16 July 2014 Counting Down the Days!

Five Days to Go!

I'm picking up a few last minute items, seeing friends, labeling my electronics and assembling gear in my bag. After all of the preparation it is hard to believe that the time is almost here to meet my team and take off for the Arctic. I'm excited! I've also met some fantastic people as a result of the outreach I've done. Thank you for being so interested and excited with me. I look forward to taking you along on the expedition and I want to highlight you in today's journal. First, a "shout out" to the Rotary Club of Mission Valley Sunset. We enjoyed an engaging evening of dinner and wonderful conversation about the upcoming research into sediment deposition from melting tidewater glaciers. I loved all of your questions, but I think my favorite was about the sun that will never set. I will see what the 24 hour sun looks like, take pictures and share for you all to see. Your obvious delight in everything we talked about was very fun. Thank you.

At the Rotary Club meeting I met Ms. LeClair, a teacher at San Diego High and she invited me to her summer school classroom. These kids are working on building a solar powered golf cart- very cool! I had a great afternoon with them, talking about paleoclimatology and connecting them to the expedition. I look forward to seeing you kids online!

Finally, yesterday I was so pleased to have lunch with several fellow alumni from the United States Naval Academy at the San Diego Chapter of the Naval Academy Alumni Association luncheon. There were representatives from the classes of 1949 through 2001, including some of my former commanding officers, classmates and my husband- tough crowd! Talk about keeping me on my toes...you guys asked some stimulating questions. But I wouldn't expect anything less. It was great fun and I loved your open reception, enthusiasm and frank dialog. I look forward to talking more though my journals, thanks for the USNA coin and Go NAVY!!!!!