Today was a pretty good day for science. We were able to fly Nemo at 12am, 3am, 6am, 9am, 12pm, and 3pm. During the 3pm launch, the winds increased substantially and immediately afterward we had to bring him back to the balloon barn. It took both me and Craig (Montana) to tame Nemo...NOT fun!
Another great night in the tent. Seriously somehow I am sleeping great! I don't know what I will do when I get back...a pillow top bed under only one sheet and not three layers of clothing zipped up over my head in a sleeping bag and fleece liner. It might just be like the movie "Castaway" with Tom Hanks...me on the floor with a sleeping bag! We'll see!
The following are some questions from some friends and family. I figured maybe some of you have similar questions...so here goes!
1. Are you going to show them how to make any Louisiana food, I guess you can't show them how to do a GA bbq.
*I was thinking about doing a red beans and rice, but I am not sure if I will have time. Gumbo would be a really nice treat especially in the cold. I'll let you guys know!
2. Are you learning how to make any of the things that you have eaten from other countries?
*No, unfortunately there is not a lot of time for people to share recipes from their home country. But we did learn a lot about Canada's history on Canada day, and I also have been trying my friend Jin's Chinese cuisine.
3. I know you have limited water use but do you have to take a cold shower or something of that nature?
*No, there is plenty of hot water, but you really only have two minutes of water time (you turn the water off and scrub your hair and soap up). And you are only suppose to shower once a week. Our water supply comes from melted snow. When you take a shower, you look at the water level in the tank behind the kitchen so everybody knows if you use a lot of water.
4. Also what are your sleeping arrangements like (sleeping bag, cot, bed)?
*I sleep on a cot with a sleeping bag and a fleece liner (picture in previous post) in a tent (seven by seven feet). My bag is on the floor.
5. Did they provide you all your gear or did you have to buy it?
*My advisor, Dr. Lefer, took me to REI to purchase all of the gear that I needed. Four pairs of long johns, 4 pairs of wool socks, three toboggans, ski pants, fleece long johns, five pairs of gloves, Cabella boots, two pairs of fleece boot liners, fleece sleeping bag liner, waterproof/windproof jacket, faux down jacket. I think that's it.
6. Have you seen any wildlife or is it just too damn cold and too little food up there for any animals?
*There is absolutely NO wildlife here. It is too cold. The nearest living thing is about 650 miles away (Toule, Greenland).
7. What is your actual return date and how long is the trip?
*I left Houston on June 22nd and will return on July 12th.
So I hope that answers most of your questions. Feel free to ask more! :)
Today for lunch we had sloppy joe's, pickles, french fries, and salad. The sloppy joe's were delicious! As usual...fresh chocolate chip cookies and also some pear pie!
For dinner we had pumpkin tortellinis, mushroom and asparagus over quinoa foccaccia bread, goat cheese and roasted tomatoes ravioli, meat sauce, marinara sauce, alfredo sauce,
sausauge, and more cookies!
Smell-oh-Meter: 2...because I had to help with dishes, and I smell like chlorox
Current Weather:
Temperature: 5F
Wind Chill: -14F
Take Care!
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1 comment:
Good to here you had a great day. Sound like Nemo wanted to keep flying.
I liked the Q and A it was really informative.
Sleeping on the floor is something I think we can overcome. The one thing I am a little worried about is I don't think we have enough time to cook all of those meals. We Might have to get a cook for about a week until we get back to your normal Rob and Christine tasty meals for 2.
Love you,
Rob
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