Uber Gruber where are you?

[Rockin Robbins]

This is totally off-topic and moderators may choose to give this the kiss of death and banish it to the general forum (I hope not, though).

I was thinking of Uber Gruber, our Irish sub skipper whose been missing in action for quite a while here and thought others may wish to know his whereabouts. He's a bit landlocked right now: actually 60 nautical miles from the south pole, a long way away from anything submarine. Here's his last post from his "vacation".

89th Degree (January 4, 2008)

Two days ago, New Years Day, my heels were in agony and I could no longer ski. I took my skis off to try walking. My feet were numb, like blocks of concrete. I stumbled and fell, got up, staggered, and fell again. I could go no further. As the rest of the team rallied round I crawled to the end of my sledge, sat down and looked into a chasm of despair. And then I cried, hot tears steaming up my goggles, closing me off from the world.Something stirred in me then. Something I rarely see. I got up, reattached my sledge and edged one foot forwards, then the other, counting each tentative step. The sole of my right boot came away but I ignored it and carried on. Reciting the alphabet, first forwards, then backwards. Singing, stray lines from songs between big gulps of air, always moving till finally I reached our camp.
That was two days ago. This morning we crossed the 89th Parallel, a popular starting point for people who wish to walk the last 60 Nautical miles to the pole. I try to imagine I'm one of them, in good health, fully fed and keen to ski the 'Last Degree'. But the image doesn't last long. We've hauled over 1000km for 54 days to reach this point, we have lost a lot of weight, we look awful and we smell.
Now, as I sit in the tent, massaging Arnica Oil into my heels and tending to my sloughing soles, I accept my last degree will be a mountain. Yet not even death itself will stop me from reaching its summit.

http://www.polarblogger.com/
His ETA to the pole is Tuesday. Hats off to an uncommon man in an uncommon place!

[Rockin Robbins]

Dispatch from http://www.beyondendurance.ie/news/post/192, Pat Palvey, the expedition leader's website:

Success
A call was just received confirming the teams arrival at the South Pole at 4.30 Chilean time.
We will be compiling these dispatches properly when we get time…
HOORAY!!

This is a truly extraordinary achievement by an outstanding SUBSIM member. Upon his return we should raise the virtual rafters with our cheers!

[Zero Niner]

Which one is Uber, if he is in the pic?

[Rockin Robbins]

Originally Posted by Zero Niner

Which one is Uber, if he is in the pic?

You mean I should do my homework? Aye, aye, sir. BBIAF

[Rockin Robbins]

From left to right we have the all Irish team as follows:

Team Leader Pat Falvey, a youngster at age 50, veteran of more than 59 high adventure expeditions around the world.

Jonathan Bradshaw, 36, veteran adventurer of Africa, the Himalayas and New Zealand.

Uber Gruber, information withheld as I am not sure he wishes for his name to be out there in SUBSIM. I sure can't ask him right now.:rotfl:He is survivor of a cross Greenland expedition last year where Falvey selected him and Bradshaw for this historic south pole walking expedition.

Dr Clare O'Leary, 35, the first woman in history to walk to the south pole. There were several weeks during the journey where she was the only uninjured team member. She pulled a 500 lb plus sled just like the others. Hope she gets rich and famous. I fear the world is much too jaded for that much deserved outcome though.

Freddy T. Bear, age unknown, on top of the pole in the foreground, accompanies Pat Falvey on all expeditions, writing a blog for the benefit of school kids around the world. Here's the link http://www.patfalvey.com/freddy.htm. What a bear!

So there we have it. I'll release more information as it becomes available, such as will they walk the rest of the way across the continent, having reached this milestone. That's in the plan, but how do you stay motivated after reaching the pole? Remember, they can just fly out nowdays.

[AVGWarhawk]

Great achievement but looks damn cold

[Travis Reed]

I dunno about anyone else, but my sub doesn't have any rafters, virtual or otherwise...

...course, I'll have to be on the surface, otherwise I'll sink like a stone when my crew and I blow the whole top of the sub off...

[ReallyDedPoet]

Originally Posted by Rockin Robbins

Dispatch from http://www.beyondendurance.ie/news/post/192, Pat Palvey, the expedition leader's website:

This is a truly extraordinary achievement by an outstanding SUBSIM member. Upon his return we should raise the virtual rafters with our cheers!

Quite an accomplishment


RDP