Yesterday we found out that our scheduled helicopter flights for today were pushed back until Monday. At first I was really disappointed because I wanted to get out to the Dry Valleys and get to work…
When we are in the field we will not have a cook or a cafeteria to go to. We will be in charge of making all of our own meals. To do this, we are going to need some food. Today we continued the…
An important part of preparing for going out in the field is knowing what to do if an emergency occurs. To learn all of these much needed skills, all new USAP participants are required to go to Happy…
When I think of bad weather in Antarctica, I think of blowing snow, low visibility, high winds, and cold temperatures. Today I saw all of them. We knew what we were in for because last night's…
Our Team's Logo
It just occurred to me that I have been writing these journals about people you may or may not even know yet. Let me now take the opportunity to introduce you to the people that…
Before you can go out in the field or work in a lab, you have to go through several trainings. Since all the boys on my team have been to Antarctica before, they only have to do refreshers but Amanda…
Today was a crazy day, but the payoff was that I finally made it to Antarctica. Here is what my day looked like:
4:30 am = Wake-up and finish packing
5:15 am = Catch the shuttle to the USAP…
Our first full day in New Zealand was spent preparing for our trip down to the ice. The most important thing is to have the right clothes. Fortunately I didn't have to buy all of my gear...that would…
My day began in Detroit at 1:30 pm EST on Monday with my first flight to Chicago. My day ended in Christchurch, New Zealand at 1:30 pm Christchurch time on Wednesday. Where did the time go???…
This week has been a whirlwind. I can't believe that I am leaving in a matter of hours and there is still so much to do. My week started out with a going away party with my friends and family. My…
Don't worry PQ'ed isn't a bad thing. It means that I have been deemed physically qualified to travel to Antarctica. The United States Antarctic Program (USAP) has pretty strict guidelines for who can…
Fellow polar treker Sarah Diers (Dissolved Organic Matter in Antarctica) and I had the awesome opportunity to meet our researchers and see their laboratories at Montana State University in Bozeman,…
