South Pole - My Experience

New Website release of the Project

2006-07-14T06:16:00.000-07:00

This web site is pretty cool. It give some good information on the evolution of the station. Keep an eye open for Flyod pretty face. ;) Enjoy

http://nsf.gov/news/special_reports/livingsouthpole/intro.jsp

Where the credit is due.

2006-05-04T05:41:00.000-07:00

This is the 04-05 construction team that got the work done. We got condtion occupancy of wings B1 and B2. The 05-06 team got conditional occupancy of wings A4, B3, and B4 along with numerous out building.

Last day at pole

2006-01-07T12:55:00.000-08:00

I am sooooo out of here. It's has been fun kids, but not that much fun. I miss my wife. I can't wait to get home.
Really I just want to get home so I can go back to work and start playing a the politic games again. OH JOY. :( It's great fun working for weeks on end and getting nowhere. I feel this chapter of life is comming to a close.
The people at pole are great people. I have enjoyed working with most of them (you). I wish you the best in the future. God only knows if we'll meet again. Take care.

Kim and Neil at the South Pole

2006-01-02T08:52:00.000-08:00

It's weird to think both Kim and I were here. It was a good experience comming down here but the life style just doesnt' fit us.

Still it's pretty cool to make it to the South Pole together.

What will the next adventure be???

Captain FA and I at Christmas

2005-12-29T12:42:00.000-08:00

Captain FA - I mean Tim - is having a jolly good time at Christmas after a couple sips of wine and cheer. I wish I could pull half the stuff he pulls in the climbing cave.

South Pole Christmas Dinner

2005-12-29T12:32:00.000-08:00

James Brown, Xuan Ta and myself enjoyed the Chistmas meal. The Kitchen Crew does a great job to make the meal special.

We call Xuan "XT" meaning Extra Trouble. She is the Title II inspector (EE). She gives us our fair ration by calling us Trouble #1, #2, #3, and #4. She claims we are trying to ruin her vacation. ;)

South Pole Baldy

2005-11-18T13:11:00.000-08:00

You would have thought I would have got this bald thing out of my system in college. Nope! I love bald;)

Brown Bastard

2005-11-13T10:45:00.000-08:00

This route starts small, then gets smaller, and ends with some really good ceiling work. ;)

Batman

2005-11-13T10:17:00.000-08:00

Tim's famous Batman move.

Paul, using the crack...

2005-11-13T10:15:00.000-08:00

Paul and Tim built this place the summer of 05/

South Poles Premier Bouldering Cave

2005-11-13T09:28:00.000-08:00

Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday, Tim, Paul and I hit the bouldering cave. We have set up about 8 different routes. Some with names like Worm, Thing and Brown Bastard. Tim schools us regularly in strength, technique, and lingo. It's great conversation and stress relief. Common converstations are about other climbs, politic, complaints of the day, religoin ,South Park and Kill Bill II. Our big concern is where we are going to climb next year. This building will be demo'ed this winter. :( We are trying to lobey for a new space in the Elevated station.

C-130 to the Pole

2005-10-28T14:19:00.000-07:00

Chad is really a lot happier then he looks. He loves the 3.5 hour flight out of McMurdo. Obviously, Beth is content with her accomadations.

2005-10-28T13:42:00.000-07:00

Tim's having a good time surveying today. He dreams about soloing a 400 foot 5.7 in less then 4 minutes (those are some warm thoughts).

The old Sturgeon

2005-10-28T13:36:00.000-07:00

Still learning how this stuff works. C

Treasures in the tunnels at Pole

2005-10-28T13:31:00.000-07:00

So this is a crazy find. Way back in the end of the tunnels you will stumble in the old sturgen that was brought down here years ago. I didn't read the whole history that is posted by it but I could go down there again if you were really interested. I bet the history is posted on Bill web site. southpolestation.com.

2005-10-22T17:27:00.000-07:00

South Pole Station. This year I live in the doom. This is the last year before demolision

2005-10-22T17:22:00.000-07:00

South Pole Sculpture Contest. See the high heal and the elevated station.

2005-10-22T17:20:00.000-07:00

South Pole Station - 2005 from the c130

2005-10-22T17:17:00.000-07:00

New Zealand Sun Set

2005-10-22T17:10:00.000-07:00

NZ-Karmea-Sand Flys-Neil and Kim

2005-10-22T17:07:00.000-07:00

NZ-Able Tazman Park - Kiaking - Neil and Kim

South Pole Travels

2005-10-22T16:09:00.000-07:00

We arrived on Friday Oct 21st. The temp was -60 F with mild winds. The winter-overs seemed to be in good spirits. Kelly had a 4 foot diameter painted cardboard smiley face at the runway as a welcome. The cardboard didn't hold a candle to her own smile. She must be ready to get out of here. Two flights came in that day, so about 70 people decended on the 78 winter-overs. There was a lot of smiles but also a lot of odd emotions. Their world (of 8 months) had just ended. Some were full of energy, other were running for cover and hiding out. As I talk with them I hear stories of glory and of anger, stories of antisipation and of saddness. I of course hear a lot of business about the construction of the elevated station, where most have given so much of there time and energy. They have come a long ways.
I'm down here this year without my partner, my friend, my wife Kim. Sad... It is for the best since I am only deploying until early January. We have been traveling with each other for three year now and have hardly been apart. That time has really grown us together, and has made this separation difficult. We get to talk regularly by it is hard to replace the physical contact and confort of each others presence. Since we have been here together before there are lots of reminders of cooperative life here, yet it really feels different because my other half is not there, there to eat with, sleep with, ski with, climb with, talk with, take care of and to be taken care of. It is now a bitter sweet place. Bitter in being away form Kim and sweet in that it is good to be back working on the project and not in the office.
Well thats enough for now