"Mysteries at the Museum" First Time Explorers

1 00:00:01,903 --> 00:00:03,536 An unorthodox journey to the North Pole... 2 00:00:03,538 --> 00:00:07,806 They looked at this and thought "We're never gonna make it." 3 00:00:10,411 --> 00:00:12,378 ...a death defying walk around the world. 4 00:00:14,315 --> 00:00:17,416 I was so scared that I would be rotting there for the rest of my life. 5 00:00:17,485 --> 00:00:21,287 And a cross-country drive with no rest stops. 6 00:00:21,356 --> 00:00:25,758 This was a big deal-- they had their eye on the prize. 7 00:00:25,893 --> 00:00:28,961 They couldn't stop. 8 00:00:29,096 --> 00:00:31,797 These are the Mysteries at the Museum. 9 00:00:36,905 --> 00:00:38,571 Denver, Colorado-- 10 00:00:38,706 --> 00:00:41,506 The hills and valleys that surround The Mile-High City 11 00:00:41,543 --> 00:00:44,710 were once the hunting grounds of Apache, Bannock, 12 00:00:44,845 --> 00:00:46,379 and Comanche Indians. 13 00:00:46,381 --> 00:00:48,180 At one institution in town, 14 00:00:48,216 --> 00:00:49,916 these cultures are celebrated 15 00:00:50,051 --> 00:00:52,718 amid works from all walks of life -- 16 00:00:52,754 --> 00:00:54,520 the Denver Art Museum. 17 00:00:57,392 --> 00:01:02,595 On display is a mask worn during winter dance ceremonies, 18 00:01:02,730 --> 00:01:06,398 decorative clothing made at the turn of the 19th century, 19 00:01:06,467 --> 00:01:09,068 and examples of Navajo rug weaving. 20 00:01:11,940 --> 00:01:14,339 Yet the museum also showcases the work 21 00:01:14,375 --> 00:01:16,342 of an ancient civilization 22 00:01:16,477 --> 00:01:18,944 once thought to be lost to time. 23 00:01:19,013 --> 00:01:21,614 RICE: The object measures 10 1/2 inches tall 24 00:01:21,616 --> 00:01:24,016 and 4 1/2 inches in diameter. 25 00:01:24,018 --> 00:01:26,485 It dates back to the 15th century. 26 00:01:26,621 --> 00:01:28,086 The item is made of silver, 27 00:01:28,122 --> 00:01:30,355 and it depicts two pieces of corn. 28 00:01:33,695 --> 00:01:37,229 WILDMAN: These molded corn husks recall an epic quest 29 00:01:37,231 --> 00:01:38,698 to the edge of the world. 30 00:01:38,700 --> 00:01:40,833 RICE: This is a story about an adventurer, 31 00:01:40,835 --> 00:01:43,502 a lost city, and the discovery of a lifetime. 32 00:01:48,376 --> 00:01:50,643 WILDMAN: It's the early 1900s. 33 00:01:50,778 --> 00:01:52,511 Eager adventurers are seeking out 34 00:01:52,547 --> 00:01:54,714 the last unknown corners of the earth, 35 00:01:54,716 --> 00:01:58,050 from the North Pole to Egypt's Valley of the Kings, 36 00:01:58,052 --> 00:02:00,252 and the tallest peaks of the world. 37 00:02:00,388 --> 00:02:02,588 And in South America, the hunt is on 38 00:02:02,657 --> 00:02:05,992 for a lost Inca city of untold riches. 39 00:02:06,127 --> 00:02:09,328 A lot of people speculated that the Inca would have housed 40 00:02:09,463 --> 00:02:11,397 a tremendous amount of silver and gold 41 00:02:11,399 --> 00:02:14,266 in their capital. 42 00:02:14,402 --> 00:02:17,136 WILDMAN: According to legend, in the 16th century, 43 00:02:17,138 --> 00:02:18,537 the Spanish conquistadors 44 00:02:18,673 --> 00:02:21,006 invaded Peru in search of treasure, 45 00:02:21,009 --> 00:02:25,144 ransacking Inca cities and leaving them in ruins. 46 00:02:25,213 --> 00:02:28,214 RICE: The Spanish really wanted to snuff out 47 00:02:28,216 --> 00:02:31,083 the remnants of the Inca empire for good. 48 00:02:31,119 --> 00:02:33,819 WILDMAN: But there was one city of immense grandeur 49 00:02:33,821 --> 00:02:36,555 that the invaders never discovered, 50 00:02:36,591 --> 00:02:40,158 and now one man is determined to find it, 51 00:02:40,194 --> 00:02:42,294 a professor of Latin-American history 52 00:02:42,330 --> 00:02:45,363 at Yale University, Hiram Bingham. 53 00:02:45,400 --> 00:02:48,767 This is a man who pursues a career in archaeology, 54 00:02:48,836 --> 00:02:52,037 incredibly adventurous, and he was incredibly ambitious. 55 00:02:52,073 --> 00:02:54,840 He also had a tremendous amount of self-confidence. 56 00:02:59,113 --> 00:03:01,980 WILDMAN: Bingham starts his search in Cusco, Peru, 57 00:03:02,050 --> 00:03:04,783 an area he believes was the former capital 58 00:03:04,852 --> 00:03:07,052 of the Inca empire. 59 00:03:07,055 --> 00:03:11,524 Bingham was energetic in talking to every Peruvian archaeologist 60 00:03:11,659 --> 00:03:13,793 and librarian that he could. 61 00:03:13,928 --> 00:03:17,663 WILDMAN: Finally, the intrepid explorer gets a lead, 62 00:03:17,798 --> 00:03:19,598 a rumor of an ancient city 63 00:03:19,667 --> 00:03:22,268 in the foothills of the Andes. 64 00:03:22,270 --> 00:03:25,871 So he sets out on an arduous trek into the mountains. 65 00:03:25,940 --> 00:03:30,008 There, Bingham discovers a collection of stone buildings, 66 00:03:30,078 --> 00:03:31,943 but his excitement is short-lived 67 00:03:31,979 --> 00:03:34,279 when he sees the names of other explorers 68 00:03:34,348 --> 00:03:36,014 scratched into the walls. 69 00:03:38,619 --> 00:03:40,953 RICE: Although it is an impressive archaeological site, 70 00:03:41,022 --> 00:03:44,023 it is not the last capital of the Inca. 71 00:03:44,025 --> 00:03:45,624 And even more crushing to Bingham, 72 00:03:45,626 --> 00:03:48,360 he's not the first person to get there. 73 00:03:48,396 --> 00:03:52,631 WILDMAN: Bingham is back to square one, but he's not about to give up. 74 00:03:52,667 --> 00:03:58,370 Bingham was very determined to find the lost city of the Inca. 75 00:03:58,506 --> 00:04:00,639 WILDMAN: In 1911, the explorer learns 76 00:04:00,675 --> 00:04:05,244 of an ancient Inca text dating back to the 1500s. 77 00:04:05,313 --> 00:04:08,780 It describes an incredible city perched on a high plateau 78 00:04:08,816 --> 00:04:11,450 between two jagged peaks. 79 00:04:11,585 --> 00:04:14,920 It even gives a clue as to where the city can be found, 80 00:04:14,956 --> 00:04:18,156 an area known as the Urubamba Valley. 81 00:04:18,192 --> 00:04:21,260 For Bingham, it's the break he's been waiting for. 82 00:04:21,262 --> 00:04:23,995 Bingham believed that by uncovering this, 83 00:04:24,031 --> 00:04:29,401 this would be the equivalent of finding the North Pole. 84 00:04:29,470 --> 00:04:32,271 On the morning of July 24, 1911, 85 00:04:32,406 --> 00:04:35,140 Bingham climbs to the crest of a high mountain pass. 86 00:04:35,209 --> 00:04:39,678 There, he is greeted by a breathtaking vision -- 87 00:04:39,747 --> 00:04:42,614 an expanse of ancient stone terraces 88 00:04:42,683 --> 00:04:45,617 tucked between two soaring mountain peaks. 89 00:04:45,653 --> 00:04:47,953 RICE: Entering the site of this ruin, 90 00:04:47,955 --> 00:04:51,624 Bingham was struck with not only the size 91 00:04:51,759 --> 00:04:54,293 of this rather large archaeological site, 92 00:04:54,428 --> 00:04:56,895 but also the dramatic landscape. 93 00:04:56,964 --> 00:04:59,231 WILDMAN: Although not paved with gold, 94 00:04:59,267 --> 00:05:01,967 the abandoned city covers 5 miles, 95 00:05:01,969 --> 00:05:03,836 with thousands of stone steps 96 00:05:03,838 --> 00:05:06,438 linking the many different levels. 97 00:05:06,574 --> 00:05:08,306 Bingham has found the largest 98 00:05:08,342 --> 00:05:12,311 and perhaps most significant ancient site in the Americas, 99 00:05:12,446 --> 00:05:14,380 the city of Machu Picchu. 100 00:05:14,382 --> 00:05:17,716 RICE: This was a site that was not only rather large, 101 00:05:17,785 --> 00:05:20,653 but also featured many different elements 102 00:05:20,655 --> 00:05:22,188 of Incan architecture. 103 00:05:22,323 --> 00:05:23,856 It had religious structures. 104 00:05:23,925 --> 00:05:25,925 It also had residential structures 105 00:05:26,060 --> 00:05:27,926 and administrative structures. 106 00:05:27,962 --> 00:05:29,928 It would have been a spectacular vision. 107 00:05:32,066 --> 00:05:36,335 WILDMAN: Bingham and the team conduct a thorough survey of the site. 108 00:05:36,470 --> 00:05:38,804 And for years to come, they return, 109 00:05:38,873 --> 00:05:42,007 unearthing spectacular buildings and artifacts 110 00:05:42,076 --> 00:05:44,609 similar to the ceremonial Inca corn stalk 111 00:05:44,645 --> 00:05:48,547 now on display at the Denver Art Museum. 112 00:05:48,549 --> 00:05:53,752 RICE: Bingham began to really command a small army of scholars 113 00:05:53,821 --> 00:05:56,488 that uncovered not only Machu Picchu, 114 00:05:56,524 --> 00:05:59,557 but really sites throughout the Urubamba River Valley. 115 00:06:04,098 --> 00:06:07,633 WILDMAN: Though he never finds the vast stores of gold he imagined, 116 00:06:07,635 --> 00:06:10,703 Bingham's discovery becomes one of the most visited sites 117 00:06:10,705 --> 00:06:12,370 in the Americas. 118 00:06:12,406 --> 00:06:14,773 Today, Machu Picchu is synonymous 119 00:06:14,809 --> 00:06:17,709 with the majestic achievements of the Inca empire 120 00:06:17,745 --> 00:06:22,314 and is considered one of the new Seven Wonders of the World. 121 00:06:22,383 --> 00:06:24,182 And this silver corn stalk 122 00:06:24,252 --> 00:06:26,785 at the Denver Art Museum in Colorado 123 00:06:26,821 --> 00:06:29,721 is a symbolic reminder of a determined professor 124 00:06:29,757 --> 00:06:32,591 who ascended to one of the ancient peaks 125 00:06:32,660 --> 00:06:34,059 of civilization. 126 00:06:37,632 --> 00:06:39,398 Washington, D.C. 127 00:06:39,400 --> 00:06:41,333 With more than 2,700 reporters 128 00:06:41,468 --> 00:06:43,802 working within its 68 square miles, 129 00:06:43,804 --> 00:06:45,537 the nation's capital boasts 130 00:06:45,539 --> 00:06:48,374 the highest concentration of journalists in America. 131 00:06:51,379 --> 00:06:53,812 And located in the heart of the city is an institution 132 00:06:53,881 --> 00:06:57,549 that celebrates the press itself -- The Newseum. 133 00:06:58,886 --> 00:07:00,886 Its collection includes artifacts 134 00:07:00,888 --> 00:07:04,356 from some of the most important events in recent history, 135 00:07:04,425 --> 00:07:08,159 including eight concrete slabs from the Berlin Wall 136 00:07:08,195 --> 00:07:09,962 and part of the antenna 137 00:07:10,031 --> 00:07:12,798 from the North Tower of the World Trade Center. 138 00:07:15,903 --> 00:07:18,437 But amidst these relics of hard-hitting journalism 139 00:07:18,572 --> 00:07:21,906 is one cheerful object that seems at first glance 140 00:07:21,943 --> 00:07:24,176 to have little to do with reporting. 141 00:07:24,311 --> 00:07:27,913 It is made of paper and cardboard. 142 00:07:28,048 --> 00:07:30,682 It's red and pink and gold. 143 00:07:30,718 --> 00:07:32,851 And there is a bunch of tiny squares 144 00:07:32,987 --> 00:07:36,254 that spiral around a center piece. 145 00:07:36,324 --> 00:07:40,526 This colorful game was inspired by a record-breaking quest 146 00:07:40,528 --> 00:07:42,528 that captivated the nation. 147 00:07:42,530 --> 00:07:43,862 CHRISTOFFERSEN: The American public really fell in love 148 00:07:43,864 --> 00:07:47,566 with this uplifting race of intrigue and adventure. 149 00:07:52,473 --> 00:07:54,673 WILDMAN: 1889, New York City. 150 00:07:54,675 --> 00:07:58,610 25-year-old Nellie Bly has landed a job as a writer 151 00:07:58,746 --> 00:08:00,412 for the New York World. 152 00:08:00,414 --> 00:08:03,081 As one of the country's first female reporters, 153 00:08:03,150 --> 00:08:04,950 she is determined to make her mark 154 00:08:05,019 --> 00:08:07,952 in the competitive male-dominated trade. 155 00:08:07,989 --> 00:08:10,221 Nellie Bly is a journalist, 156 00:08:10,257 --> 00:08:12,825 which is unusual for a woman at this point in time. 157 00:08:12,827 --> 00:08:15,494 But she's a woman who is ready to go out 158 00:08:15,496 --> 00:08:17,563 and grab whatever she thinks is important 159 00:08:17,698 --> 00:08:20,365 and is not taking "no" for an answer. 160 00:08:20,401 --> 00:08:22,233 WILDMAN: So for her next big story, 161 00:08:22,269 --> 00:08:25,704 Bly wants to pull off an unprecedented feat. 162 00:08:25,839 --> 00:08:29,241 Inspired by the 1872 Jules Verne novel 163 00:08:29,243 --> 00:08:31,176 "Around The World In Eighty Days," 164 00:08:31,311 --> 00:08:33,578 she will circumnavigate the globe. 165 00:08:33,614 --> 00:08:36,849 But unlike the book's protagonist Phileas Fogg, 166 00:08:36,851 --> 00:08:40,119 Bly will do it in fewer than 80 days. 167 00:08:40,254 --> 00:08:41,987 CHRISTOFFERSEN: Nellie has the idea that 168 00:08:42,122 --> 00:08:46,458 she can go around the world faster than Phileas Fogg. 169 00:08:46,527 --> 00:08:48,861 This is one of the craziest things you can imagine, 170 00:08:48,863 --> 00:08:53,599 but Nellie was not at all a traditional woman of the time. 171 00:08:56,403 --> 00:08:58,670 WILDMAN: Bly's boss, New York World publisher 172 00:08:58,806 --> 00:09:02,207 Joseph Pulitzer, agrees to the plan, 173 00:09:02,209 --> 00:09:06,078 confident the adventure will boost his paper's circulation. 174 00:09:06,147 --> 00:09:08,814 This kind of, what we like to call stunt journalism, 175 00:09:08,949 --> 00:09:10,282 was just the kind of thing 176 00:09:10,417 --> 00:09:12,051 that could help increase their reach. 177 00:09:15,756 --> 00:09:20,024 WILDMAN: Bly's historic adventure will cover a staggering 25,000 miles. 178 00:09:20,061 --> 00:09:22,828 And on November 14th, she departs New York 179 00:09:22,963 --> 00:09:26,431 and sails off on the first leg towards London. 180 00:09:26,467 --> 00:09:28,901 To complete her global trek in time, 181 00:09:28,903 --> 00:09:31,703 she'll need every break she can get. 182 00:09:31,705 --> 00:09:34,840 CHRISTOFFERSEN: Transportation disruptions, storms at sea, 183 00:09:34,975 --> 00:09:36,975 mechanical failures -- 184 00:09:37,111 --> 00:09:39,444 she could run into any of these kinds of things. 185 00:09:39,513 --> 00:09:42,247 If she's got one missed connection, 186 00:09:42,249 --> 00:09:45,317 she is going to be set back. 187 00:09:45,386 --> 00:09:47,185 WILDMAN: After six days at sea, 188 00:09:47,254 --> 00:09:50,789 Bly arrives in London and races south. 189 00:09:50,791 --> 00:09:52,657 She travels through Europe 190 00:09:52,726 --> 00:09:55,126 and makes it to Egypt in less than a week. 191 00:09:55,162 --> 00:09:58,730 She then continues to Singapore and further into Asia, 192 00:09:58,866 --> 00:10:00,999 hopping on boats, trains, donkeys, 193 00:10:01,035 --> 00:10:03,735 and rickshaws to explore foreign lands. 194 00:10:06,907 --> 00:10:08,473 And at every step, 195 00:10:08,509 --> 00:10:10,676 she telegraphs accounts of her adventures 196 00:10:10,678 --> 00:10:13,412 back to her editors at the New York World. 197 00:10:13,547 --> 00:10:17,349 CHRISTOFFERSEN: She reports about men hunting crocodiles in Egypt. 198 00:10:17,351 --> 00:10:20,351 She visits a leper colony in China. 199 00:10:20,387 --> 00:10:24,289 People are really eating up everything she has to say. 200 00:10:24,291 --> 00:10:27,259 WILDMAN: Everything seems to be going according to plan. 201 00:10:29,296 --> 00:10:31,829 But when the journalist arrives in Hong Kong, 202 00:10:31,866 --> 00:10:34,933 she hears some unwelcome news. 203 00:10:35,068 --> 00:10:37,636 The officials at the steamer ship office 204 00:10:37,638 --> 00:10:40,572 lets her know that there is, in fact, another woman 205 00:10:40,641 --> 00:10:43,075 who is making the same journey. 206 00:10:43,177 --> 00:10:44,576 WILDMAN: A rival publication, 207 00:10:44,578 --> 00:10:47,579 Cosmopolitan, looking to capitalize on the hype, 208 00:10:47,714 --> 00:10:51,316 has sent its own reporter to challenge Bly. 209 00:10:51,451 --> 00:10:53,852 Her name is Elizabeth Bisland. 210 00:10:56,790 --> 00:10:59,124 Just hours after Bly left New York, 211 00:10:59,193 --> 00:11:02,928 Bisland headed out in the opposite direction. 212 00:11:03,063 --> 00:11:05,730 And now it seems her new rival is on track 213 00:11:05,766 --> 00:11:09,067 to beat Bly and her 80-day deadline. 214 00:11:09,103 --> 00:11:11,403 CHRISTOFFERSEN: Bisland's already come through Hong Kong. 215 00:11:11,405 --> 00:11:13,372 Bisland is ahead of Bly. 216 00:11:14,942 --> 00:11:16,875 WILDMAN: Bly is desperate to catch up 217 00:11:16,944 --> 00:11:21,280 and immediately boards a ship bound for San Francisco. 218 00:11:21,282 --> 00:11:25,484 But then disaster strikes. 219 00:11:25,619 --> 00:11:27,285 As the vessel crosses the Pacific, 220 00:11:27,354 --> 00:11:30,555 it sails right into a violent storm. 221 00:11:30,591 --> 00:11:34,492 When Bly finally reaches San Francisco on January 21st, 222 00:11:34,562 --> 00:11:37,829 Bisland is already crossing the Atlantic. 223 00:11:37,831 --> 00:11:40,032 It seems the Cosmopolitan reporter 224 00:11:40,167 --> 00:11:42,300 may beat her to New York. 225 00:11:42,336 --> 00:11:46,038 Is this the end of Nellie Bly's round-the-world dreams? 226 00:11:48,000 --> 00:11:54,074 227 00:11:56,583 --> 00:11:58,984 It's 1890. 228 00:11:59,119 --> 00:12:00,919 Inspired by the Jules Verne novel 229 00:12:00,988 --> 00:12:02,987 "Around The World In Eighty Days," 230 00:12:03,023 --> 00:12:07,258 roving reporter Nellie Bly is racing to best the time 231 00:12:07,294 --> 00:12:09,461 set by the book's protagonist. 232 00:12:09,463 --> 00:12:10,929 But she's got competition. 233 00:12:10,931 --> 00:12:14,232 A rival journalist is making the very same trek. 234 00:12:14,268 --> 00:12:17,736 And when a storm causes Bly to fall behind, 235 00:12:17,805 --> 00:12:22,240 it looks like her quest may be at an end. 236 00:12:22,276 --> 00:12:25,943 Just when all seems lost, 237 00:12:25,980 --> 00:12:29,147 Elizabeth Bisland makes a crucial mistake. 238 00:12:29,183 --> 00:12:31,883 Rather than catching a fast steamer ship 239 00:12:31,885 --> 00:12:34,152 from England to New York as she intended, 240 00:12:34,154 --> 00:12:36,421 Bisland has somehow found herself aboard 241 00:12:36,490 --> 00:12:38,824 a much slower vessel. 242 00:12:38,826 --> 00:12:40,225 CHRISTOFFERSEN: Bisland misses the boat 243 00:12:40,360 --> 00:12:42,961 she intends to take back from London to New York. 244 00:12:42,963 --> 00:12:47,566 And so she is losing time at an even greater pace 245 00:12:47,701 --> 00:12:49,834 than poor Nellie Bly. 246 00:12:49,870 --> 00:12:51,970 WILDMAN: Sensing victory is in her sights, 247 00:12:52,105 --> 00:12:53,839 Bly boards an express train 248 00:12:53,974 --> 00:12:56,642 from San Francisco to the East Coast. 249 00:12:56,777 --> 00:12:58,977 And with the star reporter on board, 250 00:12:58,979 --> 00:13:01,179 it carries her east without delay. 251 00:13:03,317 --> 00:13:06,250 Finally, on January 25, 1890, 252 00:13:06,287 --> 00:13:09,187 Nellie Bly returns home to New York. 253 00:13:09,223 --> 00:13:11,323 She's beaten Bisland. 254 00:13:11,458 --> 00:13:14,993 She's also crushed Verne's benchmark of 80 days. 255 00:13:15,062 --> 00:13:16,261 She has been on the road 256 00:13:16,396 --> 00:13:21,199 for 72 days, 6 hours, and 11 minutes. 257 00:13:21,235 --> 00:13:23,335 WILDMAN: Thanks to her extraordinary feat, 258 00:13:23,470 --> 00:13:26,738 the intrepid reporter becomes a global star. 259 00:13:26,807 --> 00:13:28,406 CHRISTOFFERSEN: This is a time when 260 00:13:28,442 --> 00:13:31,076 we are looking at barrier-breaking women. 261 00:13:31,211 --> 00:13:33,912 She's certainly serving as one of those. 262 00:13:36,416 --> 00:13:39,984 WILDMAN: And today, this game of round-the-world with Nellie Bly, 263 00:13:40,020 --> 00:13:42,554 which was inspired by her record-breaking feat, 264 00:13:42,689 --> 00:13:44,690 remains on display at the museum, 265 00:13:44,825 --> 00:13:47,359 a symbol of the trail-blazing woman 266 00:13:47,494 --> 00:13:50,962 whose fearless attitude took her on the race of a lifetime. 267 00:13:54,368 --> 00:13:55,634 Wisconsin. 268 00:13:55,769 --> 00:13:59,370 Ever since the first motorized toboggan was built here in 1924, 269 00:13:59,406 --> 00:14:01,640 the Badger State has been known 270 00:14:01,775 --> 00:14:04,443 as the birthplace of the snowmobile. 271 00:14:04,578 --> 00:14:06,311 And in the northern town of St. Germain, 272 00:14:06,446 --> 00:14:08,113 one institution celebrates 273 00:14:08,182 --> 00:14:10,915 this groundbreaking mode of transport -- 274 00:14:10,984 --> 00:14:14,786 the Snowmobile Hall of Fame and Museum. 275 00:14:17,124 --> 00:14:20,324 It showcases an impressive array of racing sleds, 276 00:14:20,361 --> 00:14:24,595 including a 1970s independent front-suspension machine 277 00:14:24,631 --> 00:14:27,599 that topped 90 miles per hour, 278 00:14:27,601 --> 00:14:29,000 the Boss Cat II, 279 00:14:29,136 --> 00:14:33,271 which broke international speed records in 1972, 280 00:14:33,407 --> 00:14:35,740 and the sled that was used to win the gold 281 00:14:35,743 --> 00:14:39,444 at the 2001 Winter X Games. 282 00:14:42,015 --> 00:14:44,082 But among these sleek racers 283 00:14:44,217 --> 00:14:47,352 is a machine that seems basic by comparison. 284 00:14:47,421 --> 00:14:52,090 It's 8 feet long, 29 inches wide, and 42 inches high. 285 00:14:52,225 --> 00:14:54,292 It's roughly 50 years old. 286 00:14:54,361 --> 00:14:55,827 It was only 16 horsepower. 287 00:14:55,863 --> 00:14:58,430 But it was capable of amazing performance. 288 00:15:02,369 --> 00:15:05,436 WILDMAN: This vehicle was driven by an unlikely explorer 289 00:15:05,472 --> 00:15:08,840 who traveled to the very end of the earth. 290 00:15:08,842 --> 00:15:11,643 This is a story about a man with a crazy dream 291 00:15:11,645 --> 00:15:14,613 that paid off in ways that no one could have imagined. 292 00:15:17,885 --> 00:15:21,586 1966 -- Duluth, Minnesota. 293 00:15:21,721 --> 00:15:26,124 39-year-old Ralph Plaisted is a hardworking insurance salesman. 294 00:15:26,259 --> 00:15:27,859 But ever since he was a kid, 295 00:15:27,994 --> 00:15:30,796 Plaisted has wanted to be an explorer. 296 00:15:30,931 --> 00:15:32,730 So when he's not at the office, 297 00:15:32,800 --> 00:15:35,133 Plaisted spends every available moment 298 00:15:35,202 --> 00:15:38,002 enjoying the great outdoors on his snowmobile. 299 00:15:38,038 --> 00:15:40,338 RENNIE: Ralph Plaisted was a guy who was 300 00:15:40,340 --> 00:15:42,340 basically a thrill seeker at heart. 301 00:15:42,409 --> 00:15:44,342 He loved his snowmobile, 302 00:15:44,411 --> 00:15:47,078 and he became a big believer in the idea that 303 00:15:47,214 --> 00:15:50,482 snowmobiles could revolutionize how people could get around 304 00:15:50,551 --> 00:15:52,417 in the frozen north. 305 00:15:56,223 --> 00:15:58,823 WILDMAN: But as he advances into middle age, 306 00:15:58,859 --> 00:16:03,495 it seems his dream of being an explorer will never be realized. 307 00:16:03,630 --> 00:16:06,631 So one day, Plaisted makes a momentous decision. 308 00:16:06,633 --> 00:16:11,502 He will ride his snowmobile all the way to the North Pole. 309 00:16:11,538 --> 00:16:15,106 RENNIE: Now, to most people, that's an obviously absurd idea. 310 00:16:15,242 --> 00:16:16,575 But to Ralph Plaisted, 311 00:16:16,710 --> 00:16:19,110 that was exactly the kind of adventure 312 00:16:19,146 --> 00:16:23,949 he'd been looking for his entire life. 313 00:16:23,951 --> 00:16:25,917 WILDMAN: Plaisted charts a course 314 00:16:25,953 --> 00:16:29,320 that will retrace the route taken by his childhood hero, 315 00:16:29,389 --> 00:16:33,458 legendary Arctic explorer Robert Peary. 316 00:16:33,460 --> 00:16:36,995 In 1909, Peary was lauded as the first person 317 00:16:37,130 --> 00:16:40,065 to reach the North Pole by an overland route. 318 00:16:40,200 --> 00:16:43,401 RENNIE: Robert Peary had gone across the ice 319 00:16:43,437 --> 00:16:45,604 to the North Pole using dogs. 320 00:16:45,606 --> 00:16:49,674 Plaisted was simply intending to try to do a similar feat 321 00:16:49,809 --> 00:16:52,811 using motorized machines. 322 00:16:55,549 --> 00:16:57,281 WILDMAN: In spite of the fact that 323 00:16:57,317 --> 00:17:00,685 his equipment is far more advanced than his hero's, 324 00:17:00,687 --> 00:17:05,023 Plaisted's journey will still be fraught with challenges. 325 00:17:05,158 --> 00:17:07,225 RENNIE: The North Polar area consists of 326 00:17:07,227 --> 00:17:09,027 these huge slabs of ice 327 00:17:09,162 --> 00:17:11,963 that are blown by the winds and by ocean currents. 328 00:17:12,098 --> 00:17:14,366 They slam into one another periodically. 329 00:17:14,501 --> 00:17:17,902 So that terrain is constantly shifting around. 330 00:17:17,905 --> 00:17:21,205 WILDMAN: But Plaisted is undaunted. 331 00:17:21,208 --> 00:17:22,507 RENNIE: For the next couple of years, 332 00:17:22,642 --> 00:17:26,111 Plaisted worked night and day to try to make his dream a reality. 333 00:17:26,246 --> 00:17:29,914 He raised money. He found sponsors for this mission. 334 00:17:29,917 --> 00:17:33,451 He found people who would go on the expedition with him. 335 00:17:33,587 --> 00:17:36,855 WILDMAN: Finally, in March of 1968, 336 00:17:36,857 --> 00:17:38,656 Plaisted and his companions 337 00:17:38,692 --> 00:17:41,592 travel to a small island off the coast of Canada 338 00:17:41,628 --> 00:17:45,864 and ride their snowmobiles out onto the polar ice sheet. 339 00:17:45,999 --> 00:17:50,134 They navigate around giant piles of ice 340 00:17:50,170 --> 00:17:51,402 and cross some of the most 341 00:17:51,471 --> 00:17:53,605 inhospitable terrain on the planet. 342 00:17:56,009 --> 00:17:58,343 Plaisted's expedition faced lots of different obstacles. 343 00:17:58,345 --> 00:18:01,813 Fierce storms were coming through 344 00:18:01,882 --> 00:18:05,483 and they constantly had to try to decide whether or not 345 00:18:05,619 --> 00:18:08,219 the ice might actually be strong enough 346 00:18:08,221 --> 00:18:09,888 to hold up the weight of the snowmobiles. 347 00:18:11,959 --> 00:18:14,693 Slowly but surely, they get closer to the Pole. 348 00:18:17,564 --> 00:18:20,231 But on the morning of April 8th, there's trouble. 349 00:18:22,369 --> 00:18:26,371 An enormous crack opens in the ice. 350 00:18:26,373 --> 00:18:28,907 Plaisted and his team become separated 351 00:18:28,909 --> 00:18:31,108 from the main polar ice sheet. 352 00:18:31,144 --> 00:18:33,778 They are stranded on a floating chunk of ice, 353 00:18:33,814 --> 00:18:37,449 surrounded by the frigid waters of the Arctic Ocean. 354 00:18:37,451 --> 00:18:39,016 Plaisted and his men were tough, 355 00:18:39,052 --> 00:18:41,086 but it was looking like the North Pole was tougher. 356 00:18:53,400 --> 00:18:57,468 It's April 1968, Ralph Plaisted is leading 357 00:18:57,537 --> 00:19:01,138 an expedition to the North Pole on snowmobiles. 358 00:19:01,174 --> 00:19:04,742 The journey gets off to a promising start, 359 00:19:04,778 --> 00:19:07,945 but as they near the pole, the shifting ice threatens 360 00:19:07,981 --> 00:19:10,882 to strand them in the middle of the Artic. 361 00:19:11,017 --> 00:19:16,154 So, will Plaisted and his team make it home alive? 362 00:19:16,156 --> 00:19:22,160 After days of drifting, a shift in the ocean's current brings the chunk of ice 363 00:19:22,229 --> 00:19:27,032 the men are floating on closer to the polar ice sheet. 364 00:19:27,167 --> 00:19:30,201 Plaisted realizes this is their chance. 365 00:19:30,237 --> 00:19:33,037 As the edge of the polar ice sheet comes into view, 366 00:19:33,073 --> 00:19:35,774 his team starts their snowmobile's engines 367 00:19:35,776 --> 00:19:38,843 and gets ready to go. 368 00:19:38,912 --> 00:19:42,046 Finally, the two giant floes smash into each other 369 00:19:42,115 --> 00:19:46,184 with a deafening boom. 370 00:19:47,354 --> 00:19:50,588 The men gun their machines across the fragile ice. 371 00:19:50,590 --> 00:19:53,991 If you fell through the ice into the Arctic Ocean, 372 00:19:54,027 --> 00:19:55,326 you were dead. 373 00:19:55,362 --> 00:19:57,295 There was no question of it. 374 00:19:59,332 --> 00:20:02,333 WILDMAN: In a flash, they make it to the other side. 375 00:20:02,402 --> 00:20:03,668 They barely made it. 376 00:20:07,340 --> 00:20:09,607 WILDMAN: The team resumes the journey, 377 00:20:09,743 --> 00:20:11,342 and just 10 days later, 378 00:20:11,478 --> 00:20:13,477 successfully reaches the North Pole. 379 00:20:15,015 --> 00:20:18,282 RENNIE: They all broke out into a huge celebration. 380 00:20:18,318 --> 00:20:21,219 Plaisted's expedition made it to the North Pole 381 00:20:21,354 --> 00:20:25,223 in 43 days, 2 hours, and 30 minutes, 382 00:20:25,358 --> 00:20:27,826 which was only about a week more 383 00:20:27,828 --> 00:20:31,930 than Robert Peary's expedition claimed to have made it in. 384 00:20:36,036 --> 00:20:38,702 WILDMAN: But while Plaisted has accomplished his goal, 385 00:20:38,739 --> 00:20:41,773 he's actually achieved something far great. 386 00:20:41,908 --> 00:20:46,110 20 years later, researchers examining Robert Peary's logs 387 00:20:46,113 --> 00:20:48,713 from his historic 1909 expedition 388 00:20:48,848 --> 00:20:50,982 make an astounding discovery. 389 00:20:51,117 --> 00:20:53,384 RENNIE: When they went over the notations 390 00:20:53,420 --> 00:20:55,520 that Robert Peary had made about 391 00:20:55,655 --> 00:20:59,390 the positions of the sun and the stars during his expedition, 392 00:20:59,526 --> 00:21:03,328 they realized that something was wrong. 393 00:21:03,330 --> 00:21:08,066 WILDMAN: While Peary wrote about seeing the sun rise and set, 394 00:21:08,201 --> 00:21:11,669 the sun never fully rises at the Pole. 395 00:21:11,705 --> 00:21:15,340 The researchers determined Peary never actually made it 396 00:21:15,342 --> 00:21:17,542 all the way to the North Pole. 397 00:21:17,677 --> 00:21:19,677 RENNIE: Some people think that Peary decided 398 00:21:19,813 --> 00:21:22,013 to falsify the records deliberately. 399 00:21:22,015 --> 00:21:24,682 Maybe he just got confused. 400 00:21:24,684 --> 00:21:29,154 We'll never know exactly what was in his mind. 401 00:21:29,289 --> 00:21:32,356 WILDMAN: The announcement officially makes Ralph Plaisted, 402 00:21:32,392 --> 00:21:35,827 a middle-aged insurance salesman from Minnesota, 403 00:21:35,962 --> 00:21:38,763 the first person to verifiably reach the North Pole 404 00:21:38,898 --> 00:21:41,132 by an overland route. 405 00:21:41,201 --> 00:21:42,834 And Ralph becomes the famous explorer 406 00:21:42,903 --> 00:21:45,436 of his childhood dreams. 407 00:21:45,572 --> 00:21:47,037 Plaisted finally got the recognition 408 00:21:47,073 --> 00:21:48,873 that he had always wanted and deserved. 409 00:21:51,478 --> 00:21:53,444 WILDMAN: Today, the same snowmobile driven 410 00:21:53,480 --> 00:21:55,446 during the Plaisted expedition 411 00:21:55,582 --> 00:21:59,183 is on display at the Snowmobile Hall of Fame and Museum 412 00:21:59,219 --> 00:22:02,253 in St. Germain, Wisconsin. 413 00:22:02,289 --> 00:22:04,856 It recalls the intrepid amateur explorer 414 00:22:04,858 --> 00:22:07,225 who wound up on top of the world. 415 00:22:11,731 --> 00:22:14,832 The tiny town of Bethel, situated in southwestern Ohio, 416 00:22:14,868 --> 00:22:18,202 was once home to the nation's 18th president, 417 00:22:18,205 --> 00:22:21,605 Ulysses S. Grant, and in the heart of town, 418 00:22:21,641 --> 00:22:24,943 inside the Grant Memorial Building, is an institution 419 00:22:25,078 --> 00:22:27,879 that celebrates the region's rich heritage-- 420 00:22:28,014 --> 00:22:31,015 the Bethel Historical Society & Museum. 421 00:22:33,687 --> 00:22:36,220 The collection includes a child's doll from the 19th century, 422 00:22:36,289 --> 00:22:40,224 an array of medicine bottles dating back to the 1940s, 423 00:22:40,227 --> 00:22:44,095 and an Army uniform from the Vietnam War. 424 00:22:50,036 --> 00:22:52,970 But one item looks like it belongs not in a museum 425 00:22:53,006 --> 00:22:55,172 but in a gym locker. 426 00:22:55,242 --> 00:22:58,242 NEWMAN: The artifact is 13 inches long, eight inches high, 427 00:22:58,245 --> 00:23:00,645 and around five inches wide. 428 00:23:00,714 --> 00:23:03,982 It is made out of leather and tan fabric 429 00:23:03,984 --> 00:23:06,584 and has a rubber base. 430 00:23:06,719 --> 00:23:09,186 It looks tired, as if it has 431 00:23:09,256 --> 00:23:11,522 been through a lot of use. 432 00:23:13,293 --> 00:23:15,326 WILDMAN: These boots played a starring role 433 00:23:15,328 --> 00:23:18,396 in a 'round the world adventure that went terribly wrong. 434 00:23:18,398 --> 00:23:21,266 NEWMAN: This is a story about determination, 435 00:23:21,401 --> 00:23:24,502 exploration, and one very long walk. 436 00:23:28,474 --> 00:23:31,208 WILDMAN: 1978, Casper, Wyoming. 437 00:23:31,278 --> 00:23:33,944 Twenty-three-year-old Steven Newman 438 00:23:33,980 --> 00:23:36,880 is a journalist working at the local newspaper. 439 00:23:36,917 --> 00:23:39,017 In his spare time, he enjoys hiking 440 00:23:39,152 --> 00:23:42,553 the many trails that crisscross Wyoming's mountains and prairies, 441 00:23:42,622 --> 00:23:46,557 but the avid outdoorsman dreams of a bigger adventure 442 00:23:46,626 --> 00:23:49,560 far beyond the borders of the Cowboy State. 443 00:23:49,696 --> 00:23:52,630 NEWMAN: At this point in my life, I was very adventurous. 444 00:23:52,765 --> 00:23:56,167 I had big dreams, and I was full of optimism. 445 00:23:56,169 --> 00:23:58,703 I always wanted to know what was down the road 446 00:23:58,705 --> 00:24:00,605 or over the next hill. 447 00:24:03,576 --> 00:24:06,377 WILDMAN: So one day, Newman makes a momentous decision. 448 00:24:06,413 --> 00:24:09,580 He'll become the first person to walk solo 449 00:24:09,716 --> 00:24:12,050 around the world. 450 00:24:12,052 --> 00:24:14,986 NEWMAN: Ever since I was a little boy, I had dreamed about walking 451 00:24:14,988 --> 00:24:17,788 around the world--I thought the world was a magical place. 452 00:24:17,857 --> 00:24:20,458 My plan was to walk from 453 00:24:20,460 --> 00:24:22,926 one side of each continent to the other side 454 00:24:22,963 --> 00:24:26,764 and to take either a plane or a boat across the oceans. 455 00:24:32,005 --> 00:24:34,539 WILDMAN: Finally, on April 1, 1983, 456 00:24:34,674 --> 00:24:38,409 after five years of preparation and with an 80-pound pack 457 00:24:38,445 --> 00:24:41,546 of gear on his back, Newman sets out on his journey. 458 00:24:45,885 --> 00:24:49,153 From his hometown of Bethel, Ohio, he walks east to Boston. 459 00:24:49,222 --> 00:24:51,288 Then he gets on a plane, 460 00:24:51,358 --> 00:24:53,558 flies to Ireland, and keeps walking. 461 00:24:53,560 --> 00:24:56,093 He walks his way across the British Isles 462 00:24:56,162 --> 00:24:58,095 and Continental Europe. 463 00:24:58,164 --> 00:25:00,097 NEWMAN: I was so excited. 464 00:25:00,166 --> 00:25:02,433 I'd never been outside of the United States. 465 00:25:02,469 --> 00:25:05,436 WILDMAN: Along the way, the explorer makes 466 00:25:05,438 --> 00:25:08,706 detailed notes of his journey and takes countless photographs. 467 00:25:08,841 --> 00:25:12,376 NEWMAN: I wanted each day to be filled with as much spontaneity 468 00:25:12,379 --> 00:25:15,046 as possible--some days, I got two miles, 469 00:25:15,048 --> 00:25:17,048 some days I went 20 miles. 470 00:25:17,050 --> 00:25:19,917 WILDMAN: But in October 1984, 471 00:25:19,953 --> 00:25:22,052 18 months into his trip, 472 00:25:22,088 --> 00:25:24,655 things take a turn for the worse. 473 00:25:24,657 --> 00:25:27,859 Newman enters Turkey and finds the nation embroiled 474 00:25:27,861 --> 00:25:30,261 in a civil war-- soon after, 475 00:25:30,263 --> 00:25:33,731 the explorer's antics attract some unwanted attention. 476 00:25:33,800 --> 00:25:37,000 While sitting in a teahouse, 477 00:25:37,037 --> 00:25:39,603 Newman is approached by armed soldiers. 478 00:25:39,672 --> 00:25:43,474 They accuse him of being a spy. 479 00:25:43,476 --> 00:25:47,078 One reason that these soldiers suspected I might be a spy-- 480 00:25:47,147 --> 00:25:50,081 I had journal books written in shorthand, 481 00:25:50,216 --> 00:25:52,416 and I spoke more than one language, 482 00:25:52,419 --> 00:25:54,618 and, most ominously of all, 483 00:25:54,654 --> 00:25:56,821 I was taking lots of photographs. 484 00:25:56,890 --> 00:26:00,891 WILDMAN: Newman protests his innocence, 485 00:26:00,927 --> 00:26:03,293 but the soldiers don't buy it. 486 00:26:03,329 --> 00:26:06,564 Newman is arrested and locked up in a Turkish prison. 487 00:26:06,566 --> 00:26:09,434 NEWMAN: This was the scariest moment of my life. 488 00:26:09,569 --> 00:26:12,903 I was certain that there was no way I was 489 00:26:12,939 --> 00:26:15,173 gonna get out of this alive. 490 00:26:15,308 --> 00:26:17,908 WILDMAN: So how will Steven Newman make it home? 491 00:26:32,592 --> 00:26:35,126 It's October 1984. 492 00:26:35,128 --> 00:26:37,462 Hiker, Steven Newman, is on a mission 493 00:26:37,597 --> 00:26:40,664 to circumnavigate the globe on foot. 494 00:26:40,700 --> 00:26:43,401 His journey gets off to a promising start, 495 00:26:43,403 --> 00:26:46,604 but when he arrives in Turkey, he's arrested 496 00:26:46,673 --> 00:26:49,940 and accused of being a spy-- so what will become 497 00:26:50,009 --> 00:26:52,176 of this pioneering pedestrian? 498 00:26:55,348 --> 00:26:57,347 Newman is held under the watchful eye 499 00:26:57,383 --> 00:26:59,083 of an armed guard. 500 00:26:59,218 --> 00:27:01,285 I don't think I'd ever felt so lonely 501 00:27:01,354 --> 00:27:03,121 and so scared in my life. 502 00:27:05,125 --> 00:27:08,959 I was so scared that I would be rotting there for the rest of my life, 503 00:27:08,995 --> 00:27:10,294 and no one would know it, 504 00:27:10,330 --> 00:27:13,230 or killed and buried in some rocky field somewhere, 505 00:27:13,266 --> 00:27:15,232 never discovered. 506 00:27:15,268 --> 00:27:18,502 WILDMAN: Then he gets a lucky break. 507 00:27:18,505 --> 00:27:21,005 When the guard steps away for a cigarette break... 508 00:27:23,443 --> 00:27:26,777 Newman seizes the opportunity. 509 00:27:26,779 --> 00:27:29,913 He scrambles through the window and makes a run for it. 510 00:27:29,949 --> 00:27:32,316 NEWMAN: That open window was my only way out of there, 511 00:27:32,451 --> 00:27:34,919 and I had to take the chance. 512 00:27:34,988 --> 00:27:36,921 I was scared to death. 513 00:27:41,661 --> 00:27:43,594 WILDMAN: For several days, Newman hides out 514 00:27:43,663 --> 00:27:45,863 in a small hotel. 515 00:27:45,865 --> 00:27:48,866 Then, when the coast is clear, he hits the road again. 516 00:27:49,001 --> 00:27:52,403 NEWMAN: The rest of the journey was largely adventurous 517 00:27:52,472 --> 00:27:55,405 and full of wonderful stories 518 00:27:55,441 --> 00:27:58,509 and the most incredibly kind people. 519 00:28:01,981 --> 00:28:04,282 WILDMAN: On April 1, 1987, 520 00:28:04,284 --> 00:28:07,117 four years after embarking on his adventure, 521 00:28:07,187 --> 00:28:10,754 Newman returns to his hometown of Bethel, Ohio. 522 00:28:10,790 --> 00:28:13,824 He's walked more than 21,000 miles 523 00:28:13,960 --> 00:28:16,226 through 20 countries. 524 00:28:16,262 --> 00:28:19,496 The trailblazer earns his place in the record books 525 00:28:19,566 --> 00:28:23,700 as the first person to complete a solo walk around the world. 526 00:28:23,736 --> 00:28:27,238 I felt very pleased that I had been able 527 00:28:27,240 --> 00:28:30,208 to live that little boy's dream. 528 00:28:34,647 --> 00:28:37,714 WILDMAN: Today, a pair of boots worn by Steven Newman 529 00:28:37,750 --> 00:28:40,050 on his epic journey are on display 530 00:28:40,119 --> 00:28:43,453 at the Bethel Historic Society & Museum in Ohio. 531 00:28:43,489 --> 00:28:46,323 They're a reminder of a bold adventure 532 00:28:46,392 --> 00:28:48,326 that was anything but pedestrian. 533 00:28:53,065 --> 00:28:54,965 San Diego, California, is home 534 00:28:55,001 --> 00:28:58,669 to the nation's largest urban cultural green space -- 535 00:28:58,705 --> 00:29:01,071 Balboa Park. 536 00:29:01,107 --> 00:29:02,807 Covering 1,200 acres, 537 00:29:02,942 --> 00:29:05,276 it features renowned performance venues, 538 00:29:05,345 --> 00:29:09,146 lush gardens, and a staggering 15 museums. 539 00:29:12,652 --> 00:29:15,553 But located in this serene setting is an institution 540 00:29:15,555 --> 00:29:18,822 dedicated to a decidedly noisy pursuit -- 541 00:29:18,858 --> 00:29:21,758 the San Diego Automotive Museum. 542 00:29:21,794 --> 00:29:26,630 Inside, visitors can find a 1914 Ford Model T, 543 00:29:26,633 --> 00:29:30,100 a 1982 DeLorean, 544 00:29:30,169 --> 00:29:32,603 and a vast collection of Indian motorcycles. 545 00:29:34,707 --> 00:29:35,839 Most of these classic cars 546 00:29:35,908 --> 00:29:39,176 look like they've just rolled off the assembly line. 547 00:29:39,245 --> 00:29:43,648 But there's one vehicle here that's heavily customized. 548 00:29:43,783 --> 00:29:46,383 The artifact is off white, 549 00:29:46,452 --> 00:29:50,054 about 15 to 20 feet long, about 8,000 pounds. 550 00:29:50,189 --> 00:29:53,123 It has features that you're not gonna find on a regular car. 551 00:29:53,159 --> 00:29:55,525 These modifications greased the wheels 552 00:29:55,561 --> 00:29:58,128 for an incredible journey. 553 00:29:58,197 --> 00:30:00,197 BRANDES: This amazing, one-of-a-kind car 554 00:30:00,333 --> 00:30:02,733 went on a one-of-a-kind adventure. 555 00:30:05,872 --> 00:30:09,340 WILDMAN: 1947, San Diego, California. 556 00:30:09,409 --> 00:30:13,477 36-year-old Louie Mattar is a skilled auto mechanic 557 00:30:13,546 --> 00:30:15,613 with a vivid imagination. 558 00:30:15,615 --> 00:30:18,949 Louie Mattar was a very effervescent character. 559 00:30:19,018 --> 00:30:21,919 He loved tinkering with his cars. 560 00:30:24,557 --> 00:30:26,357 WILDMAN: Mattar is obsessed 561 00:30:26,492 --> 00:30:29,694 with squeezing maximum performance out of his vehicles, 562 00:30:29,829 --> 00:30:32,763 so when he purchases a brand-new Cadillac sedan, 563 00:30:32,799 --> 00:30:34,765 he gets a big idea. 564 00:30:34,900 --> 00:30:37,768 Mattar thought, "How far can I go? 565 00:30:37,837 --> 00:30:40,037 How about New York -- and back?" 566 00:30:40,039 --> 00:30:42,773 "Without stopping." 567 00:30:42,908 --> 00:30:46,109 WILDMAN: Mattar resolves to set the record 568 00:30:46,145 --> 00:30:48,379 for the longest non-stop drive. 569 00:30:48,514 --> 00:30:52,916 He plans to drive 6,300 miles without ever stopping. 570 00:30:52,952 --> 00:30:56,520 But the project poses a host of problems. 571 00:30:56,655 --> 00:31:01,324 BRANDES: He had to consider fuel, water, oil, 572 00:31:01,361 --> 00:31:03,994 and you have to eat, you have to sleep -- 573 00:31:04,030 --> 00:31:07,664 all of these things while you're driving down the highway. 574 00:31:07,734 --> 00:31:10,934 WILDMAN: And so to complete the epic journey, 575 00:31:10,970 --> 00:31:15,139 Mattar resolves to modify nearly every inch of his Cadillac. 576 00:31:15,141 --> 00:31:17,341 He installs a larger fuel tank 577 00:31:17,476 --> 00:31:21,812 and plots a route that will allow him to gas up on the go. 578 00:31:21,881 --> 00:31:24,815 He made arrangements to go to an airfield 579 00:31:24,851 --> 00:31:28,686 where a tanker could come alongside the car and refuel. 580 00:31:28,821 --> 00:31:31,422 WILDMAN: And just in case the Caddy gets a flat, 581 00:31:31,424 --> 00:31:34,157 Mattar rigs the vehicle with a special contraption 582 00:31:34,193 --> 00:31:35,559 that will keep it rolling. 583 00:31:35,628 --> 00:31:37,961 BRANDES: You can change the tires on this car 584 00:31:38,030 --> 00:31:39,430 while it's in motion. 585 00:31:43,235 --> 00:31:46,303 WILDMAN: Mattar recruits two friends to be his co-pilots, 586 00:31:46,439 --> 00:31:48,772 allowing the three of them to switch off 587 00:31:48,775 --> 00:31:50,307 between driving and sleeping. 588 00:31:50,443 --> 00:31:53,577 And to make their journey as pleasant as possible, 589 00:31:53,579 --> 00:31:56,113 Mattar puts in a few creature comforts. 590 00:31:56,182 --> 00:31:59,649 Mattar added a stove, a water fountain, 591 00:31:59,685 --> 00:32:03,253 a bar, a shower, a washing machine, 592 00:32:03,289 --> 00:32:07,858 a toilet, and, of course, a kitchen sink. 593 00:32:07,927 --> 00:32:11,729 WILDMAN: He even installs the very latest in technology, 594 00:32:11,731 --> 00:32:15,332 making use of the nation's brand-new wireless network. 595 00:32:15,401 --> 00:32:18,535 Probably the most progressive thing he put in his car 596 00:32:18,604 --> 00:32:21,271 was a mobile telephone. 597 00:32:23,810 --> 00:32:27,544 WILDMAN: Finally, on September 20, 1952, 598 00:32:27,580 --> 00:32:30,614 after five years of careful planning 599 00:32:30,749 --> 00:32:32,616 and $75,000 in upgrades, 600 00:32:32,751 --> 00:32:35,619 Mattar and his pals hit the road. 601 00:32:35,621 --> 00:32:37,621 The excitement level was pretty high. 602 00:32:37,623 --> 00:32:40,157 The first few days went very well. 603 00:32:40,159 --> 00:32:42,092 The car was working very well. 604 00:32:42,228 --> 00:32:45,161 WILDMAN: But then, despite their preparations, 605 00:32:45,198 --> 00:32:48,232 the team faces a problem they never anticipated. 606 00:32:51,504 --> 00:32:54,505 Mattar and his buddies get sick. 607 00:32:54,640 --> 00:32:56,307 The symptoms came on slowly. 608 00:32:56,309 --> 00:33:01,579 First it was headaches, then it was stomach cramps. 609 00:33:01,714 --> 00:33:03,514 And then... 610 00:33:03,583 --> 00:33:05,649 constipation. 611 00:33:05,718 --> 00:33:07,984 They hadn't planned on that, 612 00:33:08,020 --> 00:33:10,521 so they didn't have any medicine to take care of it. 613 00:33:10,656 --> 00:33:12,790 WILDMAN: The men are in a bind. 614 00:33:12,925 --> 00:33:15,592 If they stop at a drug store, 615 00:33:15,628 --> 00:33:18,796 their record-setting quest will skid to a halt. 616 00:33:18,931 --> 00:33:20,330 But if they don't, 617 00:33:20,399 --> 00:33:24,334 the problem could become too uncomfortable to ignore. 618 00:33:24,403 --> 00:33:26,003 BRANDES: This was a big deal. 619 00:33:26,138 --> 00:33:27,737 They had their eye on the prize. 620 00:33:27,773 --> 00:33:31,809 They couldn't stop. They had to do something. 621 00:33:31,811 --> 00:33:35,279 WILDMAN: Is Mattar's epic drive headed for a breakdown? 622 00:33:48,427 --> 00:33:49,894 It's 1952. 623 00:33:50,029 --> 00:33:51,762 Mechanic Louie Mattar is attempting 624 00:33:51,897 --> 00:33:54,898 a record-setting non-stop cross-country road trip 625 00:33:54,901 --> 00:33:56,633 in his souped-up Cadillac... 626 00:33:56,702 --> 00:34:00,704 but along the way, his teams falls ill. 627 00:34:00,740 --> 00:34:05,376 So is this epic drive out of gas? 628 00:34:09,381 --> 00:34:12,115 Luckily, Mattar realizes he has just the right gadget 629 00:34:12,184 --> 00:34:15,118 to help them -- his mobile phone. 630 00:34:15,154 --> 00:34:17,454 BRANDES: He called the local police, 631 00:34:17,456 --> 00:34:19,189 told the police what the trouble was, 632 00:34:19,191 --> 00:34:21,659 and the police called a doctor, 633 00:34:21,794 --> 00:34:25,596 who said, "Oh, I have just what they need." 634 00:34:25,665 --> 00:34:26,864 Laxatives. 635 00:34:29,768 --> 00:34:32,336 WILDMAN: The officers pick up the medicine 636 00:34:32,471 --> 00:34:35,139 and meet them along the Caddy's route. 637 00:34:35,274 --> 00:34:38,408 Louie couldn't stop and pick up the medicine because then 638 00:34:38,477 --> 00:34:41,078 he wouldn't set the distance endurance driving record. 639 00:34:41,147 --> 00:34:44,748 The car couldn't stop. 640 00:34:44,883 --> 00:34:46,082 BRANDES: They pulled up next to the car, 641 00:34:46,118 --> 00:34:47,150 rolled down the windows, 642 00:34:47,186 --> 00:34:49,686 and handed over the all-important medicine. 643 00:34:49,722 --> 00:34:52,556 The team was...relieved. 644 00:34:52,625 --> 00:34:56,493 WILDMAN: Their troubles flushed away, 645 00:34:56,529 --> 00:34:59,897 Mattar and his crew shift into high gear. 646 00:35:01,500 --> 00:35:04,501 On September 23, they arrive in New York City, 647 00:35:04,637 --> 00:35:07,838 make a speedy U-turn, and head back west. 648 00:35:07,973 --> 00:35:12,108 They didn't stop in New York for anything. 649 00:35:12,144 --> 00:35:14,377 This was a non-stop trip 650 00:35:14,413 --> 00:35:18,648 so instantly back on the route to San Diego. 651 00:35:18,684 --> 00:35:21,518 Finally, on September 27, 652 00:35:21,587 --> 00:35:25,122 only seven days after beginning their epic road trip, 653 00:35:25,124 --> 00:35:28,992 Mattar and his buddies arrive back in San Diego. 654 00:35:29,061 --> 00:35:32,062 BRANDES: Mattar was euphoric. He did the unthinkable. 655 00:35:32,131 --> 00:35:36,667 He drove that car over 6,000 miles non-stop. 656 00:35:36,802 --> 00:35:39,536 WILDMAN: Today, 657 00:35:39,538 --> 00:35:43,339 Louie Mattar's extraordinary 1947 modified Cadillac 658 00:35:43,376 --> 00:35:47,077 sits on display at the San Diego Automotive Museum. 659 00:35:47,212 --> 00:35:50,481 It's a motoring monument to a daring tinkerer 660 00:35:50,483 --> 00:35:53,217 who drove himself into the record books. 661 00:35:57,690 --> 00:35:59,423 Lewisburg, Tennessee. 662 00:35:59,492 --> 00:36:01,158 This small, agricultural community 663 00:36:01,227 --> 00:36:03,427 was settled in the late 18th century 664 00:36:03,496 --> 00:36:06,897 by Revolutionary War veterans and took its name 665 00:36:06,899 --> 00:36:10,701 from the famous frontiersman and explorer Meriwether Lewis. 666 00:36:10,836 --> 00:36:13,771 But on the outskirts of town is an institution 667 00:36:13,906 --> 00:36:16,907 that celebrates another bold adventurer, 668 00:36:16,909 --> 00:36:20,044 the Wyatt Archeological Museum, 669 00:36:20,179 --> 00:36:24,048 dedicated to the achievements of Archeologist Ron Wyatt. 670 00:36:24,183 --> 00:36:26,516 Its collection includes 671 00:36:26,585 --> 00:36:28,418 artifacts from ancient civilizations, 672 00:36:28,454 --> 00:36:30,921 including an olive press 673 00:36:30,990 --> 00:36:34,124 and an assortment of clay pots from Israel. 674 00:36:34,126 --> 00:36:37,394 But among the utensils of everyday life 675 00:36:37,529 --> 00:36:41,265 is one item that is anything but typical. 676 00:36:41,400 --> 00:36:43,133 RIVES: This artifact is about 16 inches long, 677 00:36:43,169 --> 00:36:47,471 it's about 9 inches wide, and it's brown in color. 678 00:36:47,473 --> 00:36:49,740 And it's hard like a rock. 679 00:36:49,742 --> 00:36:52,809 WILDMAN: This fossilized object is evidence 680 00:36:52,878 --> 00:36:56,746 of an incident of biblical proportions. 681 00:36:56,782 --> 00:36:58,949 This artifact is a piece of one of 682 00:36:58,951 --> 00:37:02,485 the most significant events in Earth's history. 683 00:37:02,521 --> 00:37:04,154 WILDMAN: How is this artifact connected 684 00:37:04,223 --> 00:37:08,025 to one of the world's most enduring mysteries? 685 00:37:08,027 --> 00:37:12,096 1960 -- Nashville, Tennessee. 686 00:37:12,231 --> 00:37:15,866 Amateur archeologist Ron Wyatt is thumbing through 687 00:37:15,968 --> 00:37:18,969 the September 5th issue of Life Magazine 688 00:37:19,038 --> 00:37:21,305 when an article grabs his attention. 689 00:37:21,440 --> 00:37:25,175 He saw a picture with a caption that said, "Noah's ark?" 690 00:37:25,310 --> 00:37:27,710 WILDMAN: As he reads the story, 691 00:37:27,747 --> 00:37:30,247 Wyatt learns that a mysterious formation 692 00:37:30,382 --> 00:37:32,916 was spotted in the mountains of eastern Turkey. 693 00:37:32,952 --> 00:37:36,252 An aerial photograph reveals what appears to be 694 00:37:36,288 --> 00:37:39,389 a boat-shaped object buried beneath the earth. 695 00:37:39,458 --> 00:37:41,324 Wyatt is astonished by the discovery 696 00:37:41,360 --> 00:37:44,328 and feels this could truly be the ancient vessel 697 00:37:44,330 --> 00:37:47,197 from one of the Bible's most famous stories. 698 00:37:47,332 --> 00:37:48,532 RIVES: It was very exciting to think 699 00:37:48,634 --> 00:37:50,867 that it could be the remains of Noah's ark. 700 00:37:50,936 --> 00:37:53,804 WILDMAN: According to the book of Genesis, 701 00:37:53,873 --> 00:37:57,074 God warned Noah about a catastrophic flood, 702 00:37:57,209 --> 00:37:59,810 instructing him to build a giant boat 703 00:37:59,879 --> 00:38:03,814 to save his family and two of every creature on earth. 704 00:38:06,685 --> 00:38:08,952 The story of this epic flood is thought by some 705 00:38:08,988 --> 00:38:11,955 to be based on an historic event where rising sea levels 706 00:38:12,024 --> 00:38:15,692 submerged huge portions of Turkey. 707 00:38:15,694 --> 00:38:17,561 This is where Noah's ark 708 00:38:17,630 --> 00:38:20,897 is said to have come to rest when the water receded. 709 00:38:20,966 --> 00:38:22,900 RIVES: We do know from the biblical account 710 00:38:22,902 --> 00:38:24,768 that it landed in the Mountains of Ararat, 711 00:38:24,837 --> 00:38:26,569 which is that whole mountainous region 712 00:38:26,605 --> 00:38:27,904 over in eastern Turkey. 713 00:38:27,940 --> 00:38:29,906 WILDMAN: So, is this formation 714 00:38:29,942 --> 00:38:32,242 physical proof of the legendary tale? 715 00:38:32,311 --> 00:38:35,778 RIVES: Some people say that this is not the remains of Noah's ark, 716 00:38:35,815 --> 00:38:37,447 that it's a natural object. 717 00:38:37,449 --> 00:38:39,716 WILDMAN: But Wyatt is convinced otherwise 718 00:38:39,785 --> 00:38:41,651 and becomes obsessed with proving 719 00:38:41,687 --> 00:38:45,722 that this is, in fact, the biblical boat. 720 00:38:45,724 --> 00:38:51,160 Finally, in 1979, he is able to finance a trip to Turkey. 721 00:38:52,231 --> 00:38:55,265 And after a long journey through the rugged mountains, 722 00:38:55,301 --> 00:38:58,601 Wyatt beholds this incredible spectacle for himself. 723 00:38:58,637 --> 00:39:00,604 He couldn't believe his eyes. 724 00:39:00,739 --> 00:39:02,739 Ron was able to see what he believed 725 00:39:02,775 --> 00:39:04,341 to be the remains of Noah's ark. 726 00:39:04,476 --> 00:39:07,611 WILDMAN: Wyatt thinks he sees the outline of a ship's hull, 727 00:39:07,613 --> 00:39:10,680 and when he takes measurements of the entire site, 728 00:39:10,749 --> 00:39:13,483 the results amaze him. 729 00:39:13,485 --> 00:39:17,154 RIVES: The Bible says that Noah's ark was 300 cubits in length, 730 00:39:17,289 --> 00:39:21,091 or about 515 feet, and the site measures out 731 00:39:21,093 --> 00:39:24,093 exactly 300 of those cubits in length. 732 00:39:24,129 --> 00:39:27,497 WILDMAN: Wyatt releases the astonishing findings, 733 00:39:27,566 --> 00:39:29,967 but members of the scientific community 734 00:39:30,102 --> 00:39:31,902 are quick to decry his claims, 735 00:39:31,904 --> 00:39:34,370 insisting that the rock formation 736 00:39:34,406 --> 00:39:36,973 is the natural result of mud flows. 737 00:39:37,042 --> 00:39:39,710 But Wyatt is about to unearth something 738 00:39:39,845 --> 00:39:42,646 that will shock even his fiercest critics. 739 00:39:42,781 --> 00:39:45,716 He turns to subsurface radar equipment 740 00:39:45,851 --> 00:39:47,584 to map out the location. 741 00:39:47,719 --> 00:39:50,253 As Wyatt carefully goes over the site, 742 00:39:50,289 --> 00:39:53,056 he gets a reading on the radar indicating 743 00:39:53,092 --> 00:39:56,125 an unidentified object very close to the surface. 744 00:39:56,161 --> 00:39:59,729 He digs up what appears to be a chunk of rock, 745 00:39:59,765 --> 00:40:02,065 but on closer inspection, 746 00:40:02,167 --> 00:40:06,003 Wyatt is convinced that it is fossilized wood. 747 00:40:06,138 --> 00:40:08,271 So, is this archeological find 748 00:40:08,307 --> 00:40:12,042 a genuine piece of the famed Noah's ark? 749 00:40:21,353 --> 00:40:22,819 It's 1960. 750 00:40:22,855 --> 00:40:25,288 Aerial photographs of a mountain range in Turkey 751 00:40:25,324 --> 00:40:29,292 have revealed what seems to be an unusual boat-like formation. 752 00:40:29,361 --> 00:40:32,296 Amatuer archeologist Ron Wyatt is convinced 753 00:40:32,431 --> 00:40:34,964 that these are the remains of a legendary vessel -- 754 00:40:35,000 --> 00:40:36,833 Noah's ark. 755 00:40:36,869 --> 00:40:39,503 But others dismiss it as an illusion of nature. 756 00:40:39,638 --> 00:40:44,441 So, does Wyatt's wild theory float? 757 00:40:44,576 --> 00:40:46,777 Wyatt sends the sample out for testing, 758 00:40:46,779 --> 00:40:52,181 and when the results come back, he's amazed at what they reveal. 759 00:40:52,217 --> 00:40:53,916 Rives: Upon analysis, appeared to have 760 00:40:53,919 --> 00:40:56,586 a very high organic carbon content. 761 00:40:56,722 --> 00:40:59,923 So, at that point, Ron knew it had to be a piece of wood 762 00:41:00,058 --> 00:41:02,192 that had fossilized or petrified. 763 00:41:02,294 --> 00:41:04,994 WILDMAN: As wood decays underground, 764 00:41:05,030 --> 00:41:08,598 mineral deposits replace the plant's organic matter 765 00:41:08,734 --> 00:41:11,601 and a stone mold forms in its place. 766 00:41:11,670 --> 00:41:14,137 Ron Wyatt thinks that the same process 767 00:41:14,206 --> 00:41:16,072 has transformed this artifact, 768 00:41:16,108 --> 00:41:19,409 now on display at the museum that bears his name. 769 00:41:19,445 --> 00:41:21,545 And he believes that it's evidence 770 00:41:21,680 --> 00:41:25,348 of the final resting place of Noah's ark. 771 00:41:25,351 --> 00:41:27,818 In light of this claim, 772 00:41:27,953 --> 00:41:31,555 authorities grant the site special historic significance. 773 00:41:31,690 --> 00:41:33,623 The Turkish government declared it 774 00:41:33,692 --> 00:41:35,692 a national treasure and a national park 775 00:41:35,827 --> 00:41:37,894 and built a visitors center at the site. 776 00:41:37,963 --> 00:41:40,163 WILDMAN: But despite this weighty endorsement, 777 00:41:40,165 --> 00:41:42,765 cynics continue to voice skepticism 778 00:41:42,801 --> 00:41:45,435 that the formation is in fact man-made. 779 00:41:45,471 --> 00:41:46,770 Unfortunately, 780 00:41:46,905 --> 00:41:49,973 Wyatt never gets the chance to convince them otherwise. 781 00:41:50,108 --> 00:41:53,443 In 1991, political unrest in the region 782 00:41:53,578 --> 00:41:56,513 makes the site too dangerous for foreigners. 783 00:41:56,648 --> 00:41:59,182 RIVES: So, there's more work that needs to be done, 784 00:41:59,218 --> 00:42:01,985 but at this point in time, we've not been able to do that. 785 00:42:03,255 --> 00:42:06,256 WILDMAN: But this object on display at the Wyatt Museum 786 00:42:06,391 --> 00:42:08,992 continues to stir timeless fascination 787 00:42:09,061 --> 00:42:11,428 with the truth behind this ancient ark. 788 00:42:13,265 --> 00:42:17,133 From a voyage to the North Pole, to a walk around the world, 789 00:42:17,202 --> 00:42:20,803 a lost city of gold, 790 00:42:20,839 --> 00:42:22,805 to the search for Noah's Ark. 791 00:42:22,841 --> 00:42:24,474 I'm Don Wildman, 792 00:42:24,476 --> 00:42:26,576 and these are the Mysteries at the Museum. 792 00:42:27,305 --> 00:43:27,632 Watch Online Movies and Series for FREE www.osdb.link/lm