Tracking
the Journey
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Distance to go:
0 Mi
Distance
Ben and Tarka will cover 1800 miles starting from Scott's Terra Nova Hut at the edge of Antarctica to the South Pole and back to the coast again. That's equivalent to 69 back-to-back marathons hauling up to 200kg each (the weight of roughly two adult men) of kit and supplies necessary to survive.
Distances here are shown in statute miles.
Lomito’s (Day 50)
Day 50: S86° 13' 30.3", E159° 37' 42.3"
Duration: 8 Hr 30 Min
Daily distance: 17.7 Mi
Distance to go: 1165.2 Mi
Temperature: -22 °C
Wind chill: -38 °C
Altitude: 9006 Ft
Another tough day in the office down here at the bottom of the world, wrestling with the Antarctic trifecta of misery: a headwind, a lot of slogging uphill and a sticky, crusty surface. I obviously spoke too soon about things flattening out as we came up another 106 metres today (we're camped at 2,758m).
It was hard work and deeply frustrating as even on the flat-ish bits the headwind meant we were unable to get any real speed up, and at times it felt like our sleds were as heavy as they were a month ago. We both finish each day feeling truly drained, but we're pleased with the ground we're continuing to cover and optimistic about the battle to the Pole that lies ahead. It's part encouraging and part demoralising to read that Shackleton, Scott, Robert Swan and Henry Worsley all struggled with the endless inclines and false summits at this stage of the route, and with the thinner air, colder temperatures and near-constant bitter headwinds that we too are experiencing. We haven't had an easy mile up here yet.
As much as I'd like to say, dear reader, that a day spent gazing through the claustrophobic letterbox slit of my goggles at the spindrift snaking past my ski tips enabled me to enter some transcendent state of consciousness, I'm sad to say that my daydreams kept returning to Lomito's. Lomito's is an American-style diner in Punta Arenas, the city we flew from to reach Antarctica, and they do a fine line in generously-sized burgers and steak sandwiches.
I'm hugely proud of how well our rations are working, and neither Tarka or I would have described ourselves as ravenous at any stage of the expedition so far, but we both have definite cravings: fresh, warm bread with butter, fish pie, ribeye steak, sushi, stew with dumplings, blackberry and apple crumble with custard, giant salads and, of course, the largest burger that Lomito's can rustle up when we're next in Punta.
I'm going to sign off by dedicating today (not a record distance, alas, but one of the toughest we've had yet) to Jerry Colonna, as it's his birthday today. Jerry's one of the wisest, kindest men I've had the pleasure of meeting; a close friend, a trusted coach and mentor, and someone without whose help and sage advice I sincerely doubt I'd be here typing this lying in my tent high on the Antarctic plateau this evening. Thanks Jerry.
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Comments
# Hilary, December 14th 2013
I believe in you!
# Greg Blount, December 14th 2013
I am loving following your adventures. Do the almost constant headwinds mean you can look forward to the opposite on the way back?
# Kristoffer, December 14th 2013
Greg, for an answer to your question see my reply to JohnA further down.
# Richard Pierce, December 14th 2013
False summits are summits, nevertheless, and markers on the way forwards. Keep the faith, and keep going. Nearly 18 miles on a sticky surface is no mean distance.
God Speed.
R
# George Chapman, December 14th 2013
Another day and a great job guys. I for one cannot believe how well this has gone for you. Only two days of delay due to weather and only a day or two of sickness. I’m so glad I have been able to follow your progress every day since the beginning. Another eleven days and you should be at the Pole. I’m figuring you will get there on Christmas Day. You take care of yourself and stay warm.
# cifa, December 14th 2013
thanks for keeping us posted. sounds hectic and those false summits are something else!!
A man takes his Rottweiler to the vet
My dog’s cross-eyed, is there anything you can do for him? ”
“Well,” says the vet, “let’s have a look at him”
So he picks the dog up and examines his eyes, then checks his teeth
Finally, he says “I’m going to have to put him down.”
“What? Because he’s cross-eyed?”
“No, because he’s really heavy”
# Harlan, December 14th 2013
That is a great photo of you two!
# Mal Owen , December 14th 2013
Lovely picture of yourself and your imaginary android mate ! So Cameron, Obama and Thorning-Schmidt aren’t the only ones who indulge in selfies! Love the camera reflections.
Keep up the good work ... The Pole draws nearer every step you take. I Have every confidence in your ability to succeed despite that “Antarctic trifecta of misery”.
# Marcin, December 14th 2013
You are the best!
# Jerry Colonna, December 14th 2013
My dear friend Ben. You honor me with every step you take. You and Tarka are incredible inspirations for all of us.
# Rebecca Williams, December 14th 2013
Ben - thanks for doing the piece for me on rations and for allowing me to remind you what food you can’t eat - I feel terrible reading today’s blog. When you return triumphant I will make you that blackberry and apple crumble you crave - I’ll even allow you to have custard and cream! You are both amazing and are fine examples of what make me incredibly proud to be British - thank you from the bottom of my heart.
# JohnA, December 14th 2013
Does the fact that you’re seemingly always going into a headwind mean the return trip should have favorable winds?
# Kristoffer, December 14th 2013
In short, no, due to the chaotic nature of Antarctica’s winds. George C. Simpson’s Meteorology Vol.III-Tables shows that, with wind direction and intensity changing throughout the day.
# Raffaele, December 14th 2013
Please Tarka show you,,,,,,,,,,,,,,you deserve it!!!!
Avanti ,avanti avanti.(go,go,go.!!)
# Jason H, December 14th 2013
I’m following you from Ontario, Canada. I just shoveled my driveway, and that’s about enough snow for me for now :)
May you be light on your feet,
Jason
# Leigh Phillips, December 14th 2013
Go Boys! this has got to be one of the greatest stories unfolding right now… You really are an inspiration to many.
# Dave B., December 14th 2013
The photos with the blue sky and the bright sun and clean, white snow are breathtaking. Amazing work, guys! I can’t wait to introduce my daughters (2.5 years and 4 months) to this adventure when they get older. I trust your expedition will be an inspiration to them.
# dj, December 14th 2013
Ben… As I’m sure Andy has informed you, but perhaps we could remind ourselves of, the satellite images show that the worse terrain is behind you. We can actually see the “moguls” you are plowing across on your straight line course on the MODIS images (Andy could help you pick your away around them and avoid them, but what would be the fun in that?) A few more bumps for a little over 30 miles (less than what you’ve already experienced) then it really flattens out to the pole (again on satellite image). I hope you’ll actually describe the terrain from about 87 degrees onward for us to correlate with the images we see as we follow along; because they do get a little blurry, as a function of map wrapping on a globe.
With the headwind you described - it seems that you could use some chord and blanket to “Macgyver” some sort of kite and use it to tow you both on the way back. Wouldn’t that be great - to ride back on your sleds all the way to the Beardmore!
# Kristoffer, December 14th 2013
dj, as I’ve said before, the chaotic nature of wind in Antarctica doesn’t make this practical, as wind speed and direction will change from day to day, frequently in a matter of hours. In any case, they’ve already said they won’t be using sails. Ben, could you please report any wind you encounter, as well as its direction, to illustrate what Simpson’s Vol.III demonstrates?
# dj, December 15th 2013
@Kristoffer… I didn’t post what I posted merely to argue or antagonize you as you seem to think. It was a JOKE! I’ve read all the comments on the blog long enough to know that you like to correct people on this topic and that Ben has said they haven’t intended to use anything to propel them. If the wind is blowing in the direction they are going and they put up a kite it will fly… no? They can predict winds there about as well as they can predict them here in the states (or wherever you are)... no? Point of fact, there is such a thing as “prevailing winds” for many areas and my guess is that it heads away from the pole directed down the canyons of the Beardmore more than it does the other way during this season of the year; but, I personally really don’t care one way or the other, it was a JOKE! (Please. Lighten up just a little)
However, I am really curious about why this is such a “Hot Button” for you in so many of your comments. Are you one of the authors or editors of the Simpson book you reference? Or a relative of Simpson? I don’t recognize your name or “handle” - are you an acquaintance of Ben or Tarka’s; or, do you have first hand experience hiking this route?
# George Chapman, December 15th 2013
dj If you have been following these post since the beginning of the trip you must know by now 90% of @Kristoffer post are correcting other people or questioning everything about this trip. I have wondered also if he is an expert on the subject or an armchair critique. Anywhere you go in social media there are always the experts who know how to do things better. It’s called ego and lots of folks have very big ones. I’m a guy watching this trip from the sidelines and I believe these guys have trained well and know a lot more than me so I don’t give them advise. This trip is going really well from my observations. If they end the trip successfully I will cheer them but someone like Kristoffer will want to point out it took them three days longer than planned.
# Kristoffer, December 15th 2013
And I was supposed to guess it was a joke how? You seemed rather serious. In the comments for today’s post, I was answering people questions about the wind, and now it’s a “hot button” for me? In the words of Snidely Whiplash, “A little late in the game to start thinking about that, Bruno.” You should have said it back when I was having to correct people who were going so far as to state the “head wind now means tail wind on the return” misconception as an outright fact. I am none of the authors or editors of Simpson (I am using the first edition of Meteorology Vol.III-Tables, which was edited entirely by Simpson himself), I am no relative of Simpson, I don’t know Ben or Tarka personally, I have no first hand experience, and I need none of those qualifications to say what I have said.
George, I don’t have to be an expert to point out what is self-evident. Your blanket dismissal of critics is appalling, and it reminds me of a certain someone I once read about in an OSS psychological profile. I’ve already had to plunge in once to save the very concept of critics from being assassinated.
Mal, good joke. 8-)
# stetteo, December 14th 2013
Nice selfie, you look like Daft Punk :)
# Sheila, December 14th 2013
Sleep well.
# Adam, December 14th 2013
I was about to make a reference to Daft Punk, but someone beat me to it, so I’ll just say that I hope our future explorers of other planets and worlds will look as cool as you do.
It is still mind blowing when i, yet again, realize that i can follow your steps every day in such depth due to technology and your amazing effort to deliver one blog-entry per day. The way Mr. Chris Hadfield brought to us the experience of being at ISS, and inspired thousands if not millions of young people to study hard and fulfill their dreams, can be easily compared to what you are doing here for us.
Thank you and wish you solid surface with no headwind.
# Ephraim, December 14th 2013
Even before I reached the second paragraph I was thinking how this is like Shackleton’s experience. They climbed and climbed again, thinking each day that they’d reached the plateau. They cached too much of their warm clothing, a mistake you’re not making.
# Bryan, December 15th 2013
That photo is amazing! Keep going…
# Mal Owen, December 15th 2013
Just logged in before sleep at 1.45am in the UK And will be laughing in my dreams. Kristoffer, I’m sure Ben and Tarka will encounter plenty of wind to report considering how many chicken dhansaks they are eating! Not sure how they’ll calculate the direction tho !! Wishing for a better day for you so you can be rid of the Daft Punk look.
# Intrepid, December 15th 2013
Do you really get claustrophobic? I don’t like cold wind hitting my ears.
Have you been noticing any different taste in the water along the route (other than some salt in the beginning). Curious whether what you are making water from on the plateau (sticky crusty) tastes different from Beardmore (blue ice,rock) and prior.
Thanks for the food details. Freeze dried sushi would be quite a juxtaposition. I’ll be sure to try some fish pie the next time I’m in the UK. Contrary to popular opinion about British food, I found the food in the lake district (Eskdale) fabulous.
Blessings.