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Dispatches: Wacky races - Saturday, 6th March 2004

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I shared my drop off flight yesterday with Wave Vidmar, Bettina Aller from Denmark and her boyfriend Jean-Gabriel. Bettina and J-G set off first, with light sledges (they are being resupplied) and the four of us have been within view of each other ever since.

After stopping early yesterday, I passed Wave's camp site this morning and shouted 'morning!' as I trundled past. Very surreal. I guess it will take a couple of days for us to lose each other.

I spent most of today skiing over a MASSIVE area of very new, very thin ice. Great conditions for getting some speed up, but pretty scary on this scale - impossible to camp on and prone to breaking up. I stuck the tent up as soon as it ended.

Today is dedicated to Chris Hyman, the CEO of Serco. I think it was Henry Ford that described enthusiasm as 'the spark in the eye, the spring in the step, the grip of the hand'. You'll never see a bigger spark than Chris's.

Visitor Comments

# your girlfriend must bee mad

MARRY ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! now or die !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

By Suzannah Deeves on Tuesday, 9 March - 02:31 pm -0800

# go red sox!!!

BOO yankes go red sox hope u r a red sox fan :)!!!but if u r not....:( BEWARE!!!!!!

By funshine on Tuesday, 9 March - 02:30 pm -0800

# love

I love U will you marry me when u come back U=24 Me=23

By Suzannah Deeves on Tuesday, 9 March - 02:28 pm -0800

# comments

your mission is great!! go red sox!!! and Celtics!!! hope u have a good day!!

By funshine on Tuesday, 9 March - 02:26 pm -0800

# "Shreezing"

A challenge chosen, only myself i'm pleasing.
I have no fear, though I know i'll be "Shreezing"
The challenge before me as i've never known.
My inner strenght will carry me on.
At night, in my tent I hear the silence so loud.
As I drift off to sleep I hear Mum whispering,
You make me so proud.
The new dawn awakening, what now lies ahead?
Where no man has been, my feet now tread.
I go alone, but not on my own.
I know there are many, cheering me on.
Wishing me godspeed and my efforts so pleasing.
It no longer matters that in fact I am "Shreezing"

By Walter James on Tuesday, 9 March - 12:59 am -0800

# Your Poor Mum!

Very inspiring story, certainly gives the rest of us lot's to think and dream about in our warm beds at night, caught up in routine. I can't imagine God any closer than while skiing over ice at the North Pole. Much more to remember at the end of life here on earth than how much money made or things purchased.

My prayers tonight will be not just for you, but for your Mum and other family who won't sleep quite as well until you're back. Step safely!

jeff

By Jeffrey P. Fenyves on Tuesday, 9 March - 12:42 am -0800

# Praying for you

Hey man,
Kim Komando sent me the link to your journal site and after reading some of your journal entries I prayed for you. Don't know where you are with God but it is an amazing thing that God's Spirit can be with you even in Siberia when no one else is. Hope you find Him.

By Eric on Monday, 8 March - 03:12 pm -0800

# Weather in Atlanta

Here I am, sitting in my office thinking about how cold and windy it is here. We are expecting 30 mile per hour winds, with temps in the 50's. After visiting your site, I am feeling a lot better. Good luck to you.
Mike Shelton

By Mike Shelton on Monday, 8 March - 02:34 pm -0800

# I could have thought of a thousand better things to do

I could have thought of a thousand better things to do than cross the top of the world at this time of the year, but I guess you gotta do what ya gotta do.

Good luck if you can read this.

Tell us what the Northern Lights look like from up there if you could. The odd shot of them would be nice for my desktop.

By Mungo Man on Sunday, 7 March - 09:21 pm -0800

Dispatches Archive

The following dispatches are an archive spanning the 4-5 months that Ben spent prior to the expedition, the expedition itself, and the returning home period.

Let's go

Let's go - Thursday, 4th March 2004

It's supposed to be getting warmer now, yet in Khatanga this morning it was a bone-chilling -47 degrees - a good omen. The helicopter flight we thought would never happen er, happened and I'm biting my nails waiting for my final drop off flight ...read more

Alone and shreezing

Alone and shreezing - Friday, 5th March 2004

According to my mum (hi mum!) I used to pronounce freezing as 'shreezing' when I was a bit younger. Well, it's bruddy shreezing here in my tent right now! Our fears were confirmed this morning, with over 50km of open water off the cape. ...read more

Wacky races

Wacky races - Saturday, 6th March 2004

I shared my drop off flight yesterday with Wave Vidmar, Bettina Aller from Denmark and her boyfriend Jean-Gabriel. Bettina and J-G set off first, with light sledges (they are being resupplied) and the four of us have been within view of each other ...

Perspective

Perspective - Sunday, 7th March 2004

A really tough, soul-searching day, for a number of reasons. The ice conditions are ok, with a mixture of recently frozen leads, 'rubble' ice and a few big pressure ridges. The weather's pretty good too, although it feels colder today. The physical ...read more

Demolition man

Demolition man - Monday, 8th March 2004

I keep breaking things - my ski skins are coming loose, I've torn part of my left boot off, broken my sleeping bag zip and bent a tent peg. And I'm only on day bloomin' four... A tough day today (can you spot a recurring theme here?) and a hard ...read more

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“One hundred percent of the shots you don't take don't go in.” - Wayne Gretzky