July 2022 – Volume Twenty-Eight, Number Seven
Celebrating our 27th year.
EXPEDITION NEWS, founded in 1994, is the monthly review of significant expeditions, research projects and newsworthy adventures. It is distributed online to media representatives, corporate sponsors, educators, research librarians, explorers, environmentalists, and outdoor enthusiasts. This forum on exploration covers projects that stimulate, motivate and educate.
EXPEDITION UPDATE
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Wind Sled team members (L-R) Ramon Larramendi, Juanma Sotillos,
?Carlos Pitarch, Begoña Hernandez, and Markus Tobia.
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Wind Sled Expedition Discovers Greenland Mountain
The zero-emission Wind Sled we reported about in the March 2022 EN helped the Spanish expedition SOS Arctic 2022, led by the explorer Ramón Larramendi, discover a mountain of rock about 30 meters high above the ice cap and 2,205 meters above sea level in Greenland during the polar crossing last month.
This peak called “nunatak” (rock island surrounded by ice, in Inuit), which did not appear on any map has emerged 15.5 miles (25 kilometers) from the land limit of the island, in the middle of an immense interior plain as a result of climate change, Larramendi explained in a statement.
“It was a big surprise because we were expecting a plain and there was that rocky peak,” said Larramendi, who insisted that “climate change is advancing by leaps and bounds in the Arctic.”
SOS Arctic 2022, which began its journey on May 17 and ended on the ice on June 11, has traveled a total of 631 miles (1,016 kilometers) during its 11th expedition to polar territories, being the first time that it has made a route of west to east in Greenland with the Wind Sled a polar vehicle. It was designed by Larramendi based on his knowledge of living with the Inuit, according to the Canadian Post.
“I am very happy that the Wind Sled is on the move again, after the break of the previous two years, proving once again that it is a great alternative, efficient, sustainable and economical, to move around the interior of the polar territories.” Larramendi tells the Canadian Post (June 16).
Read the story here:
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Long-delayed World Blimp Race Set for 2024
Back in June 2008 we wrote about the World Sky Race – an historic competition of lighter-than-air skyships racing 29,000-plus miles around the world. Back then, the race involving zeppelins, dirigibles, blimps and other lighter-than-air craft was scheduled for fall 2010. It was delayed due to a lack of support, financial and otherwise.
Now plans for the race have moved back to September 2024 according to a Wall Street Journal (July 4) profile by reporter Mary Pilon of World Air League Commissioner Don Hartsell, an entrepreneur, lawyer and inventor from Houston. Lasting at least seven months, the starting line is the Greenwich Prime Meridian.
Back in 2008, Hartsell, now 69, told us, “We're looking to reopen a chapter of history that closed with the destruction of the Hindenburg in 1937, but to do it with a lot safer gas this time, enclosed in a variety of polymers – a far superior material than the Hindenberg's 30,000 cow stomachs that they used to envelop highly flammable hydrogen gas.”
(Hang on a minute: cow stomachs? Indeed, according to Professor Google, the German high command planned to bring Britain to its knees during the First World War by issuing a ban on the eating of sausages, film researchers have discovered. Cow intestines used to make sausage skins were a vital component in the construction of Zeppelin airships.)
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The race course will have 16 race legs with 17 summit cities. Between those cities will be 65 or more additional airfields for refueling and other pit stop services. The race’s coffers are up to $10 million, a mix of Hartsell’s own funding and sponsor dollars, from $4 million in 2010. He’s raising an additional $5 million and looking for more sponsors, according to the Journal piece. Top prize is $5 million.
Read the story here:
EXPEDITION NOTES
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Mallory’s Rope Reveals Clues About His Demise
Having ingloriously lost the race for the North and South Poles in 1909 and 1911, the British seized upon Everest, looming over the Raj, the British colonial rule of the Indian subcontinent. It was considered the Third Pole, a far greater challenge, as daunting and distant as the surface of the moon, according to Everest: Ascent to Glory, the Everest exhibition at the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana, California, curated by Wade Davis.
One display stopped us in our tracks. If ever there was a Holy Grail of climbing it was this: the climbing rope found wrapped around George Mallory’s waist on May 1, 1999, by American Climber Conrad Anker.
The rope indicates Mallory and his companion fell together, as brothers on June 8, 1924, and, judging from the remarkable condition of Mallory’s body, not from the heights of the Northeast Ridge, but on the descent, much further down the mountain.
George Mallory was still alive as his broken body came to rest in the rocks, not 300 yards from the safety of Camp VI, according to the museum display.
What became of Sandy Irvine remains a mystery.
The museum exhibition continues until August 28, 2022, and is worth any visit to Southern California. (bowers.org)
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Photo Contest Helps Protect Dark Skies
By definition, explorers often venture far from bright lights and big cities. Enter your favorite dark sky images in the third annual Capture the Dark Photography Contest hosted by the International Dark-Sky Association and Visit Utah. Winners of each category will receive a prize package that includes a feature in IDA’s Nightscape publication, the IDA blog and social media, an IDA membership, IDA and Visit Utah schwag, and a Peak Design Field Pouch.
The International Dark-Sky Associaton (IDA) is the leading organization combating light pollution worldwide. Since 1988, IDA has promoted win-win solutions that allow people to appreciate naturally dark, star-filled skies while enjoying the benefits of responsible outdoor lighting. Deadline for entries is July 21, 2022. (https://capturethedark.darksky.org/2022)
QUOTE OF THE MONTH
“If it weren’t for seasickness, all the world would be sailors.”
– Charles Darwin (1809-1882), English naturalist, geologist and biologist, best known for his contributions to evolutionary biology. On December 7, 1831, the Beagle put to sea and for Darwin, it meant misery. He suffered chronic seasickness. Incapacitated, he wrote that a crewmember would bring him things, and say, “Poor, poor man,” then turn his face aside to laugh. (Source: Round the Horn by Dallas Murphy [Basic Books, 2004]).
In a related story, notebooks written by Darwin, which were mysteriously returned to Cambridge University Library after going missing for 20 years, are going on public display, according to BBC News (July 7).
The notebooks were last seen in November 2000 after a request was made for them to be removed from a special manuscripts storeroom to be photographed. They were taken to a temporary studio but two months later the library discovered they were missing.
The notepads – valued at many millions of pounds – were returned, and are now being shown in public for the first time this century as part of the new exhibition.
Read more:
EXPEDITION FOCUS
Outdoor Retailer Product Reviews
The biannual outdoor industry trade show yielded a number of delightful new products during our swing through the halls of the Colorado Convention Center. Celebrating 40 years and 75 shows, Outdoor Retailer, the largest U.S. trade gathering for the $689 billion outdoor industry, wrapped up Outdoor Retailer Summer on June 11, 2022, concluding its run in Denver. The show welcomed more than 8,800 attendees and over 660 exhibitors, including more than 180 new exhibitors from 13 countries.
Outdoor Retailer returns to Salt Lake next year, starting with Snow Show from January 10-12, 2023, plus an on-snow demo.
Reasons for the move include easier access to outdoor demo areas, close proximity of the airport to downtown, and lower hotel costs.
Outdoor Retailer Summer will take place in Salt Lake June 19-21, 2023. The new Outdoor Adventure X consumer festival will stage alongside the summer show, June 16-18, 2023, at Snowbasin Resort. (Outdoorretailer.com)
Before the trade show left Denver, we had a chance to review some of our favorite new products:
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• Water Works – Skiers may remember ski poles with room for their favorite libations (see the WhiSki ski pole flask on Amazon). Now trekkers can access clean water with their sticks. An integrated hollow fiber water filter allows hikers to submerge the bottom of the pole in water and drink from the foam handle through a tube. ($190, purtrek.com)
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• Since When Did Metal Detectors Become Cool? – As fans of the Amazon Prime show Detectorists, about a group of misfit Brits looking for Roman gold, it’s safe to say they weren’t the most socially adept chaps in the English countryside.
So when did metal detectors become so cool? MineLab suggests using their detectors “to start your next outdoor adventure.” It touts revolutionary Multi-Q technology for the combined power of multi detectors in one machine. Forget about finding wedding rings; we’d be happy if it could just find our lost rod tip in Rocky Mt. National Park. (minelab.com)
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• Wearable Canteen – The lowly aluminum canteens we had in Scouts have received a makeover. Canu Canteen exhibited a 22 oz. canteen with strap. Made to be worn around the neck or shoulder, the case is made from Forest Stewardship Council Certified neoprene and has a handy pocket. Reclaimed climbing rope is used for the strap, and the bottle is BPA-free polypropylene. ($40, canucanteen.com)
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• Business in Front, Party in Back – As awareness of skin cancer grows, more and more outdoor enthusiasts are learning their mullets are not enough to protect them from the sun’s harmful rays, according to Bobby Whelan, sales and marketing executive at Redneck Sunscreen. He tells Berne Broudy of the Outdoor Retailer The Daily, the company’s founder who lives in rural America, lost his father to melanoma. He created a suncare company to entertain and educate about sun-smart habits. It’s all business in front; party in back. (redneckcompany.com)
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Winging across the Pacific. |
• Handle Stash – Why didn’t we think of this first? This is the original shock-absorbing cup holder. Because mountain bikers deserve their favorite libations neither shaken nor stirred. ($38, HandleStash.com)
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• Performance Bucket – Ok, does the world need pickleball-specific socks (see os1st.com). Really? How about a performance bucket that costs a cool Benjamin? The Huck Performance Bucket is made of an impact-modified material called SpryTech that dramatically outperforms the cheap and brittle material used in all the other five-gallon buckets on the market. (Home Depot, Lowes, ouch!).
Features include non-skid feet with finger indents on the bottom, “spaghetti-pot” side handles with finger indents, and a stay-put main handle system with finger indents. This is one bucket you can safely kick. ($100, thehuckbucket.com)
MEDIA MATTERS
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One giant leap for mankind. |
Want to Skydive From Space?
Popular Mechanics, the 120-year-old hobbyist magazine that taught us all how to build soapbox racers and birdhouses, now has advice for how to skydive from space. In its May 2022 issue, writer Jennifer Leman suggests you first have to get there.
“In the past, these high-altitude skydivers have used specialized hot air balloons to lift them into the stratosphere, the second layer of Earth’s atmosphere. But balloons can only go so high (roughly 135,000 feet) before the air becomes too thin for them to maintain their altitude. Reaching greater heights requires rocket-powered flight – a challenging feat because the diver’s bailout would need to be timed for when the spacecraft reaches its apogee, the point in its orbit when it is farthest from Earth,” writes Leman.
Next you need a specialized suit. For starters, it would likely require its own propulsion capability in order to properly orient the diver so they don’t begin to tumble out of control – something that could cause them to pass out or that could tear off an arm or leg.
Atmospheric reentry adds another layer of complexity, Leman reports. A space diver’s suit would need to withstand temperatures as high as 3,400 degrees Fahrenheit. Options include either ablative materials, like those that burned off of the Apollo command module, or a tile system like the one used during the shuttle program.
Assuming we haven’t lost you yet, view the rest of the PopMech story here:
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Steve Backshall is going where no human eyes have gone before. |
Naturalist Steve Backshall Returns to PBS
The PBS documentary series, Expedition with Steve Backshall, returns with six episodes this summer and uncovers even more places around the globe never seen by human eyes.
In this global series, naturalist Backshall shares an up-close and personal look into heights, depths and the farthest perimeters of the Earth. On a mission to discover fresh insights that could help to secure a future for the world’s wildlife, he and his hand-picked team of experts dive with sharks in Mexico’s Eastern Pacific, search for apes in Africa’s unexplored jungles, paddle into the heart of brown bear territory in the Far East, explore the uncharted volcanic underworld of Saudi Arabia’s ancient deserts and climb the Djangart mountains of Kyrgyzstan in search of endangered snow leopards.
“There are still unmapped, unknown corners of our planet where no human has ever been. A sense of curiosity has always driven scientists and explorers onward, propelling us to uncover new frontiers,” said Backshall. “Knowing that there are unclimbed mountains, unrun rivers and cave systems that have never seen light in millions of years is a powerful thing.”
EXPEDITION FUNDING
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Craggin’ Classic Scholarships Available from AAC
The American Alpine Club believes everyone should have the opportunity to fall in love with climbing. In the spirit of inclusivity and bringing opportunity to diverse communities, the AAC and adidas Five Ten are offering 21 scholarships for the 2022 Craggin’ Classic Series. Underrepresented folks and those demonstrating financial hardship will be prioritized. Applications are due by July 21. Twenty-one scholarships will be awarded, each of which includes a Weekend Pass to the festival, an educational clinic, and a travel stipend worth $50-$300 if needed.
Sign up here:
EXPEDITION MARKETING
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Sinequa Sponsors Female Sit-Ski Antarctic Expedition:
?The Pole of Possibility
Search provider Sinequa announced sponsorship of The Pole of Possibility, a journey across Antarctica in which Paralympic gold medalist and speaker Karen Darke, 51, will sit-ski to the South Pole.
Darke will be accompanied by adventurer Iona Somerville, 21, a survivor of the 2017 Manchester Arena (UK) bombing which killed 22, and recent graduate of the Polar Academy which is an organization that supports teenagers and gives them an opportunity to redefine their physical and mental limits.
Scheduled for December 2022, the expedition will begin in Antarctica at the 79th meridian west at Union Glacier Camp. The team will ski across the Antarctic plateau, traveling around 137 miles (220 km) along the 79th meridian to the South Pole. This meridian has been chosen in particular as 79 is the atomic number of gold, bearing reference to Karen’s connection to gold as a geologist, Paralympic athlete, and her goal to help people find inner gold through the Quest79 Project.
Darke, with the support of Summerville, will attempt to be the first female to sit-ski to the South Pole, as well as establishing the World Record for the furthest distance ever taken to the Pole by sit-ski.
The expedition will collect ice samples along the last two degrees before the pole, which will then be analyzed by scientists at Aberystwyth University for their microbial content.
For more information about the project, watch the video:
https://www.karendarke.com/the-pole-of-possibility/
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Replica Vin Fiz on display at the San Diego Air & Space Museum.
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Vin Fiz Sponsorship Can’t Mask the Nasty Taste
An early form of aviation sponsorship was the Vin Fiz Flyer, a Wright Brothers Model EX pusher biplane that in 1911 became the first aircraft to fly coast-to-coast across the U.S., a journey that took almost three months.
The publisher William Randolph Hearst had offered a $50,000 prize to the first aviator to fly coast to coast, in either direction, in less than 30 days from start to finish.
Calbraith Perry Rodgers, grandnephew of naval hero Oliver Hazard Perry, and an avid yachtsman and motorcycle racer, had taken about 90 minutes of instruction from Orville Wright in June 1911 before soloing, and had won an $11,000 air endurance prize in a contest in August. Rodgers became the first private citizen to buy a Wright airplane, a Wright Model B modified and called the Model EX. The plane's 35 horsepower (26 kilowatt) engine allowed a speed of 50 miles per hour (80 km/hr) at 1000 feet (305 meters).
Since the airplane would need a considerable support crew, Rodgers persuaded J. Ogden Armour, of meatpacking fame, to sponsor the attempt, and in return named the plane after Armour's new grape soft drink Vin Fiz. (Source: Wikipedia)
A replica of the Vin Fiz is located in the rotunda of the San Diego Air & Space Museum where we saw it recently. Despite its role in aviation history, and Armour’s beneficence, the description of the beverage at the time was harsh, and indeed hilarious.
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Thanks anyway. Water is fine. |
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Moose are regularly mugged in New Hampshire. |
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Muggers
Aerial researchers hired by the New Hampshire Fish & Game Department to jump out of a helicopter, run up to a moose, get it up on its knees,tie their legs together, put a blindfold on the animal, and put muffs in its ears so they aren't overly stimulated. Once calmed down, they put a collar and ear tags on them. Often moose are infected by “tick bombs,” hundreds of larvae that climb vegetation before locking legs to climb together and make moose miserable.
Researchers remove ticks, take a fecal sample, then untie the animal and hope it doesn't have a great deal of anger when it gets to its feet. (Sources: New Hampshire Public Radio, January 28, 2015, and The Explorers Log, spring 2022).
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Sample of altered metal objects recovered from Calluna Hill. The central midden included mostly brass objects (left). The northern midden included mostly iron objects (right). (Photo courtesy of the Mashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center). |
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Middens
A midden (also kitchen midden or shell heap) is an old dump for domestic waste which may consist of animal bone, human excrement, botanical material, mollusk shells, potsherds, lithics (especially debitage), and other artifacts and ecofacts associated with past human occupation. Matthew Picarelli-Kombert, a member of the Explorers Club New England chapter, recently studied six separate colonial-era middens in Mystic, Connecticut. The dig site, Calluna Hill, is a Pequot village that was burned during the Battle of the English Retreat on May 26, 1637. (Source: The Explorers Log, Fall 2021).
ON THE HORIZON
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On My Honor: Exploration Merit Badge Event, Explorers Club HQ, Nov. 5, 2022, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
On the first Saturday in November, Explorers Club HQ in New York will be hosting its fourth Boy Scouts Exploration Merit Badge event featuring presentations by explorers and one-to-one counseling sessions. During the day the Scouts will also tour the $43 million HQ building and its historic artifacts. Those interested in becoming a merit badge counselor for the event, or presenting themselves, contact Peter Lenahan, petelenahan@gmail.com. Counselors will be required to complete the Scouts’ Youth Protection Training.
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Travel With Purpose, A Field Guide to Voluntourism (Rowman & Littlefield) by Jeff Blumenfeld – Covid-19 has practically put the brakes on travel, but once we get through the pandemic, travel will come roaring back and so will voluntourism. Be ready to lend a hand wherever you go. How to travel and make a difference while you see the world? Read excerpts and “Look Inside” at: tinyurl.com/voluntourismbook @purpose_book
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Get Sponsored! – Need money for your next project? Read about proven techniques that will help you find both cash and in-kind sponsors. If the trip is bigger than you, and is designed to help others, well, that’s half the game right there. Read Jeff Blumenfeld’s "Get Sponsored: A Funding Guide for Explorers, Adventurers and Would Be World Travelers." (Skyhorse Publishing).
Buy it here:
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EXPEDITION NEWS is published by Blumenfeld and Associates, LLC, 290 Laramie Blvd., Boulder, CO 80304 USA. Tel. 203 326 1200, editor@expeditionnews.com. Editor/publisher: Jeff Blumenfeld. Research editor: Lee Kovel. ©2022 Blumenfeld and Associates, Inc. All rights reserved. ISSN: 1526-8977. Subscriptions: US$36/yr. available by e-mail only. Credit card payments accepted through www.paypal.com. Read EXPEDITION NEWS at www.expeditionnews.com.
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