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Then ~ 9:40 we left for the sub-western ice patches 1 hr 15 mins. over sastrugi at rt [[?W]]. We set up a systematic traverse pattern to comb back & forth across the snow & ice below the high plateau where we have flagged meteorites. For quite a while none of us found meteorites. Then Gh. picked up one, then another and another on her traverse. John too soon began. Bob found a few. I felt unlucky. It was, or seemed, a long time before I spotted the thrilling black rock on white, snow covered ice, a meteorite. Today we achieved the unimaginable. We found so many - mostly small, oxidized, angular, grundgy fragments of what looked like the same hopelessly weathered stone that we devoutly wished no one would find any more and force us to take the time to collect and tie in the locations. Only 1 or 2 looked different -- and, speaking of different -- I found 2 bits of sandstone out there -- out of sight of land (almost).

It was a long day of traversing & collecting while lines of cirrus clouds streamed out of the north & the wind came up. And the sun acquired a rainbow halo. As we made our final fanning-out circle toward home Bob came

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upon a magnificent iron -- the 1st of the season. Black, w thumbprints; ~ 9" square section [[plus/minus symbol]] 40lbs. [[underlined]] Gorgeous![[/underlined]] It was a 35-mile day because of our many stops. John thought we could do that area in one day. It will take at least one more -- probably more.

We arrived home to gas-up and retire about 6:45. The wind is up & snow packed against the entrances to all tents. Gh & I had salmon for supper - in mushroom soup, on bread, & w mixed vegetables. This was our only true approach to gourmet flavor. I feel OK - head, elbow, & all - glad that tomorrow we retrograde -- pack stuff to go to McM on Cassidy's helo -- also the mail. 10: PM.
Total meteorite count: 

[[underlined]] Sunday, January 3 [[/underlined]]
The wind stayed up, and blew the snow on gusts and streamers. We awoke to a great pile of snow in [[strikethrough]] not [[/strikethrough]] front of our entrance & that of the privy tent. We started breakfast ~ 9:30. Afterward Gh went out -- came back soon plastered w snow & extremely cold. I went later -- dressed more w. wind pants & blue jacket. went to tent for toilet & to fill 2 stoves. I shoveled our entrance out while being sprinkled & swirled w. snow. Once inside I brushed out our tent floor. Our can of cherries spilled night before last as Gh entered the tent & we had red cherry juice frozen on the floor. I resolved