The Goliath Expedition

What would it take to forge an unbroken footpath from the bottom of South America back to London? This, remember, was the question that gave birth to this expedition. Nearly ten years later and we are still learning what this question entails. Over the last few years we have learned very interesting lessons while traveling through some of the remoter parts of the world. Political challenges combined with very real environmental ones and just how they can impact on an expedition like ours.

Given the apparently slow progress of the expedition since I arrived in Alaska in 2004, some may see this as falling short of the objective. I would have to disagree and ask you to take into account the overall purpose of the expedition. The fact is, by the very nature of the extremely challenging and unique self imposed rules, our core values, we face unique problems.

Most recently, these problems have been a combination of limited finances, national / regional politics and limited seasonal travel. Our ability to synchronize these elements has not been very effective, and recent fluctuations in the political picture have only compounded the problem.

There are other considerations that must also be taken into account. Risk taking, or pushing the pace outside what can be reasonably or safely planned, is all very adventurous and makes for great stories. But in the real world it’s a very serious subject. I’m no stranger to taking calculated risks, but as the expedition becomes better established I’m increasingly aware that I’m expected to perform in a more responsible manner. This point was brought home in Alaska a year or two ago when, after crossing Alaska, I requested the support of a helicopter on two separate occasions. The first was a false alarm, but unavoidable given the circumstances. The second, Dimitri Keiffer and I needed to be picked up 28miles out to sea and brought back to shore having been blown out on coastal ice during a 36hour storm. This led to negative press in Nome that also found voice in Fairbanks. The media implied that our risky behavior was endangering the lives of others. The expedition was forced to think about damage control incase our relations with Alaska did not recover. Next, of course, was the controversial entry into Russia.

Right then, what will it take to forge an unbroken footpath from the bottom of South America back to London? It requires a very steady hand. I’m required to tread softly, and not rock the boat anymore than necessary. The last thing I need now is to make a risky move and bring similar attention to myself in this part of Russia. It would take very little to get barred, thus putting the expedition in very hot water.

All these elements play a part in how I make decisions on the next move. At present it’s painfully slow and frustrating. This year has once again placed a number of obstacles in our path, some new, some old. The sudden arrival of new visa restrictions this winter by Russia, first delayed, then forced me to rethink the long term plan, whilst all but killing my hopes of getting back in time to be able to implement my plan on the ground. Once again the weather has left me stranded in Anadyr and the aircraft to Pevek simply sits on the tarmac as what limited days and weeks we have slip away. With the late arrival of the visa I even considered the option of postponing the return to Russia until next winter, so concerned was I about the cost. However, in the end I decided to return and get as far as I could before the break-up of the ice. It’s cost us thousands of dollars to get back to this point.

I have about 900 miles of open arctic /sub arctic tundra and river systems to traverse before I reach the Kolyma Highway. This large graded track between Magadan and Yakutsk, known as the ‘Road of Bones’, in effect connects me with home. During mid to late May comes the ‘break up’. This is the snow and ice melting and turning solid ground into water logged marsh and deadly, fast flowing rivers filled with massive boulders of melting ice. Planning become guesswork at this stage as movement is an unknown factor, if at all possible, in this environment. It will be late January before the rivers are again frozen to a safe thickness. The Russian authorities require sound plans and are very concerned about letting people travel alone without local escorts. So far they have allowed me to travel unescorted and I don’t want to be the one who might mess it up for others in the future.

It’s true that, while this section of the expedition bares virtually no resemblance to the journey north through the Americas, the aims and objectives have not changed. We play with the cards we are dealt and do the best we can to ensure the expedition arrives home leaving behind an unbroken trail of footprints. We are learning what that means in todays world and the adventure is taking on some odd forms. It’s not just the simple task of one foot in front of another, it’s all the twists and turns, pitfalls and victories that make this story one of a kind, a fascinating journey through the modern world, spanning almost a decade….so far.