# Marc Koska, January 31st 2014

Ben
Well done!  As you approach 100 days and more importantly the ‘last mile’ I wanted to ask you something which earlier in the journey possibly might have been inappropriate!  Is the lack of external heat sources a major dehumanising factor for you?  In the last 98 days, I have hugged my children and wife and AGA and coffee and tea mugs and sat by endless log fires.  And been to Tanzania and relished the African sun.
You rely on a small vicious stove no doubt to melt frozen water and heat food.  Not doubt it warms the tent and your fingers and dries socks?  Perhaps?  In a very efficient and vital way.  But most of the day you are creating your ‘heat’ internally.
Would you say absorbing heat from a fire or the sun, a fundamental human necessity from your current Polar position?  I don’t mean as a species and primary survival etc. But probably as a more spiritual necessity.  Would be interesting to know.  When you have time.
Again many congratulations.  Total heroes.
Marc

# Janet Stanley, January 31st 2014

Great going again guys, it must be very poignant to pass nearby ,where would have been the last camp of Captain Scott & One Ton depot. Stay safe ;)

# wonderwoman, January 31st 2014

Good question, Marc! Thank you for that. And Ben and Tarka; It gives us all followers many kinds of feelings, now that you are passing those historical points in the map and making a history of your own. God bless you.

# cifa, January 31st 2014

well done lads :) am still following all your footsteps :)
nearly there..
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We only use 10% if our brain. imagine what we could accomplish if we used the other 60% :)
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# Richard Pierce, January 31st 2014

Dear Ben & Tarka,

Good to have confirmation that you had some clear weather yesterday (I had hoped as much seeing you travelling on your old line on GE), and were able to have your moods lightened by that yellow orb.

Today will probably be a day of conflicting emotions for you as you pass the rough position of Scott’s final camp and think of what came to pass there in March 1912, as well as what will probably be elation at finally breaking new groundon the way back and walking your way into the history books for all time.

There will still be difficulties ahead, even when those far-off silhouettes come into view. Be strong, keep going and striving, and try to savour the last wilderness you march through.

Good luck, take care, and God speed.

R

# Offroading Home, January 31st 2014

The “hope” that now permeates your posts is contagious and we’re as relieved as you are to not read a post full of pain and anguish.  Now that you’ve picked up your cache - earlier than the “Saturday” that you previously spoke about - can you still not divulge where it was located?  You passed two former camps today - “officially” which one was it at? (24 or 23)  You made a “beeline” for camp 24 and, seemed to stop long enough at it to have retrieved a cache, but you also crossed right over camp 23 as well (even if it seemed like you didn’t take extra time in that GPS segment).  I’m sure you feel you have your reasons to have kept them close to your vest on the way out (even if others didn’t see it) are the reasons over now or do you still need to keep hush about it?

The “old Scott trip” that we found available on the web from their published coordinates is, as many of you know, found in the Google Earth Antarctica Resource File available free from this page: http://offroadinghome.blogspot.com/2014/01/scott-expedition-coming-home.html Your .trail today is about four miles west of the trail they created from Scott’s coordinates; HOWEVER, today you did pass the location given for the 17th of March, 1912 - the date given for Oates death. It was about 8 miles back. At your current average pace (1.89 miles per hour) you should pass the location where they found the bodies of Scott, Wilson and Bowers today (1/31/14). They died about the 30th of March 1912 about 8 miles northeast of where you are camped tonight (1/30-31/2014).

They didn’t survive the ordeal and you almost couldn’t, but did! Thanks in part to the, yes compulsive tediousness, of the only “blog posts” that existed at their time—their diaries. Not as full of “feelings and emotion” as you blogged that you would have liked; but, taking no less stamina for them to create than it did you and allowing those coming after enough specific detail to know what happened and why.  I’m sure you’re as grateful for what they recorded as the many who have come before you developing the trails, techniques and equipment that allowed you to succeed.

My hat will be doft and head bowed about 3 and half hours into your journey today when you pass their final resting place. [Assuming you keep the same schedule and speed today as you have this past week - it will be about 11 am GMT (4am MST)].

Cheers… to BOTH of your teams!

# CaninesCashews, January 31st 2014

Hi guys,

How wonderful to see those clear skies and know that the land is creeping ever closer.

I imagine it makes a massive difference to be able follow your 75 day old tracks. A bit less time concentrating on frame compasses might mean a bit more time to take in this amazing continent.

I don’t usually get ahead of myself on the blog but as the expedition reaches its last stages it is difficult not to.

I imagine today will be a strange one today, passing Scott’s camp and recognising the enormity of what you have achieved so far.

You will be forging new ground today – literally walking into history. Remember this experience is unique, only one team can be the ‘first’ to do something and you will be that team, the first to tread new ground following Scott’s route. A remarkable mix of emotions I imagine.

God Speed on the last few days boys.

Stay safe.
Gav

# John Brain, January 31st 2014

Truly a poignant moment, now that you are passing the point wher Scott and his companions perished. Nothing should undermine what you have accomplished, but at the same time it reminds us how great were the accomplishments of Scott, Amundsen and Shackleton, given what they achieved with the relatively primitive technology of a century ago.

Looking at your faces in the recent blogs, I cannot but comment that, notwithstanding the immense tiredness that both of you must feel, you both look remarkably well, compared to those pinched and weathered faces we see in photos of yesteryear.

# DJ - Offroading Home, January 31st 2014

As I write this it is 3:25 am MST (10:22 GMT) 1/31/2014. The last transmitted GPS coordinates (10:22 am GMT) show that Ben and Tarka will pass south-latitude of -79.761299 degrees in about 30 minutes (10:50 am GMT) - which is the approximate latitude where the bodies of Scott, Wilson and Bowers were found in 1912 about 6 miles east. They died about March 30th, 1912. Find Captain Robert Scott’s expedition trail, campsites and cache depots in the Google Earth Antarctic Resource File available free at: http://offroadinghome.blogspot.com/2014/01/scott-expedition-coming-home.html [Open the “Trails - Historical Expeditions” folder and click on “Scott’s 1912 Voyage.” His “outbound” track is in green and return trip in purple. Waypoint icons correspond to coordinates and dates given in journals. Click on any waypoint or track-line to see an explanation pop-up box.

If everything goes nominally, the next scheduled transmission of their trackpoint (11:22 am GMT) will show that they have crossed the red latitude line, drawn in the Google Earth file to indicated the point beyond which they will most likely be setting record.

# Darren Moore, January 31st 2014

LEGENDS!!!  See you when you’re back for a few laps of Richmond Park with the gang and a Full English Breakfast like what Mark Twight sent a picture of!!

Hang in there… almost done now…

Darren

# Mal Owen, January 31st 2014

This morning I opened my curtains, looked up to the sky and hey presto, whiteout, not a cloud in sight ! How I let my imagination wander. I suspect both yours and Tarka’s are at their height being so close to those invisible landmarks which began your dream so many years ago and have kept you pushing onwards for those 98 days. I can’t help but think you have had help in finding those old tracks of yours. My hubby’s birthday today 31/01/14…. In future years my thoughts will turn towards yourselves,recordbreakers, and Scott’s Polar Party at around 11am on that day.
It tried to snow here in the Midlands yesterday ... seems there is plenty up there just waiting to descend. It’s good to hear you’ve collected supplies and are in cheerful mood? Enjoy the extra provisions. It’s amazing what a little sunshine can do for the soul, it certainly keeps the SAD away and helps retain our humour. I’m cutting out all my clothes labels today to help with my weight loss and I’ve found a book for my new flat pack bookcase which I struggled to put together yesterday.

A Tribute to Scott’s 1800 by Miles Hugo