September 8, 1975: Monday

Today we got ready for the traverse. We’re taking a Nodwell and a Scott Base vehicle. I get to ride in the Nodwell.

The Nodwell is a track vehicle with a flat bed in back and a two seat cab, which is wide, wide! It works like a tank. To turn it, you have to brake on one side or the other. No steering wheel, just a lack of motion in the direction you’re not going.

We have to take along barrels of gas. But first we have to rummage around the junk yard for empty barrels. It takes a long time to fill four fifty-five gallon drums of gas. Almost five hundred dollars worth of fuel! Berzel and I would be kept in heaven for a long, long time with that much gas.

Sam Morgan helps us. He talks like Goober Pyle, but he’s shorter. To look at him you’d never think he had a twelve year old son. He’s a nice guy, but he looks like the devil, with a black Van Dyke beard and dark, dark eyes that look out from under his parka hood like he’s looking into your soul.

We load into boxes all kinds of tools, saws, gasoline cans, kerosene, sleeping bags, foam insulators, pouches of food, stoves, tents, and accessories.

We (Cal and me) get to try out the new type coats. Gee are they nice.

I play Pete in chess. No contest. Got to find someone else, or he’ll end up being another Clark.