Indefagitable Adventurers
It's a phenomenal event of human determination when people push their physical endurance to the very limits, endeavouring to meet nature on her own terms in some of the most bleak yet beautiful of Earth's landscapes. Exposure to extreme weather conditions for the purpose of pushing on to break old records and establish new ones as extreme athletes test the boundaries of time, space and aspirational achievement.
Three such men are Kevin Vallely, Ray Zahab and Richard Weber, from Vancouver, Chelsea (Quebec) and Alcove (Quebec) respectively. They set out to launch themselves into a frigid adventure against time and nature. Starting at Hercules Inlet on the Ronne Ice Shelf on December 7, they traversed across Antarctica 1,130 kilometres in 33 intrepid days, 23 hours, and 55 minutes to reach the South Pole, on January 7, 2009.
That's some peoples' idea of how to celebrate and bring in the new year. Exhausted they must have been, at the conclusion of their icy trek, but jubilant as well. Putting their determination and aspirations, their skills and their companionship to an ultimate test of capable endurance. In so doing setting a new world record for the speediest unsupported course across Antarctica.
They faced indescribable whiteouts, hazardous ice crevices and extreme cold conditions. Out there in the vast wilderness of white, sleet, wind and cold, anything can happen, and does. The doughty depend on their own resources. There are no weather forecasters to warn of incoming storms or to emphasize the deleterious effects on the human body and skin of exposure to dire weather events. One copes.
Throughout the process maintaining contact with students from Canada and the United States; blogging, recording impressions and experiences via satellite phone, sharing with the young and inspiring them to rise to their own mental and physical challenges.
Ray Zahab travelled on foot and snowshoes; Richard Weber and Kevin Vallely chose to ski, the over 700 mile journey. They met with altitude sickness, experienced blisters, frozen snow drifts, and in the process encouraged and supported each other.
They took care to consume a high-calorie diet to ensure their energy output did not exceed their physical capabilities. Eating pemmican, butter and other high-calorie foods, along with plenty of Gatorade, adding up to roughly 7000 calories a day, easily four times what a male under normal conditions might wish to consume.
They covered up to about twenty miles a day in their push to succeed in their endeavour. Sending back pictures, communicating with thousands of young people following their adventure. They coped with the exigencies of difficult terrain and with illness that assailed them at various times. They set some arduous standards for themselves in establishing their record trek.
Their purpose was twofold; to satisfy their inner need for adventure, and to inspire young people to follow their example. They've established themselves as a team of extreme adventurers, naming their team "Impossible2Possible", and through their exploits teach and inspire, as well as entertain themselves. They hope to bring a consciousness of environmental sustainability to the minds of the young.
And they're planning follow-up expeditions.
An Arctic expedition in late spring or early summer. To run across Akshayuk Pass on Baffin Island. Running across Liberia in western Africa in November as spokespeople for Spread the Net, raising awareness of malaria prevention. And an adventure relay along the Colorado River accompanied by high-profile American athletes and high school students to raise awareness of water shortages.
They're adventurers par excellence, intrepid warriors of nature and personal discovery. We, who control our environment and grumble when weather inconveniences us, distance ourselves from nature. They, while taking full advantage of the human need to control what we can, also face the elements and nature's landscapes head on, revelling in both worlds.
Three such men are Kevin Vallely, Ray Zahab and Richard Weber, from Vancouver, Chelsea (Quebec) and Alcove (Quebec) respectively. They set out to launch themselves into a frigid adventure against time and nature. Starting at Hercules Inlet on the Ronne Ice Shelf on December 7, they traversed across Antarctica 1,130 kilometres in 33 intrepid days, 23 hours, and 55 minutes to reach the South Pole, on January 7, 2009.
That's some peoples' idea of how to celebrate and bring in the new year. Exhausted they must have been, at the conclusion of their icy trek, but jubilant as well. Putting their determination and aspirations, their skills and their companionship to an ultimate test of capable endurance. In so doing setting a new world record for the speediest unsupported course across Antarctica.
They faced indescribable whiteouts, hazardous ice crevices and extreme cold conditions. Out there in the vast wilderness of white, sleet, wind and cold, anything can happen, and does. The doughty depend on their own resources. There are no weather forecasters to warn of incoming storms or to emphasize the deleterious effects on the human body and skin of exposure to dire weather events. One copes.
Throughout the process maintaining contact with students from Canada and the United States; blogging, recording impressions and experiences via satellite phone, sharing with the young and inspiring them to rise to their own mental and physical challenges.
Ray Zahab travelled on foot and snowshoes; Richard Weber and Kevin Vallely chose to ski, the over 700 mile journey. They met with altitude sickness, experienced blisters, frozen snow drifts, and in the process encouraged and supported each other.
They took care to consume a high-calorie diet to ensure their energy output did not exceed their physical capabilities. Eating pemmican, butter and other high-calorie foods, along with plenty of Gatorade, adding up to roughly 7000 calories a day, easily four times what a male under normal conditions might wish to consume.
They covered up to about twenty miles a day in their push to succeed in their endeavour. Sending back pictures, communicating with thousands of young people following their adventure. They coped with the exigencies of difficult terrain and with illness that assailed them at various times. They set some arduous standards for themselves in establishing their record trek.
Their purpose was twofold; to satisfy their inner need for adventure, and to inspire young people to follow their example. They've established themselves as a team of extreme adventurers, naming their team "Impossible2Possible", and through their exploits teach and inspire, as well as entertain themselves. They hope to bring a consciousness of environmental sustainability to the minds of the young.
And they're planning follow-up expeditions.
An Arctic expedition in late spring or early summer. To run across Akshayuk Pass on Baffin Island. Running across Liberia in western Africa in November as spokespeople for Spread the Net, raising awareness of malaria prevention. And an adventure relay along the Colorado River accompanied by high-profile American athletes and high school students to raise awareness of water shortages.
They're adventurers par excellence, intrepid warriors of nature and personal discovery. We, who control our environment and grumble when weather inconveniences us, distance ourselves from nature. They, while taking full advantage of the human need to control what we can, also face the elements and nature's landscapes head on, revelling in both worlds.
For more information, visit
www.impossible2possible.com.
Labels: Adventure, Environment, Nature
posted by Pieface @ 6:17 PM
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