Unravel Travel ~ the Blog

The last sunset was the first week I was here back in October. The next sunset will be in a few weeks. In the meantime the sun has been spinning around the sky in a counter-clockwise direction.

Us night workers have a time share with the sun. We wake to find it in the Northern part of the sky, although some would say all points are north down here. From there it swings around the Royal Society mountain range. In the wee hours of the ‘night’ it hovers over Mount Discovery, and usually finds some clouds to play hide-and-seek with. From there it schleps past Black island and White island. Come morning it hangs over an expanse of the permanent ice shelf that is as flat and white as far as the eye can see. People of the day watch the sun as it completes the loop and heads around Ross Island and Mount Erebus.

It becomes quite normal to constant daylight. That being said, I’m glad to have a dark room with no windows. One of the best parts of this job is spending so much time outside, watching the days go by.

I’ve felt the summer pass by. Things have gotten colder and colors have come back to the sky. They are subtle now, but when the sun is just so, you can catch some glimpses of orange, or pink or purple in the sky. This is a big deal when all you’ve seen for the past months has been an endless field of white, blue and grey.

Another great phenomenon has been the Fata Morgana. Not sure why the fancy term, but essentially they’re mirages. And they’ve been happening quite a bit down here lately. A blanket of warmer air sits on the surface and stretches everything. Huge lakes can be seen where you’ve only seen ice before. The edges of islands stretch into huge steep cliffs. Buildings grow to seem like small skyscrapers.

The Run
13.1 miles. Packed snow on permanent ice shelf. Not too cold, cloudy, no sunshine, no wind until the last mile.

Me
Out of shape, lazy. I had run a total of 13 miles in the past two months combined. Longest previous distance ever run: 5 miles.

The Result
I ran the entire thing! Body fell apart, but is coming back together rather nicely. 5 bruised toes, 2 wobbly knees, 1 revived spirit. And penguins on the course… those buggers can run!

*Pics not by me. Generously shared by unofficial race photographers.

And that’s what kind of day today was.

Many people wonder what I do down here for work; it’s quite simple actually… I drive people where they need to go.

McMurdo Station has a fluctuating summer population of 1,000 +/-. These scientists, plumbers, Air National Guardsmen, heavy equipment operators, shovelers, cooks, etc. are constantly coming and going. They need to get around town, to their work sites, and out to the airfield.

The Shuttles Drivers

There are 24 people in the Shuttles department, all brilliant individuals that I am quite fond of. Besides all being white and from the U.S., I’d say we’re all quite different. But… if you had to boil us down into two groups, I think most would have to agree that us Shuttles drivers are either A) young, talented, beautiful women or B) dirty but kind old men. You all know which group I fall into.

The Vee-hicles

Our fleet consists of:

Vans – Ford Econoline E-350 vans, lifted up with big snow tires

Airporters – The type that take you from the airport to the car rental office

Deltas – Old navy vehicles that are sturdy and versatile, have huge tires and are articulated in the center, so they turn on a dime

Ivan the Terra Bus – The icon of McMurdo and the largest vehicle on the continent.

The Roads

In town they are gravel roads made from lava rock, dirt and dust. They were icy when I arrived but that has all melted away by now.

The road out to the airfield is a different story. From town we drive down to the beach (used in the loosest sense of the term); this is where the transition is. This is where it gets gnarly with huge cracks several feet wide and potholes with unknown depths that have been known to have seal heads pop out. And its just another 13 miles out to Pegasus airfield. Fortunately this is mostly all on the permanent ice shelf.

The Thrill

The joy of my job is being outside every day, driving these great rigs, meeting amazing people, watching the weather pass and the sun circle the horizon, and watch the season progress.

And of course the driving… It’s been an especially cold December according to many people that have been coming down for years. For the moment the road remains in good condition. I feel deprived. I want the real nasty conditions… it gives a driver some excitement, something to relish, something to be able to complain about. And its even more fun to do in someone else’s vehicle.

Watch this video!

The Road to Misery starring our very own Shuttle Bill as he crosses the transition in a Delta at one of the nastier times of the year. This film won the 2008 McMurdo Film Festival.

A few more pics….

IceStock is an annual event – a tradition of welcoming in the New Year, one of great local music and somewhat free expression.

All pictures and video kindly donated from the community.

Snow Craft I. AKA Snow Camp. AKA Happy Camp.

This was my boondoggle and it was to be on New Year’s Eve 09-10.

The idea is to train all those going out in the field about how to survive. You know, dig survival trenches, start a stove, operate a HF radio, risk management theory, and a white-out scenario (Bucket heads). Joining me was our mountain guide instructor and nine other students: 3 scientist grantees, 2 janitors, 1 IT instructor, 2 firefighters, and 1 kitchen staff.

It was the most unique and sober way I’ve rung in a new year: sleeping on a deep ice shelf at the foot of an active volcano as the sun circles the sky all night long.

Sometimes if you’re really really good, and lucky, and have the day off or it is dead at work, and there’s a space available you can jump on a Pisten Bully (seldom), snowmobile (very seldom), or helicopter (extremely seldom) and go join whoever is going wherever out in the field to do whatever. Below are some pics of dive-tending a few miles off-base.