Here's a philosophical question that I was wrestling with today: to what degree of honesty I should strive toward with my web updates? For example, do you really want to know that I wear my underwear for over 30 days straight? I'm guess yes. The finer points of my morning constitution while on the ice, however, I will respectfully leave out.

In the nature of full transparency I will say that I had an incredible night sleep. Running on so little for the few weeks prior to leaving Colorado it was a welcome relief to be in an actual bed. I must have slept soundly as well because I woke up with my mouth gaping and the side of my face wet with drool. You wanted the truth, right?

I'll work on my discretion for future reporting.

Today was spent in a few staff meetings with the crew from Antartic Logistics and Expeditions (ALE). I tried to multi task as best as possible preparing tomorrow's shopping list. Caloric value, packability, weight and simplicity to eat are big factors in choosing proper food items. Flavor, while important falls farther down on the list. I've learned not to judge the quality of food until I am on the trail for a few weeks. Amazing things always seem to taste better when you are really, really hungry.

Here is a quick sampling from my list:

180 chocolate bars (100 grams each) 720 pieces of hard candy 45 Pringles canisters 39 pounds of mixed nuts 18.5 pounds of cheese

Bill Hanlon, my other team member, arrived from Canada today looking fairly bright eyed. After a brief introduction to Dong (we had never met as a group before) we were off in search of dinner. Being Sunday, most restaurants were closed and I led our small group down some of the shadier backstreets of Punta searching for the only place I knew was open.

Luckily Bill, originally from Ireland, spotted an Irish Pub - a place definitely not closed on Sunday and we proceeded to do our part in preparing for our upcoming ski to the pole. Eat, eat and eat.

The explorer's favorite (and now mine) suggested ALE's Peter McDowell is a dish that consists of a slab of greasy meat (some kind of beef) topped by two fried eggs onions and a heaping mound of fries - never mind the veggies - seems like explorers (and Chileans) are not big fans of eating most plants.

If it would have been a contest, Dong would have won, finishing the meat/egg/onion/fry combo as well as chicken soup which seemed to actually contain half of a chicken. Bill did his part too and managed to be the first entry in the clean plate club.

During our meal, we talked about the upcoming journey and some of the obstacles we would face. White-outs, sastrugi, wind, extreme cold. I talked a little about the our menu and my shopping list for the next day. After a while, I felt the conversation ebb a bit and both men seemed reluctant to finish their last bites.

That meal, I realized later, was one of only a few 'real' dinners left before we get to the ice.

Image: Dong and Bill showing off their 'explorer's portions'. Soon it will be freeze dry, oatmeal and Clif bars.

Remember, it's cool to be cold. Save the Poles. Save the planet.

For more information, please visit www.savethepoles.com

For information about guided Antarctic expeditions, please visit http://www.antarctic-logistics.com/

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