The Ice Cave: A Woman's Adventures from the Mojave to the Antarctic

184 Pages·2006·0.49 MB·English

by  Lucy Jane Bledsoe

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The Ice Cave
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Terrace Books, a division of the University of Wisconsin Press,
takes its name from the Memorial Union Terrace, located at
the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Since its inception in 1907,
the Wisconsin Union has provided a venue for students, faculty, staff,
and alumni to debate art, music, politics, and the issues of the day.
It is a place where theater, music, drama, dance, outdoor activities,
and major speakers are made available to the campus and the community.
To learn more about the Union, visit www.union.wisc.edu.
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T h e I c e C av e
A Woman’s Adventures from
the Mojave to the Antarctic
Lucy Jane Bledsoe
Ter r ace Books
A trade imprint of the University of Wisconsin Press
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Terrace Books
A trade imprint of the University of Wisconsin Press
1930 Monroe Street
Madison, Wisconsin 53711
www.wisc.edu/wisconsinpress/
3 Henrietta Street
London WC2E 8LU, England
Copyright © 2006
Lucy Jane Bledsoe
All rights reserved
1 3 5 4 2
Printed in the United States of America
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Bledsoe, Lucy Jane.
The ice cave : a woman’s adventures from the Mojave
to the Antarctic / Lucy Jane Bledsoe.
p. cm.
ISBN 0-299-21844-9 (pbk.: alk. paper)
1. Bledsoe, Lucy Jane—Travel. 2. Voyages and travels.
3. Grace (Theology). I. Title.
G465.B56 2006
910.4092—dc22 2006007291
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Contents
Acknowledgments vii
Prologue: Hope Valley 3
The Freedom Machine 13
On Being at Sea 23
Above Treeline 48
Reconnaissance 60
How to Prey 72
Dead Horse Pass 95
Girl with Boat 103
The Black Wolf 117
Winter Den 121
The Breath of Seals 129
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Acknowledgments
I have had the extraordinary good fortune to travel twice to Antarc-
tica as a guest of the National Science Foundation. The stupendous
Artists and Writers in Antarctica program, which fosters dialogue
between scientists and artists, was administered for many years by
Guy Guthridge; without his vision and good will, this book never
could have happened. Many scientists on the Ice shared their camps
and gave generously of their time and knowledge. I particularly want
to thank Dr. David Ainley, Dr. Nils Halverson, Michelle Hester, Dr.
Berry Lyons, Dr. Dave Marchant, Hanna Nevins, Michael Solarz,
and Dr. Brian Stewart. I couldn’t have made the second trip without
Elaine Hood’s invaluable logistical support. Ted Dettmar, Robbie
Score, Rae Spain, and Commander Stephen M. Wheeler of the U.S.
Coast Guard all offered needed guidance. So many other people at
all three American stations—McMurdo, Amundsen-Scott South
Pole, and Palmer—also provided generous support. For help in get-
ting me to Antarctica in the first place, I want to thank Karen Baker,
Linnea Due, Jane Fisher, Regina Griffin, Sheri Krams, Frank Lucian,
Olivia Martinez, and Craig Southard. I also want to thank Peregrine
Adventures for taking me onboard the Russian ship, the Akademik
Sergey Vavilov,for my third trip to Antarctica.
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The California Arts Council provided me with a fellowship at a
crucial time in the development of this project, and I am very grate-
ful not only for the personal support but also for the heroic efforts of
that organization to keep the arts alive and funded in California.
For sharing trails and waterways with me, big thank yous to
Anne Binninger, Suzanne Case, Wendy Eliot, Katie Deamer, Peggy
Deamer, Kendal Hansen, Vivian Kleiman, Robbie Liben, Peggy
Malloy, Priscilla McKenney, Georgena Moran, Beth Parazette, Sarah
Purdy, Shannon Smith, Karen Tredick, and Mary Wildeman. I am
grateful to John and Helen Bledsoe for taking me on my first hiking
trips and canoe paddles. These journeys are the heart of my work.
Forreadingthesepagesandofferingtheirinsights,Iamindebted
to Linnea Due, Martha Garcia, Kanani Kauka, Susan Fox Rogers,
and Barbara Sjoholm. Two anonymous reviewers for the University
of Wisconsin Press offered particularly useful feedback that guided
the last revision of the book. Thank you to the wonderful staff at
the University of Wisconsin Press, including Carla Aspelmeier, An-
drea Christofferson, Benson Gardner, Maggie Hilliard, and Adam
Mehring.
Finally, I want to thank Alison Bechdel for ongoing dialogue that
has helped me deepen my understanding of the relationship
between creativity and will; Cheryl Jones for hearing my stories of
fear and grace better than anyone; and Raphael Kadushin of the
University of Wisconsin Press for believing in this project. Pat Mul-
lan has been my favorite companion on all the journeys.
E
arlier versions of the following essays, or excerpts thereof, have
been previously published: “The Freedom Machine” in Bicycling
and WIG Magazine; “On Being at Sea” in Women on the Verge, ed-
ited by Susan Fox Rogers, and The Unsavvy Traveler,edited by Rose-
mary Caperton, Anne Mathews, and Lucie Ocenas; “Above Tree-
line” in Solo: On Her Own Adventure, edited by Susan Fox Rogers;
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“Reconnaissance” in Hot Ticket, edited by Linnea Due; “How to
Prey” in Eastbay Express.Much of the history of cycling information
in “The Freedom Machine” comes from an essay by Lisa Larrabee,
“Women and Cycling: The Early Years,” which accompanies a re-
print of Frances E. Willard’s book, How I Learned to Ride the Bicycle
(Sunnyvale, CA: Fair Oaks Publishing Company, 1991). For this
book, some names have been changed and places disguised to pro-
tect the privacy of the individuals described herein.
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