the team with the big iron meteorite

The universe abounds with innumerable “Saganesque” mysteries, billions and billions of unknowns with an even greater number of clues to stimulate the souls and minds of all humans. We, the members of ANSMET 2013-14, feel privileged beyond words to be at the cusp of investigation into some of these mysteries. Our wandering minds dance from crevasses to inanimate alien visitors and many subjects in between via a free-form group dialogue, but the solitary nature of skidoo riding allows for introspection and unbridled internal contemplation. The origins of the universe, our solar neighborhood and pre-solar conditions are but a few of the areas for which we hope to help supply evidence that leads science to new understandings, especially using the extraterrestrial material that we recover. We found a large iron meteorite yesterday that was especially exciting, not only because of its perfect condition, large size (maybe 9 pounds!) and awe-inspiring beauty, but because of the amazing information that it holds. “Irons” are remnants of solid space objects that were large enough to have undergone a molten or partially molten phase allowing for mineral differentiation to take place, where materials are stratified according to their densities, similar to the internal structure of Earth. There are perhaps as many as 100 different total compositions exhibited by all the iron meteorites of the world, based on the trace elements and ratios, which means they were once part of 100 separate solid planetary bodies traveling in space. These bodies no longer exist, since they were broken apart by collisions, and now the meteorites are all that remain of their existence for us to study.

Steve in Warrior II Pose, Jani in Slug Just There For Moral Support Pose

Pondering such amazing possibilities is balanced with more basic, although pleasing contemplations, like what to make for dinner, or how many layers of clothing will be needed for a cozy night’s sleep. There are so many decisions to make. When to break out clean socks and begin anew the rotation of changing damp socks for dry. I personally have different hats to wear at night depending on the temperature and wind speed – nothing is simple or easy. We also have a near daily ritual of ice-exercise or icercize, wherein the clothing worn increases the difficulty and the needed exertion beyond the zone of comfort into the range of self-inflicted torture. Have you ever attempted to do crunches wearing 4 layers of clothing as well as ski bibs and big red? How about pushups? The class has mastered side crunches, cobras, holllow holds, side planks, planks, bicycles, and glute bridges, to name a few. (The number of each exercise is based on the number of meteorites recovered that day, or multiples thereof.) This in no way creates any conflict of interest, as we want more punishment, and more punishment is delivered by finding more meteorites. [A side note from Jani – we so appreciate Steve leading us in our nightly icercizes! He is an awesome trainer, and we are staying fit and healthy.]

I heard the sound of ice cracking last night, a sound muted by snow, but a reminder that we are sleeping on hundreds of meters of ancient ice. All of us are well and totally focused on our mission, but we miss the family and friends who are sleeping on mattresses these nights. Today is field day 34 for 4 of us. What an adventure!

Best Regards to the world that experiences darkness.

-posted by Steve (edited by rph)