Day 20: Finally leaving the South Pole and some great big thank-yous
As the team finally leaves Union Glacier, the Test Your Limits team thanks the people that made their trek possible.
Well, what an ordeal! They got the plane fixed. We will be leaving in about six hours – the Ilyushin is on route. Dale has pills to see him through to T.O.!
This has been an epic and amazing adventure.
Polar Explorers, you are an incredible guide team leading us to our goal while providing an environment of safety and fun. The team was solid from the start and coalesced on the journey.
There are many tales that will stay at the pole (booty buffs!). Despite the challenges with the weather, the grueling skiing to the Pole followed by the unexpected and near interminable wait, the team came closer together (movie nights in Canada).
… P.S. When I said this was my last TYL trip, my fingers were crossed (sorry Mom!), so stay tuned for the next big TYL adventure.
Thank Yous
None of the Test Your Limits trips would be possible without IWD. As always, our immense thanks for making these adventures possible! You’ve been more than generous to our program and completely bought into the meaning and purpose of the TYL program.
The one who made the blog possible is Alyshia Van Veen who patiently transcribed my personal blog after we encountered a fatal technical malfunction and the original transmission plan exploded!
Thanks to the Yahoo! Canada for the incredible exclusive coverage of our story!!! The main purpose of the trip was to get the message of organ and tissue donation out to Canada – your coverage made this possible!
OSC – your gear is gnarly. Without a doubt, the black sweater jackets were the talk of the South Pole station. Tammy and Johnny – wow!
Henry’s – what great pictures your cameras have taken. Granted I had to press a button, but really that was it – the Nikon did the rest.
Warnaco for our brilliant, cozy and fashionable T-shirts.
The Medical Post for following along with our journey – thankfully, we had no big medical catastrophes.
HeartLinks – you are the incentive/motivation for the TYL program. It is your incredible will to survive and to strive, each story, each journey, a TYL event.
The Windsor Arms celebration team – thanks to George Friedmann for all of the hard work and for an amazing venue and a brilliant night. Thank you to June Black for her photos for the silent auction!
To our trip supporters: Gallery 133, BMW, A-M Canning – thanks!
My personal thank you goes out to my parents for raising me to believe anything is possible if you put your mind to it.
Huge thanks to Kim Van Dyk (RMT) and Stefan Overgaard (personal trainer), for keeping this 50-year-old bucket of bones in good enough shape to do this trip!!!!!!!
Peter, thanks for the tires – this time, I know you don’t want them back!
And to all of the amazing individuals who gave an incredible amount of time to put these pieces together – Nic, Nona, Linda, and all the team at the PMCC Foundation.
A big shout-out to David MacKay (one word: theskyisfullofstars!) for countless hours behind the scenes helping to make and keep connections.
And of course, last but not least, our amazing team back home who are working like crazy so Diego and I could be here.
Dr. Heather Ross is travelling to the South Pole to raise awareness for heart disease.
Follow her Journey to the Bottom of the Earth exclusively on Yahoo! Canada.