22 October 2019 Training Day!

-37 Degrees Windchill- Welcome to Antarctica!

The Royal Society Mountain Range- looking out from the Crary Lab Library.

When they say , "the biting cold," now I can truly appreciate where that saying came from. It is -37 degrees windchill outside right now. As I walked down the volcanic rock and packed snow covered road, the wind found every little corner of my face that wasn't covered. Sure, Big Red was keeping me warm, but small bare strips of my face screamed at me as the wind whipped around. I was thankful my walk was short from the dorm to my cozy little office cubby in the Crary lab. And today is still a condition 3- which means it is considered nice weather!

Piston Bully Training

Denise Hardoy ready for Piston Bully Training

Today...was FUN! I learned how to drive a Piston Bully. The piston bullies are large transportation vehicles made to go up any terrain in just about any condition. They are track layers with a really tight turning radius. They can really turn on a dime. Of, course, they only go 15 mph or so. The top speed allowed in town is only 5mph- so you don't really have to worry about speeding out of control. They only hold a driver and one passenger, so a cargo trailer is usually attached. The usual cargo is people, so it has a heater as well. We started out learning the complicated sequence that you needed to go through just to warm up the anti-freeze. You begin with a complete vehicle check. You remove the covers off of the exhaust vents. Skip this step, and everyone gets carbon monoxide poisoning. Kind of important.

Denise Hardoy prepares to train in the piston bully.

Next, you check fluid levels and visually inspect the tracks and tires. Yep, it has both. Then you look for fluid leaks and make sure there are no cracks in any windows nor doors. Once the outside is cleared, you can enter the vehicle. You need to pay attention to the engine temperature. Using the webasto, you warm up the engine to 90 degrees, then you are ready to start it. Just like regular diesel engines, you have to start the glow plug and let that warm up too. The instructor said it ran on a mixture of diesel and aviation fuel. There are two panels full of switches and warning lights to confuse you. Fortunately, when we went outside to actually drive, the instructor helped me get everything straight.

It drives kind of like a 4 wheeler. No brake- you just let off the accelerator and it stops. You do have to be careful not to overcorrect steering or you can whiplash your passengers around in the back. I got to do a little lap around town. It was so cool!

Yes, they Do have Pickups at McMurdo Station

Some of my students wanted to know if there were any regular cars down here. Well, as you can see, there are pick ups, but no cars. There are even crazy pickups with tracks!

Dorm Life

Sometimes, I feel like I am having flashbacks. It's weird living in a dorm room again thirty years after finishing college. I moved rooms today so I could be with the rest of my team. Hauling all my gear up to the third floor made me wish that I had packed lighter. Going outside between loads, made me glad that I hadn't.

Denise Hardoy's new Dorm Room

Yes, It's just a regular old dorm room. This is my new home for the next five weeks.

Denise Hardoy's new Dorm Room in Building 207

It's still neat because I haven't had time to unpack today. It actually has quite a bit of room. Not quite home, but it will work for a few weeks.

Building 155- the Dining hall and lots of offices.

Center of Town

This big blue building is the most important one in town. It is where everyone eats! The food here has been amazing. They have so many choices at every meal. People are very into their desserts here too. I know some of my students would really like the all you can eat- whenever you want to eat- rules. They actually want you to aim for 4,000 to 5,000 calories a day! Crazy. I will try to video one of our meals. Last night, I had roasted lamb, and it was outstanding.

My Office

Denise Hardoy's Office cubby in the Crary Lab

This is where I have access to the internet. I can work on journals here and have access to the large library for research. So many books, and such a great view.

What's Next?

So, tomorrow I have Ice Training. Doesn't that sound ominous? Apparently, it is quite a day. They start the morning off inside for four hours of information. Then you pack your lunch and head outside. I am really going to bundle up! I am hoping it will not be quite as windy tomorrow. I plan to cover every square inch. I'm just wondering how I will be able to work if I'm so covered up? Then it is light vehicle training on Thursday- pick-ups and snowmobiles! Finally, on Friday I will be cleared to head out on ice with my team! That is going to be amazing!

Stay Cool,