Hannah McKeand has updated her website today with the first dispatch of her North Pole expedition. She writes that the past day or so has been a whirl wind of activity as she prepares for her next Polar Adventure.
In preparation for her solo, and unsupported, journey to the North Pole, Hannah has been packing, repacking, and then repacking some more, as she tries to get her gear organized and ready. She's also been testing everything out and done some light skiing to "stretch the legs". Yesterday she went out on a test run and fired her shotgun that she'll be carrying along with her this time out. When she went to the South Pole last year polar bears weren't a concern, but this year she'll have to deal with them as well as the harsh conditions.
Today she finalized her preparations and was taken, along with all of her gear, to a hanger that was crowded with other people and their gear. Tomorrow the specially fitted snow planes will begin shuttling the explorers out to their starting points, but for today it was a reunion of old friends. Hannah recognized a number of faces from Patriot Hills last year, all gearing up for their North Pole expeditions this season.
So, with the people and gear in place, it seems we're just on the edge of the 2008 North Pole season getting underway. Starting next week, I'm sure we'll begin to hear from teams as they depart out onto the ice. Hannah closes her dispatch by saying: "Next time I write I will be all be myself!"
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