. Tiny ice crystals.
Man this is not the weather to go outside in but we did! Drove around town with Ed and did tank dips. The Pass was crazy! Standing was hard.
Did sea ice training. We took a Hagglunds out to find and profile cracked in the sea ice. Amazing. Went around & close to the Erebus Glacier Tong and Inaccessible island. Photos soon.
Ross Island that is, from the day tank at the Ice Runway. One of the jobs I have is to fill the tank so the equipment operators don't have to come back to town to re-fuel. The perk for me is getting off the island and driving Delta Scharen
It is feeling like winfly again. We were packing (filling with fuel) hose by the heliport and it was crazy windy! Tonight we watch "Dancing Outlaw" and "The Room". Why? Because.
Back to work clearing 3 days worth of blown tiny ice crystals and filling tanks and making runways.
The storms that keep us up at night, and all day.
http://amrc.ssec.wisc.edu/data/view-data.php?action=list&product=satellite/composite
Check out the Infrared animations
To much wind to work outside. Making hose and testing fuel is on the
plate today.
Pretty awesome day! Did town work as it was not a good day to be out and about
Pretty awesome day! Did town work as it was not a good day to be out and about
Pretty awesome day! Did town work as it was not a good day to be out and about.
Literally on the ice, sea ice that is. Filled up some dozers with Delta Scharen on the sea ice. The dozers are pushing and blowing snow to make a road to where the ice runway will be.
At the Sudema, it is a 5 min walk from the airport. It is also a 5 min walk to the CDC (Clothing Distribution Center). Going over soon to get cold weather gear and check my camping gear for the trip back. Tomorrow at 3am I go to the Antarctic Program center to deploy. See you soon McMurdo! Keep the weather nice!
After clothing distribution today I am going to go into town and check out the ruins, look for berries and whiskey.
After a full day of orientation it was perfect to swim in the pool one last time, take a nap the have amazing Korean food. Packed now sleep.
I should have locked my bag when I was done packing yesterday. I think I just added 10 pounds.
About to send mom off. Then I have 2 more errands then... a birthday? panic packing? head in the ground?
You know, it's time! This is how to send me mail. Let me know your address and I'll send you mail from the bottom of the world, or the top depending on how you think of it.
Bryan Kiechle RPSC
Summer 2011-2012
McMurdo Station Antartctica
PSC 469 Box 700
APO, AP 96599
Looks like my on ice date is not the 26th but the 23rd/24th. Or at
least that is my check out date from the Sudima Hotel.
Click here to add the post body...
Morningstache dailystache from Alaska!
So I am leaving the country for 7 months. Not going to be able to download. What should I bring? Movies, TV, music? What would you bring?
I have ingested a large amount of coffee and information this morning.
Now 'all music on random' game as I unpack from last weekend and wait
for Friend From The North to get to town!
