Just a quick update to fill you in. I'm in Seattle now. Scrambling to get a few last minute things done. Had a great week with meetings at bing, MSR, Atlas Snowshoe and madshus as well as a presentation at REI corporate. Lots of fun.

Packing up way to much gear into my small rental car and driving to Rainier with Scarpa's Paul Nanawa. Next stop, White River ranger station. Then camp Sherman. Then the summit. Should be fun!

Picture: Mt. Rainier.

The Save the Poles expedition is sponsored by Bing with major support from the University of Plymouth, terramar, Goal0, Atlas and Sierra Designs.

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, Sierra Designs, Optic Nerve and Clif.

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.

It's been another busy weekend at Save the Poles expedition headquarters, now based in Maria's basement in Boulder, Colorado. Luckily, the expedition team (me) managed to sneak out the the Teva Mountain Games in Vail for some fun, sun and renewable energy.

In Teva's geartown, I met up with the Goal0 crew and got a chance to see some of their new products and visit with the entire team. While at Dinner with Robert, Joe, Chris, Norm, Maria and the Sender Film guys, we talked about the our need to use Renewable energy right now. We were also regaled with Chris Meek's late night encounter with a mountain lion. But that's a story for another time.

While I always miss the lakes and cool of northern Minnesota, Boulder's proximity to mountains, mountain culture and great training opportunities are hard to beat. Last week, I got an email from a product manager at Sierra Designs, 'Do you want to go up to St. Mary's Glacier and test gear?' Uh... YES! Mountain biking, road biking, trail running, hiking and the occasional 14er are all beneficial in training for Everest right now. Trying to snap a couple of tele turns on mushy dirty snow in June, well, let's just say it's good that no pictures were published.

The dust here in STP's own gear 'town' is finally settling. I still need to whip out the Seventh Generation detergent and wash bivy bags from the North Pole (I know gross, right). New gear seems to still be trickling in as well. I'm exited to be testing Goal0's Sherpa 50 and Elite solar panel. I've also got a few items coming in from Sierra Designs.

As always, there are million details to attend to. Fundraising is still a major issue (and stress) and I'm sending out sponsorship proposals with feverish intensity. Old Spice, it turns out, is not interested in sponsoring polar or mountaineering adventures. Oh well.

My good friend from Scarpa, Paul Nanawa, and I are also gearing up for a Rainier ascent next week. It should be a fun climb although news of an avalanche (leaving one climber still missions and injuring several others) this past weekend sent us both scrambling for snow reports and updated weather conditions. The avalanche is a somber, but important, reminder of the dangers and need for caution while mountaineering.

There are some other fun events on the horizon as well as a trip to Minnesota. I'm excited to get back in the rhythm of regular updates. I'll be in Seattle presenting at bing, REI and Atlas/madshus next week. So please stay tuned!

Picture:Goal0's Extreme 30M solar panel soaking up the rays at the Teva Mountain Games in Vail, Colorado. Very cool.

The Save the Poles expedition is sponsored by Bing with major support from terramar, Goal0, Atlas and Sierra Designs.

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, Sierra Designs, Optic Nerve and Clif.

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.

Judging by this picture, It's hard to say exactly how I've weathered the past 39 years. Behind the hat, face mask and frost, its still the same old Eric. Considering some of my recent adventures, I am surprised to be here. (Here, as in alive). However, after four successful geographic pole expeditions, I'm a little tougher than I used to be. But I'm a bit more sensitive, too. (Don't tell anyone). There are lines and creases around my eyes and even some gray hair now.

I've lived in more places than I can count, but I'll always be from Wisconsin. Hey what can I say? I love cheese! Still, I consider myself a Minnesotan even though I've been in Boulder, Colorado for over a year now. (Don't worry Maria, that will change). We all look at life through the filter of our experiences. If I close my eyes, I can still see vivid images of biking across the the US, making maple syrup and skiing to the North Pole. I am a jumbled accumulation of people, places and things.

I know a lot more than I used to as well. I have come to believe whole-heartedly in the fundamental principles of science, but sometimes rely on gut instincts and feelings in many decisions I make. Still, I know enough to also know what I don't know.

Of things that I am unsure of, Global Warming is not one of them. Thin ice and open water in the Arctic. The unusual shut down of Katabatic winds in the Antarctic. In most regions, an increasing number of extreme weather events. I have been a first person witness to these events.

After completing two of the three legs of my world record breaking Save the Poles expedition, I am left with one nagging question. Why? Not necessarily the obvious why - as in why go to these remote places spend weeks and months in tent - but the why are we still debating the science behind climate change and why are we not doing more (myself included).

Ultimately the conversation needs to be focused on energy conservation and efficiency as well as implementing wide spread use of renewable energy. I like many other Americans and part of the problem. We need to act now.

In September, I will leave for Nepal and ultimately the summit of Mt. Everest. Over the next weeks and months, I hope to continue to tell my story and the story of these places. My goal, to entertain, educate and inspire.

There is a lot to be amazed about in this world of ours.

The Save the Poles expedition is sponsored by bing and terramar with major support from Goal0, MSR, Sierra Designs, Optic Nerve and Clif.

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.

I feel like that part of the Indiana Jones movie where the little white line traces Indy's route across the globe. Maria commented that getting back was a long adventure within itself. She's right too. Our white line covers a substantial portion of the northern hemisphere - the geographic North Pole to Borneo Ice Base to Svalbard to Oslo to London (sorry Doug, not to call) to Ottawa to Thunder Bay, Ontario.

In London, we lost AJ. Here is where Darcy and I separate. While we are all excited for home, it is unusually hard to be now sitting alone. For two months, we traveled together through some of the most inhospitable terrain (and water) on the planet. We saw each other's best, and a few times, worst. Tired, happy, sad, noncommital, overwhelmed and every other emmotion was experienced as a team.

From Ottawa Darcy and I drove his truck through the night. We had talked about this mant times on the trail - one person driving, the other lying in the back seat surrounded by chips, pizza, hamburgers aand broasted chickens. Surprisingly, we spent much of our time talking about our journey. We compared and contrasted perspectives on different situations during the trip trying to gleen new bits of understanding, knowledge and lessons learned.

The butterflies in my stomach right now only confirm what I already know. I have never really liked the end of anything - especially expeditions. Neither Darcy and I were eager to part ways.

'Want to get some lunch?' Darcy suggested.

With his family eager waiting for Darcy's return, it was best for him to keep driving. Still, we found ourselves smelling flowers in the Super Stores garden center, admiring the quantity of water melons and oggling weird looking fish in the sea food department.

Of course, this is not the end for any of us.

Image: Darcy and Eric saying goodbye. Why are we smiling?

The Save the Poles expedition is sponsored by bing with major support froque m the University of Plymouth, terramar, Seventh Generation, Goal0, Atlas, Sierra Designs and Optic Nerve.

Remember, it's cool to be cold. Save the Poles. Save the planet.

For more information, please visit www.ericlarsenexplore.com

For information about guided Antarctic expeditions, please visit http://www.antarctic-logistics.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, Sierra Designs, Optic Nerve and Clif.

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.

Flying into Oslo International we were happy to see trees for the first time in two months. We are going home.

We were able to change our flights out of Svalbard and left early this morning. It's always hard for me to say goodbye to the ice and snow, but I know I will be back. I love camping and winter, but for me, four of the last six months have been spent on polar ice caps. Time for a little green. I'm looking forward to shorts and my Scarpa flip flops.

AJ will have a substantially shorter trip as his final destination is England where his parents will be waiting to take him back to Plymouth, and I'm sure some will be some hearty celebrations. Darcy and I have a few more legs until home. We'll overnight in London, then to Ottawa, then the drive through Canada to Thunder Bay (hopefully no speeding tickets). There our paths will diverge. I will head south to Minnesota (and then Colorado) and Darcy will continue on to Winnipeg.

I've never really liked the end of anything and I feel a little down. However, this is not really the end but only the middle. Two down; one to go. The Save the Poles expedition is a journey to the South Pole, North Pole and Mt. Everest in one year. Stay tuned as there will be more information, exciting web posts (from this summer's training and more), pictures, video and most importantly information on climate change.

The Save the Poles expedition is sponsored by bing with major support from terramar and project support from Atlas, madshus, Goal0, Sierra Designs, Optic Nerve and Seventh Generation.


The Save the Poles expedition is sponsored by bing and terramar with major support from Goal0, MSR, Sierra Designs, Optic Nerve and Clif.

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.