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Dispatches: 'Miracles will happen...' - Monday, 26th April 2004


Day's Statistics

Expedition & Environmental Statistics:
Position:87.08.4N 95.00.8E (view route map)
Daily distance:14 nm
Total distance:316.2 nm
Distance to go:591.2 nm
Travelling time:10hs
Temperature:-14°C
Conditions:overcast&modearate east wind, slight drift north;flat pans&rubble
view large image
view large image

'...as we drift'. Rather apt lyrics from my Song of the Day, a sublime acoustic version of Seal's Crazy.

The sun was making my tent so warm last night that I fell asleep with my hat off and my sleeping bag unzipped, but something unexpected woke me up. I was shivering. The temperature had plummeted overnight - I never imagined I'd be happy to see frost on the inside of my tent again, but I was ecstatic. Sure enough, the huge patches of open water I'd camped south of were frozen solid and the ice today was so different to yesterday's disintegrating, slushy nightmare that I could have been on another planet. Accordingly, even through the ice wasn't perfect, I bashed out a decent mileage and I'm a happy chappy.

I am in a spot of trouble, though - I forgot to mention my girlfriend Valeria in the list of those that had helped arrange yesterday's resupply. Oops. Today, therefore, is dedicated to her and also to someone I remembered today (who I'm sure would be amazed that I'm citing him as a source of inspiration) - a teacher at my secondary school called Mr. Barnwell. The school had an annual sponsored walk, perhaps five or six miles through the Kent countryside and I remember Mr. Barnwell running around it. I was amazed - it seemed a scarcely credible feat of endurance. The year after (partly motivated by the fact that we were free to go home once we'd finished the walk) I ran it myself. The rest, I suppose, is history.

Visitor Comments


# Step on!

Hi Ben,
Fister and I are currently working in London but all your dipatches and looking forward to seeing the video you bring back. I guess its turning out to be a little toughter than our day juants on the Khatangan coast!! Glad to hear you've got the wind on your back again both physically and mentally.
Willing you on,
Alexi

By Dan Spong on Tuesday, 27 April - 04:20 pm -0700


# Woah, that's extreme

Wow, Ben, just found out about your journey from http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/ and so I headed over to your site to find out a bit more about what you're doing, and I must say, I'm impressed! What you're doing is pretty extreme, and being able to keep everyone updated using modern technology is quite a feat. Keep up the good work! I'm really impressed, heh.

And watch out for those polar bears.

By Hervard on Tuesday, 27 April - 04:05 pm -0700


# 87 in the books...

Congrats on crossing 87!! I second that motion about a speaking/book tour... :-D Nikki

By Nikki on Tuesday, 27 April - 03:50 pm -0700


# Honeymoon

Hi Ben,
It's The PTC.
I wasn't able to email you last couple of weeks because Rochelle and I got married and I am sorry to say were on an island with no internet facility, in fact no roads or running water, however it was 30 degrees. We will have to arrange a similar holiday for you when you have completed your mission, and by the looks of it you need to take Val somewhere very nice. Remember the golden rule my friend - the woman is always right.
Good luck. Speak soon
David

By David Butler on Tuesday, 27 April - 03:32 pm -0700


# ops!

Que feeeooooooooooooo! ja ja ja!!!
Buena suerte y a continuar con esas millas!!

By tete on Tuesday, 27 April - 09:33 am -0700


# Send in the Clowns

Hi, Ben
Numero uno important - need not remind our amazing explorer, adventurer, and fellow man - from whilst all flows?! By the way, that is one gnarly photograph, might that be a treat? Most stoked to read your rejuvenated dispatch this evening especially, looking over your statistics, noting the 500 threshold was broken. Most excellent - all the best for tomorrow.
Cheers,
-Scot

By Scot Morrison on Tuesday, 27 April - 04:03 am -0700


# Speaking of Miracles....

Hi Ben:
My son Jimmy is excited that you will mention his name to Santa when you get to the north pole. However you will need some miracle because Jimmy would like you to take a picture of Santa Claus! Maybe you can dress up in something red and take a self portrait. You must be sporting a pretty good beard by now and with a bit of snow and frost it would almost look white. Anyways you are doing great and I hope you have series of days like today to make good mileage. All the best and we'll keep praying that you safely conclude this ambitious venture. I would love to see you do a speaking tour in Canada after you have completed the trek. Have a great day!

By Andy Stokman on Tuesday, 27 April - 02:16 am -0700


# NIce

Thats a good piccie Ben...

keeping yomping...not long now......

Jessie

By Jessie on Monday, 26 April - 10:53 pm -0700


# See, I told ya!

You got my angel (who looks like an old eskimo female shaman) and you got our best, most intensly focused mental picture of "many pans."
The North Pole is where we get our spring storms, so . . .Texas and the N Pole have a lot in common. . .wait-a-while-and-the-weather-will-change.

Great mileage and pans for tomorrow.
Have a safe one,
Cissy,
Texas
PS: You picked Valeria and I'll bet she is very understanding--she is probably waiting for that up-close-and-personal-thanks.

By Cissy on Monday, 26 April - 10:34 pm -0700


# Carpe Diem!

I am an elementary school teacher in Marietta, GA in the USA. We have been reading Wave Vidamr's daily log since he left. I just found your web address and am writing to let you know that my 2nd grade class will be reading about YOUR adventures now as well . We wish you a safe journey and hope you are able to complete your quest!

By Diane Weiglein on Monday, 26 April - 09:25 pm -0700


# Are you nuts?

Lets see:
Solo in the Artic
Crossing huge leads
Avoiding Polar Bears
Whiteouts
Super Sub Zero Temps.

Hey I can understand all that.

But forgeting to mention your girlfriend!!?? Are you nuts???

Cheers,
Butch

By Butch Bowley on Monday, 26 April - 08:28 pm -0700


# What??

You forgot to mention your own girlfriend? Do you expect anyone to be waiting for you when you get home? :)

By Myke on Monday, 26 April - 07:39 pm -0700


# kuytt

nvbgouy fvb., m,.m

By THOMAS AND ALEXANDER ECKL on Monday, 26 April - 07:19 pm -0700


# Many More Miracles..........

....I wish for you, from down here in south western Ontario, Canada. I live in Windsor, Canada's most southern metropolis.
Ben, I started watching your progress at Kim Komando's suggestion in early March and have been a faithful reader and watcher on this site daily. It is a delight to keep up with your enthusiasm, energy, and resourcefulness through your days of elated progress and exhaustive trials and tribulations. I pray for your safety daily, both physical and mental. You "light up my life".
I have been a quadriplegic for 53 of my nearly 64 years and have been retired for six years from working at a community college here. Growing up with my younger brother, I learned to never say "I can't", unless I had given a task a try. Even then, I usually found my own unusual way of success with the tasks........Just as you are doing, Ben.
I'll continue to watch your epic solo adventure and pray daily for your strength and courage.........and many more miracles.
Heather O T Hill
-30-

By Heather on Monday, 26 April - 07:08 pm -0700


# You're GOLD

Something tells me that you not mentioning Valeria that time is not a relationship wrecker. I'm not saying I know men, or even understand them , but what I have had experience with is the fact that you probably thought alot about her and how she helped, was focused on meeting your re-supply, interacted with those who were there, and went from there. Doesn't mean you forgot about her, her role in your re-supply or weren't thinking about her. Just wasn't "in your face" at the time of the drop. How's that sound...does that work? :-D

Then again, my friends say I'm WAAAAAAAAAAAAY too understanding!! Hey, it's what makes me...ME! :-D

I'm willing to bet Valeria will recover from this and is busting with pride!

Always look forward to checking in here...and really happy to know you woke to some good, SOLID ice!

I've got to get back to class now, so eat well, ravish those goodies and slumber well! I wish you flat, solid ice tomorrow!

Nikki

By Nikki on Monday, 26 April - 06:58 pm -0700


# C'est la vie

Ben,
As a bloke all I can say is that to forget to mention your girlfriend is an easy enough mistake to make!!
However, I don’t want to face the wrath of Chrissy and Gwen (let alone Valeria) by saying such nonsense AND I am humbled by the fact you mentioned me! So I best shut-up and quit whilst I am ahead.
Good to hear you made good miles.

By sharky on Monday, 26 April - 06:57 pm -0700


# You are in trouble, Mister....

I am sure you won't live that moment down for forgetting Val and then SAYING you FORGOT, even though I am a wife, and honesty is the best policy, one thing women don't want to hear is I FORGOT.....Maybe you had a malfunction of equipment and that line was left off...:) (laugh) I am sure she forgives you. She is supportive, I am sure. She knows your thankful to her. Glad to see the dot on the map moving quickly. So much time has gone by since you started and you are doing great. Keep up the endurance.
christy

By Christy on Monday, 26 April - 06:05 pm -0700


# Good day - Fun photo

Look at you, feeding your face with all those goodies you got yesterday! :) Hope you're enjoying all of it. Oh, dear...you best dedicate the next FEW dispatches to Valerie if you know what's good for you. Take it from a female who's been around for a while.

I was so happy to hear that it got cold during the night, and made today's travels so much better for you then it has been the last few days.

You're sounding very chipper today, Ben. Hope the mood stays with you.

Press on tomorrow and hope the weather holds out for you.

Hey, Valerie...bet you read this post to Ben. lol Take care.

By Gwen on Monday, 26 April - 06:00 pm -0700

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.


Visitors!

Visitors! - Saturday, 24th April 2004

Most of today was a nightmare. Tony (my expedition manager) and Chris (Serco's CEO) arrived at Borneo, the temporary Russian airstrip near the Pole yesterday. After kitting Chris out with the latest polar clothing, the temperature turned out to be a ...read more

Well...

Well... - Sunday, 25th April 2004

...I'm still here! I didn't get much sleep last night - the helicopter landed at 0130 my time and stayed for nearly an hour. It definitely rated as one of the most surreal moments of my life and it filled me with a mixture of emotions. Wave Vidmar ...read more

'Miracles will happen...'

'Miracles will happen...' - Monday, 26th April 2004

'...as we drift'. Rather apt lyrics from my Song of the Day, a sublime acoustic version of Seal's Crazy. The sun was making my tent so warm last night that I fell asleep with my hat off and my sleeping bag unzipped, but something unexpected woke ...

Pan-tastic!

Pan-tastic! - Tuesday, 27th April 2004

Bad news first: 1) the fabulous bit of drift north I experienced yesterday has fizzled out and once again I'm drifting south. 2) I was skiing so hard today that I only took one photograph - this rather odd shaped lead. I meant to take an air guitar ...read more

So, what's the plan?

So, what's the plan? - Wednesday, 28th April 2004

As some of you know, 'Borneo', the temporary Russian airstrip near the Pole is closing soon. The last helicopter leaves the ice on the 5th of May. Does this mean I'll be stranded? Can I reach the Pole? Can I reach Canada? No, yes and no. If/when ...read more

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“Everywhere is walking distance if you have the time.” - Steven Wright