In 2002, Børge Ousland went on a 1,240 mile trek from Russia to Canada, becoming the first person to ever cross both the North and South Poles alone. Ousland walked, skied, and swam across frozen wastelands to reach his destination. He carried with him almost 300 pounds of food.
Ousland soon discovered that out in the wilderness, he developed the instincts he needed to persevere. As he wrote, “I’ve started to feel the layers of civilization peeling away; it takes weeks to find your animal self. I wake up, grunt at the sun, perform the day’s chores, sniff the north wind, and automatically pick out the best route and the safest campsites — all without thought. I’ve found the rhythm. I think I can do this.”
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“Solo” by Børge Ousland, National Geographic, March 2002 pp. 37-45.