I have been PQ (physically qualified) to go to Antarctica! This might not seem like a big deal to most of you that know me. I am 27 years old, in good health, and like to play outside. However I've never had such an intensive medical examination. After 2 full days of tests and 28 page medical forms, I know officially know that I am 27 years old, in good health, and able to play outside in one of the harshest environments on Earth. Even the nurses were making fun of me for how much blood they had to draw.
The only hiccup occurred when my EKG came back. The doctor told me I was either having a heart attack or I was a 20 something athletic guy. I tried to vote for the second option, but apparently my vote didn't count as I still had to go to the hospital for further testing. After another EKG, the cardiologist at Dartmouth Hitchcock told me once again that I might be having a heart attack or I was a 20 something athletic guy. Thankfully this doctor allowed me to vote and I chose wisely.
Thursday, August 23, 2012
Monday, August 6, 2012
Getting Ready for Antarctica
Ok. So I know I kind of failed on the Barrow blog. Let's see if I can try doing better with Antarctica (no promises).
Let's start right with the prep. We are kind of at crunch time now trying to get everything shipped off by Aug 10. You are allowed to take 2 bags (each weighing up to 75 pounds) with you on the plane. Everything else is shipped ahead of time by boat from California. To ensure it makes it in time, everything must arrive in CA by Aug 20 so I need to get this stuff out the door. Plus, someday Steph will come back and want her desk back.
What do you do when you don't have an 8 foot bag to put your collapsible tower into? You sew one. Thanks goes to my advisor Rachel for putting up with my inept sewing skills (and then being stuffed into the bag to make sure it works). At least our bright orange Hawaiian themed bag will be visible from the helicopter.
Construction of our tower is still somewhat of a mystery for Rachel. I think she believes I just took a random pile of metal and cables.
Eventually we assembled both towers indoors, where it is nice and warm, with comfortable clothes, no mittens, no wind, but no snow either. Each tower took about 45 minutes to build. Any guesses for what that translates to on the ice? Needless to say, we got a lot of strange looks at Thayer.
Let's start right with the prep. We are kind of at crunch time now trying to get everything shipped off by Aug 10. You are allowed to take 2 bags (each weighing up to 75 pounds) with you on the plane. Everything else is shipped ahead of time by boat from California. To ensure it makes it in time, everything must arrive in CA by Aug 20 so I need to get this stuff out the door. Plus, someday Steph will come back and want her desk back.
What do you do when you don't have an 8 foot bag to put your collapsible tower into? You sew one. Thanks goes to my advisor Rachel for putting up with my inept sewing skills (and then being stuffed into the bag to make sure it works). At least our bright orange Hawaiian themed bag will be visible from the helicopter.
Construction of our tower is still somewhat of a mystery for Rachel. I think she believes I just took a random pile of metal and cables.
Eventually we assembled both towers indoors, where it is nice and warm, with comfortable clothes, no mittens, no wind, but no snow either. Each tower took about 45 minutes to build. Any guesses for what that translates to on the ice? Needless to say, we got a lot of strange looks at Thayer.
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