December 12, 2011
S79°39.887 E034°08.371
Elevation 11466 feet
A no wind day is a forced day of rest. When you are constantly making miles versus days calculations in your head, that is mostly a day of frustration. Still, upon stepping out of the tent, it is hard not to be taken by the immense scale of this environment, its untamed and harsh beauty. Deserts are dichotomous by nature. They are sacred places where we go to to find answers about ourselves; and yet their void provides more questions than answers. They are often merciless, but we are drawn to them. We go to them to re-source in spite of their lack of resources. Their silence screams for us to listen, while their stillness subdues us into spiritual contemplation. Jesus sought wisdom in the desert, while men have died in unwise quests to cross them. More than anything, deserts are canvases on which the mind is free to paint over the errors of our past and sketch the map of a hopeful future. In spite of their harshness–and someimes because of it–desert will make us better people.
An ice desert requires the best from you. It demands authenticity, and won’t compromise. It is the ultimate humility enforcer. Antarctica’s very dry climate makes a sunny windless day pleasant for a stroll–given the right clothes and disposition. But wind will instantly change that. Ten knots will turn 35C below into 45C below. In these temperatures, steam from your breath will instantly freeze over hair, fur or fabric. Crystals form on ice itself, creating delicate shapes and fleeting diamonds. All things being relative, ice can have a fragile and feminine quality. But the chill on my nose and ears beckons me back to the warm tent. Thirty below isn’t, after all, someone you want to dance with forever.
Beautiful post Bass…and the ice, it’s a beautiful white canvas for your adventures. Cousin Nick
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Yes,,, a very beautiful text, touching♥
Your writing in some way detracts from the conditions you talk about, taking the reader on a whole other plain, brilliant text, stay authentic…….and above all, make sure you woop alex on the 64…over and out T