I've mentioned Ripley Davenport on more than one occasion on the blog. He's the British adventurer that is preparing to trek across Mongolia on foot next year, solo and unsupported. He'll be crossing more than 1700 miles of some of the harshest terrain on the planet, including the Gobi Desert and the Mongolian Steppe, while pulling all of his supplies in a cart behind him. He expects to complete the journey in just three months time.
Today, ExWeb has posted an excellent interview with Ripley, who with just five months to go, is hurriedly putting the finishing touches on his expedition. In the interview, Ripley talks about the logistics of his preparation, what he's done to prepare and what else needs to be done before he goes. He's been working hard on his physical conditioning, testing and modifying the gear he'll use, and arranging for his travel in Monoglia as well. He also talks about the design and construction of the trailer he'll use along the way, his biggest challenges to date, and plenty more.
All in all, this is a good read, with some nice insights into what it takes to put together an epic solo expedition such as this one. There are so man behind the scenes things that go on that you never think about, that it is fascinating to get a peek behind the curtain sometimes.
I've been fortunate enough to chat with a number of amazing adventurers in recent months. People who are climbing big mountains, going to the Poles, or on expeditions like Ripley's, and there has been a common theme amongst many of them, which is "how do I get a sponsor?" With the economy still sluggish, sponsors are being very careful about how they spend their money, and Ripley talks about that a bit at the beginning of the story too, mentioning how time consuming it can be just to make contacts and have the opportunity to present to potential sponsors.
Let's hope the economy improves in 2010 so that more great expeditions like this one can get underway.
Written by 2Machupicchu
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