"Comings and goings"
Days on the ice: 21!

It is a really interesting thing being a long-timer here on the ice sheet. I have now seen two flight periods come and go, with a planeload of folks arriving and leaving. Each flight period, the camp dynamics change and there is a whole new group of people to get to know!

The first flight period, I had to say goodbye to two from my group - Mike and Kevin, and quite a few other good friends that I will miss! Here's a picture of some folks getting snowmobiled to the plane...my French buddy, Xavier, is in the front, Mike is 4th...



And the last flight period, I was sad to say goodbye to Lora, Meredith, and Justin from U-Washington! Here's Meredith and I in one of our last (weep weep) pictures!!


Before the Washington folks left, we sent them off with flair...partying it up in the "Rec Port". At some point in the evening, I thought it would be a fantastic idea to put on the "Burning Log" video for some ambience...oh yes, someone out there in the world made a 60 min video of a fireplace. Hee hee. Here's Rob and Casey, UNH, enjoying the warmth of the fire...


And now, with about 20 having left and 10 having arrived...camp is a new place! For one thing, there are definitely less ladies around now. Out at our satellite camp (1/2 mile away and shared by 4 universities), we now have 7 dudes and me! I've decided I'm now the princess of the sat camp. I need to find some press-on nails around here to keep my femininity. Although I'm sad to see so many good friends go, I now am excited to hang out with the newcomers. New to the Sat Camp are Gene (GT), Jack (UNH), Mike (U-Washington), Joe (U-Washington).

And, one special person who just left is Pat - a camp staffer who is a jack-of-all-trades. He is the "hardcore" guy who wintered over here and skiied in -85 C! Before he left yesterday, he gave me a CD with some pictures he took during the winter. These are pretty amazing! Thought I might share a couple...

Hardcore Pat out in February...

And an amazing picture he took of northern lights and the Big House...