Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Don't You Mean White Heaven?!

The team continues to travel quickly, safely and efficiently. Today they once again traveled 8 nautical miles in 6 hours. They started the day skiing under sunny skies with relatively balmy temperatures that averaged out to 5* Fahrenheit. Pina colada, anyone? As the day progressed, the skies became increasingly overcast to the point where the horizon disappeared, and the team found themselves in what Len described as "white hell"!

Despite the loss of visual contrast, the team is in great spirits. Just listen to Keith and Rob laughing in the background of Len's animated audio report!

So the team is making very good mileage in 6 hour days. Why don't they do 8 or 10 hours and make the Pole even faster? Well, there are many reasons like long term wear and tear, allowing ample recovery time, maintaining an agreeable daily schedule, but one of the major factors is water. The team must melt snow blocks for their drinking water. It is a time consuming project, but obviously a very important one. Proper hydration not only helps the body recover quickly from physical stress, but it also is a major factor in avoiding cold injuries. A dehydrated person's blood thickens, reducing circulation, especially to the common frostbite problem areas like fingers and toes.

Thanks for following. Stay tuned for more updates from Antarctica.

2 comments:

  1. Hey Len it was great to hear your audio update...you've sound pretty upbeat & not lost your sense of humor as yet...way to go...Michelle

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  2. Congratulations Len on your amazing accomplishment. You are an inspiration - not only to us "not-so-young" folk, but to everyone who believes we can choose our destinies - and our dreams. Bobby Z.

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