Ripley Davenport pointing at Mongolia on the map (click to enlarge)
Training with tyres (click to enlarge)
Getting ready for the long walk across Mongolia. Images courtesy of Ripley Davenport and mongolia2010.com (click to enlarge)
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Heads up: Ripley Davenport’s 2010 walk across Mongolia
Posted: Aug 05, 2009 08:10 am EST
(ThePoles.com) During the past three years Briton Ripley Davenport has been preparing for his attempt to walk approximately 1700 miles / 2750 km across Mongolia, starting April 2010. He will be pulling his provisions in a specifically designed wheeled trailer during his planned 90-day walk.
The route
Ripley plans to walk from the eastern town of Halhgol across Mongolia to Ölgiy, 100 km from the western border. According to him this will be the first recorded solo and unassisted traverse across Mongolia.
“With the aid of several accurate maps and a few major mathematical calculations, I am estimating the distance of the trek to cover around 2750km - give or take.
This means I will be looking at covering a minimum of 30 km a day,” Ripley explained.
“I do intend to take a few rest days along the route to carry out any repairs and do any needed chores.”
The trek will take him through the Eastern Mongolian Steppe, the Gobi Desert and the Altai Mountain Range. Ripley will be hauling all his provisions and equipment weighing in excess of 200 kg in a wheeled trailer, specifically designed for the journey, he stated.
Equipment and provisions
Ripley will wear his clothes in layers to manage his moisture levels.
He explained about his provisions: “Food is fuel for this self-propelled journey and fuel is essential for cooking meals, as well as supplying heat in the evening. Indeed these two commodities will represent the bulk of what I will be pulling.”
“For sustenance the three main 'food groups' for the journey will consist of fats (salami, nuts/seeds, cheese/butter), sugars (chocolate etc.) and carbohydrates (noodles, rice, cous-cous and oatmeal). Breakfast will consist of oatmeal, while lunch is fused with snacks.”
Past and Future expeditions
Since 1992 Ripley has done various expeditions, some of the alone. Among his adventures are the Kungsleden Trail in the Swedish Arctic, the Namib Desert in Namibia, the Karakum Desert in Central Asia (Uzbekistan – Turkmenistan), and more.
As for future expeditions he announced many plans:
2011: North Pole - Anglo-American Trans-Arctic Expedition: On Thin Ice
Todd Carmichael (US) Solo to the North Pole from Greenland
Ripley Davenport (UK) Solo New Route from North Pole to Canada.
Ripley has yet to set a date for the following expeditions:
Solo, unassisted trek - Western Sahara Desert
Solo, unassisted trek - Karakum Desert
Solo, unassisted trek - Atacama Desert
2nd solo attempt to traverse the Namib desert
Solo, unassisted trek - Kazakh Steppe
Home team
Ray Zahab – personal trainer, Polar adventurer and founder of impossible2Possible (i2P).
Laura Davenport - Administration and Logistics
Patrons: Polar adventurers Todd Carmichael and Dixie Dansercoer
Bio courtesy of Ripley’s website:
Ripley "Doc" Davenport, 39 years old, served in a Special Forces unit of the Royal Navy. He served in the first Gulf War, Bosnia, Northern Ireland and in the West Indies on numerous Anti-drug patrols aboard the Royal Navy ship HMS Active.
During his service, Ripley successfully completed many courses, such as intelligence photographer, survivalist, ships diver and rescue swimmer.
He has recently joined the i2P - impossible2Possible team as an Inspirational Ambassador and remains loyal and dedicated in supporting UNICEF and Hope & Homes for Children.
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