We have shot our bolt

We admit we are not technically astute.  A garden hose is often the limit of our prowess so when we started exploring Argentina (the wine tasting Saturday 3-6p will be all Argentinian wines or mostly - whatever) we got all caught up with Google Earth and frankly have been having a time with it.

When we opened it last, we were asked if we wanted to see some Google Earth pictures of Antarctica.  Of course we were intrigued by the offer so we clicked on the photo album and the first image was Shackleton's Hut at Cape Royds from which he made his first attempt at reaching the south pole.  He didn't make it but this is his diary:

"On 9 January 1909, after nearly two-and-a-half- months of trudging, they had reached a point of just 97 (156km) from the South Pole.  In his diary entry for that day Shackleton recorder: ‘We have shot our bolt, and the tale is latitude 88º 23 South…Homeward bound at last.  Whatever regrets may be, we have done our best’."

That hut has zip to do with anything much other than 103 years later it still stands and someone has been in it and photographed it and put it on the Internet. We are amazed.

It compelled us to read about the Nimrod Expedition and all the stuff that goes with trying to reach the south pole with horses, no really warm clothes and hanging out in a hut until the time was right and weather was right to make the trek...then getting from here to NYC from the destination, turning back rather than risk what would have been a very probable death.

This is some pumpkins of a story to read.  We have to say that sitting behind our counter, well, in our mind's eye, this is as good as it gets.  By the way, Shackleton didn't take Argentinian wine...just some whiskey and there is another great read.