CDC
I spent the morning at the Clothing Distribution Center (not the Center for Disease Control) where I was issued 42lbs of extreme cold weather gear. It all amounts to about two sets of clothing that would be warm enough for me to go skiing back in VT at -30 without flinching.
After an 8am briefing I walked into a basketball court-sized room and picked up two large army duffel bags which, instead of being colored the usual olive drab green were bright safety orange. The next couple of hours were an exercise in checking zippers, snaps and buttons to make sure they all fit and then putting on layer after layer to make sure I could still move in my insulated Carheart bib overalls.
I traded in my pair of white "bunny boots" for a bigger and more comfortable pair of "Baffin" boots. Most of the veterans tell me the bunny boots are generally only worn twice: on the way in and on the way out. They are solid rubber impregnated with Thinsulate and double the size of my feet. I felt like Goofy while wearing them. Since they are so air tight there is a valve to let the pressure out of them so they don't pop on the plane and anyone who wears them for more than a couple of hours gets wet feet from the sweat that can't escape. The new boots are a little less watertight but hopefully they will keep me comfortable while it's cold outside. By the time the weather gets warm enough for there to be puddles of water around I will be able to wear the waterproof gore-TEX steel-toed boots I was issued back in Colorado.
No major other changes to my gear except getting a larger hat for my freakishly big head. I also got an extra pair of polypropylene longjohns to supplement the set I brought from home and the one I bought yesterday. Hopefully this will all keep me nice and warm on the ice.
I'm in an internet cafe across the square from the Christchurch Cathedral. (which I think was the source of the city's name) The rest of the day is probably going to be walking about and enjoying the unseasonably warm temperature of 40 degrees. It's actually quite nice out with a lot of sun and barely any wind. Like most places in New Zealand there isn't central heat so there isn't much of a shock in temperature when one goes outside. I may even get some tea and sit outside for a while reading to get my body clock used to the time zone.
The 14 hours of sleep I got last night did me well and I'm feeling much better. It'll probably be an early night tonight too since I have to meet my ride to the airport at 3:30 am. With any luck the weather will be good, my plane will be able to land and by this time tomorrow I will be in Antarctica.
After an 8am briefing I walked into a basketball court-sized room and picked up two large army duffel bags which, instead of being colored the usual olive drab green were bright safety orange. The next couple of hours were an exercise in checking zippers, snaps and buttons to make sure they all fit and then putting on layer after layer to make sure I could still move in my insulated Carheart bib overalls.
I traded in my pair of white "bunny boots" for a bigger and more comfortable pair of "Baffin" boots. Most of the veterans tell me the bunny boots are generally only worn twice: on the way in and on the way out. They are solid rubber impregnated with Thinsulate and double the size of my feet. I felt like Goofy while wearing them. Since they are so air tight there is a valve to let the pressure out of them so they don't pop on the plane and anyone who wears them for more than a couple of hours gets wet feet from the sweat that can't escape. The new boots are a little less watertight but hopefully they will keep me comfortable while it's cold outside. By the time the weather gets warm enough for there to be puddles of water around I will be able to wear the waterproof gore-TEX steel-toed boots I was issued back in Colorado.
No major other changes to my gear except getting a larger hat for my freakishly big head. I also got an extra pair of polypropylene longjohns to supplement the set I brought from home and the one I bought yesterday. Hopefully this will all keep me nice and warm on the ice.
I'm in an internet cafe across the square from the Christchurch Cathedral. (which I think was the source of the city's name) The rest of the day is probably going to be walking about and enjoying the unseasonably warm temperature of 40 degrees. It's actually quite nice out with a lot of sun and barely any wind. Like most places in New Zealand there isn't central heat so there isn't much of a shock in temperature when one goes outside. I may even get some tea and sit outside for a while reading to get my body clock used to the time zone.
The 14 hours of sleep I got last night did me well and I'm feeling much better. It'll probably be an early night tonight too since I have to meet my ride to the airport at 3:30 am. With any luck the weather will be good, my plane will be able to land and by this time tomorrow I will be in Antarctica.
posted by Adam at 6:42 PM
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