Men of Action: The Bite of Adventure
04 Oct 2013
The decision to leave home is never taken lightly. It requires courage and determination, but also a sense of adventure. Adventure was certainly a driving force behind Wild Geese, who have left their home for foreign lands, where they faced the unknown.
Today adventurers tackle an uncertain horizon to achieve extraordinary things, just as The Wild Geese® did.
That's exactly what Ben Saunders and Tarka L'Herpeniere are planning to do. In mid October they will recreate the Terra Nova expedition, Captain Scott's march to the South Pole.
This will be the longest unsupported polar expedition, which means they will have to take all supplies with them on a specialised sledge called a pulk, weighing approximately 200kg! The journey is 1,800 miles, which equates to 69 back to back marathons - at -50 degrees temperatures!
To do this, Ben and Tarka will walk for 9 hours a day and will need to stop every 90 minutes to refuel, but as Ben explained, it is 'a physical and mental challenge at the very limits of what's possible'.
When we think of what Ben and Tarka, it's amazing what a sense of adventure can achieve. The anticipation they must be feeling is akin to how The Wild Geese® felt on the shores of Limerick.