A team of Australian researchers have quite literally gone where no man has gone before. Scientists from James Cook University recently crossed into a region called Cape Melville, which is completely cut off from the outside world by millions of large boulders that make passage into the remote mountain range nearly impossible. The team of four used a helicopter to gain access however and what they found inside was quite amazing.

Once inside the cape, the team determined that the entire region, which is encircled by impenetrable mountains, is 9 miles (14 km) long and roughly 3 miles (5 km) across. The region contains remnants of a rainforest left over from Gondwana, a reference to an ancient super-continent that existed millions of years ago. They also discovered a variety of new species as well, including three very unique reptiles. Those species included a new frog that lives under boulders and is capable of hatching its eggs without water and a skink that hunts insects by leaping from rock to rock. A third species was the most impressive however, an odd looking gecko that is unlike anything anyone had seen before.

The initial expedition to explore Cape Melville lasted just four days with the team seeing less than a tenth of the area contained there. The group is already planning a return trip to plumb further into the depths of the region to see what else they can find. The team believes that considering what they discovered in just a preliminary scouting mission, they could find some really unique species of birds, plants and even mammals once they really get the opportunity to check out the forests there. Considering that the Cape has been evolving on its own, almost completely cut off from the rest of the world for millennia, there could be some very unique creatures just waiting to be discovered.

These store always fascinate me. I love that our world is so vast that we still don't have regions to explore, even in the age of satellite mapping, GPS navigation and instant communications. It must have been a humbling experience for these scientists to become the first humans to step into this lost world and lay eyes on the wonders there for the first time. What an amazing world we live in.

Just like clockwork, the 2013 Antarctic season appears to be ramping up right on schedule. We already know that the Scott Expedition is off and running, but soon they'll have company out on the ice. Veteran adventurer Richard Parks will soon embark on a solo expedition to the South Pole and he hopes to do so in record time.

Parks left the U.K. on Monday of this week and should be in Punta Arenas now. He is no doubt resting, sorting his gear and preparing for the flight to Union Glacier for the start of his speed attempt. He will be taking on the daunting task of trying to beat Christian Eide's speed record for traveling 1150 ki from Hercules Inlet to the South Pole, a distance of 1,150 km (715 mile), that was set in 2011. At the time, Eide managed to make that journey in an astounding 24 days, 1 hour and 13 minutes. To do that, he had to average 47 km (29 miles) per day, which anyone who knows anything about Antarctic travel will tell you is an insane pace. Parks hopes to go faster.

Richard has set a goal of completing his journey to the South Pole in 23 days. That means he'll have to average 50 km (31 miles) per day, which doesn't sound like a lot more but those extra kilometers it can really wear on someone day in and day out, particularly when they are dragging a heavy sled behind them the entire way.

If all goes as expected and the weather cooperates, he hopes to begin the expedition in mid-November. That means he has a couple of weeks to rest and prepare before heading out on the ice. I'll certainly be following his progress once he gets going.

Meanwhile, the aforementioned Scott Expedition continues to make progress, albeit at a slow pace. They boys have been on the trail for just five days but pulling the heavy sleds have made it tough so far. Their pace has dropped to as little as 1 km (.6 miles) per hour as they slog through powdery snow when they would prefer to be on hard pack. On top of that, the weather has taken a turn and gotten colder (-40ºC/F this morning!) and windier. They're now getting a real taste of what it is like to travel in Antarctica.

This was all to be expected of course and that's the reason Ben and Tarka set off early in the first place. It is also not uncommon for polar travelers to struggle early on, then find their groove once they've had a chance to acclimatize to the conditions. I suspect that will be the case here as well.

That's all for today. I'll update the progress of both of these expeditions as we get word and I'll post more starts as they come.

As I mentioned a few times last week, we're on the verge of the start of the 2013 Antarctic expedition season and soon numerous teams will be heading to the bottom of the world to ski to the South Pole, climb Mt. Vinson or explore some other location on the frozen continent. But one team got an early start to the season by setting off last week, and while they're just a few days into their epic journey, they are now moving south at last.

Last Monday, Ben Saunders and Tarka L'Herpiniere of the Scott Expedition flew from Punta Arenas, Chile to the McMurdo Station in Antarctica. They spent a few days there getting their gear and supplies organized before they caught another flight out to the Ross Ice Shelf, where they spent another day and a half skiing to their official starting point at the Scott Terra Nova Hut. Since they will be skiing in the footsteps of polar legend Robert Falcon Scott, and hoping to complete the route he couldn't, it seemed only fitting that Ben and Tarka set out from the same place that he did more than a century ago.

The boys have begun posting dispatches from the ice and so far it seems that conditions are good but the work is hard. Their sleds are at full capacity at the moment, which means they are pulling 200 kg (440 pounds) of gear and supplies behind them as they begin their 1800 mile (2896 km) journey to the South Pole and back again. Those sleds will get easier to pull as the food supplies start to dwindle, but for now it is tough going, especially since the snow is soft and powdery.


As a result of these heavy loads, Ben says they are covering about 2 km (1.2 miles) per hour, which doesn't sound very fast but is actually quite good for so early in the expedition. It usually takes a week or two for Antarctic explorers to acclimate to the temperatures and altitudes there and the body must adapt to the work load of skiing all day while puling a heavy sled behind them.

The weather has been great for the lads so far although as expected the temperatures are a bit brutal. This morning they are dealing with -30ºC/-22ºF with wind chills taking those temps down to -40ºC/F. It is a bit unusual to have such good weather at this point in the season, but I'm sure Ben and Tarka are happy to have it. It is not uncommon for Antarctic adventurers to encounter high winds, blowing snows and whiteout conditions as they get underway. In recent years, there have even been delays  to the start of the season due to poor weather at the traditional drop off point at Union Glacier.

With the first of November now just a few days away, we should start to see a few more teams making their way to Punta Arenas and preparing to head out on the ice. Because of the extreme distances involved with their expedition, Ben and Tarka set off as early as they could, but most won't be making a return trip from the Pole, so they'll have more to complete their expeditions. It'll also give them more time to allow the weather to be more conducive for travel.

Stay tuned for more soon. The season is just getting started.

A few days back I posted that the 2013 Antarctic season had officially begun with the first team departing Punta Arenas, Chile for the frozen continent. That team consists of veteran explorers Ben Saunders and Tarka L'Herpiniere who collectively make up the Scott Expedition. Over the next couple of months, the two men will attempt to complete the route used by Robert Falcon Scott on his way to the South Pole back in 1912. Scott himself was unable to finish that expedition, perishing on the return trip after discovering rival Roald Amundsen had beaten him to the Pole by a matter of weeks. Ben and Tarka will make that journey in a self-supported fashion as they look to finish what Scott started.

The team flew out of Punta Arenas on Monday and were shuttled to the Union Glacier camp for the first stage of their journey. They then spent a couple of days getting organized, prepping their gear and acclimatizing to the Antarctica. Yesterday they again boarded a plane and were taken to the Ross Ice Shelf, where they are now en route to the Scott Terra Nova Hut, the famous launching point for Scott's expedition. Even though it was built more than a century ago, the hut remains an important landmark on the continent.

When they were dropped off on the ice yesterday, the two men had to ski 32 km (20 miles) just to get to their starting point. They are expected to arrive there today and will likely take a brief rest before they start the real meat of the expedition. Once they're ready, they'll then begin moving south, pulling their heavily loaded sleds behind them as they set off across the Antarctic at last.

Once they're underway, Ben and Tarka expect to make daily – or at least frequent – updates from the field. In fact, as I write this they are a bit over due for their first check-in from the hut. Hopefully that update will come soon and we'll be able to follow them closely over the coming week. You can read those dispatches on the team's blog page.

In the days ahead I'll be following the progress of this expedition very closely. Expect to read about it regularly on the Adventure Blog. Other teams will soon join Ben and Tarka out on the ice, but for now most them look like they're a couple of weeks off yet. Since the lads are making a return trip from the Pole, they had to get a jump on the season. They'll also likely endure worse conditions in the early going.

Such is the life of an Antarctic explorer. Best of luck boys!

Our friend Dave Cornthwaite has released a fun little video which is the culmination of a project that started more than 1000 days ago. Starting on January 1, 2011, Dave, who we followed down the Mississippi River on a stand-up paddleboard and on a1000 mile swim down the Missouri River (amongst other adventures), began taking a photo of himself everyday for 1000 days. He has then strung them together in the video below, which is equal parts inspiring and entertaining. That time span overlaps several of his big expeditions, so you'll see Dave in a variety of situations. The message here, as the title implies, is that we should make ever day – every moment – count.

Just as the fall climbing season in the Himalaya begins to wrap up, the 2013 Antarctic expedition season is just about to get underway. As usual, there are a host of explorers heading to the frozen continent this year, most of whom will be making the journey on skis to the South Pole. The first of those explorers will hit the ice today, officially launching another season of adventure at the bottom of the world.

The first team to hit the ice is will be Ben Saunders and Tarka L'Herpiniere, the two men who are taking part in the Scott Expedition. They are on a plane out of Punta Arenas, Chile this morning and are now making their way towards Patriot Hills in Antarctic to start their journey. As you may recall, Ben and Tarka will attempt to make an unsupported round trip excursion to the South Pole and back, starting and ending at the Ross Ice Shelf, while following along the same route that Robert Falcon Scott took on his fateful expedition more than a hundred years ago. If successful, they'll be the first to complete the 1800 mile (2897 km) sojourn that claimed the lives of Scott and his men.

You can follow the expedition on their website, Twitter feed and Facebook page. The team is carrying a lot of communications gear and plans to making daily updates and dispatches to keep everyone informed of their progress. That's a far cry from Scott's days when the ultimate fate of the men wasn't known for months. But for those of us who enjoy learning about expedition life in the Antarctic and the challenges the explorers face, these updates should prove extremely interesting. The next time we hear from them, they will hopefully be in the Antarctic and preparing for the start of the expedion.

Ever wonder what kind of logistics are involved with getting an expedition such as this one off the ground? Then you'll want to watch the video below which shows Ben and Tarka preparing some of their gear. More importantly, it shows them packing their food, which is a painstaking task that takes a great deal of time but is absolutely necessary for survival out on the ice.

While most of the attention in the climbing community has been centered on the Himalaya once again this fall, there have been other bold climbing adventures taking place in other parts of the world as well. For example, a team of four big wall climbers traveled to a remote region along the border of China and Kyrgyzstan in search of new challenges to test their skills. They found that challenge in the form of a mountain called Kyzyl Asker, a 5842 meter (19,166 ft) tower with a 1220 meter (4000 ft) race that required two weeks to complete.

In late August,  Sean Villanueva O'Driscoll, Nicolas Favresse, Stéphane Hanssens and Evrard Wendenbaum gathered in China with no specific climbing objective in mind. They had read about a region in the Tien Shan Mountain Range that offered excellent opportunities to tackle unclimbed routes across a wild, rugged region that is seldom visited by outsiders.

After clearing some logistical hurdles and gathering what they though were the right permits, they set out for their destination using camels to shuttle their gear. After setting up Base Camp, they surveyed he area and settled on Kyzl Asker as their target. But they soon discovered that the permit they had been issued was meant for trekking only and not climbing. It also had a number of other restrictions that were problematic to the expedition as well. Luckily they had a Chinese liaison officer with them who helped get the issues resolved so they could proceed.

Once the team had its objective picked out, they began moving their gear to Advanced Base Camp so they could being the ascent. Of course, these types of climbs are never easy and there are always unexpected challenges along the way. The four men had to deal with altitude, cold temperatures, constantly changing weather, illness and a host of other issues. Eventually they did climb the wall, but it took them 14 days to do so, topping out on September 22.


You can read a full account of the China Jam Expedition, as it has come to be known, on the Petzl blog. Evrad also wrote extensively about the climb as well, posting updates to his blog too. Those are in French however, so if that isn't a language you're proficient in, you'll need to run the reports through Google Translate first. I think it'll be worth your effort however, as this sounds like it was quite an experience.

Finally, check out the video below to see how the expedition not only got its name but also what the boys did to pass the time while suspended on Kyzyl Asker's big wall. These guys have quite a career ahead of them when they're done climbing.


China Jam - Portaledge Song from Evrard Wendenbaum on Vimeo.

Back in August and September I posted a couple of time about the TitiKayak expedition. For those who don't recall, that was the attempt by Belgian adventurer Louis-Philippe Loncke and Peruvian explorer Gadiel "Cho" Sanchez Rivera to become the first people to circumnavigate Lake Titicaca by kayak. The lake, which is located at 3812 meters (12,507 ft) in altitude and falls along the border of Peru and Bolivia, covers an area of 8372 sq. km (3232 sq. miles) and is widely considered to be the highest navigable lake in the world. Lonke and Rivera set out to paddle 1100 km (683 miles) around Titicaca's parameter while taking photographs if its shoreline and GPS coordinates of its current position. The hope is that the data will allow researchers to study the impact of climate change on the lake in the years to come by having baseline numbers to compare their readings to.

The expedition actually wrapped up in late September but due to busy schedules and other commitments, it has taken a bit of time to upload the photos from their journey and share details of what it was like out on the water. All told, it took Lou-Phi and Cho 38 days to paddle around the lake, staying close to the shore for most of the way. Stopping frequently to take photos and gather GPS data, the two men were meticulous in their approach and stuck closely to their plan as much as they could. They did run into some issues when attempting to cross the border into Bolivia, as law enforcement at the checkpoint between the countries were reluctant to let them pass, in part because they had never seen a kayak before. It took two days to sort out the paperwork, but eventually it came together and the adventurers were allowed to continue on their way.


Dealing with immigration officers were the least of their worries however and there were plenty of other challenges to keep them on their toes. For starters, August and September are winter months in the Southern Hemisphere and this was one of the coldest winters in recent memories. The boys faced freezing temps for much of the way and the Puno region through which they traveled received its highest amount of snowfall in the past 30 years. Cold temperatures, snow and a big lake don't always make for the best of conditions.

The primary focus of the expedition was to not just paddle around its shores but to also survey the health of the body of water. What Loncke and Sanchez Rivera discovered is that Titicaca is facing some serious challenges. The water was littered with garbage and is contaminated by chemicals and sewage dumped into into it from the surrounding communities. In short, the lake faces some major issues in the future and with no regulation or proper water treatment in place, it is going to get much worse before it ever starts to get better.

You can read more about the expedition and the team's experiences on the TitiKayak blog. You can also review the photos they took along the way in their Photo Inventory. All of the images have been uploaded and organized, but GPS coordinates have not been matched to them just yet. That is a big job that will be completed sometime early next year, completing the full data set of the inventory.

Congrats to Lou-Phi and Cho on completing this amazing adventure. Great effort on both the exploration and environmental front.

The 2013 Antarctic season is still three months from getting underway and yet it is already shaping up to be an interesting one. Last week I told you about the husband and wife team of Chris and Marty Fagan who will be heading to the South Pole together in November and yesterday I received word about an even more ambitious expedition. In December, 19-year old Parker Liautaud will attempt to set a new speed record for skiing to the South Pole, covering the distance from the Ross Ice Shelf to 90ºS in just 22 days.

The expedition is set to begin, weather permitting, on December 3. On that date, Parker will embark on a 400 mile (643 km) journey to the Pole that will be a true test of his endurance and dedication. If he hopes to break the speed record he'll need to average 18 miles (29 km) each and every day, which is a lot to ask in an environment like the one he'll find in the Antarctic. Even during the summer months in the Southern Hemisphere conditions can be challenging there. Temperatures will routinely fall between -28ºC (-18ºF) and -60ºC (-76ºF). High winds, whiteout conditions and sudden snow storms can all make it tough for him to complete those distances. If he is successful, he'll also become the youngest man to ski the full distance to the Pole as well.

Despite his young age, Parker is no stranger to polar exploration. He has skied to the North Pole on three separate occasions. Those were all "last degree" journeys however and his journey to the South Pole will be the full distance. His visits to 90ºN have all been guided by veteran polar explorer Doug Stoup as well. There is no word on whether or not Doug will join Parker on this journey too. The press release detailing the expedition says that it will be "unsupported" but there is no mention of whether or not it is also "solo." (Update: I've heard directly from Parker that Doug will indeed join him on this expedition!)


In keeping with the themes of his previous expeditions, Parker will once again be drawing attention to climate change, global warming and its effects on the polar ice caps. While he is skiing to the South Pole he will be taking samples of the snow that he passes by each day and he will deploy a brand new, lightweight weather station that will collect data in realtime. The hope is that through the samples and data collected, we'll begin to learn a little bit more about how climate change is impacting the Antarctic.

You'll be able to follow Parker when he gets underway at WillisResilience.com. Currently there is a clock there counting down the days until the start of expedition as well as some more info about the he hopes to accomplish while traveling through the Antarctic.

German equestrian explorer Guenter Wamser is nearing the end of an epic journey on horseback that has covered more than 25,000 km (15,535 miles) and nearly two decades of his life. Back in 1994, Guenter set out from Patagonia on horseback with the intention or riding north to the very top of Alaska. Now, he is deep in the Alaskan backcountry and nearing the end of his expedition, which has become not just an adventure but a way of life.

Guenter has dubbed his wandering journey the Transhumanica expedition and over they years it has taken him to some wild and remote places. His path began in Argentina and wandered into Chile, Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador, carrying him to the top of South America, which he reached in 1999 after five years in the saddle. But the ride didn't end there. In 2001 the German set off once again, passing through Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala and eventually Mexico which he reached in 2005.

The journey across Mexico was a long and rewarding one and reading Guenter's journal it is clear that he enjoyed his time there. But when he reached the border with the U.S. he ran into a bit of trouble. He seems that his horses had contracted a tropical disease on their journey and they were not allowed to enter the States. The horses were found a good home however and Guenter found new mounts in the form of four mustangs that he adoptedf rom the Bureau of Land Management. Those horses have been his companions through the final phase of his journey, a ride along the Continental Divide Trail.

In 2007 Guenter and his traveling companion Sonja Endlweber, began traveling north on the CDT, passing through New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming and Montana before eventually passing into Canada. As of last fall, they were in the Yukon territory, where they settled in for the winter. Earlier this year they returned to the trail with an end in sight and while the two riders are currently out of contact somewhere in the Alaskan wilderness, they will soon reach the northern most point of that state, thus bringing an end to the ride at last.


In his journal, Guenter says that his journey started simply as an adventure with his focus on riding across the Americas. But along the way it became less about getting to a destination and more about exploring the landscapes he was passing through and interacting with the people and cultures that he connected with along the way. He adopted a nomadic life that was its own reward. What he'll do after this trail comes to an end remains to be seen, but after so many years traveling on horseback, I have to imagine it'll be a challenge to return to a "normal" life.

Guenter is one of the founding members of the Long Rider's Guild and as such his journey by horseback has been an exemplary one in terms of distance and time on the trail, but also for how he has treated the animals that have helped him along the way. His horses have been cared for very well and not treated simply as beasts of burden but as companions and partners who came along on this adventure like any other teammate. It is admirable that this incredible journey is soon coming to and end, but even more so that Guenter will complete it in such an ethical manner.

Thanks to my friend CuChullaine for sharing this wonderful and amazing story.

The 2013 Antarctic season is still several months off but we all know that the keys to a successful expedition begins long before the teams ever hit the ice. With that in mind, the husband and wife duo of Chris and Marty Fagan are training hard for their attempt at skiing to the South Pole later this year as they hope to go unsupported to the bottom of the world.

The Fagans are already accomplished outdoor athletes. Both are ultra-runners and climbers with multiple 100 mile (160 km) trail runs and summits under their belt. In fact, the two first met while both were climbing Denali on separate expeditions back in 1998 and they've been practically inseparable ever since. The couple has a 12-year old son, who will not be joining them in the Antarctic.

The couple is planning on launching their South Pole expedition on November 23, although their exact schedule will obviously be dictated by the weather conditions. They'll start at the Ronne-Filchner Ice Shelf and cover 560 miles (901 km) on their way to 90ºS. They hope to wrap up the journey in just 45 days as that will be the amount of food they'll take with them when they get underway. In order to stay self-supported while out on the ice, they'll be pulling 180 pound (81 kg) sleds filled with gear and supplies. To prep for that kind of a load, the couple has augmented their traditional ultra-marathon training by dragging tired behind themselves for hours on end.

Chris and Marty have dubbed their expedition 3 Below Zero which they say is a reference to the members of their team. In addition to the couple themselves, the third member of the squad will be their friends, family and followers who will be cheering them on from home as they travel south. If thats the case, they can count me as a member of the team then as I'll certainly be following along.

Thanks to ExWeb for the tip on this story.

Freya Hoffmeister, the queen of long distance paddling, has returned to South America and is planning on resuming her epic journey around that continent by kayak. If all goes according to plan, Freya will hit the water again tomorrow and resume a journey that has already consumed many months out on the water.

Freya arrived back in Colombia on Tuesday and is now preparing to return to the border between that country and Venezuela where she'll climb back into her boat and once again continue her journey. She has been back home in Germany since May and during that time she has gathered her strength, taken care of pressing business and generally been getting ready for the next leg of the journey. If all goes according to plan, she'll soon round the top of South America and start heading south, back to Buenos Aires where she first launched her expedition in September of 2011, early two years ago.

Initially Freya believed it would take 24 months for her to cover the 24,000 km (14,913 mile) circumnavigation of South America. She is rapidly closing in on that date and there is no way she can finish in the time frame that she has set for herself. She still has thousands of kilometers to go and plenty of challenges ahead. Nothing she can't handle of course, after all we are talking about a woman who managed to paddle around Australia a few years back. Yes, Australia.

If you want to follow Freya's progress as she turns for home, check out her blog, which she updates on an almost daily basis while paddling. Sometimes it's just to report her daily mileage and location and other times it's more in depth about what she is experiencing while out on the water.

Another impressive adventure. It looks like Freya will be on track to wrap up her expedition sometime later this year. There are some big challenge that remain but she is determined and razor focused. I know I'd certainly never underestimate those qualities in a German woman.

Two explorers are about to embark on a paddling adventure around Lake Titicaca, the largest lake in South America and widely considered the highest navigable lake in the world. Their expedition is expected to take six weeks to complete and will cover 1100 km (683 miles) as they survey threats to the healthy of the lake, which is located at an altitude of 3812 meters (12,507 ft) in the Peruvian Andes.

Belgian adventurer Louis-Philippe Loncke and his partner Gadiel Sanchez Rivera will launch their kayak journey tomorrow, August 16. The plan is to circumnavigate the shoreline of the lake, taking GPS coordinates and extensive photographs to document the current position of the water, which can then be compared to future readings to determine if Titicaca is shrinking in size due to climate change. As temperatures warm up and glaciers in the Andes retreat, the rivers that feed the lake will provide less flow. That could spell trouble for the ecosystem around Lake Titicaca and the communities that fall on its shores.

Those same communities are already facing issues with water contamination due to chemicals and sewage being deposited directly into the water. The hope is that the expedition will help raise awareness of these threats to the lake and spur those communities to plan for water treatment options before it is too late. While paddling around Titicaca, the two explorers will discuss these issues with the local inhabitants, many of whom are already suffering as a result of pollution in the water.

Neither of these two men are strangers to exploration. Loncke, who is a member of the Explorers Club, once trekked solo and unsupported across the Simpson Desert in Australia and kayaked for 600 km (372 miles) along the waterways of his home country of Belgium. Rivera, who is better known by his nickname of Cho, spent two years walking the Amazon River with Ed Stafford a few years back. LouPhi and Cho have recently become fast friends and are now ready to embark on an adventure of their own.

A paddling expedition around Lake Titicaca sounds like it should be amazing and I'm actually surprised that no one has done it before. Taking GPS readings of the shore line may prove only marginally useful however as GPS readings are only accurate to within a few meters, which isn't necessarily close enough to track retreating water lines on the lake. The photographs they take will help to alleviate this somewhat and should prove useful in creating the first ever extensive inventory of the lake's shore. We'll be able to follow along with the adventure on LouPhi's blog where he will be documenting their findings and posting updates of their progress.

Remember the Coldest Journey expedition? It was the much vaunted attempt to cross Antarctica on skies in the winter, when the continent becomes one of the most inhospitable environments on the planet. When the expedition got underway this past March, it was with the anticipation that the team of explorers made up of Brits Brian Newham, Ian Prickett, Richmond Dykes, Rob Lambert and Spencer Smirl would traverse the Antarctic by way of the South Pole, covering some 4000 km (2485 miles) along the way. By June, that goal had become a distant memory however, as bad weather, incredibly difficult surface conditions and dangerous crevasses prevented the men from making the steady progress they had hoped. As a result, they put a halt to their journey and elected to set up camp and wait for a plane to come pick them up once spring had arrived. Two months later, they're still waiting for that plane, although they have had their first glimpse of things starting to turn in their favor.

For the past two months the team has essentially been camped in the same spot while they've waited for the winter to pass. During that time they have continued to focus on the scientific aspects of the expedition which consist of taking various weather readings to measure the impact of climate change on the environment in the Antarctic. While they haven't been able to make any progress forward or back, they are still going about the business of collecting data for ongoing research.

There was a glimmer of hope on the horizon this past week however as the sun has shown itself for the first time in weeks. During the Antarctic winter the days get increasingly shorter until the sun dips below the horizon altogether and the continent is shrouded in darkness. But that long night has come to an end at last and the sun has begun appearing above the horizon for the first time in quite awhile. The days may not be all that long just yet, but it is a start. And for this embattled crew, it is also the first sign that spring is approaching. That could mean that there is a light at the end of the tunnel for these five men who have been in Antarctica for a really long time.

We're still probably a couple of months away from any kind of evacuation taking place but the return of the sun is a good sign for these men. After weeks in nearly complete darkness, they'll now have some daylight to help bolster their spirits and mood. I'm sure at the moment they feel a bit like the expedition that the world has forgotten about, but optimism comes with the sun.

Hand in there boys! Spring will be here before you know it.

Starting today, two long distance cyclists will embark on an epic ride that will have them pass through 14 countries, on three continents, in an attempt to cover 18,000 km (11,184 miles) in just 100 days. The duo will go unsupported throughout the journey, averaging more than 180 km (112 miles) per day while carrying 30 kg (66 pounds) of equipment with them at all times. As is often the case these days, this expedition is being undertaken for a good cause as well.

The two men who will attempt this ride are Reza Pakravan and Steven Pawley, each of whom has a great deal of experience in endurance cycling. Back in 2011, Reza set a record for the fastest crossing of the Sahara Desert on a bike, while Steven has undertaken several long distance cycling expeditions as well. They'll need all of their considerable skills and experience to get through this journey however as it will be a tough one to complete.

Reza and Steven set out this morning from Nordkapp, Norway which actually sits above the Arctic Circle. They'll now ride south to Cape Town, South Africa and their eventual finish line. With that route in mind, they've named their endeavor the Cycle Kapp to Cape expedition. Over the next 3+ months, their route will take them through Finland, Russia, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Iran. They'll then hop a flight to Egypt and resume the pedaling through Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and on into South Africa.

While the two cyclists hope to set a speed record on their way to Cape Town they have bigger, more altruistic goals in mind as well. They are attempting to raise £28,000 ($43,320) to build new schools in Madagascar. Reza and Steven are working in conjunction with Azafady, a nonproft that is striving to eradicate poverty and environmental damage in that country and they believe a good education is key to achieving those goals.

You'll be able follow the riders' progress through their blog, Facebook page and Twitter stream. Since they have just gotten underway this morning, there isn't much to report just yet, but expect plenty of updates from the road soon.

Good luck boys!

Dimitri Kieffer is a lot of things. Born in France, he now holds dual citizenship in that country and the U.S. He is an international businessman, member of the Explorers Club, an ultrarunner and adventure racer, amongst other things. He also happens to be making a human powered circumnavigation of the globe, a journey he is making in stages as he explorers the cultures and histories of the places that he visits along the way.

Dimitri's adventure began in Alaska back in 2005 when he set out on foot from Anchorage. Walking west he eventually reached the Bering Strait, which he trekked, skied and swam across in order to reach Russia at Uelen, Chukotka Okrug in April 2006. From there he continued on foot through the remote eastern regions of that country before reaching Omsukchan where he decided to take a break from the expedition to pursue other goals. He returned to that city in 2011 and began the next phase of the journey on a bike. He, and his then girlfriend and now wife Gulnara, rode 1962 km (1219 miles) along the infamous "road of bones" to reach the town of Yakutsk. Last year, Dimitri returned to that city and rode another 4049 km (2515 miles) to Khakhorin, Mongolia. He is currently in Ulaanbaatar preparing to resume his journey aboard his bike once again. He now has his sights set on China and Kazakhstan.

So far, over the course of his travels, Kieffer has covered 11,391 km (7078 miles) with a total of 409 days of riding, walking and skiing.  Of those, 5230 km (3250 miles) were covered over six winters stretching from 2005-2008 and again in 2010. The past two summers he has covered an additional 6161 km (3828 miles), primarily on his bike. Of course, he has a long way to go before he is completely done, but you have to admire Dimitri's focus and dedication to seeing this project through to completion.

You can follow his updates on both his website and Facebook page. Since he will be departing on the next leg of the journey very soon, you should start to see regular dispatches on his progress in the near future. It should be interesting to read about the expedition as it continues to unfold.

Not long after archaeologists discovered a lost city hidden in a remote area of Cambodia a similar find has been unearthed in Mexico as well. The settlement is believed to date back as far as 600 AD and was once one of the largest cities in the Mayan Empire.

A team of researchers first spotted the ancient site in ariel photographs but had to actually get on site to confirm their speculation of a hidden Mayan city located in the Yucatan region. It took a group of explorers three weeks to hack their way through ten miles of jungle just to reach the place that they call "Chactun," but when they got there, their efforts were well rewarded.

The archaeologists have only just begun to clear the site but they have already found a stunning array of structures. So far the site spans some 54 acres with stone structures stretching out across the area. They have discovered 15 pyramids so far, the tallest of which is over 75 feet in height. They've even discovered a couple of ball courts used in a Mayan sport that is not unlike basketball. The inclusion of such buildings indicate that this was an important city that likely had a population of between 30,000 and 40,000 people at its height.

Researchers are hoping that the city can provide some clues as to what happened to the Mayans. Ranging from 600 AD to 900 AD they were the dominant civilization in the region. But after that they started to decline very rapidly and it didn't take long for the empire to collapse. Exactly why that happened remains a mystery.

The journey to find this lost city must have been like something out of an Indiana Jones movie. The team that made their way through the Yucatan jungles no doubt faced some serious challenges on their way to the site. Taking three weeks to cover ten miles must have tested their resolve at times but their persistence payed off and when they arrived in Chactun they were rewarded with an amazing find.

I continue to marvel at these stories and I love that we're still discovering things like the city in Mexico and the one in Cambodia. I would love to be a part of either of these teams as they explore these ancient sites. Who knows what wonders they'll uncover at either location and how they will impact our understanding of our ancient ancestors.

It has been a couple of days since we last heard from the Expedition Denali team, who should be getting close to making their final summit push. The climbers have now been on the mountain for 17 days and as of Saturday, everything was ready for them start moving up one last time. In their last dispatch they were waiting at 14,200 ft (4328 meters) and if the weather was good they were planning to climb up to 17,200 ft (5242 meters) on Sunday. That would have put them into position to summit yesterday and yet no word has come. We can only assume that they are currently in a holding pattern as they watch for a weather window to open.

You'll no doubt recall that the Expedition Denali team is the group of African American climbers who have set the goal of summiting Denali in an effort to inspire young people – and especially minority kids – to become more engaged with the outdoors. The climbers hope that their adventure will encourage others to seek their own. With that in mind, their expedition is being filmed and will eventually be turned into a documentary to help spread the word of their accomplishments and show youth of color that they too can chase their dreams.

Their efforts have already started to pay off around the country. Youth groups who have been following the climb have begun launching their own "10,000 Steps to Denali" activities to show support for the team. That is the number of steps they estimate it will take to climb from High Camp to the Summit, and while the kids they are inspiring won't be carrying heavy packs through snow and ice and in thin air, they are still seeking their own adventures none the less.

For now, we'll all have to wait to see if and when the team can top out. They've put in all the work and they are ready to go, but until the mountain cooperates, they'll just have to sit tight. Lets hope they get their opportunity soon.

Watch for updates at the Expedition Denali website and on Facebook and Twitter.

I want to take this opportunity to send a note out to my friend Dave Cornthwaite who had to make the tough – but correct – decision to step away from the current stage of his Expedition 1000 project. Over the past few years we've watched Dave accomplish some amazing things, including stand-up paddleboarding the length of the Mississippi River and swimming for a 1000 miles (1600 km) down the Missouri River. Yesterday we may have seen him do the bravest thing yet – step away from an expedition when you know that you're at your physical and mental limits.

For nearly two months Dave, and his companion Squash Falconer, have been zipping around Europe on ElliptiGO bikes, traveling through the U.K., the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, France and other countries. They've covered nearly 2000 miles (3218 km) in the process and have enjoyed their time on the road. But awhile back, Dave was carrying his ElliptiGO bike down a flight of stairs in Zurich when he slipped and injured his back. Like a true adventurer, he shrugged it off and vowed to soldier on, but as the days passed the injury didn't get any better and in fact it got worse. Mile after mile he continued to ride his bike, even though his body was telling him it needed a rest. Finally, a few days ago, Dave reached his physical limit and simply didn't have any more gas left in the chamber. In order to look after his health, he knew he had to leave the expedition, but that would mean admitting failure, something that he had never had to face on his previous journeys.

Squash will continue on with the final two weeks of the trip. She'll go from Nice to Paris, their intended finishing spot, on her own. But Dave will now head home for a much needed and much deserved rest. The Expedition 1000 project has been his main focus for several years now and I'm sure a little time off to recuperate and recharge the batteries will do him some good.

Get well soon mate and rest well knowing that you made the right choice. You know there are many more adventures to come, more opportunities to say yes more and of course more boobs to be saved. You're an inspiration to many and we'll all be pulling for a speedy recovery.

I wrote about this a few days ago at Gadling.com, where it has garnered quite a bit of interest, so I thought I'd share it here as well.

A few weeks back I posted a story about how Amelia Earhart's plane may have been found at long last.  Last summer a of group of researchers with The International Group for Historic Aircraft Recovery (TIGHAR) went to the remote island of Nikumaroro in the South Pacific, where they believe Amelia Earhart and her co-pilot Fred Noonan crashed while attempting to cross the Pacific Ocean in 1937. A few years ago, a jar of anti-freckle cream dating back to that era, that was also consistent with a brand that Earhart used, was found on the uninhabited island, which led to the expedition to explore the waters off its shores for signs of Earhart's missing Lockheed Electra aircraft. The team found nothing however and they returned home early and dejected.

But once they had a chance to begin examining the sonar data their remote vehicles used to map the waters off Nikumaroro, they discovered an odd anomaly in one of the readings. Upon further examination, it became clear that whatever it was that they had detected, it wasn't a rock or other natural formation. They came to the conclusion that there was something large and manmade in those waters that looked an awful lot like the fuselage of an airplane. The team was cautiously optimistic that they may have discovered the Electra and possibly bringing to an end one of the great mysteries of the 20th century.

There were problems with the data however as the image was incomplete. The sonar reading had what are known as "ping drops" during which not all of the sound waves from the device are picked up upon their return. This can happen due to environmental issues or equipment malfunctions, but it results in an incomplete image of whatever is out in the water.

To fill in some of those gaps, the TIGHAR team turned over their data to a company called Oceanic Imaging Consultants, Inc., which is headquartered in Honolulu, Hawaii. OIC then ran the readings through their own computers in an attempt to get a more complete picture of whatever the object is that is resting on the ocean floor just off the coast of Nikumaroro. The company was able to restore some of the dropped pings and get a clearer image of the anomaly then was possible with the original data.
 And what did they find? You might expect that after further analysis, the object doesn't appear to be a plane at all. But in this case, you would be wrong. The enhanced data from OIC only further supports the theory that this could be Earhart's plane. Whatever the object is that the TIGHAR team discovered, it is the same size and shape of a Lockheed Electra aircraft.

Of course, the team would like to go back and examine the object first hand, but putting an expedition together to do just that is expensive and time consuming. Their last journey to Nikumaroro cost $3 million, which was partially financed by the Discovery Channel to create a documentary on the team's findings. There is no word yet if Discovery is game for another go, but there is certainly a lot of interest in the outcome of this story.

The disappearance of Amelia Earhart has been one of those stories that has fascinated me my entire life. To think that we might actually learn about her ultimate fate at long last is exciting. For those that wonder, if Earhart and Noonan did crash on Nikumaroro, their story probably didn't end well. The island doesn't have any kind of fresh water and there are few things to eat as well. Their existence on the island was probably rather brief and not especially comfortable.