Without going into too much detail, the CMB is kind of the “afterglow” from the big bang.  It acts as sort of a backlight, casting a silhouette of the structure of the universe at its creation 13.8 billion years ago.  By measuring the intensity of the CMB across the sky, and comparing it to the current structure of the universe, scientists are able to determine how the universe evolved into what we see today.

This is MAPO- the Martin A. Pomerantz Observatory

There has been a progression of projects implemented at the South Pole over the last decade or so with the goal of measuring the CMB, each one striving to gain an increased resolution of the incoming microwaves.  For the most part, they have all been housed in an elevated laboratory/observatory named the Martin A Palmerantz Observatory, or MAPO for short.  The current generation consists of a group of five identical telescopes, mounted in a strange looking cone shaped observatory- the cone is to block out any interference from radiation that has rebounded off the earth’s surface.  All winter long, through six months of freezing, perpetual night, the five telescopes will automatically track in unison back and forth across the southern sky, eventually completing a full survey, which will be compiled into a map of the CMB across the universe.

As incredible as it may sound, the scientists running MAPO, as with all the science labs on station, are more than happy to give tours of their space aged experiments.  Our friend Sarah, of South Pole Marathon fame, happened to work at MAPO and invited us out for a little look around.  It’s a fair walk from the station, so we got bundled up extra warm one early morning a few hours before we had to go to work, and made our way out to her lab.

The MAPO lab is a cluttered and busy place, where they are constantly assembling, testing, and reassembling the telescopes to get them ready for the long dark winter

It was a bit more cluttered and disorganized then I would have thought, with 2 or 3 telescopes in various states of construction in the middle of the room, complicated looking spare parts littering the floor and workbenches.  I asked how they keep it all straight, and Sarah shrugged “We have each assembled and disassembled the telescopes so many times, we could probably do it with our eyes closed.”  Even so, to me it looked like a nightmare waiting to happen- say when some blundering tourist overturns a pan of tiny, but essential screws off a table, scattering them into oblivion, delaying the project for a year while they wait for replacements to be shipped to Antarctica… I quickly knocked on wood, then put my hands in my pockets in an effort to avoid being “that guy”.

Climbing up the ladder felt like entering a space station

After a quick tour around the lab, Sarah led us down a long hallway, up a series of ladders, and into the heart of the observatory- where the five microwave telescopes would soon be mounted to perform their months of tedious work.  Two telescopes were already installed, and it was surprisingly cramped- Kacey and I both just barely fit- and I was incredulous that they would be able to position three more in the small space.  Even if the five telescopes did physically fit in the undersized compartment, it seemed impossible that the scientists would be able to hook up the bewildering rat’s nest of wires and helium cooling tubes that connected to each apparatus.  Our tour complete, I was eager to attend the next Sunday Science Lecture held in the galley, when a group of Sarah’s co-researchers would give a more detailed presentation on the discoveries being made at MAPO.

You can see the rings of light in the ceiling which will be the openings for the remaining three telescopes

So what have they discovered so far?  You’ll have to look this up on the internet to get the full story, but basically, in a brief second after the big bang, the universe inflated in volume billions upon billions upon billions of times over- literally stretching space itself in the process, and laying the foundation for what would evolve into the universe as we know it today.  On top of this, the universe happens to be made up of much more than just regular matter- the kind that we can see and touch.  Astonishingly, it’s looking like regular matter is actually only about 4% of what’s out there, with some mysterious, virtually undetectable “stuff” called dark matter and dark energy making up the rest.  And to bring it all together, if the proportions of regular matter to dark matter/energy weren’t just right, the universe wouldn’t have inflated correctly, either stopping short and collapsing back in upon itself, or expanding way too much, flinging the contents of creation out into oblivion, never to coalesce into galaxies and stars and planets, and more importantly, you and me.  In a nut shell, we are all very lucky to be here.  At least that is what I took from it.

The Otago region of the South Island is known worldwide for their Pinot Noir grapes

Once we got the new tire for my bike, we were eager to stretch our legs, as it were, and get back in the saddle.  It’s surprising how habituated your body becomes to the physical toil of riding- after only a few short days without wheels in Queenstown our muscles were twitchy and restless, seemingly more impatient than our minds to start riding again.   A nice loop through the Gibbston Valley east of Queenstown making a tour of the handful of vineyards, world renowned for their Pinot Noir, would satisfy both our legs and our minds.

Biking New Zealand Day 9: Queenstown to Cromwell
Daily distance: 63 km
Total distance: 543 km

Having warmed up the day before, we were ready to take on the next leg of our journey.  The road from Queenstown to Cromwell winds through 50 km of narrow canyon, more suited for white water rafting and kayaking than for road biking.  The shoulder was anything if non-existent, and the combination of steep hills, blind corners, and speeding vehicles made for a harrowing ride.  The most terrifying was when the occasional semi truck would blow past, its bulk causing a tumultuous pressure wave that threatened to whip us off the road like a flimsy scrap of paper blowing in the wind.  Only the eddy of low pressure in the truck’s wake was able to save us, sucking us back onto the road at the last instant.  It made us feel understandable helpless, but all you could do was hold on tight, and hope for a soft landing if it came to that.  For all that, the ride was glorious in its views of the canyon, and the raging waters of the turquoise river flowing below.

Riding through the canyon from Queenstown to Cromwell

Finally emerging on the far side, we found ourselves riding on flat straight roads traversing a fertile valley of fruit orchards and more vineyards.  The surrounding hills were dry, dotted with pine trees, and the irrigated rows of apples and cherries distinctly reminded me of the fruit growing regions of eastern Washington state.  Take away the local’s accent, and have them drive on the right side of the road, and I think you would be hard pressed to tell the difference between the two areas.

Biking New Zealand Day 10: Wine tour around Cromwell
Daily distance: 26 km
Total distance: 569 km

The region around Cromwell is so cluttered with vineyards we couldn’t help ourselves to take another day and sample the local varieties.  This time the weather was overcast and cool, which worked in our favor because of the number of steep hills we would be faced with.  The one problem with combining an energetic and sweat inducing activity like biking, with the refined and genteel atmosphere of wine tasting is that the usually undertoned snobbery of such establishments tends to be rather more pronounced when they see a couple of perspiring travelers walk through their door.  Throw in our age and the fact that they know we won’t be indulging in a case or two of wine to take home with us, it’s not surprising we usually receive a rather measured welcome.  So, though we truly appreciate nice weather, especially when we are traveling on two wheels, sometimes a cloudy day is a welcome event.

Four more wineries under our belt and the day would have ended happily enough, but there happened to be a little side trip along our route that proved worthwhile.  Just like Washington, before there were orchards and vineyards taking advantage of the fertile valley encompassing Cromwell, another type of wealth claimed from the gravely soil… Gold.

We stopped at an old gold mining and sluicing area- as the miners washed away the dirt to find the gold they were left with huge piles of stones

Huge amounts of gold were removed from the ground at the height of the Central Otago Gold Rush.  It wasn’t quite on the scale of the California or Australian gold rushes, but it still drew a lot of fortune seekers, and even made a few of them rich.  In the area around Cromwell, the majority of gold was in the form of fine dust, carried down into the valley by ancient rivers and glaciers, mixed together with the gravely till that makes up the surrounding hills.  The main way of extracting the gold from the hills was by sluicing.  The gravel cliffs were washed away by huge water works, the sludge flowing down troughs to sluice boxes, where the heavier gold dust settled to the bottom and the muddy water continued on into the river.  When Kacey and I arrived, all that remained of this strip mining technique were huge mounds of football sized stones too large to be washed down the troughs, and a winding labyrinth of crumbling cliffs showing where the miner’s progress had stopped.  There were also a few rudimentary tunnels dug into the cliff face at the base of the glacial till layer where a high density of the gold was found.  Amazingly, the authorities had not gated up these tunnels, as is usually the case with old mines and caves, and I was excited to do a little exploring.  Kacey’s willingness to crawl around in some old mines was wanting, but she indulged my ambitions after a little prodding and the promise of back rub when we got home.

Biking New Zealand Day 11: Cromwell to Clyde
Daily distance: 28 km
Total distance: 597 km

Sometimes we surprise ourselves with our own stupidity.  Of all the days we had been in New Zealand, this was the rainiest one yet.  Of all the days we had woken up to a slight drizzle or chilling wind, and contemplated staying in our tent, this was the day we should have done so.  The rain was coming down in sheets.  The sky was bleak and foreboding.  Every ounce of our good judgment should have been dissuading us from leaving, but for some reason it didn’t and we did.  Two minutes after donning all of our waterproof gear and stepping out into the down pour we had an inkling that this was the wrong decision.  Twenty minutes of not so much riding, but sloshing through the relentless rain, we knew it was the wrong decision.   Luckily it was supposed to be a short, easy day’s ride, but by the time we reached the small town of Clyde only 28 km away, we were soaked through.  All that expensive waterproof gear- jacket, pants, booties?  Ya, not that waterproof.  The only thing we could do to lift our spirits was to treat ourselves to a warm, dry hotel room, a few jugs of beer at the pub downstairs, and a takeaway pizza for dinner.

Queenstown bills itself as the Adventure Capital of the World

Considering we would have to sell ourselves into indentured servitude if we had any intention of really “experiencing” all that Queenstown had to offer, and the fact that there are loads of places in the world where you can do the same types of activities for a lot less (though admittedly not all in the same place), we made the prudent decision to hold off on the extreme sports for the time being and explore the calmer side of Queenstown.

Mt. Cook (or Aoraki in Maori) is New Zealand's tallest mountain

We started our time in Queenstown in good spirits brought on by the beautiful weather the day we arrived.  Earlier, on the road to Queenstown from Fairlie, which goes right past a giant lake with the iconic Mt. Cook, New Zealand’s tallest peak, looming at the far end, the bus stopped to give everyone a chance to take a few photos.  We felt lucky to be treated to such a clear view of the impressive mountain, considering how ugly the weather had been the previous couple days, but the feeling was tinged with regret that we weren’t claiming this view from the saddles of our bikes.

Once we got to Queenstown, we started off by looking for a new rear tire for my bicycle, and were only slightly disappointed when we learned that it would take a few days to come.  This would give us some time to check out Queenstown without feeling rushed to get back on the road.  Over the next few days we spent a lot of time relaxing and people watching on the pebble beach at the town’s center, played a few rounds of frisbee golf, strolled through the impressive botanical gardens, poked into the abundance of shops and boutiques that have been so rare up until now, stuffed our faces with absurdly massive and delicious hamburgers from the local’s favorite Fergburger, spent an evening at the casino walking out $40 up from blackjack, hiked to the top of a nearby mountain for an amazing view of the long Lake Wakatipu on whose shores Queenstown sits, and once the tire did come in, we took a pleasant ride out to the historic former mining village of Arrowtown and continued on to complete a circuit of the local vineyards.  All in all, Queenstown was great to us, even if we didn’t see it bouncing on the end of a bungee rope.