Passport

My new passport arrived today. Apparently I can get it stamped at the South Pole. I didn't get many stamps in my old passport. There is one from Nice France, one from Fiumicino (Rome) Italy, and one from retuning to the USA. I never got any from Paris, Germany, or any of the Caribbean islands. 

New and old passport pictures. I've gotten older balder and apparently bigger headed. 

First Bike Ride to South Pole?

I don't know for sure, but it looks like I may be the only bike expedition to the South Pole this year. If so then if  (oh no, this is looking like a computer program) I take care of myself and avoid injury, then I will be first. However, like Kate Leeming told me, it is what I do with the privilege of biking to the South Pole that really matters.

Can I use this to further my goal to help people live an active lifestyle, to combat diabetes and heart disease, to live a longer healthier life? Can I use this privilege for good? 

It is True

I'm going to the South Pole!

Yeah, yeah, I know that is what I have been telling everyone for the last 8 months, but yesterday I had a nice meeting with Steve and Tim from ALE, and I am just so excited that this is actually going to happen! There is no way I could even think of doing this without the help of ALE, but with their 30+ years of experience with South Pole expeditions I can do it! (OK a lot of use of the ! but I am just that excited!)

We went through a lot of stuff about ALE and how things work, and looked at various aspects of the Hercules Inlet to the South Pole route, talked about crevasses, tents, stove fuel, daily routine, panniers vs sled, food, snow conditions, navigation, gear, and much more.

I have a lot of gear I need to get in place before I leave. I need a parka like the expedition parka and other gear from Canada Goose. I am going to use an InReach SE that will be great for the blog to allow people to see where I am and follow my progress, but more importantly it allows ALE to always know where I am in case of an emergency. I also need to get a pair of Iridium satellite phones and spare batteries, and of course a solar charger for everything. 

Some Gear for the Bike

Just added Skinz Protective Gear to my list of sponsors. They make a lot of items designed for a fat bike. The Heatflex Hand Guards have a great way of attaching to the handlebar to keep them in the right place. These add a lot of warm protection for the hands.

They also have a stem handlebar pack that will be great for the GPS. One of the great features of this pack is a spot for a hand warmer under the holder for the phone/GPS. The biggest problem with GPS devices in Antarctica is in the extreme cold the batteries don't last very long. By keeping the GPS in the handlebar pack with the backlight on it will generate heat in the pack helping to keep the battery warm.

Working on Food Plan

Been working with Jonathan at Ready Store on my food plan for the expedition. He is doing a great job of making sure I will have the calories and right balance of carbs/fats/protein. Also working through the weight and size requirements, and amount of fuel needed to melt snow.

Game On

Well, the last few weeks have been rough. I have put so much into doing this expedition, but it was all dependent on getting sponsorships. I worked hard to get the sponsorships, but when the deadline to pay for the expedition came, I still did not have the sponsorships needed.

I don't give up easily. I got a junk phone call offering loans for businesses. Hmmm, maybe I could get a business loan to do this. Talking to my credit union, a few other credit unions, and a couple of banks, a business loan wouldn't work, but they suggested a home equity loan. So I tried the home loan. Denied! 

It sure is hard to get a loan when you have no income. I just couldn't bear the thought of not going. I do have a fair amount of equity in my home, so I go back and ask them to take a second look. 

On Tuesday I finally got the call saying the loan has been approved! The expedition is on! Time to get serious about getting all the equipment, tents, coats, boots, etc.

Cycling Fantasy

"Denmark is planning 500km of 'cycle superhighways' in and around Copenhagen. The Netherlands has more than 35,000km of bike lanes." -- The Guardian

As a bike shop owner the greatest barrier I see for people riding bikes on roads is the fear of cars. Riding a bike a few inches away from cars that are flying by at 60mph with drivers that are more interested in their dumb "smart phones" then they are in driving is very intimidating.

One of the interesting things with Utah is that about 80% of of the population lives along the Wasatch front, and therefore lives within a few miles of a freeway.

My cycling fantasy would be a bike lane built into the Utah freeways. The bike lane could be separated from the car traffic with a cement barricade protecting the cyclists from cars. At the freeway exits and entrances the bike lane would go over or under the exits. A good example of how this could work is the Murdock Canal trail that goes from Lehi to Orem. Cyclists could then enjoy the same advantages that cars have of nonstop travel along the freeway corridors. The cost would be relatively minor given that the roadways already exist, and the cost of creating a bicycle freeway would be offset by the reduction in health care costs and reduced pollution because people would be able to safely use their bikes to commute.

Yeah I know, it will never happen, but I can at least dream.