Ryan dispatch: April 3rd what a classic polar ski day. Wake up tired, the alarm comes way to early at 6 am. There is wind on the tent and not much sun to be seen through the fabric, what I wouldn't give to just crawl back down in the sleeping bag. Lots of frost is lining the walls and ceiling of the tent, we have to brush it off, and let it rain down anyway before starting the stoves. One of us musters a "how'd you sleep" not really waiting to hear an answer.

These are the kind of mornings that you have to find some strange, deep motivation to strap on your boots and launch out for 10 hours in the cold. It does not matter for us...we have seen the motivation now, yesterday cranking out 7.64 nautical miles and beginning to believe again. Why not, I have already been baptized by the freezing arctic ocean just a couple days ago when rubbery flexing ice failed me. Things are beginning to tick, we are finally on "the clock" with formal structured shifts skiing and navigating in hour long blocks. The efficiency along with the pleasing ice conditions make all the difference.

So what if it was lame weather today. There were stretches when I was out front trying to follow a bearing with light so flat that I felt like I was skiing in an eggshell, suddenly skiing off a small drop and landing flat on my face. We went out today and made it a great day for ourselves, longest distance yet with 7.94 miles. We are psyched and ready to ski tomorrow despite sore knees, backs, blisters and my thighs rubbed raw from constant movement under pant layers in the cold. We are fully immersed now.

Distance traveled: 7.94 nm

Image: Looking back at Ryan and a little cold sun poking through to help with the 'vis'.