Wyoming and Idaho

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We are back from a quick vacation. I managed to score three (actually several more) bucket list items in 4 days. 1.) Long Snowmobile Trip. 2.) Yellowstone Park and 3.) Wyoming. I reached my 50th State --Wyoming! And we took a 90 mile snowmobile trip in Yellowstone National Park. We went to the "Craters of the Moon--National Monument and Preserve" in Idaho and also stopped at Idaho National Laboratory (INL) where I got to see (with my own eyes) the very cool nuclear powered twin turbojet engine. It was a successful experiment in the 1950s and 1960s. https://whatisnuclear.com/safety-minutes/htre-3-meltdown.html Of course, I had my Radiacode scintillation detector with me and yes, the apparatus is "Hot". The screenshot of the readings from my three walk-arounds the artifact. I swear you could smell the radiation. There was a very un-natural burnt smell something reminiscent of burned bakelite. Although, I am quite certain the emitted radition was not the source...

Arrived! The Seventh Continent! It has been a bit Surreal.

I MADE IT! Seven Continents. Antarctica. McMurdo Station.

I am typing away here at a walk-up computer at McMurdo Station. I arrived about an hour ago. I called Bonnie and I am trying to get to all these things you have to do when you first arrive.

I can hardly believe it. My first impression of Antarctica and McMurdo getting off the plane was that it was prettier than I though it was going to be. McMurdo is pretty much surrounded by mountains which you cannot really appreciate without a panorama. There is a nice light snow cover right now. The temps are mild at only about 5 below. The wind was almost non-existent. The snow squeeks beneath my feet. Someone made sure to let me know it hardly ever this nice here. I have a lot of short movies and pictures to post as I get settled. I am a very happy guy. I will be figuring out why I am here in time. I have lots of journal notes and I am surprised at how many pages I have written so far. I am going to breeze thru the two notebooks that I have. They fit very nicely in a parka pocket.

The ice-flight was the best flight I have ever been on. It was 5 hours, but it felt like 30 minutes. Very nice, lots of pictures to post.

It is strange and exciting and even though I have been working on this for a long time it all seems to happen fast.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Congratulations Charles! I look forward to following your adventure.
- Jim McQueen
Greene, New York USA

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Wyoming and Idaho