A note from the downgoing crew…

2007-02-17 07:31:13.000 – Jim Salge,  Observer

Be back shortly…

Now slightly dated due to the storm the other day, I wish to post the comment left by Jon Cotton on the down going shift written Wednesday morning.

A few quick notes though.

Our primary, heated pitot wind speed recorder has developed an ice jam that has been difficult to dislodge. Ice is common up here, jams are not! And while regular observations continue, our backup systems do not feed directly to the website database. Once every three hours though, an unheated backup pitot is mounted to the lines for the primary pitot, which allows for some database continuity, hence the dramatic spikes on the current conditions chart. The staff will be working diligently this morning to attempt to free the jam…which may require brief removal of the instrument entirely…

Now on to last Wednesday’s comment:
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The early shift change allowed us to safely reach the bottom well beforeany danger. Jim however is correct that some of us got stuck in arepetitive chair-lift, ski-down cycle at Wildcat across the street. Ienjoyed a commute back home to central NH that required pulling over tothe side of the road multiple times to clean icing over windshield wipers.I didn’t mind though because the storm was worth it. Although it meantthat yet again, the other shift got higher winds. They always get thehigher winds…

We, the downgoing shift, really wanted to thank our volunteer for theweek. The hectic departure didn’t allow for a proper comment to bewritten. Besides the good company, Rick Lewis served sushi and maki rollsto a full EduTrip. I believe this to be a first-ever event on themountain. As the night observer with an uninterrupted run of the kitchenfor eight hours, I managed to eat two more dinners before morning. Mikeand I consumed at least a 100 dollars in restaurant equivalent amounts.

Other delicious meals were cooked on a portable propane grill that Rickbrought with him. Turns out he is donating it to the Observatory! There’sno better way to celebrate warm temperatures (you know, 20 degrees) thanwith a barbecue and lawn chairs. Also thanks are due to Hamshaw Lumber inKeene, NH. They discounted that tasty food cooker when Rick told them itsdestination. Also, Hamshaw discounted a bunch of supplies Rick bought forsummit repair work last July.

As for my coworkers currently on shift, I’m jealous of your blizzard.
Jon Cotton – Observer (Wednesday Morning)
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Jim Salge,  Observer