Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 12/20/2012 - 06:46
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Space Weather Monitoring on the Antarctic Plateau 2013

Because it is so cold and the conditions aren't the best at any point did you ever think to yourself "why am I doing this"? or feel like you shouldnt have ever gone there because it is miserable? Or do you enjoy it all the time? -Steph Stevenson Oil City High School

Mon, 01/21/2013 - 11:49

Tim Spuck

Excellent question Steph :-) ... YES!!! I remember stepping off the airplane at South Pole Station (10,500 Feet Elevation, -49 F with wind chill), out of breath because of the altitude and thinking, "What have you gotten yourself into Tim?" Then I remember when we were stranded due to weather out on the East Antarctic Plateau, and on day 7 of the mission saying, "I just need to wash my hair ... I don't care about anything else but I need to wash my hair." So I melted snow and took a couple basins and washed my hair, and felt soooo much better.That said, if someone came up to me tomorrow and said we need someone in Antarctica to go out into the middle of nowhere and camp in a tent on a two mile thick sheet of ice, I'd be the first one in line. It's strange how such an environment can pull you in. I think in a way I get a sense of what made the early explorers from various cultures to leave the comforts of home and venture out into the unknown.