Arriving at McMurdo Station

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Our ground transportation meets us at Pegasus Airfield.  Top speed: 25 mph.
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Despite Ivan’s impressive size from the outside, it carries about the same number of people (56) as a city bus.
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Finally we reach our destination after almost an hour.  Vehicles must travel slowly to reduce damage to the ice road so that it can be used for as long as possible into the summer.

Upon arriving in McMurdo Station, we immediately attend our first orientation meeting.  It is the first of many meetings to educate us on how to live in the potentially dangerous yet fragile environment of Antarctica.

We then pick up our baggage and find our rooms.  Everybody shares a room, and two neighboring rooms share a bathroom.  There is some shuffling of roommates and I end up rooming with one of my co-workers on the ROSETTA project.

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One of the dormitory buildings.