Antarctica 2012--2013 Part 8

The Race Around the World was difficult. It was only -10 or so so full ECW wasn't required. I wore my big red but only long underwear underneath and fleece pants instead of snowpants. Even like that I was too hot with the big red all zipped up. I think just a normal jacket would have been better. Some kind of mask is required because breathing cold, dry air too fast can damage your lungs.

The race itself started from the geographic South Pole at 10 AM or so. I started near the back of the timed runners. The race course went out to the Dark Sector, around the experiments there, and back around the Elevated Station to the South Pole again. Parts of the course were groomed, but many feet and vehicles made quick work of any solid footing. It was hard to run with my boots constantly sinking into the snow, but I was afraid of slipping or twisting an ankle if I tried running shoes. Combined with the altitude I had to slow to a walk several times. I finished near the end of the pack with 23'42''. The prize for the winners was a 10-minute shower. The prize for participants was a water bottle, no showering water included.

There was a special dinner for Christmas Eve. Unfortunately, most of the special food was meat that I wouldn't eat. There were a brie bake, candied root vegetables, egg nog, chocolate cake, cheesecake, and truffles. Dessert was definitely the best part.

The Celebration of Mind was fun. I was a bit disappointed by the lack of response to my talk, but later someone came by and told me about some work he had done on context free grammars that related to what I said about the halting problem. Other topics that night were non-periodic tiling, pseudoscience, card tricks, and (hexa-)hexa-flexagons. There was also a folding puzzle I still haven't solved.

All in all, last week was relatively relaxing, but now I'm in my final week here and rushing to finish everything before I leave. I doubt it will happen.