May 19, 2006 - Getting Ready for Greenland! Options

[Kevin_McMahon]

Wow. It is hard to believe that I will begin my expedition to the Greenland ice sheet tomorrow. I have been getting ready for this trip for two months. It all began when Mike Bergin and Gayle Hagler from Georgia Tech called and asked me if I wanted to join them on their expedition. They said that I would be helping them with their research and learning more about what scientists do every day. They made it sound so awesome that I had to say “yes”!

The rest of the planning is a blur. I had to get a doctor and a dentist to examine me and say that I was healthy enough for the trip. We will be in a very, very, very cold and remote place so it makes sense that you don’t want to go there if you have any medical or dental problems. Thanks Dr. Ray and Dr. Jernigan!

Next, I flew to Fairbanks, Alaska to meet my new friends from the Arctic Research Consortium of the United States (or “ARCUS” for short). I learned about some of the dangers of being in a very, very, very cold place. I also learned how to post my journal entries and photos so that you can follow us on our expedition.

After a wonderful, but much too short trip to Alaska, I returned to Atlanta and started to pack my winter clothes. I am bringing lots of long underwear and the warmest socks I can find.

I also packed glacier sunglasses that block out most of the visible light from the sun and all the ultraviolet light from the sun. Thank you, my 6th grade students, for testing my glacier glasses with energy beads to make sure that my glasses blocked out the ultraviolet light.

I will receive my other winter gear when I arrive in Kangerlussauq, Greenland. I will get a parka, glacier boots, snow pants, and some things that I have never heard of, like “neck gaiters” and “balaclavas”. We don’t have much need for those things in Georgia! When I find out what these pieces of clothing are, I will let you know! Thank you VECO Polar Resources for letting me borrow your warm clothes.

Well, I got some more packing to do. Here’s a photo of a friend that I am bringing along to Greenland. I wonder if they have a square parka in his size.