fiamme red
12-28-2012, 01:04 PM
http://www.ericlarsenexplore.com/expedition/cyclesouth
Route:
The route will span from the edge of the Antarctic continent at Hercules Inlet to the Geographic South Pole a distance of 600 nautical miles (roughly 750 statute miles). Should conditions be favorable, I will then cycle back the entire distance to Hercules Inlet. In 2009, I completed the same traverse on skis over the course of 51 days and consequently and am very familiar with the route.
Equipment:
While bicycles have been around for nearly two centuries, the technology allowing efficient winter travel is relatively new. Therefore, cycling in Antarctica requires a wide variety of custom modifications to be able traverse such a varied terrain while carrying several weeks provisions, gear and supplies. I will pedal the Surly Moonlander which uses nearly five inch wide low-pressure tires to provide float and traction over the snow and ice. I will be carrying all my gear in specially designed panniers and food and fuel will be pared down to the bare minimum.
Obstacles:
Surprisingly, the terrain in Antarctica is relatively conducive to snow bike travel as the snow is dense and compact. That said, storms can deposit large quantities snow which can create debilitating pockets of soft powder. Crevasses, whiteouts and sastrugi also pose formidable obstacles.Latest:
http://www.ericlarsenexplore.com/updates/journal/255075
Despite all the hardship, the experience of this place is not lost on me. Imagine walking outside your house and looking around, and for as far as you can see in every direction, there is snow. Today, I stood dumbfounded, at the scale and vastness of Antarctica.
The wind picked up today and made travel exponentially more difficult. Obviously, a headwind makes travel slow but a stronger wind also creates more drifts. The drifts and wind have been my biggest nemesis here as I spent most of the day grinding away at a little over 2 mph spinning to a stop in one soft section of snow after another.
But the sastrugi continues to amaze me. It's hard to describe all the shapes and forms, but each is unique and interesting in its own way.
I have been pushing hard to get to 82.30 South for two main reasons: first, it was the location of my resupply. And second, to evaluate the feasibility of continuing forward. As it stands right now, I am not overly optimistic about being able to make the pole. I have been riding about 1.5 mph slower than I anticipated. Extrapolating my progress forward, I'm not sure that I will have enough time to make the pole within a realistic margin of time, food and fuel that I have available.
Route:
The route will span from the edge of the Antarctic continent at Hercules Inlet to the Geographic South Pole a distance of 600 nautical miles (roughly 750 statute miles). Should conditions be favorable, I will then cycle back the entire distance to Hercules Inlet. In 2009, I completed the same traverse on skis over the course of 51 days and consequently and am very familiar with the route.
Equipment:
While bicycles have been around for nearly two centuries, the technology allowing efficient winter travel is relatively new. Therefore, cycling in Antarctica requires a wide variety of custom modifications to be able traverse such a varied terrain while carrying several weeks provisions, gear and supplies. I will pedal the Surly Moonlander which uses nearly five inch wide low-pressure tires to provide float and traction over the snow and ice. I will be carrying all my gear in specially designed panniers and food and fuel will be pared down to the bare minimum.
Obstacles:
Surprisingly, the terrain in Antarctica is relatively conducive to snow bike travel as the snow is dense and compact. That said, storms can deposit large quantities snow which can create debilitating pockets of soft powder. Crevasses, whiteouts and sastrugi also pose formidable obstacles.Latest:
http://www.ericlarsenexplore.com/updates/journal/255075
Despite all the hardship, the experience of this place is not lost on me. Imagine walking outside your house and looking around, and for as far as you can see in every direction, there is snow. Today, I stood dumbfounded, at the scale and vastness of Antarctica.
The wind picked up today and made travel exponentially more difficult. Obviously, a headwind makes travel slow but a stronger wind also creates more drifts. The drifts and wind have been my biggest nemesis here as I spent most of the day grinding away at a little over 2 mph spinning to a stop in one soft section of snow after another.
But the sastrugi continues to amaze me. It's hard to describe all the shapes and forms, but each is unique and interesting in its own way.
I have been pushing hard to get to 82.30 South for two main reasons: first, it was the location of my resupply. And second, to evaluate the feasibility of continuing forward. As it stands right now, I am not overly optimistic about being able to make the pole. I have been riding about 1.5 mph slower than I anticipated. Extrapolating my progress forward, I'm not sure that I will have enough time to make the pole within a realistic margin of time, food and fuel that I have available.