Topic Name: Bike to the South Pole - can it be done?
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Reply #20 on: November 25, 2009, 03:57:44 PM
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carlhutch
Posts: 21
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« Reply #20 on: November 25, 2009, 03:57:44 PM » |
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http://www.thepoles.com/Every year i get hooked on this website around this time following the different expeditions to the pole. Maybe next year i get to be on the list :-)
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Topic Name: Bike to the South Pole - can it be done?
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Reply #21 on: November 25, 2009, 05:42:03 PM
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Pivvay
Riding and exploring
Location: Westminster, CO
Posts: 681
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« Reply #21 on: November 25, 2009, 05:42:03 PM » |
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The poles is great, i like all the explorers web sites. You planning a trip Carl?
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-Chris Plesko
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Topic Name: Bike to the South Pole - can it be done?
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Reply #22 on: November 26, 2009, 09:21:07 AM
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carlhutch
Posts: 21
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« Reply #22 on: November 26, 2009, 09:21:07 AM » |
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Have been for a while Chris but its a pipe dream to think i could afford it independently.Im at pains to go down the sponsorship route but with the rip off airfare`s what choice do you have.Im crap at asking and i wasnt aggressive when the economy was strong but ive just been thrown a glimmer of hope that something might happen with a new contact.Im not bothered about being the first.I imagined that might make securing financial assistance a little easier but its not really been the case. Before my knees explode i want to bike on that continent.
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Topic Name: Bike to the South Pole - can it be done?
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Reply #23 on: November 26, 2009, 10:09:40 AM
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Pivvay
Riding and exploring
Location: Westminster, CO
Posts: 681
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« Reply #23 on: November 26, 2009, 10:09:40 AM » |
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Nice Carl, good luck. With airfare so expensive I can't see a way around financial sponsorship either. Of course I'm years away from considering a trip down there myself.
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-Chris Plesko
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Topic Name: Bike to the South Pole - can it be done?
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Reply #24 on: December 15, 2009, 11:09:21 PM
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Topic Name: Bike to the South Pole - can it be done?
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Reply #25 on: December 15, 2009, 11:45:38 PM
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Jilleo
Location: Los Altos, California
Posts: 292
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« Reply #25 on: December 15, 2009, 11:45:38 PM » |
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Pretty sure cruise ships aren't equipped to go to the pole yet. But, if you think about it, a nice, three or four-month out-and-back would mitigate the need for a flight out. Those early 20th-century explorers did it.
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Topic Name: Bike to the South Pole - can it be done?
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Reply #26 on: December 16, 2009, 07:06:05 AM
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jeremy11
Location: Grand Junction, CO
Posts: 263
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« Reply #26 on: December 16, 2009, 07:06:05 AM » |
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Pretty sure cruise ships aren't equipped to go to the pole yet. But, if you think about it, a nice, three or four-month out-and-back would mitigate the need for a flight out. Those early 20th-century explorers did it.
That would be like alpine climbers getting picked up at the top of their peaks! Totally cheating.... Ocean->Pole->Ocean, no prearranged support. Although you could get a team of 20 bikers and place food drops for yourself expedition style, just to get a couple folks to the pole and back....
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Topic Name: Bike to the South Pole - can it be done?
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Reply #27 on: June 28, 2010, 07:38:41 PM
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Hezz
Posts: 3
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« Reply #27 on: June 28, 2010, 07:38:41 PM » |
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The biggest problem in dealing with a south pole assault would be a way to deal with the temperatures. You can get -70 degrees F with 70-80 mph winds which will kill you if you don't have an insulated shelter that can be staked down. This is something like a -200 F windchill temperature. A tent will be inadequate. Two giant expedition down parkas and sleeping bags will be inadequate. A team of individuals that can together built an ice shelter would be helpful.
Perhaps it would be possible to build a lightweight sled with an enclosed area for sleeping and hauling extra gear and food. Four inch thick foam walls and six inch thick floor covered with a thin aluminum cover to protect it, and a thicker aluminum sliding surface. If the bike breaks, you can continue on foot pulling the sled. Even rubber tires will fail in these extreme conditions.
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Topic Name: Bike to the South Pole - can it be done?
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Reply #28 on: June 28, 2010, 09:14:36 PM
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Pivvay
Riding and exploring
Location: Westminster, CO
Posts: 681
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« Reply #28 on: June 28, 2010, 09:14:36 PM » |
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LOL Hezz. Have you ever read about the people who ski it (every year...)?
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-Chris Plesko
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Topic Name: Bike to the South Pole - can it be done?
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Reply #29 on: June 28, 2010, 10:31:20 PM
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Jilleo
Location: Los Altos, California
Posts: 292
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« Reply #29 on: June 28, 2010, 10:31:20 PM » |
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It's true humans have been shown to survive amazing windchill extremes. Just look at the guys who made the first successful ascent of Denali in the winter. The bivied for several days in a tiny snow cave during temperatures of -50 to -60 with wind speeds of 100 mph, wrapped in little more than half-frozen down sleeping bags and 60s mountaineering gear (their bivy sack, an old parachute, blew away.) They all survived with moderate frostbite on their fingers and toes, but they survived. Art wrote a great book called Minus 148. Definitely worth a read or seven.
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Topic Name: Bike to the South Pole - can it be done?
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Reply #30 on: June 29, 2010, 08:09:58 AM
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Hezz
Posts: 3
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« Reply #30 on: June 29, 2010, 08:09:58 AM » |
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Ya, I guess after seeing the Shackleton documentary and reading about the other treks I have had the worst images in my mind. After reading up on the topic I find a few things. First there is a 460 mile route from the edge of the Ross Ice Shelf which makes it a lot more doable compared to a 2000+ mile trek. Also, in summer the temperatures usually stay above -45 with lighter winds. During the hottest days of summer it can stay around -15 at the pole. But the worst weather is not actually right at the pole.
So this sounds doable as it makes a journey no more than 30 days. Since you don't want to get caught in fall or spring weather. Which you may not survive in a tent. Assuming you could cover 30 miles a day by bike 75% of the time by going at a slow pace in a very low gear it would make for a 15 day or so trip. But you would need to plan on enough supplies to survive for 30 days on foot if necessary. The most challenging thing would be the danger of the crevasses on a bike which you could easily ride over by mistake. And the wind blown snow dunes are almost impassable with a bike. You'd have to carry your bike for certain distances. You could put the bike on the sled for certain sections.
Since you have to carry a months worth of food the load is heavy and you need high calories so eating butter and bacon type stuff is in order. The question to ask is if it can be efficient enough to succeed with a bike. Or if you can built a bike that can hold up for a month and continue to function.
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« Last Edit: June 29, 2010, 08:17:16 AM by Hezz »
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Topic Name: Bike to the South Pole - can it be done?
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Reply #31 on: June 29, 2010, 08:14:52 AM
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Hezz
Posts: 3
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« Reply #31 on: June 29, 2010, 08:14:52 AM » |
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It's true humans have been shown to survive amazing windchill extremes. Just look at the guys who made the first successful ascent of Denali in the winter. The bivied for several days in a tiny snow cave during temperatures of -50 to -60 with wind speeds of 100 mph, wrapped in little more than half-frozen down sleeping bags and 60s mountaineering gear (their bivy sack, an old parachute, blew away.) They all survived with moderate frostbite on their fingers and toes, but they survived. Art wrote a great book called Minus 148. Definitely worth a read or seven.
That's the thing. They were able to build a snow cave. If you get caught in a bad storm in Anarctica and you can't build a shelter you may not survive in a tent. But even though the weather is extreme in Anarctica it is I believe predictable.
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Topic Name: Bike to the South Pole - can it be done?
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Reply #32 on: June 29, 2010, 08:20:20 AM
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Pivvay
Riding and exploring
Location: Westminster, CO
Posts: 681
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« Reply #32 on: June 29, 2010, 08:20:20 AM » |
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Look at MC's setup. Look at Pole skiers setup for the std trip ~1000 miles one way done every year. Use imagination and some basic math. Now add snow experience. One *big* question revolves around the snow surface itself being rideable. If it is, I think it's definitely doable though you are right, the crevasses will be an added danger on a bike without the load spreading of skis. If it's not all bets are off. Other fun fact...it's all uphill to the pole
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-Chris Plesko
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Topic Name: Bike to the South Pole - can it be done?
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Reply #33 on: June 29, 2010, 01:30:54 PM
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Eric
Posts: 237
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« Reply #33 on: June 29, 2010, 01:30:54 PM » |
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Read Borge Ousland's book "Alone Across Antartica". It might end this thread, but is good background.
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Topic Name: Bike to the South Pole - can it be done?
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Reply #34 on: June 29, 2010, 11:11:54 PM
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Topic Name: Bike to the South Pole - can it be done?
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Reply #35 on: August 28, 2010, 04:12:36 PM
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SpencerSalmon
Posts: 1
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« Reply #35 on: August 28, 2010, 04:12:36 PM » |
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While I was in Antarctica, I was working in the Dry Valleys about 100 miles from McMurdo, the British and the Norwegians were having a Cross Country ski race to the South Pole. Talking to the locals they said that they didn't use the ice road. After flying over the Polar Plateau I noticed that it is totally bikeable, and all you would need is some studded tires. I would only worry about crevasses but it is totally doable. I got the chance to do some cross-country skiing on part of the ice road to the south pole and it wouldn't be to bad to ride it. Also in the summer the sun never sets so you don't need any lights!
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Topic Name: Bike to the South Pole - can it be done?
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Reply #36 on: August 28, 2010, 06:40:38 PM
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sean salach
Location: palmer, ak
Posts: 253
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« Reply #36 on: August 28, 2010, 06:40:38 PM » |
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Maybe we should make the ice road the first official Bikepacking.net group field trip??
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Topic Name: Bike to the South Pole - can it be done?
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Reply #37 on: September 11, 2010, 10:51:51 AM
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wild_bike
Posts: 8
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« Reply #37 on: September 11, 2010, 10:51:51 AM » |
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Likely best to fly to the pole first and get a sweet tailwind out. A headwind on the Ice would be nasty. Next somebody betters that first "ride across Antarctica" with the harder coast to the pole. Then, the out and back with a food drop at the pole. Finally the out and back unsupported. Now if somebody would just please let me know how much the snow bike wheels cost I can start my planning
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Topic Name: Bike to the South Pole - can it be done?
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Reply #38 on: September 20, 2010, 01:45:37 PM
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timhMN
Posts: 3
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« Reply #38 on: September 20, 2010, 01:45:37 PM » |
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I ran across this video a few weeks ago by Minnesota adventurer Eric Larsen, from his Antarctica ski trek last winter. Check out the snow surface they're skiiing on:
I think this kind of answers whether or not the surface is "ridable"
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Topic Name: Bike to the South Pole - can it be done?
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Reply #39 on: September 20, 2010, 03:06:56 PM
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Pivvay
Riding and exploring
Location: Westminster, CO
Posts: 681
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« Reply #39 on: September 20, 2010, 03:06:56 PM » |
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only sort of
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-Chris Plesko
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