Adventurer prepares for Mongolia trek

Ripley Davenport sleeping in sub-zero temperatures to ready for expedition

A British explorer has begun preparation for a gruelling 90-day solo trek across Mongolia. This will be the longest recorded unsupported walk ever completed.

Ripley Davenport, an ex military serviceman, will drag 300kg of equipment 2,750km across the Gobi desert and Altai Mountain Range in temperatures ranging from scorching heat to freezing cold.

To steel himself for such extreme conditions, Davenport has been purposely leaving his clothes out in the garden overnight in the wet, freezing weather only to put them on and go training in them early the next day. He has also been sleeping outside in sub-zero temperatures. And to prepare physically, he has been training with methods ranging from dragging tractor tyres to yoga.

Davenport stressed the importance of pushing himself to the limit in training, saying: “It’s no good doing all my training for a desert expedition in a nice, well-furnished and air-conditioned gym, surrounded by flat screen TVs and lively music.”

The expedition will not only take physical sacrifices. Although it has attracted a degree of support from sponsors,  Davenport has had to sell his home and move to a smaller one to fund the expedition, plus he has had to sell his family’s second car. “I'm very lucky to have a wife who understands and sees the good in what I want to do,” he said.

A more domestic worry he will face is that he is lactose intolerant. Known for their hospitality, Mongolians may well offer him the national drink of fermented mare’s milk, and Davenport has been practising his Mongolian and Russian skills to be able to refuse without causing offence. He says that he hopes drinking the “odd glass of vodka or cup of tea to show some respect will be understandable.”

Although Davenport says the core of facing any unknown challenge can be fear, he describes his inspiration as coming from the word 'impossible' and wanting to attempt and surmount any challenge.

He will begin the expedition in April, hoping to inspire others to achieve their goals and to raise money for Unicef, Shelterbox and Hope and Homes for Children.

The expedition sets off on April 15th. You can keep up to date with Davenport's adventure at www.mongolia2010.com