"It's misty and blowing snow is whirling through the air today;
at 4pm it's just about sundown, but the sky has been gray and featureless all day, so there's not much sundown to
marvel at, as in the past few clear days. But the glowing gray snow and onset of darkness is familiar...I feel as
though I'm back on Iceland's Vatnajokull ice cap, a diabolically dark and dank wilderness. This morning I borrowed
Craig's skis and slid over to the machine shop to work on my 12-gauge. I stripped it down and wiped off all the
lubrication, to prevent it freezing and jamming up in low temperatures. Of course, I'll re-lube it after the trip,
but this is a measure I was advised to take here in Alaska. With that done, the only thing to do now is receive the
satellite phone...it should be in tomorrow. A little later tonight I'll have a bulletin about the expedition plans."
All Material Copyright 2007 Cameron McPherson Smith unless otherwise credited.