Mount Washington Observatory

[Kevin Judy and Emma]

Mount Washington Observatory 11/21-11/28/07

I've started the countdown to tomorrow morning when I climb on the Bombardier for the ride to the summit of Mount Washington. I'll be there for a week cooking for the Observatory crew. This will be my fourth time I've spent a week helping out up there. 2nd year in a row I've been invited to cook Thanksgiving Dinner. Did any of you see Good Morning America Monday morning? It was live from the Rockpile. Link here:

http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=3885374

I will try to post to this thread each day and hopefully add some photos if anyone cares to follow my adventure.

KDT

 

[bogorchis]

Surprised to see the weatherman on the Rock Pile!

Caught the morning weather report yesterday on the Rock Pile. He looked as if he should have had a warmer jacket on! Didn't watch the whole thing, so thanks for the clip. Have fun cooking up there-I bet that they will really appreciate it!

 

[una_dogger]

I think its sooo kewl that you scored that gig and I am wondering how I can get a deal like that!

 

[Kevin Judy and Emma]

It's Easy!

Anyone can do it, er, anyone that can cook and is willing to give up a week of their life, that is. If anyone is interested they can go here and learn more:

http://www.mountwashington.org/about/volunteer/

I'll warn you, though, the list is long, and they have many people that go back every year. It is truly an unforgettable experience. I can't begin to tell. Just being around people who are excited about their work is a new experience for me, and their enthusiasm wears off on me. Not to mention I'm on the top of New England all week. A little work, a little hiking, a little sunrise/sunset, a little star gazing. Can't beat it.

KDT

 

[pocahontas]

What a wonderful experience for you
& for us .. who will be checking out your posts to read about your adventures on the Rockpile!
Have fun & enjoy !

PS: you must be a really GOOD cook to be invited back a 2nd time to cook such an important meal asThanksgiving Dinner!

 

[w7xman]

Kevin,
Have a great week up there, I know I'll miss your cooking and company. As this is my first Thanksgiving off the rock in five years, I'll be living vicariously through the great experiences that you are surely to enjoy (and post about)!

Thinking of you from NJ this weekend...
Jim

 

[Dr. Dasypodidae]

Thanks for the link to the video clip. I am already looking forward to the Edu-trip that I will be leading again this winter, 24-25 January 2008. Will miss not having w7xman on summit this winter. I am still hoping for a shot at the Century Club, an unaided (no arms) walk around the perimeter of the deck in a continuous 100+ mph wind. The observers, interns, and Edu-trippers eat well, thanks to the volunteer cooks.

Dr. D.

 

[Ed'n Lauky]

I think its sooo kewl that you scored that gig and I am wondering how I can get a deal like that!

First you've gotta learn how to cook!! Just kidding, I know MJ says your a great cook.

 

[Kevin Judy and Emma]

Day 1

It is a remarkable day here on the summit. After four and a half years, the generators have been shut down. It is quiet outside the Sherman Adams Building! Less than an hour ago we switched over to what is being called "Valley Power". The trenches that were dug beside the Cog Railroad tracks have been filled in, and there are power cables that now reach the summit. Of course there are many opinions about the damage done to the mountain to complete this project, but, it is quiet and there are no diesel fumes. To me, that is a vast improvement. Eventually, the walls that housed the diesel generators will be torn down, and the front entrance will be returned to it's original state. In a way that is too bad, those walls offered good shelter from the west winds for hikers, and for observers making the trip to the precip can.

Today was shift change day, always a hectic day on the summit. I arrived at the base of the Auto Road with little trouble, it was strange this morning to drive through North Conway, it was like a ghost town. Stranger still to see the parking lot at Pinkham Notch virtually empty. Not too many hikers today, as the weather was miserable.

We rode to the two mile post in the MWO van, then switched all our gear to the MWO Bombardier, better known as the Sno-cat, though that is a brand name and doesn't apply to this machine. At the summit was the usual line of folks passing gear and supplies, first unloading the tractor, then reloading for the group that was heading down. Inside I got right to work putting groceries away, cleaning up and getting ready to make supper. I had Red, (Chris's Irish Setter) and Tank, another very young dog, who belongs to one of the fellas working on the power switch, I didn't catch his name, for company in the kitchen for most of the afternoon. Nin was in and out, checking on the commotion and letting the dogs know who the king of the mountain was.

We had taco pie for supper and no one complained, I guess they liked it! I went outside for a few minutes, temps were in the mid-thirties and it was raining. Visibility was about fifty feet. Took a few pictures, but it was mostly a waste of time. The rain was ruining the rime ice and chunks were falling off the towers, so I went back inside.

Looks like more crummy weather for tomorrow, just as well, big day in the kitchen! Happy Thanksgiving from the top of New England!

KDT

 

[Slider]

Looking forward to the next report
Have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving up there

 

[Kevin Judy and Emma]

Hey, Kevin! The weather down here isn't any better. The radar loop shows the
clouds pulling away from the bottom half of the state, so Emma and I will
pick up Zoe and head to Morgan/Percival. I was thinking Sandwich Dome,
but between my cold and the weather I decided to be wimpy. Good luck with
the big meal today- you'll be fine. Judy

 

[Kevin Judy and Emma]

11/22

I'm killing some time before I put the turkey in the oven. Nope, no turkey dogs, but not a whole turkey either. The whole turkey we have up here was big enough to feed an army, so we scaled down and I'm going to cook a turkey breast. Never done this before. You don't stuff it and it cooks in a foil wrapper. I hope it's a real butchered turkey and not turkey loaf. I hate turkey loaf and that would really bum me out if I had to serve that to these fine people.

Red and Nin have kept me company in the kitchen all morning. Everything's ready to go, I just have to wait because we don't have supper until seven tonight. I spent an hour or so writing, then went outside for a stroll around the summit. What is awesome is all I could hear was the wind, and it is gusting pretty nicely out there today. Strange that it is blowing from the south and the temps are in the low forties. All the ice has melted off of things and is laying in heaps on the ground. The gusts are reaching sixty MPH. Not enough to knock me down, but enough to blow me off balance. Hopping around on the wet rocks above treeline would prove very tricky today. I hope most hikers have stayed below treeline, though I saw one pair of bootprints with crampons in the melting ice near the Stage Office. I got up at 5:50 in case there was a sunrise to be seen, but no such luck, so I went back to bed. I may repeat this tomorrow from the sounds of the forecast. It's OK, I've had really good weather on my other trips here, so I was due for this. It should clear Saturday. The bad weather gives me a chance to write and do some reading, otherwise I'd be out visiting the nearby crags. There's nothing noteworthy to photograph today, hopefully something will happen before too long. Maybe I'll get a group shot at dinner, though I told them I wouldn't do that to them again. I'll do a quick update after I've cleaned up tonight.

KDT

PS: To Judy, I'm glad you're going. Not really worth it to go outside up here. Have fun and we all expect a TR and pictures!

 

[Kevin Judy and Emma]

Turkey

Thanksgiving dinner is eaten, we're all cleaned up. Thanks to Karen Hemeon for the excellent pies! Chris from the State Park joined us. He had some help carving the turkey.

KDT

 

[Woody]

Kevin,

I'm sure everyone ate well. Thanks for the posts and the pictures. Enjoy your week!

Woody

 

[Paradox]

Very interesting, I am really enjoying this thread. Thank you.

 

[MichaelJ]

Rave reviews on the Obs Blog today:

Speaking of turkey, our wonderful volunteer KD prepared an amazing spread for our Thanksgiving dinner. I can’t help but remark on the myriad of colors present on our plates. Orange (squash), yellow (corn), green (peas and green beans, the latter of which I abstained from), and red (cranberries); all in addition to the whites and browns of stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, and of course turkey!

Woo-hoo! Go Kevin!

Be sure to check out the pic of Nin getting in on the action.

 

[timmus]

Great job Kevin !

Going through the Mount Washington Observatory site brings a whole new perspective of the mountain. Many research projects I didn't know about.

It must be an amazing place to volunteer. You know, I can cook meals, clean the place and educate tourists in summer !! I wish I'll be able go one day, seriously.

 

[Kevin Judy and Emma]

Volunteer

Timmus,
I think you would be perfect for this job! Really, anybody who can do a little cooking, cleaning and likes the mountains should consider volunteering for a week up here. It is an experience of a lifetime. As I said before, this is my fourth time, and I will continue to come back as long as they'll have me. I have made some great friends and acquaintances here. And to be able to get up and watch the sunrise from here, hike around the mountain, do some cooking and eat with some great people, it is the best. If anybody has any specific questions about volunteering, I'll be glad to answer them here. I'm heading outside now, it's 5 degrees and 45 MPH winds, making for -23 wind chill. Should be fun! I hope to get some pictures for your viewing pleasure!

KDT

 

[Ed'n Lauky]

Great job Kevin !

It must be an amazing place to volunteer. You know, I can cook meals, clean the place and educate tourists in summer !! I wish I'll be able go one day, seriously.

Here's the link for the volunteer positions at the MWO. http://www.mountwashington.org/about/volunteer/
I'm really envious. I've thought for some time that I'd like to volunteer, but I know right well that after a couple of days of my cooking they would be sending me down the mountain--without the Bombardier!!!

By the way Kevin, excuse my ignorance, but in the picture of the team you posted, which one is you?

 

[Fisher Cat]

Here's the link for the volunteer positions at the MWO. http://www.mountwashington.org/about/volunteer/
I'm really envious. I've thought for some time that I'd like to volunteer, but I know right well that after a couple of days of my cooking they would be sending me down the mountain--without the Bombardier!!!

By the way Kevin, excuse my ignorance, but in the picture of the team you posted, which one is you?

Kevin, In this link, isn't that you in the bottom left with the grey shirt?
http://mountwashington.org/weather/comments/2007/IMG_3104.JPG