K12> [WWWEDU] *Sharing historic quest to the North Pole with kids*

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Net Happenings - From Educational CyberPlayGround
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To: "WWWEDU" <wwwedu@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
From: "Yvonne Marie Andres" <yvonne@xxxxxxx>
Date: Tue, 9 Mar 2004 10:26:11 -0800
Subject: [WWWEDU] *Sharing historic quest to the North Pole with kids*

* Permission to Re-Post

Dear Web Educators,

Those of you who are interested in amazing people doing incredible things --
while sharing those experiences with kids, might be interested in learning
more about Wave Vidmar. Wave, a lifelong adventurer and athlete, is
attempting a historic quest to the North Pole -- to walk, ski and swim over
660 miles across the constantly moving Polar ice. This is especially notable
because Vidmar plans to pull off this tremendously difficult trek alone and
without assistance and support. At the completion of his approximately
60-day expedition, Vidmar will become the first American ever to attempt and
accomplish this extremely challenging feat, the third person ever to attain
this goal, and the second person to reach the North Pole from the Russian
side.

I've included Wave's most recent report -- which provides an insight into
his daunting challenge.
-Yvonne Marie Andres, Global SchoolNet



Featured Expedition: WorldwideLearn.com's North Pole Solo 2004!
http://northpolesoloexpedition.com/

Mar 9, 04 - Wishing Dom and Fred well during this storm

A storm is raging outside my tent. Early this morning I got a text message
from my 'base camp' managers Tom & Tina Sjogren of explorersweb.com, telling
me of a storm headed my way for the next 24hrs. The clouds I saw yesterday
told me the same thing.

It's blowing 30kts, with gusts of 50-65kts. I was going to continue on
in-spite of the weather, but my tent is difficult to put up when it's calm,
which could be dangerous or deadly in a storm. Visibility is very limited
(about 40 feet), and yesterday I saw a huge expanse of open water just to
the East.

So, being cautious I decided to call it a rest day, though it's hard to rest
when it's so noisy. Also, the ice is shuddering beneath me, like being in an
mild earthquake lasting many hours, an unsettling feeling.

The good news is that I'm being blown North and East in this piece of ice
I'm camped on. In fact, I've probably made more mileage today resting in my
tent than I did yesterday - and with much less effort.

I'm on older ice, which is supposed to be safer, but you can never tell
where the ice is going to break up. Being out here you have to be ready to
move at all times.

I can hear the ice grinding and moaning and try not to think much about it.
I'm in good spirits, healthy, warm (and damp) snuggled in my sleeping bag
and vapor barrier.

Night is upon me, which means darkness and more cold. The ice forming inside
my tent is violently shaken off by the winds, and lands uncomfortably on my
face. The winds have intensified and no longer is it just gusting 50-65+ - I
hope my tent holds-up, I don't fall into the frigid ocean, or be crushed by
colliding ice.

No matter how uncomfortable I might be, I'm gravely concerned for Frederick
and Dominique. From what I understood this morning, Frederick was camped on
a small piece of thin ice. In a storm a small piece of ice is generally
eaten by other larger pieces of ice. It's likely he's fighting for his very
survival.

Frederick is a really great guy, and embraced me with openness and kindness
from the very first moment we met in the hotel lobby in Moscow. He's
physically the strongest and largest of us explorers. A member of the French
Navy and father of three children, he too is a novice to the polar region,
just as I am. I hope he is well.

Dominique is an interesting lady. Of French nationality but living in
Finland for about 15 years, she is famous there for her expeditions and
efforts. The smallest of us explorers, she barely reaches five feet tall,
yet has attempted several solo expeditions to the pole. Visit her website
at: www.dominiquearduin.com

Visit www.thepoles.com for the latest news on all the expeditions and other
things related to polar treks. I'll be signing off now, time to brave the
cold and prepare dinner.

If you are a praying person, please pray for Dominique and Frederick.

The picture is of some ice yesterday, when the weather was calm and nice.
~Wave


=>> View Wave's blog (web log) containing his previous reports and selected
digital images at:
     http://www.explorersweb.com/ex032/


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