April 2, Grand Marais, Minn.
It's been over three and a half years since the One World Expedition crystallized from grain to full fledged expedition. In that time, we've faced many challenges, and despite outward appearances, the least of which involve our actual 2005 attempt. Traveling on the ice is relatively easy compared to the mountain of planning and preparing required to organize a major expedition. As with last year, it will be a big relief to finally step on the ice.
With nearly everything set for our departure in Russia, we were dealt a devastating blow. Our Russian logistics coordinator informed us of a 50% rate increase that essentially eliminated, even worse, helicopter rescue should a worst-case scenario happen.
That was one week ago. one week! Luckily, crisis management is often what expeditions are all about. We agonized over logistics and routes for several days until finally realizing the best option. Yet, with the decision made, there is still more work until all the arrangements are final.
The One World Expedition will now be departing from Ward Hunt Island in northern Canada on May 1st. We will travel to the North Pole and return to land at Cape Morris Jessup, Greenland, a total distance of 921 statute miles (as the crow flies). This route has never been attempted before in the summertime and it is therefore reasonable to calculate that the total distance will be 25% more due to deviation around obstacles. This will bring our actual route miles closer to 1,150 miles.
Although our route has changed, the goals of the expedition are still the same. Our priority is to use the expedition as a tool to highlight the crisis of global warming and the consequent plight of the polar bear. Whether we start in Siberia or Canada, the effects of global warming are everywhere.
March 30, Grand Marais, Minn.
One World Expedition headquarters received some much needed reinforcements last week. Straight from California, boxes and boxes. and boxes of Clif bars. (If you look close enough, you can even spot the polar explorer in the picture.) With our departure looming only a few weeks away, we were pleased to have this valuable shipment finally arrive.
You see, Clif Bars are no ordinary energy bar. For starters, they taste great (not an easy feat for an energy bar). Plus, they contain several organic ingredients. We also received some Builder's bars (with extra protein), MOJO bars and Shot Bloks. These bars are a vital part of our daily caloric intake, providing a healthy mix of protein, fat and carbohydrates.
At the risk of sounding too much like a commercial, the company is pretty cool, too. Climate cool, that is. Clif Bar is working to reduce their carbon footprint to neutralize carbon emissions. Through their web site www.clifbar.com you can purchase a Cool Tag, a renewable wind energy credit that will keep an estimated 300 pounds of CO2 out of the air. Clif Bar is also working on offsetting CO2 emissions during some of their events like the Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon, among others.
Other news of Grand Marais is more nuts and bolts. The gunwales arrived from Esquif in Quebec and we are making final adjustments to the canoe sleds, working on a bit of PR to promote our upcoming Polar Melt Down Bash, giving a newspaper interview here and there, and of course doing the ever-exciting daily tire pull.
March 19, Grand Marais, Minn.
It may be a bit of a stretch, but sorting out all our equipment, clothing and gear is more nostalgic journey than expedition preparation. Most of our supplies were stored at the end of last summer, and now opening up the different bags and containers for the first time in so many months, we have been time traveling between past and future, then back to the present.
Even our small tent conjures images of safety and comfort. After all, the mighty Hilleberg held up even when a polar bear jumped on the vestibule. While these images flood forward at various and usually unexpected moments, we are still most concerned with the future. In one month, we will leave Minnesota and drive to New York. In case the previous sentence was laced with too much subtlety, that's ONE MONTH.
One month to finalize logistics, one month to work on the web site, one month to get visas, one month to fundraise, one month to fly to Boulder, Colorado and the Snow and Ice Data Center, one month to test our electronic gear, one month.
Last week, we flew to Washington D.C. to meet with the folks at Greenpeace and discuss the upcoming plans and preparations. The trip was full of visiting with old friends and planning for the future. Working with Greenpeace has been an honor and joy for us and we are pleased to be finalizing our partnership for 2006.
Our tent, friends at Greenpeace, the Arctic Ocean, Grand Marais, our lives are juxtaposed with so many contrary images, yet amazingly, they all point to one place - the Arctic Ocean - the place we will call home for four months.
Look for lots of exciting news in the upcoming month.
March 8, Grand Marais, Minn
With only six weeks until our Minnesota departure date, we have few idle moments. First and foremost, we are still fundraising to fulfill our remaining budget requirements. There are several opportunities to help. Join us in Greenland, come to our going away party, attend the Duluth, Minn. Aquarium fundraiser event or contribute directly or online.
We are delighted that Greenpeace will again act as the expedition's environmental education and communications partner. Our collaboration last year resulted in millions of people receiving the global warming message. And tens of thousands took action through Greenpeace's Project Thin Ice to advocate for renewable energy, U.S. involvement in the Kyoto Protocol, and more. We are confident that this year's partnership will be as successful in putting a human face on global warming.
Lonnie is also working with Greenpeace, the Center for Biological Diversity, and the Natural Resources Defense Council in an effort to protect the polar bear and its habitat, and to list the polar bear under the Endangered Species Act. Polar bears, the Arctic's keystone species, are threatened by extinction due to airborne toxins as well as loss of sea ice. Scientists estimate that by 2050 the Arctic Ocean could be ice-free during summer if global warming continues unchecked. This outcome would eliminate the bear's habitat and ability to catch seals.
We're asking you today for your continued financial support of the OWE. Although Greenpeace is a major sponsor, we are short of what we need to meet the expedition budget. We leave for the edge of the Arctic Ocean via Moscow in just about six weeks. Major expenses we are facing include transport to the ocean's edge, rental of an emergency transmitter beacon, and charter flights from Canada or Iceland to pick the team up at the finish at Cape Morris Jessup, Greenland.
We hope you will make a gift to this year's expedition so we can begin the journey to encourage everyone, especially U.S. citizens, to take action against global warming. Thanks again for your interest in the One World Expedition.
We will be presenting at the Great Lakes Aquarium in Duluth, Minn. on April 6th. Our Polar Meltdown going away party in Lutsen, Minn. is on April 8th. Finally, we are selling seats on the plane that will pick us up in Greenland. That's right, you could actually visit Greenland and see what two explorers will look like after nearly four months on the Arctic Ocean. For more information, please contact us at 218.387.3177 or email oneworld@boreal.org.
On more practical note, we are busy with all the other things required for our expedition. In fact, tomorrow we will be packing food for 120 days. This year, we'll be carrying over 800 Clif bars alone!
Again, thanks to everyone for all your support in the past and we hope to hear from you or see you soon.
February 13, Grand Marais, Minn.
We're just two average guys from northern Minnesota trying to make our way across 1,250 miles of shifting sea ice and open ocean. Last year, when we took this picture, we began to wonder: are we tough enough?
The answer is a resounding yes. We are tough enough and here's why. We've been planning and preparing (and attempting) to cross the Arctic Ocean for over three years. Every detail of the crossing from breakfast to ski skins to ice conditions has been evaluated and reevaluated.
We've also planned to avoid the heartbreak of last year. Leaving earlier and possibly further east should eliminate the continuous treadmill of backward drift that we experienced last year. New drysuits will make swimming leads a bit easier as well.
Our training is in full swing as well. With help and guidance from Dr. Kristen Dieffenbach, our bodies are nearing peak condition. And if you would like to see us training, check out the Milwauke Journal-Sentinel's article at http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=401050
February 3, Grand Marais, Minn.
You might think that sitting in an office and working on the computer is not the kind of training critical to Arctic Explorers, but then again, we're not your typical explorers. We like our new Xvests so much that it seems like everything we do is a training for the Arctic Ocean. even checking E-mail?!?
Using the 40-pound form-fitting weighted vests are a welcome change from backpacks full of bricks and sand bags. We are now able to easily add another degree of difficulty to our training with little effort or inconvenience. The Xvests pack considerably easier than the bricks as well, and training will be much simpler now.
But training is not the only thing that is occupying our time. There is the overwhelming amount of office work and fundraising. Then, there are the talks at colleges and schools. We're not complaining, but the idea of being on the Arctic Ocean hauling a 350-pound canoe/sled sounds almost relaxing right now.
January 3, Grand Marais, Minn
Happy New Year! 2006 - this, we are confident, is our year. Early reports indicate a colder than normal weather pattern hovering over Siberia and Cape Arctichesky which bodes well for our departure in April.
In Minnesota, however, conditions have been uncannily spring-like. A few December blizzards have left a thick carpet of snow. Unfortunately, air temperatures continue to dip only a few degrees below freezing.
In fact on a 25 kilometer training session today, it actually rained !?! We are definitely not two to complain, but rain in January? We want some cold. Regardless, the ski trails are well groomed and our training is in full swing.
