for

Christina Kucher

Day #1 (Sunday)

My first time west of the Mississippi!!!! I arrived at Albuquerque with my fellow teammate Frank. I had an excellent lunch at La Placita. My teammates are all very interesting, especially Idaho and Georgia. At lunch I discovered the taste of sopaipillas. (Mmmmmm....) I found a new addiction.

Day #2 (Monday)

Getting up was definitely the hardest feat of the day. We went to LANL to get our badges. I hate my picture. The lecture at the Bradbury Science Museum was good. The lady who spoke to us, Elizabeth Watts, was a bit frazzled. At the Canyon School, I attempted to follow all Don was saying about the operation of a CCD camera and a telescope. Dinner was at a Thai restaurant, where my brave roommate, Hannah, ordered a level 10 dish (the hottest they have). The cosmology lecture was interesting, but at the same time confusing.

Day #3 (Tuesday)

Sigh.... Schools out and I still had to take a test. During dinner, I was very privileged to attend a discussion on The Meaning of Life, moderated by Elizabeth and Chad. Fenton Hill was awesome. I actually saw the Milky Way! I learned some interesting things....

-I don't know where any of the stars are

-It gets very cold at night at high altitudes

-Fuzzy blobs are comets

-I don't stay up late well.

Day #4 (Wednesday)

I need more than 6 hours of sleep. Definitely. Chinese food for breakfast at noon is great, and so is Chinese coffee. My fortune? Good question. It told me I should work harder. Great. Fenton Hill tonight wasn't as late. I actually knew where some of the stars were!!!! Yeah!!!! My stupidity has somewhat lessened. Things I learned....

-Remember to use the "Do Not Disturb" sign. Housekeeping is relentless.

Day #5 (Thursday)

The Geology tour was really interesting. I became a paleontologist for an hour, and made some progress. Too bad my camera ran out of pictures. Things I learned.....

-Wading in a river on slimy rocks is fun

-Climbing when you know you can't is not

-Sulfur smells

-Claire Peeps from the Durfee Foundation is really nice, she peeled my banana for me

-I can't tie a cherry stem in knot with my tongue.

'I can' --ned

Day #6 (Friday)

Today I listened to an inspiring speech given by Ed Fenimore about the "Scientific Method." Everyone tried to track to asteroid. That sorta went well, until John started using bigger and bigger formulas. Went right over my head. Things I learned.....

-Math is definitely not my forte

-Organic bananas are radioactive

-Clouds aren't good when trying to align a telescope.

Day #7 (Saturday)

Don talked about radio astronomy today. Interesting stuff. Party Day!!!! At Galen's birthday party I got to show off my lack of musical ability by playing several instruments- cello, flute, hammer dulcimer (I loved this one), piano, conch shell, recorder, trombone, harp, small chime-like tambourines, and a reed instrument that sounded like sheep. I also watched for the first time ever.....Contact. Things I learned....

-Bring towels when going swimming

-Water basketball gets violent

-Marco Polo is more enjoyable when you're not It three times

-Carmel Hershey Kisses are the greatest invention ever!!!

Day #8 (Sunday)

Last night I slept for a whole eight hours. The most I've gotten on this trip yet! I wish I would have gotten up for the Buddhist meditation session. The Bandelier hike was really cool. I got to see the old Indian houses along the canyon. During the concert at Ashley Pond I got my first introduction to Russian rock and roll. (Not bad. Not bad.) At Fenton Hill Ned and I looked at Binary Stars, which I think are really interesting. Things I learned......

-Climbing up 140 ft. worth of ladders isn't bad

-Climbing down the 140 ft. worth of ladders is

-Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream is still good melted

-The cure for cold wind is hot chocolate.

Day #9 (Monday)

I slept late and listened to a presentation on neutrinos. That was intriguing because, as Brian and Diego later told me, the normal rules don't apply. The lecture was on the Origin of the Elements. We didn't go up to Fenton Hill. I lost my password, so I couldn't update this journal. Things I learned.....

-NEVER LOSE YOUR PASSWORD!!!!

Day #10 (Tuesday)

Today I went to visit the VLA. The ride their was long, but it was so worth it! The radio telescopes were huge!! The VLA was in the process of replacing some of the 30 year old technology and extending the array to form the EVLA. Dinner was good, especially after our steak swapping ordeal. Things I learned....

-Sometimes it takes two weeks to move the telescopes in the VLA to another configuration

-Each telescope weighes about 230 tons

-Some people make flan like pecan pie, or so I'm told.

Day #11 (Wednesday)

Up early to see an EXPLOSION!!!!! That was soooo awesome. I thought it was over after I saw the flames. Then the sound reached me- through my ears, feet, and chest. I got my password changed today, so I could update my journal. YEAH!!! The lecture today was on Robotic Telescopes. I understood everything!!! (Ok, almost everything.) Things I learned.....

-Quizno's BLT is excellent

-Eating dinner on comfy chairs is really comfy

-I would love to get paid to blow things up

-Cranberry oatmeal cookies are delicious.

I ONLY HAVE THREE FULL DAYS LEFT!!!! (tear.)

Day #12 (Thursday)

I got to go through high security today to see the Powerwall Theater. It was great!!!! Galen showed us his simulation of the "dinosaur killing asteroid" in 3D. Our presentation was good, and at times, really funny. The lecture for today was on The Heliosphere. At Galen's I ate chocolate covered expresso beans and watched Pirates of the Carribian. Things I learned....

-An extra 20 minutes of sleep really does matter (so don't get up early)

-Get to the breakfast bar early, otherwise, the waffle grill disappears

-Don't try to take cameras and cell phones into a high security area

-Jupiter is a Roman, not Greek

-Don't order something off a Spanish menu unless you know what it is.

TWO MORE DAYS!!!!! (sigh.)

Day #13 (Friday)

Santa Fe was awesome!! Everything was made of adobe and gorgeous! I saw St. Francis Cathedral and Loretto Chapel with its famous stairs. The Museum of Fine Arts had an exhibit on Tsar Nicholas and Alexandra. I had my first taste of tamale and mole at Gloria's. (Their guacamole is fantastic) Things I learned....

-Don't eat three sopaipillas at one sitting

-Bring lots of money if you plan to buy anything in Santa Fe

-Miniature sculptures of boots look like people

-I can roller blade!!! (Well, almost)

-Chess gets intensive (and lasts really long).

ONE MORE DAY!!!! (sniff.)

Day #14 (Saturday)

Last Day......

Hannah and I finally got the waffles for breakfast that we've waited the whole trip for. It was soooo worth the wait. This morning everyone when to Fenton Hill for the last time to do a Special Event Amateur Radio Broadcast. That was different. We contacted people from a couple of states. We had to stop early because of a thunderstorm though. I played chess with Derek and lost miserably. Things I learned....

-Idaho is a great place to live (according to one of our contacts)

-New Mexico gets great thunderstorms

-It hails here

-Playing spoons with markers is so fun, especially when the caps come off

-I don't want to leave.

This has definitely not felt like two weeks. I'm never going to forget the people I've met, the places I've been, and the things I've done on this trip. This has been a wonderful experience- one that I don't want to end. I really hope this isn't a final good-bye.

Adios!!!