Day 6: Sastruggi and Sled Problems, but another 30km day!
South Pole: Solo but Not Alone
Howard Fairbank
Mon 28 Nov 2011 01:40
Hey sorry about the late Day 5 Post...One of the roblems of satphone comms, I thought it had been sent, but it hadn't. Quite frustrating when one stays up to try give you something live and special! Anyway, as I commited, I will send one every day, at least to 'The Diary'. I can't guarantee comms delivery though!
Ok, so here is Day 6:
I started out at my new 06h30 start time, all very positive about another 30+ day ahead, with my new shorter march times (yes, the ski are called marches, because of the military discipline needed!). It was another beautiful, clear, crisp, and light wind morning, the stage was set!
Well within 20 minutes my sled had hit a small, 'badly angled' sastruggi and it was pushed right over upside down. That'ss how the day continued, more than 20 sled capsizes, forced me to look atbeter balancing the sled content but no real improvement! This is what goes with taking a 'non-conventional' performance sled! The sastruggi didn't help as today I saw by far the talest sastruggi of the trip....it was like an obstaacle course for much of the day, aalthough there were a few great flat (relative!) sections.
When I get focus in the zone, and am well caloried up, with good terrain, I feel my body remove itself from me and become machine like. That happened quite a few times today, so I feel capitulatiion point maybe near. For the first time ever on an adventure, I have thought that I may never hit capitulation point, this will just be a mammoth no fun, struggle, like I have never had to deal with.....! Hmm, that's a scary scenario.... However, I do get glimmers of hope that within the week, I'll be looking forward to each day.... The two things that are providing hope that I will master this life out here on the ice cap: The first is how lovely it is getting into my tent after a good distance day. It's really quite warm in the tent with the sun on it all 'night', and also I'm well into a cooking routine, and love my tent fod now. Sleep is bliss, I'm sleeping well, and if I wake in the night for a pee, (in my pee bottle in my sleeping bag ofcourse!) I'm always surprised how many hourss to the alarm tthere stil are to go..that's a good sign. Morning are never 'grumpy' I almost loook forward to getting on the road a Emphasis on "almost"! At capitulation one can'tt wait to get out there and ski everyday!
The second ray of hope is that today I could feel my body getting stronger and like a racehorse wanting to 'train' and get stronger. The first few days it basically was in shock, pains everywhere, and resistance from every area. I think it said: Ok, 'he' has gone crazy for a day oor two again, just do what 'he' says, and it will all go away in a few days. The 'new' food was resisted, to it's own detriment, but now that it believes this is a SERIOUS 30+ day struggle, the new food is welcomed, and the muscles are learning their new 10 hour a day job! I sense now that this body strengthening is happening the 'enjoyment' wil soon come, and it wil become a game rather than this current suffering slog. (I am choosing to share with you exactly how I feel, rather than sugar coated, positives!)
These polar expeditions are all essentially a race, a race against time, when your food and fuel runs out. Take more food and fuel, and you go slower, so you still have to race just a different one. Very few life activities are so single mindedly focused for the duration of the expedition: Everyting I do out here has ONLY one SINGLE purpose: To enable me to ski as productively as possible each day, almost machine like so I can win my race against the Antarctic Ice Cap. So when my sled overturns it distracts the machine, takes it off rhythm, and that's why it's so frustrating. Moving to the machine like andd being at oonee with the ice is my post capitulation goal, I just hope it comes quick!
Today, quite a strong and chilly headwind, about 18-20 knots popped up, luckily only spoiling for only 3 hours, another perfect weather day.
You may wonder what I wore today? 3 pairs of socks, 1 long thermal pants, 1 fleece pants, 1 windshell high cut oilskin style pants, 1 thermal underwear top, 1 full face balaclava, 1 pair dark ski goggles, 1 set inner glves, 1 set outer mittens. I prefer to be 'cood' on my upper body, as the ski work soon gives a temperature balance. When the headwind picked up I added a full wind shell top, with hood and wolverine fur ruff....very cosy, and I can deal with anything like that!
Regarding Penguins: No I won't see ONE, this is the first environment where I have been where there appears to be not one single other living thing here. I do have a penguin for Ruth in my resupply bag, I surprise for her at the pole. Penguins are only found where there is sea ice, and close to food for them. That question from my alltime favourite class in Alberta, Canada!
Time to hit the sleeping bag....