Friday Mieography

This one is short, but sweet. My brain is just suffering this week! (second week of brain mush, I blame allergies).

Ann Bancroft was born in Minnesota, in 1955. She describes her family as "risk takers". When she was in 5th and 6th grade, her family lived in Kenya. Other than that, she was raised in Minnesota, where her father took her camping, and canoeing, frequently. At 8 years old, she took herself on Mini expeditions, often convincing her cousins to go on winter backyard camping trips. Despite a learning disorder, she graduated from St. Paul Academy and Summit School. She continued on to earning a BS in Physical Education from the University of Oregon. She taught PE and special education in the Minneapolis-St. Paul schools, and coached many highschool sports.

In 1986, she gave up her teaching job to go on an International North Pole Expedition. Using dogsleds, she and her team members reached the north pole in 56 days. She was the first woman to reach the North Pole by foot and sled.

If that wasn't enough, she also was the first woman to ski across Greenland. 

Then, in 1992-93, she led a four woman expedition to the South Pole, on ski's. It was, of course, the first woman group to do this. She has been inducted into the National Woman's Hall of Fame.

At this point in time, she co-owns the Bancroft Arnesen Explore Company, in Minnesota, where she lives with her partner, and, besides her expeditions, she actively campaigns for the recognition of same sex marriages. She also is an instructor for Wilderness Inquiry, an organization that helps both the disabled, and able bodied people enjoy the wilderness, year round. She has also founded the Ann Bancroft Foundation, a non profit organization that "celebrates the existing and potential achievements of women and girls".