We covered 10.45 miles (or 8.3 nautical miles) in 7.5 hours and I am super tired. I am making a dehydrated curry pad Thai for dinner and trying hard to eat but I have no appetite. The skiing is a total mind trip - 7 hours of the same thing every day - day after day. You have so much respect for Roald Amundsen, Robert Falcon Scott and Ernest Shackleton for doing this trek.
Amundsen was the first to reach the South Pole beating Scott by 2 days. Shackleford was shipwrecked for a year. Scott never returned as he perished during his expedition. Scott’s last note:
We took risks, we knew we took them; things have come out against us, and therefore we have no cause for complaint, but bow to the will of Providence, determined still to do our best to the last ... Had we lived, I should have had a tale to tell of the hardihood, endurance, and courage of my companions which would have stirred the heart of every Englishman. These rough notes and our dead bodies must tell the tale, but surely, surely, a great rich country like ours will see that those who are dependent on us are properly provided for. (Reference - Huxley, L., ed. (1913a). Scott's Last Expedition, Volume I. London: Smith, Elder & Co. OCLC 1522514)
This expedition is absolutely brutal physically and mentally. I thought it would be as tough as RAAM but I was wrong. RAAM was physically harder, this is mentally harder. Tomorrow is day 4 and at the pace we are on we will arrive to the South Pole on Saturday!
Today we honored Hopecam Kid Miles. Miles "rang the bell" on October 26th! It's been a long year, but he made it through brain surgery, radiation and 6 rounds of chemo. Miles I thought of you and your fight and you gave me the strength today to push through.
Hopecam Kid Miles