June 4, 2006, Sunday Sports At Summit Camp Options

[Kevin_McMahon]

High Temperature: -11 degrees Celsius
Low Temperature: -23 degrees Celsius

Sunday Sports At Summit Camp

After a morning and afternoon reviewing photos and writing journals, I went to our satellite camp to help Mike and Gayle take our 5:00 p.m. sampling of surface snow. After taking the samples, we rushed back to the Big House to get ready for a soccer game. Yes, a soccer game!

The high altitude added a degree of difficulty to this game that I did not anticipate. After taking five quick steps, most players were bent over with their hands on their knees gasping for air. Since we are so high up, we have 40% less oxygen in the air. Our bodies were doing everything necessary to get more oxygen into our lungs but eventually you had to stop and wave another player onto the field (or just walk off the field if your replacements were too tired).


Pat controls the ball as Mark plays defense

The snow also added another degree of difficulty. If your pass was not perfect, the ball would scoot by your teammate, even if they were only a few feet away from the ball. The ground was just too slick to get to the ball.

How well did the Georgia Tech team do? Mr. McMahon had one goal and one assist. His goal was very cool looking. Mike from ISDC (the ice core drilling company) booted a goal kick to Mr. McMahon at midfield that Mr. McMahon headed into the goal. Headers are much easier when you are wearing a nice thick winter hat! Gayle had one goal and Mike had two goals (one for his team and one for the other team).


Mike Bergin showing off his soccer skills

After a game of snow soccer we headed to the volleyball court. Yes, Summit camp has a volleyball court! Snow volleyball is just like beach volleyball, except

• you wear glacier boots instead of going barefoot;
• you have to hit the ball harder to get the ball to go over the net;
• you wear gloves and a hat (parka is optional);
• when you fall, you get a mouthful of snow instead of a mouthful of sand;
• when you try to stop, you keep sliding;
• when you dive for the ball, you land in a soft patch of snow; and
• when you try to plant your feet, you often fall on your back.

But other than that, it is just like beach volleyball.


Mr. McMahon leaping in the air to return the volleyball. Can you see Mike and Gayle in this photo?


Gayle with a perfect serve

After a dinner of leftovers (the cooks take the day off on Sunday), we had enough energy to play a few games of horseshoes. I think they should change the name to snowshoes. The metal horseshoes can be a little cold on your fingers so I used my mittens.


Playing "snowshoes" at Summit


It was a lot fun but I am exhausted. I am going to bed. Good night.

Arctic Fact of the Day: In 2002, Nuuk (the largest city in Greenland) hosted the Arctic Games. This polar version of the Olympics included many Inuit sports that were originally training exercises for hunting and kayaking. Some of the events in the Arctic Games were balance games, snow-stake throwing, target high-kicking (with one and two legs) and finger pulling (a type of arm-wrestling).