Live from Greenland

After one of the most ridiculously difficult roadtrips down to Stewart Air Base, we arrived in Newburgh to collect the full team and spend the night before our 6:00 wakeup. Our hotel was right next to the brand new Orange County Choppers shop. Apparently we missed the Aerosmith concert marking it's grand opening by a day....

Passing base security was a little easier this time, they waved us through after seeing one Army Civilian ID's, in contrast with the 45 minutes of bombsniffing we got last time. Hurry up and wait was the motto of the morning as we spent several hours waiting for the plane to prepare for takeoff.

The C5 was more impressive than we expected up close. We heard that you can spend a career in polar research without getting to fly on one. The passengers fly facing backwards in small and loud cabin at the top of the plane separated from the cockpit. The passenger compartment seems like an afterthought; a tumor on the cargo-hungry body.

The C5 upon landing


Kevin next to a snowcat loaded inside the C5


Loading gear at Kanger


We arrived in Kangerlussuaq after one of the most pleasant flights any of us had experienced. After several hours of loading additional cargo pallets on the plane, we headed to the science support station, located right next to the Kanger jail. The buildings are all brightly-painted prefab concrete boxes that Kevin and I decided are much more comfortable than our accommodations in Hanover.

Jim and Brad outside the KISS


Mark arranged a BBQ for everyone involved with the project, which was a rare opportunity for the NSF folks and the air force guys to interact.

It's 11pm now and feels like dusk. By the end of the project we should be experiencing 24 hours of daylight in Thule.

Tomorrow we wake up at 6:00 again and fly up to Thule where we begin working furiously to bring Yeti online in time for the traverse.