Interesting article on "Firsts" in Antarctica.

[Richpips]

If you've seen recently in the national press some coverage of 2 dudes who "raced" across Antarctica, then this might be of interest.

It's also of interest as to how ethics change over time in a sport and for what reasons.

.......No one claims to be the first to do The Longest Journey I Could Afford Right Now.

[voodoo_simon]

Afraid I can't see a link?

[fatbikerbill]

this is probably it

https://explorersweb.com/2019/01/09/cro ... from-here/

[Moder-dye]

Cheers
I usually follow these attempts out of interest. Been some good interviews on Paul Kirtleys podcast over the years too.

Edit: An interesting read, thanks
Wondered about the support from sat comms too in terms of emotional support and weather advice etc as opposed to just emergency. I think it was maybe James Hayden? who said he considers phoning home/a friend for emotional support on things like TCR as out side assistance.

[jameso]

Interesting article. From creation of strava segments over the same road/hill up to this, enough people care about the headline more than the detail. And to be blunt, F ' those manipulated or PR-managed results : ) I find the detail far more interesting. I think most of the achievements I've been inspired by were some sort of failure, or 2nd places or efforts for the hell of it with no 'first', etc. Always think the Tour rider who makes a solo break for 100 miles over the mountains is the winner despite being caught 2km from the line.

...phoning home/a friend for emotional support on things like TCR as out side assistance.

The Great Divide Race did also. W/o wish to go OT, Matt Lee's take on that for the TDR that's now eclipsed the GDR, is that you can't stop the march of technology here and you can't police it so let riders (individually and collectively) choose how to handle those and other ethical grey areas. Good style is important, more important than actual or objective results to me. Winning/'Firsts' gets you paid more, that's all.

[Alpinum]

Wondered about the support from sat comms too in terms of emotional support and weather advice etc as opposed to just emergency.

Of course. We're all just humans. Exposure and solitude can be suffocating. It's very different if you're traveling with a companion or not. Even just dropping a message (not waiting/checking to see if it's been received) helps much. It's like a release valve.

10 days alone (not seeing any humans at all) with no communication is tough, 20 day with my girlfriend or a rope partner or whatever companion - easy.

The motivation to call home during an ultra event like TCR may seem similar but I think (for me) it's rooted differently as in such events you have the possibility to talk to a stranger at least once a day - which already makes a huge difference. Unless you seriously struggle to interact with strangers. So there's a mix of emotional support (most of which most get from home rather than from a stranger, who struggles/isn't interested to understand you) and the pure need to interact with an other human in any way.
I often find it very relaxing, when after multiple days without any interaction, I meet a complete stranger. It really puts me back onto the ground. Funnily the language is then stuck. Not talking to others except yourself for days or even weeks leaves an empty lingual blanket. The first conversation then has a huge impact and I tend to be stuck in it for 2 - 3 days afterwards, when alone again. Quite funny, because there are these foreign words in your head...

Many will tie it down to a call every couple of days or once a week. Messages often go back and forward on a daily basis in the evenings.
From own experience, the explorers I've met and the many books I read, I figured the pattern is very similar.

[Richpips]

Thanks fatbikerbill for the missing link.

[rando nomad]

A very well researched article. I think the author did a good job of laying out all the “firsts” and giving good examples of support that more modern expeditions have used. I think the best graphic was the one showing Ousland’s trans Antarctic route vs the one the most recent “race” used. A huge difference. Also, Dave Roberts article about Ousland in the NYT was very good and good and in a similar vein to this piece.