ID :
117515
Mon, 04/19/2010 - 17:38
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/117515
The shortlink copeid
MONGOLIA TRAILER BROKE DOWN AND EVACUATED
Ulaanbaatar, /MONTSAME/ "The last 24 hours have been the most unmerciful 24 hours of my life and sat here alone in the darkness, on the fringes of the Steppe,” wrote Ripley Davenport on April 17 in his blog, when his trailer with its 247 kg load broke down after 12 km on the trek.
Three days ago he started his walk across Mongolia. Now, no good news from him, his wife Laura told ExplorersWeb.A minor flaw in his trailer’s design brought an end to his expedition; for now at least, assured Ripley. ”So much time and preparation went into this expedition that it became an obsession.”
As he left Choibalsan, the eastern province's center, a few days ago and stepped out onto the edge of the Mongolian Steppe he was taken back by the sheer view of what laid ahead of him, “A land littered with immense pot holes, washes, muddy ground, soft sand and deep trenches. I had expected to be tested to the full but this was a minefield of obstacles and covering just 1 km in a little over 4 hours is heart breaking and emotionally destroying.” In all directions for about 30km laid the same ground.
The trailer, Miss Molly, was loaded with 247 kg and “no easy feat to pull at the best of times but over dreadful ground is near impossible.” Ripley said he unloaded and reloaded her weight 15 to 20 times and dug her out of black mud more times than he could remember.
He explained what happened, “The wheels were subjected to a lot of impact and relentless blowing sand and grit made its way in to everything. Molly's ball bearings were eroded and several were mere metal fragments and fine silver dust in two of the wheels. I did change the bearings but the terrain and weight got the better of her. There are only so many bearings to take as spares and I expended them all.”
After a lengthy conversation with his wife, Ripley decided to pause the expedition, “not stop”, he stressed, and called in help. “Unable to move, I waited in a bitterly windy and icy dark Steppe for evacuation.” Ripley said he is going back to Denmark and will return as soon as possible with a stronger trailer.
Earlier he reported that wild dogs attacked him. He scared the dogs off with his pepper spray and walking stick. A wolf also followed him.
British Adventurer, Ripley Davenport, will attempt a 1700 miles / 2750 km crossing of the Eastern Mongolian Steppe, Gobi Desert and the Altai Mountain Range, while hauling provisions and equipment weighing in excess of 250kg in a wheeled trailer, specifically designed for the journey, in 90 days or less.
He resides in Denmark with his Lithuanian wife, Laura and two kids, Stella and Scott. In 1998, Ripley completed a solo trek across the Karakum Desert in 21 days with one water resupply. Then in the same year, Ripley successfully crossed the Namib Desert, solo and unassisted, with two camels in 82 days.
In 1999, he spent two weeks in the company of the Air Tuareg of Niger. The purpose was to learn about desert living and their culture.
S.Batbayar
Three days ago he started his walk across Mongolia. Now, no good news from him, his wife Laura told ExplorersWeb.A minor flaw in his trailer’s design brought an end to his expedition; for now at least, assured Ripley. ”So much time and preparation went into this expedition that it became an obsession.”
As he left Choibalsan, the eastern province's center, a few days ago and stepped out onto the edge of the Mongolian Steppe he was taken back by the sheer view of what laid ahead of him, “A land littered with immense pot holes, washes, muddy ground, soft sand and deep trenches. I had expected to be tested to the full but this was a minefield of obstacles and covering just 1 km in a little over 4 hours is heart breaking and emotionally destroying.” In all directions for about 30km laid the same ground.
The trailer, Miss Molly, was loaded with 247 kg and “no easy feat to pull at the best of times but over dreadful ground is near impossible.” Ripley said he unloaded and reloaded her weight 15 to 20 times and dug her out of black mud more times than he could remember.
He explained what happened, “The wheels were subjected to a lot of impact and relentless blowing sand and grit made its way in to everything. Molly's ball bearings were eroded and several were mere metal fragments and fine silver dust in two of the wheels. I did change the bearings but the terrain and weight got the better of her. There are only so many bearings to take as spares and I expended them all.”
After a lengthy conversation with his wife, Ripley decided to pause the expedition, “not stop”, he stressed, and called in help. “Unable to move, I waited in a bitterly windy and icy dark Steppe for evacuation.” Ripley said he is going back to Denmark and will return as soon as possible with a stronger trailer.
Earlier he reported that wild dogs attacked him. He scared the dogs off with his pepper spray and walking stick. A wolf also followed him.
British Adventurer, Ripley Davenport, will attempt a 1700 miles / 2750 km crossing of the Eastern Mongolian Steppe, Gobi Desert and the Altai Mountain Range, while hauling provisions and equipment weighing in excess of 250kg in a wheeled trailer, specifically designed for the journey, in 90 days or less.
He resides in Denmark with his Lithuanian wife, Laura and two kids, Stella and Scott. In 1998, Ripley completed a solo trek across the Karakum Desert in 21 days with one water resupply. Then in the same year, Ripley successfully crossed the Namib Desert, solo and unassisted, with two camels in 82 days.
In 1999, he spent two weeks in the company of the Air Tuareg of Niger. The purpose was to learn about desert living and their culture.
S.Batbayar
