Quick update from the exciting hub of McMurdo.  The Congressional Delegation (known as “Code L” around here, a very mission-ey sounding term) arrived last night, as did Jim Karner.  We were not on the schedule to fly at bed-time last night,  but by morning we were,  with our first team (John, Devon, Vinciane and Brian) due to leave town at 8:15.   However, we were a backup to the Code L folks flying to Pole, and just before eight we heard from an insider their pole trip was cancelled, and we took the departure time seriously…..  only to wait to about 8:30 and find the Code L flight to pole was back on and we were “deactivated”.

Jump forward to about 9:30,  and the Code L flight to Pole was off and we were “activated”,  now with the first team leaving McMurdo about 12:15 pm.  That’s where we stand now, and we’ve gone from off to on to off to on in roughly 4 hours.  We can deal with it!    The weather here looks fine and the weather at Beardmore looks good too.  Keep your fingers crossed for us!

-posted by rph from McMurdo