Rough day(s)!

2131 Tuesday, 22 JAN 08:

So, a lot of things have happened in the last few days, but don't worry, I'm fine! Some of them more important than others, but all have struck me!



The first and probably the one with the most impact is the passing of a man, a true hero, a legend, an explorer, but just a man, as he often claimed. Sir Ed.



Sir Edmund Hillary "knocked off" the assent of Mt. Everest in 1953, as the first westerner known to do so. In the same decade, he traversed Antarctica to the South Pole, in true "Kiwi style" "...crossing on a tractor" as NZ PM Helen Clark declared in her Eulogy at his funeral today.



He was the first to do it since Amundson and Scott in 1911-1912. This year (austral season) marked the 50th anniversary of Sir Ed's journey to the Pole, a year in which we just dedicated the new Amundson Scott South Pole Station and have our own South Pole Traverse underway. We had a memeorial service Sunday with the Kiwis from Scott base, which is just on the other side of Ross Island from McMurdo (I could walk there); and today we watched the services in NZ live.



Although we found out via email last Friday that Sir Ed had passed, it has taken a while for it to all sink in. He was the stuff legends are made of and I'm only too sad that, even though he visited McMurdo both of the last two season, I did not get the chance to meet him. Fewer men will be more sorely missed.







It almost seems trivial now, but yesterday I distincly remember feeling sad over the outcome of a football game!


If it weren't for Elway, my favorite QB would have to be Brett Favre. He's amazing and I'm very dissappointed, along with all of cheeseheaddom, that the Pack will not be the ones to knock off my second favorite team, the Patriots. I said before the beginning of this season, and I said it all along, but I guess I was wrong, this is not Brett's year.


SO, I'm starting the bandwagon today (aren't you proud Annie and Pat!), the 2008 season will have Favre and Packers winning the superbowl! Probably over the Colts, but I'd almost rather see the Broncos go, but I'd rather see the Colts lose!


So with that happy thought for the future, I'll conclude this distraction from my Antarctic journey.