One of the traditions here in Alert is getting your picture taken next to the sign, (done it, refer to previous blog post...boring, moving on). Many visitors/employees/personnel from around the world have left behind signs from their hometowns and countries. There are some signs ranging from Australia, Costa Rica and Europe. After doing a thorough search of the signposts, I noticed that there was neither a sign for Barrie or Grande Prairie, where I was born. So I set out to make my own additions to the famous sign.
This past weekend marked the last time the sun would poke above the horizon until the end of February. There was a bonfire ceremony to celebrate. Needless to say, the bonfire was lackluster compared to the ones I have grown accustomed to at home. Antoher highlight of the weekend was taking a Bv trip to Crystal Mountain to watch the sun for the last time.
Bandvagn (Bv) is a tracked articulated, all-terrain carrier developed for the Swedish Army. It consists of two units, with all four tracks powered. It can carry up to 17 people (6 in the front compartment, 11 in the rear), and the trailer unit can be adapted for different applications. Development of the Bv all-terrain articulated tracked carrier began in 1974. The Bv is designed to carry troops and equipment through snow and bog-lands in northern regions. The low ground pressure enables the Bv to cope with a wide range of difficult conditions. It is also fully amphibious, with a speed in water of up to 4.7 km/h. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bandvagn_206)
Earlier this week I was asked to participate in a firefighter training exercise as the victim. I was to hide and as the exercise progressed, I was to be found eventually. I played the part of an unconscious, yet breathing, victim. After I was located in my hiding spot on station, I was stabilized by the firefighters and on site Emergency Response Team, rolled onto a stretcher, lifted onto a gurney, and rolled down to the doctors’ office to be nursed back to health. For years I have watched TV shows and movies depicting victims being rushed throughout a hospital hallway to an ER room. This experience granted me that opportunity without having to be injured myself, and fortunately I was able to pass on the poking and prodding of tubes and needles. It should be noted that the stretchers here need to be longer to accomodate us lengthier folk.
One of the observations I have made so far is that there is a definite slower pace to life here. It has taken some adjusting to get used to it, and I am afraid that once I return south it will be overwhelming at how fast the world wants to work. Similar to life in the Caribbean, things seem to be on Island Time here. Perhaps it best summed up by the Jimmy Buffett song Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes. Also, it has been an amazing break from my cell phone.
Well that's all for the last week or so. It's been pretty quiet up here. The darkness is really setting in now, and we probably have a few days of midday twilight left before it will be dark all day and night for awhile. The temperatures have dropped steadily for the past week or so. The coldest it has been was -23.7C, and with the windchill that day, it wasn't balmy anymore.
Take care all.
Happy Trails
- Mike
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| Note the time compared to the location of the sun |
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| captivating clouds |
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| The Pride of Grande Prairie, AB |
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| for the folks at home |
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| a Bv |
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| caught mid-sentence in the cold |
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| the last time the sun will be seen here until February |
