PEGASUS AIRFIELD, ROSS ICE SHELF, ANTARCTICA
I am hurtling across the ice shelf as fast as my wings will carry me in a 15 ton cargo vehicle. The previous three days of blowing snow have rendered the other lanes nearly unidentifiable, if not for the green and red flags marking the boundaries. Drifts have covered the sinkholes and low spots, so that as I travel along, I cannot see where to slow down and inevitably plunge into each divot in the road sending me flying into the (thankfully padded) ceiling.
The now clear skies leave me surrounded by a splendid panorama of mountains and ice shelf. The low hanging late night sun reflects off Mt Discovery across the ice shelf so that the glaciers appear to be on fire. Behind me a marshmallow cloud creeping over the ridge threatens to swallow Castle Rock entirely.
Midway into my one hour, 14 mile journey over the snow roads, I pass the aptly nicknamed halfway house. Three emperor penguins have gathered here to molt. They stand still with their heads hung low, looking rather pathetic, as clumps of their feathers fall out. Because molting leaves the penguins, well, not exactly waterproof, they'll stay here on the shelf, far from the ice edge, until their new coat comes in. They have gathered around a snow pile left by a groomer. Two of the graying emperors are standing together, while the third stands on the opposite side, just out of sight of the two. I wonder about this little guy. I mean, if you're going to stand in one place for several weeks while you're feathers do their thing, perhaps some company might be nice?
Ha ha ha -- this post had me cracking up :) The image of you hurtling across the ice shelf and your head repeatedly bumping the ceiling was so comic. And then the image of the 2 penguins and the third loner... you have a gift for writing!
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