In curling, it’s the last end of the game or the “hammer rock in the tenth.” In hockey, we’re deep in the third period. Or for you American goofs, we’re in the fourth quarter or the bottom of the 9th inning. Get the picture? Time is running out, and every second, sweep, shot, interception, fumble, single, and strikeout matters. I guess every scat sample, broken part on the snowmachine, hole in the muskeg, healthy dog, and happy team matters, too.

Even though it’s unreal to us up here, the 2013 Alberta study is quickly coming to an end. As always – for me – it’s bittersweet. Yes, eating some quality ice cream, seeing Dozer, running outside, and having a beer again will be nice. Yet that means this chapter of 2013 will be over. It’s back to the world of buying our own food, paying for housing, and unavoidably spending money. Heck, maybe things will get really crazy and I’ll go see family for the first time in over 2 years!

My freshman year of college was one of the best years of my life. My best friend Teri and I pretty much never wanted it to end, but as the sun started to thaw out frozen Fairbanks, it seemed like friendships loosened up from the deep freeze. Summer was around the corner, and we recognized our group would split for a few months – probably never to be quite the same again.

It’s the same with all my field jobs. As the end nears, I realize I’m not ready for changes or the time to say goodbye. The stress of searching for the next job has been kicking in over the last few weeks. As much fun as seeing all the possibilities is, the actual act of writing cover letters, tweaking the resume, and applying for jobs is generally quite the killjoy.

That’s enough with all this sappy sadness! Although seismic crews are going home for the season, rigs are being pulled out, and temperatures are rising, our work is far from over. We’ll stay here until camp forces us out! We’ve collected over 1000 samples, but there are plenty more out there just waiting to be found. Since we had an unseasonably warm February with no “cold days” (unworkable at below -10F) and temperatures generally between +5 and up to +35F, the ice road conditions grow worse daily. On some roads we’re even dealing with mud rather than just slush! The chances of getting stuck in wet snow, sliding across the slick roads, or breaking through muskeg keep increasing, but we don’t have time for such adventures. Ideally we’ll end up with better access in the next few weeks… via helicopter! There are potentially positive sides to worsening conditions. 🙂

We’ve got just over 2 weeks of work to go, and we’re fighting to the finish. It’s time to enjoy the longer days, take the pictures I’ve been meaning to take for weeks, see the supposedly real wolves and lynx, and bring this winter season to a fantastic end. Time to make the most if it and get the win!