Summing Up: Reflections from Yellowknife
On arrival in Yellowknife, Will recorded one final dispatch and reflection, thanking all who have followed along during the course of this expedition.
The map is done, there are no representative images to show, but we invite you to listen, once more, to the audio recording and the sound of Will’s voice as he talks about goals and what it means to try.
The full transcription of the recording is presented below.
The A Life of Legacy events at the Minnesota History Center run from June 23-28. See the schedule of events to find out more.
Transcript
This is Will here. It's June 12th. It would be day 73. This will be my final dispatch. And I wanted to just, first of all, do my promo again to mention that we're going to do a number of public appearances and presentations at the History Center in downtown St. Paul at the end of the month. And these are available, and I'll mention them in a second here. You can get it on the History Center's website, which I'll give you that site at the beginning, at the end here.
So on the 23rd, we're doing a panel discussion at their 3M auditorium, which is very nice, 300 seating, one of the best small auditoriums I've ever presented at. And it will be around solving unsolvable problems. We've got a really great panel and other people that are going to be moderators, and that will be also on the site.
On the 25th, the evening, the documentary, Crossing Antarctica, will be showing. I'll be at all these events. And then on a Saturday morning, the 27th, we're brunch. Brunch with Beth Dooley. Beth is going to make a special brunch there. And then followed there then by 2 o'clock, discussion about expeditions. I'll be talking about this expedition and others. Julie Higdell, who crossed the Arctic Ocean with me in 1995. She was the director of Outward Bound for almost a decade up in Ely. Her and I will do that discussion. It will be quite interesting, free-flowing. And then finally on the 28th, Sunday, matinee of the Crossing Antarctica at 1. So bring the kids to that one if you want. And go to the History Museum website. It's MNHS. That's Minnesota History Society, MNHS.org. And that will be on all the information there if you're interested. And I'll be selling books and posters there for signing and that if you're interested in that, crossing Antarctica.
And so I'm settled in. I arrived in Yellowknife. I'm at a friend's house about 20 miles outside of town on a wilderness lake. Bill Rouse who I've known up here for about 45 years. So it's almost like being home now in a secure place. And honestly, it almost feels like my home.
I just want to talk briefly about goals on this expedition. I think just people are a little confused on what the goal was or whatever. I've had some people apologizing or sad for me that I didn't make my goal, which was Paulatuk. And I mentioned yesterday, Politec was just a destination with an airport, an easy out, cheap out commercial flight. And crossing an uncrossable river, that happens. And there wasn't a real set goal. There was a journey. But I've always said at the very beginning of an expedition, my goal has always been to return safely back home. So I'm here in good shape. So, you know, mission accomplished. And it's been great being able to share all these great stories and everything with everyone.
I'll talk a little bit, too, about goals. To me, you know, people say, "Okay, you didn't make a goal. You failed." My definition of failing is not trying. We live in a society of losers and winners. And it's kind of like the game football. You know, you got the big touchdown and then you have the fumble. And we love the heroes and we like to take down the heroes. And football is just a sport. But it's indicative of the culture, I think, I feel we are at, and always been in America. It's this winner-loser mentality that people are afraid to fail. They're afraid to try to try stuff. "What will people say if I don't make it?" And that fear of failure, I think, is what keeps people from trying. And so trying, you never lose when you really try hard. Things don't always go your way on the way you want it to go. And that's kind of a universal law of the universe is constant change. And that's every single atom to every single human being. And things constantly change.
But we are a society, like humans, you know, safety and comfort. That's the main thing in our pleasures and our entertainment. And we want things. We actually look for change, but actually we don't want change, most of us. We want to be comfortable and secure. We don't want any real bumps in the roads. That's not real life because it's not the life of relationships from human to human for sure because things don't always go the way you want it. But factoring in that life has changed, accepting that, rolling with the punches always. I mean, I spin on a dime. I can be 100% like this. Every atom in my body was moving towards Paulatuk for 70 days almost. And then I got this ... it wasn't an impassable one. It was not. It was ... I felt it wasn't worth the risk of my life to even try that. And I probably had a 98% chance. But I know my odds real well. If odds are high at that level, I just say, nope, too bad. That's it. I spin around. And instantly the expedition turns into, "Okay, how do I get myself out of here?" And I managed, fortunately, to get the chopper out.
I did have an alternative plan, which I didn't talk about. I did cash a good two weeks worth of food the last camp on the Horton River, which was only probably a day, day and a half hike. It took me a long time to get to that point where the river stopped me because of the bad conditions. But when I left, the conditions were all perfect. So I did have the resources. I just had to walk back. And if I did that strategy or that plan, I wouldn't be able to make these commitments I have at the Science History Center. And that is a ... responsibility calls. And there's a time when you've got to get back your responsibilities.
And I come back really energized, ready to work on the Center, ready to meet people. So I've been so lucky and so fortunate and so fortunate to share this with so many people out there. And I want to thank you so much for following me and giving me your attention. I'm hoping maybe you can learn stuff from me. But just do. If you're in the cities around that time, do come to one of the events. But you have to sign up at the website. So do that. And do it soon if you want to, especially the Beth Dooley brunch. I wouldn't miss that. Get on that list right away. And the panel also will fill. I think the films will be okay. I do think that presentation that Julie and I do, I think there's enough space in that. That auditorium is really, really beautiful, beautiful sound. And it's intimate.
And I'll talk to you if I see you then. And keep track of me. Always on Facebook. I actually don't do my Facebook page. I have people that do it for me. And then the stegercenter.org. You can always reach us there. And I'll talk to you when I see you, when I hear from you, or next year, next year's expedition. It's Will here, Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. Over and out.
The Steger Center would like to join Will in thanking all of you who have supported, cheered, listened, and accompanied him for the past 10 weeks: on this log, on Facebook, on Instagram, on LinkedIn and X, and in your inbox. He has said, “No great journey is ever accomplished alone.” He was never alone on this “solo” expedition, and you are the reason why.
Farewell until the next expedition.