'I'm back. It's me.' was usually what Dongsheng said anytime he left the tent and then returned. It developed into a fairly funny joke throughout the trip because with Bill and I still in the tent it didn't take Einstein's IQ to figure out who it was unzipping the tent door.
I say this only as an introduction to the fact that, 'I'm back'. Back with regular updates. Sorry for the delay in getting information out, but there have been a few factors. One, I'm really tired. Two, it's been a crazy couple of days.
We were at the pole for less than 24 hours when an ALE Bassler DC-3 landed and whisked us away. In a little over three hours we traveled over most of our route that we had been snailing our way across for almost two months. It was humbling to say the least.
Coming back to ALE's Patriot Hills camp was a great relief. There was a big feast and we gorged ourselves. Happy and replete with good food and good friends, we slept long into the next day.
Despite our relaxed demeanors, eating with knives and forks, changing our underwear, it was a little bittersweet to be finished. Our journey to the pole was so physically, mentally and emotionally intense that to be instantly removed from that situation is shocks the system. I am still reeling trying to figure it out all out.
We were only in Patriot Hills camp for a two days when the Illyshun landed and in another unusually abrupt step, flew us back to Punta Arenas.
While I am looking forward to going home, it was surprisingly hard to leave. I hung back marveling at each subtle wonder as I walked by - the pattern of each snow drift, the blueness of the ice and sky, the line cut by the Patriot Hills, my friends still in camp... I inhaled deeply and held my breathe making sure one last piece of Antarctica would remain deep inside. (as if it was possible that it already there already). Remember always this smell I thought. Cold and remote. Pristine.
Arleigh Jorgenson, my old dog mushing boss used to say say, 'moving slow and enjoying moving slow,' after returning from a long time on the trail. I have taken his remark to heart as much as possible. Lingering after meals, enjoying using a glass, sleeping in a bed. My body needs this extra time to recover after such a long exertion. Sleep and sitting are priorities for the next day or so. Life in Punta unfortunately doesn't seem to be on level with my snow weary body. I have been having a hard time crossing the road. Cars move faster than skiers. The number of close calls have been unnervingly numerous.
I want to take the next week to thank all the people who helped with our journey and talk more about the next steps in the Save the Poles expedition. Now more than ever, there is more work that needs to be done in protecting our climate.
Yes, I still believe that it's cool to be cold, but it's also nice to be warm once in a while too.
Image: Walking to the Illyshun on the Blue Ice runway with the Patriot Hills in the background.
Remember, it's cool to be cold. Save the Poles. Save the planet.
For more information, please visit www.ericlarsenexplore.com
For media inquiries, please contact lora@screamagency.com
For technical inquires, please contact
webexpeditions.net
The Save the Poles expedition is sponsored by
bing and
Terramar with major support from
Goal0,
MSR,
Scream Agency,
Sierra Designs,
Stanley,
Optic Nerve and
Clif Bar.
Remember, it's cool to be cold. Save the Poles. Save the planet.
For more information, please visit www.ericlarsenexplore.com. For media inquiries, please contact lora@screamagency.com. For technical inquires, please contact
webexpeditions.net. For lecture inquires, please contact smakmaria@yahoo.com.
