"Mysteries at the Museum" First Time Explorers

1 00:00:01,935 --> 00:00:03,470 An unorthodox journey to the North Pole... 2 00:00:03,570 --> 00:00:07,807 They looked at this and thought "We're never gonna make it." 3 00:00:07,907 --> 00:00:10,343 [ice cracks] 4 00:00:10,443 --> 00:00:12,412 ...a death defying walk around the world. 5 00:00:14,347 --> 00:00:17,417 I was so scared that I would be rotting there for the rest of my life. 6 00:00:17,517 --> 00:00:21,287 And a cross-country drive with no rest stops. 7 00:00:21,388 --> 00:00:25,792 This was a big deal-- they had their eye on the prize. 8 00:00:25,892 --> 00:00:28,995 They couldn't stop. 9 00:00:29,095 --> 00:00:31,831 These are the Mysteries at the Museum. 10 00:00:36,970 --> 00:00:38,638 Denver, Colorado-- 11 00:00:38,738 --> 00:00:41,508 The hills and valleys that surround The Mile-High City 12 00:00:41,608 --> 00:00:44,778 were once the hunting grounds of Apache, Bannock, 13 00:00:44,878 --> 00:00:46,346 and Comanche Indians. 14 00:00:46,446 --> 00:00:48,181 At one institution in town, 15 00:00:48,281 --> 00:00:49,983 these cultures are celebrated 16 00:00:50,083 --> 00:00:52,719 amid works from all walks of life -- 17 00:00:52,819 --> 00:00:54,487 the Denver Art Museum. 18 00:00:57,457 --> 00:01:02,595 On display is a mask worn during winter dance ceremonies, 19 00:01:02,696 --> 00:01:06,366 decorative clothing made at the turn of the 19th century, 20 00:01:06,466 --> 00:01:09,002 and examples of Navajo rug weaving. 21 00:01:11,971 --> 00:01:14,307 Yet the museum also showcases the work 22 00:01:14,407 --> 00:01:16,376 of an ancient civilization 23 00:01:16,476 --> 00:01:18,945 once thought to be lost to time. 24 00:01:19,045 --> 00:01:21,548 RICE: The object measures 10 1/2 inches tall 25 00:01:21,648 --> 00:01:23,950 and 4 1/2 inches in diameter. 26 00:01:24,050 --> 00:01:26,519 It dates back to the 15th century. 27 00:01:26,619 --> 00:01:28,054 The item is made of silver, 28 00:01:28,154 --> 00:01:30,323 and it depicts two pieces of corn. 29 00:01:33,727 --> 00:01:37,163 WILDMAN: These molded corn husks recall an epic quest 30 00:01:37,263 --> 00:01:38,631 to the edge of the world. 31 00:01:38,732 --> 00:01:40,800 RICE: This is a story about an adventurer, 32 00:01:40,900 --> 00:01:43,536 a lost city, and the discovery of a lifetime. 33 00:01:48,441 --> 00:01:50,710 WILDMAN: It's the early 1900s. 34 00:01:50,810 --> 00:01:52,512 Eager adventurers are seeking out 35 00:01:52,612 --> 00:01:54,681 the last unknown corners of the earth, 36 00:01:54,781 --> 00:01:58,018 from the North Pole to Egypt's Valley of the Kings, 37 00:01:58,118 --> 00:02:00,320 and the tallest peaks of the world. 38 00:02:00,420 --> 00:02:02,555 And in South America, the hunt is on 39 00:02:02,655 --> 00:02:05,992 for a lost Inca city of untold riches. 40 00:02:06,092 --> 00:02:09,329 A lot of people speculated that the Inca would have housed 41 00:02:09,429 --> 00:02:11,297 a tremendous amount of silver and gold 42 00:02:11,398 --> 00:02:14,300 in their capital. 43 00:02:14,401 --> 00:02:17,070 WILDMAN: According to legend, in the 16th century, 44 00:02:17,170 --> 00:02:18,571 the Spanish conquistadors 45 00:02:18,672 --> 00:02:20,940 invaded Peru in search of treasure, 46 00:02:21,041 --> 00:02:25,145 ransacking Inca cities and leaving them in ruins. 47 00:02:25,245 --> 00:02:28,148 RICE: The Spanish really wanted to snuff out 48 00:02:28,248 --> 00:02:31,051 the remnants of the Inca empire for good. 49 00:02:31,151 --> 00:02:33,753 WILDMAN: But there was one city of immense grandeur 50 00:02:33,853 --> 00:02:36,523 that the invaders never discovered, 51 00:02:36,623 --> 00:02:40,126 and now one man is determined to find it, 52 00:02:40,226 --> 00:02:42,262 a professor of Latin-American history 53 00:02:42,362 --> 00:02:45,331 at Yale University, Hiram Bingham. 54 00:02:45,432 --> 00:02:48,802 This is a man who pursues a career in archaeology, 55 00:02:48,902 --> 00:02:52,038 incredibly adventurous, and he was incredibly ambitious. 56 00:02:52,138 --> 00:02:54,908 He also had a tremendous amount of self-confidence. 57 00:02:59,145 --> 00:03:01,948 WILDMAN: Bingham starts his search in Cusco, Peru, 58 00:03:02,048 --> 00:03:04,751 an area he believes was the former capital 59 00:03:04,851 --> 00:03:06,953 of the Inca empire. 60 00:03:07,053 --> 00:03:11,524 Bingham was energetic in talking to every Peruvian archaeologist 61 00:03:11,624 --> 00:03:13,793 and librarian that he could. 62 00:03:13,893 --> 00:03:17,664 WILDMAN: Finally, the intrepid explorer gets a lead, 63 00:03:17,764 --> 00:03:19,566 a rumor of an ancient city 64 00:03:19,666 --> 00:03:22,202 in the foothills of the Andes. 65 00:03:22,302 --> 00:03:25,872 So he sets out on an arduous trek into the mountains. 66 00:03:25,972 --> 00:03:30,010 There, Bingham discovers a collection of stone buildings, 67 00:03:30,110 --> 00:03:31,911 but his excitement is short-lived 68 00:03:32,012 --> 00:03:34,280 when he sees the names of other explorers 69 00:03:34,381 --> 00:03:36,016 scratched into the walls. 70 00:03:38,618 --> 00:03:40,954 RICE: Although it is an impressive archaeological site, 71 00:03:41,054 --> 00:03:43,957 it is not the last capital of the Inca. 72 00:03:44,057 --> 00:03:45,558 And even more crushing to Bingham, 73 00:03:45,658 --> 00:03:48,328 he's not the first person to get there. 74 00:03:48,428 --> 00:03:52,599 WILDMAN: Bingham is back to square one, but he's not about to give up. 75 00:03:52,699 --> 00:03:58,438 Bingham was very determined to find the lost city of the Inca. 76 00:03:58,538 --> 00:04:00,640 WILDMAN: In 1911, the explorer learns 77 00:04:00,740 --> 00:04:05,211 of an ancient Inca text dating back to the 1500s. 78 00:04:05,311 --> 00:04:08,715 It describes an incredible city perched on a high plateau 79 00:04:08,815 --> 00:04:11,451 between two jagged peaks. 80 00:04:11,551 --> 00:04:14,854 It even gives a clue as to where the city can be found, 81 00:04:14,954 --> 00:04:18,091 an area known as the Urubamba Valley. 82 00:04:18,191 --> 00:04:21,161 For Bingham, it's the break he's been waiting for. 83 00:04:21,261 --> 00:04:23,930 Bingham believed that by uncovering this, 84 00:04:24,030 --> 00:04:29,402 this would be the equivalent of finding the North Pole. 85 00:04:29,502 --> 00:04:32,305 On the morning of July 24, 1911, 86 00:04:32,405 --> 00:04:35,141 Bingham climbs to the crest of a high mountain pass. 87 00:04:35,241 --> 00:04:39,679 There, he is greeted by a breathtaking vision -- 88 00:04:39,779 --> 00:04:42,615 an expanse of ancient stone terraces 89 00:04:42,716 --> 00:04:45,585 tucked between two soaring mountain peaks. 90 00:04:45,685 --> 00:04:47,887 RICE: Entering the site of this ruin, 91 00:04:47,987 --> 00:04:51,658 Bingham was struck with not only the size 92 00:04:51,758 --> 00:04:54,327 of this rather large archaeological site, 93 00:04:54,427 --> 00:04:56,896 but also the dramatic landscape. 94 00:04:56,996 --> 00:04:59,199 WILDMAN: Although not paved with gold, 95 00:04:59,299 --> 00:05:01,868 the abandoned city covers 5 miles, 96 00:05:01,968 --> 00:05:03,737 with thousands of stone steps 97 00:05:03,837 --> 00:05:06,439 linking the many different levels. 98 00:05:06,539 --> 00:05:08,241 Bingham has found the largest 99 00:05:08,341 --> 00:05:12,312 and perhaps most significant ancient site in the Americas, 100 00:05:12,412 --> 00:05:14,280 the city of Machu Picchu. 101 00:05:14,381 --> 00:05:17,684 RICE: This was a site that was not only rather large, 102 00:05:17,784 --> 00:05:20,553 but also featured many different elements 103 00:05:20,653 --> 00:05:22,188 of Incan architecture. 104 00:05:22,288 --> 00:05:23,823 It had religious structures. 105 00:05:23,923 --> 00:05:25,925 It also had residential structures 106 00:05:26,026 --> 00:05:27,861 and administrative structures. 107 00:05:27,961 --> 00:05:29,863 It would have been a spectacular vision. 108 00:05:32,032 --> 00:05:36,369 WILDMAN: Bingham and the team conduct a thorough survey of the site. 109 00:05:36,469 --> 00:05:38,805 And for years to come, they return, 110 00:05:38,905 --> 00:05:42,008 unearthing spectacular buildings and artifacts 111 00:05:42,108 --> 00:05:44,577 similar to the ceremonial Inca corn stalk 112 00:05:44,678 --> 00:05:48,481 now on display at the Denver Art Museum. 113 00:05:48,581 --> 00:05:53,753 RICE: Bingham began to really command a small army of scholars 114 00:05:53,853 --> 00:05:56,456 that uncovered not only Machu Picchu, 115 00:05:56,556 --> 00:05:59,526 but really sites throughout the Urubamba River Valley. 116 00:06:04,064 --> 00:06:07,534 WILDMAN: Though he never finds the vast stores of gold he imagined, 117 00:06:07,634 --> 00:06:10,603 Bingham's discovery becomes one of the most visited sites 118 00:06:10,704 --> 00:06:12,305 in the Americas. 119 00:06:12,405 --> 00:06:14,708 Today, Machu Picchu is synonymous 120 00:06:14,808 --> 00:06:17,644 with the majestic achievements of the Inca empire 121 00:06:17,744 --> 00:06:22,282 and is considered one of the new Seven Wonders of the World. 122 00:06:22,382 --> 00:06:24,150 And this silver corn stalk 123 00:06:24,250 --> 00:06:26,720 at the Denver Art Museum in Colorado 124 00:06:26,820 --> 00:06:29,656 is a symbolic reminder of a determined professor 125 00:06:29,756 --> 00:06:32,559 who ascended to one of the ancient peaks 126 00:06:32,659 --> 00:06:34,027 of civilization. 127 00:06:37,630 --> 00:06:39,299 Washington, D.C. 128 00:06:39,399 --> 00:06:41,368 With more than 2,700 reporters 129 00:06:41,468 --> 00:06:43,737 working within its 68 square miles, 130 00:06:43,837 --> 00:06:45,472 the nation's capital boasts 131 00:06:45,572 --> 00:06:48,408 the highest concentration of journalists in America. 132 00:06:51,411 --> 00:06:53,813 And located in the heart of the city is an institution 133 00:06:53,913 --> 00:06:57,584 that celebrates the press itself -- The Newseum. 134 00:06:58,918 --> 00:07:00,820 Its collection includes artifacts 135 00:07:00,920 --> 00:07:04,290 from some of the most important events in recent history, 136 00:07:04,391 --> 00:07:08,061 including eight concrete slabs from the Berlin Wall 137 00:07:08,161 --> 00:07:09,896 and part of the antenna 138 00:07:09,996 --> 00:07:12,766 from the North Tower of the World Trade Center. 139 00:07:15,869 --> 00:07:18,438 But amidst these relics of hard-hitting journalism 140 00:07:18,538 --> 00:07:21,841 is one cheerful object that seems at first glance 141 00:07:21,941 --> 00:07:24,177 to have little to do with reporting. 142 00:07:24,277 --> 00:07:27,914 It is made of paper and cardboard. 143 00:07:28,014 --> 00:07:30,617 It's red and pink and gold. 144 00:07:30,717 --> 00:07:32,852 And there is a bunch of tiny squares 145 00:07:32,952 --> 00:07:36,222 that spiral around a center piece. 146 00:07:36,322 --> 00:07:40,427 This colorful game was inspired by a record-breaking quest 147 00:07:40,527 --> 00:07:42,429 that captivated the nation. 148 00:07:42,529 --> 00:07:43,763 CHRISTOFFERSEN: The American public really fell in love 149 00:07:43,863 --> 00:07:47,600 with this uplifting race of intrigue and adventure. 150 00:07:52,472 --> 00:07:54,607 WILDMAN: 1889, New York City. 151 00:07:54,708 --> 00:07:58,645 25-year-old Nellie Bly has landed a job as a writer 152 00:07:58,745 --> 00:08:00,347 for the New York World. 153 00:08:00,447 --> 00:08:03,016 As one of the country's first female reporters, 154 00:08:03,116 --> 00:08:04,884 she is determined to make her mark 155 00:08:04,984 --> 00:08:07,854 in the competitive male-dominated trade. 156 00:08:07,954 --> 00:08:10,123 Nellie Bly is a journalist, 157 00:08:10,223 --> 00:08:12,692 which is unusual for a woman at this point in time. 158 00:08:12,792 --> 00:08:15,362 But she's a woman who is ready to go out 159 00:08:15,462 --> 00:08:17,530 and grab whatever she thinks is important 160 00:08:17,630 --> 00:08:20,300 and is not taking "no" for an answer. 161 00:08:20,400 --> 00:08:22,168 WILDMAN: So for her next big story, 162 00:08:22,268 --> 00:08:25,705 Bly wants to pull off an unprecedented feat. 163 00:08:25,805 --> 00:08:29,142 Inspired by the 1872 Jules Verne novel 164 00:08:29,242 --> 00:08:31,177 "Around The World In Eighty Days," 165 00:08:31,277 --> 00:08:33,513 she will circumnavigate the globe. 166 00:08:33,613 --> 00:08:36,750 But unlike the book's protagonist Phileas Fogg, 167 00:08:36,850 --> 00:08:40,120 Bly will do it in fewer than 80 days. 168 00:08:40,220 --> 00:08:41,988 CHRISTOFFERSEN: Nellie has the idea that 169 00:08:42,088 --> 00:08:46,426 she can go around the world faster than Phileas Fogg. 170 00:08:46,526 --> 00:08:48,762 This is one of the craziest things you can imagine, 171 00:08:48,862 --> 00:08:53,600 but Nellie was not at all a traditional woman of the time. 172 00:08:56,403 --> 00:08:58,705 WILDMAN: Bly's boss, New York World publisher 173 00:08:58,805 --> 00:09:02,075 Joseph Pulitzer, agrees to the plan, 174 00:09:02,175 --> 00:09:06,012 confident the adventure will boost his paper's circulation. 175 00:09:06,112 --> 00:09:08,782 This kind of, what we like to call stunt journalism, 176 00:09:08,882 --> 00:09:10,250 was just the kind of thing 177 00:09:10,350 --> 00:09:12,018 that could help increase their reach. 178 00:09:15,722 --> 00:09:19,926 WILDMAN: Bly's historic adventure will cover a staggering 25,000 miles. 179 00:09:20,026 --> 00:09:22,796 And on November 14th, she departs New York 180 00:09:22,896 --> 00:09:26,332 and sails off on the first leg towards London. 181 00:09:26,433 --> 00:09:28,802 To complete her global trek in time, 182 00:09:28,902 --> 00:09:31,604 she'll need every break she can get. 183 00:09:31,705 --> 00:09:34,841 CHRISTOFFERSEN: Transportation disruptions, storms at sea, 184 00:09:34,941 --> 00:09:36,976 mechanical failures -- 185 00:09:37,077 --> 00:09:39,412 she could run into any of these kinds of things. 186 00:09:39,512 --> 00:09:42,148 If she's got one missed connection, 187 00:09:42,248 --> 00:09:45,285 she is going to be set back. 188 00:09:45,385 --> 00:09:47,153 WILDMAN: After six days at sea, 189 00:09:47,253 --> 00:09:50,690 Bly arrives in London and races south. 190 00:09:50,790 --> 00:09:52,625 She travels through Europe 191 00:09:52,726 --> 00:09:55,061 and makes it to Egypt in less than a week. 192 00:09:55,161 --> 00:09:58,732 She then continues to Singapore and further into Asia, 193 00:09:58,832 --> 00:10:00,967 hopping on boats, trains, donkeys, 194 00:10:01,067 --> 00:10:03,770 and rickshaws to explore foreign lands. 195 00:10:06,940 --> 00:10:08,441 And at every step, 196 00:10:08,541 --> 00:10:10,610 she telegraphs accounts of her adventures 197 00:10:10,710 --> 00:10:13,446 back to her editors at the New York World. 198 00:10:13,546 --> 00:10:17,283 CHRISTOFFERSEN: She reports about men hunting crocodiles in Egypt. 199 00:10:17,384 --> 00:10:20,320 She visits a leper colony in China. 200 00:10:20,420 --> 00:10:24,224 People are really eating up everything she has to say. 201 00:10:24,324 --> 00:10:27,293 WILDMAN: Everything seems to be going according to plan. 202 00:10:29,329 --> 00:10:31,798 But when the journalist arrives in Hong Kong, 203 00:10:31,898 --> 00:10:34,968 she hears some unwelcome news. 204 00:10:35,068 --> 00:10:37,604 The officials at the steamer ship office 205 00:10:37,704 --> 00:10:40,607 lets her know that there is, in fact, another woman 206 00:10:40,707 --> 00:10:43,143 who is making the same journey. 207 00:10:43,243 --> 00:10:44,544 WILDMAN: A rival publication, 208 00:10:44,644 --> 00:10:47,647 Cosmopolitan, looking to capitalize on the hype, 209 00:10:47,747 --> 00:10:51,384 has sent its own reporter to challenge Bly. 210 00:10:51,484 --> 00:10:53,920 Her name is Elizabeth Bisland. 211 00:10:56,823 --> 00:10:59,159 Just hours after Bly left New York, 212 00:10:59,259 --> 00:11:02,929 Bisland headed out in the opposite direction. 213 00:11:03,029 --> 00:11:05,665 And now it seems her new rival is on track 214 00:11:05,765 --> 00:11:09,035 to beat Bly and her 80-day deadline. 215 00:11:09,135 --> 00:11:11,338 CHRISTOFFERSEN: Bisland's already come through Hong Kong. 216 00:11:11,438 --> 00:11:13,406 Bisland is ahead of Bly. 217 00:11:14,941 --> 00:11:16,876 WILDMAN: Bly is desperate to catch up 218 00:11:16,976 --> 00:11:21,214 and immediately boards a ship bound for San Francisco. 219 00:11:21,314 --> 00:11:25,518 But then disaster strikes. 220 00:11:25,618 --> 00:11:27,287 As the vessel crosses the Pacific, 221 00:11:27,387 --> 00:11:30,523 it sails right into a violent storm. 222 00:11:30,623 --> 00:11:34,494 When Bly finally reaches San Francisco on January 21st, 223 00:11:34,594 --> 00:11:37,764 Bisland is already crossing the Atlantic. 224 00:11:37,864 --> 00:11:40,066 It seems the Cosmopolitan reporter 225 00:11:40,166 --> 00:11:42,302 may beat her to New York. 226 00:11:42,402 --> 00:11:46,106 Is this the end of Nellie Bly's round-the-world dreams? 227 00:11:51,311 --> 00:11:53,747 It's 1890. 228 00:11:53,847 --> 00:11:55,582 Inspired by the Jules Verne novel 229 00:11:55,682 --> 00:11:57,617 "Around The World In Eighty Days," 230 00:11:57,717 --> 00:12:01,888 roving reporter Nellie Bly is racing to best the time 231 00:12:01,988 --> 00:12:04,057 set by the book's protagonist. 232 00:12:04,157 --> 00:12:05,525 But she's got competition. 233 00:12:05,625 --> 00:12:08,862 A rival journalist is making the very same trek. 234 00:12:08,962 --> 00:12:12,432 And when a storm causes Bly to fall behind, 235 00:12:12,532 --> 00:12:16,903 it looks like her quest may be at an end. 236 00:12:17,003 --> 00:12:20,607 Just when all seems lost, 237 00:12:20,707 --> 00:12:23,810 Elizabeth Bisland makes a crucial mistake. 238 00:12:23,910 --> 00:12:26,513 Rather than catching a fast steamer ship 239 00:12:26,613 --> 00:12:28,782 from England to New York as she intended, 240 00:12:28,882 --> 00:12:31,117 Bisland has somehow found herself aboard 241 00:12:31,217 --> 00:12:33,453 a much slower vessel. 242 00:12:33,553 --> 00:12:34,954 CHRISTOFFERSEN: Bisland misses the boat 243 00:12:35,055 --> 00:12:37,590 she intends to take back from London to New York. 244 00:12:37,691 --> 00:12:42,328 And so she is losing time at an even greater pace 245 00:12:42,429 --> 00:12:44,531 than poor Nellie Bly. 246 00:12:44,631 --> 00:12:46,733 WILDMAN: Sensing victory is in her sights, 247 00:12:46,833 --> 00:12:48,601 Bly boards an express train 248 00:12:48,702 --> 00:12:51,404 from San Francisco to the East Coast. 249 00:12:51,504 --> 00:12:53,640 And with the star reporter on board, 250 00:12:53,740 --> 00:12:55,875 it carries her east without delay. 251 00:12:57,977 --> 00:13:00,880 Finally, on January 25, 1890, 252 00:13:00,980 --> 00:13:03,817 Nellie Bly returns home to New York. 253 00:13:03,917 --> 00:13:06,019 She's beaten Bisland. 254 00:13:06,119 --> 00:13:09,656 She's also crushed Verne's benchmark of 80 days. 255 00:13:09,756 --> 00:13:10,957 She has been on the road 256 00:13:11,057 --> 00:13:15,862 for 72 days, 6 hours, and 11 minutes. 257 00:13:15,962 --> 00:13:18,064 WILDMAN: Thanks to her extraordinary feat, 258 00:13:18,164 --> 00:13:21,434 the intrepid reporter becomes a global star. 259 00:13:21,534 --> 00:13:23,069 CHRISTOFFERSEN: This is a time when 260 00:13:23,169 --> 00:13:25,805 we are looking at barrier-breaking women. 261 00:13:25,905 --> 00:13:28,641 She's certainly serving as one of those. 262 00:13:31,111 --> 00:13:34,647 WILDMAN: And today, this game of round-the-world with Nellie Bly, 263 00:13:34,748 --> 00:13:37,283 which was inspired by her record-breaking feat, 264 00:13:37,384 --> 00:13:39,419 remains on display at the museum, 265 00:13:39,519 --> 00:13:42,088 a symbol of the trail-blazing woman 266 00:13:42,188 --> 00:13:45,692 whose fearless attitude took her on the race of a lifetime. 267 00:13:49,095 --> 00:13:50,397 Wisconsin. 268 00:13:50,497 --> 00:13:54,067 Ever since the first motorized toboggan was built here in 1924, 269 00:13:54,167 --> 00:13:56,336 the Badger State has been known 270 00:13:56,436 --> 00:13:59,172 as the birthplace of the snowmobile. 271 00:13:59,272 --> 00:14:01,007 And in the northern town of St. Germain, 272 00:14:01,107 --> 00:14:02,776 one institution celebrates 273 00:14:02,876 --> 00:14:05,578 this groundbreaking mode of transport -- 274 00:14:05,679 --> 00:14:09,482 the Snowmobile Hall of Fame and Museum. 275 00:14:11,785 --> 00:14:14,954 It showcases an impressive array of racing sleds, 276 00:14:15,055 --> 00:14:19,225 including a 1970s independent front-suspension machine 277 00:14:19,325 --> 00:14:22,228 that topped 90 miles per hour, 278 00:14:22,328 --> 00:14:23,730 the Boss Cat II, 279 00:14:23,830 --> 00:14:28,001 which broke international speed records in 1972, 280 00:14:28,101 --> 00:14:30,370 and the sled that was used to win the gold 281 00:14:30,470 --> 00:14:34,174 at the 2001 Winter X Games. 282 00:14:36,743 --> 00:14:38,812 But among these sleek racers 283 00:14:38,912 --> 00:14:42,048 is a machine that seems basic by comparison. 284 00:14:42,148 --> 00:14:46,820 It's 8 feet long, 29 inches wide, and 42 inches high. 285 00:14:46,920 --> 00:14:48,988 It's roughly 50 years old. 286 00:14:49,089 --> 00:14:50,490 It was only 16 horsepower. 287 00:14:50,590 --> 00:14:53,159 But it was capable of amazing performance. 288 00:14:57,063 --> 00:15:00,066 WILDMAN: This vehicle was driven by an unlikely explorer 289 00:15:00,166 --> 00:15:03,436 who traveled to the very end of the earth. 290 00:15:03,536 --> 00:15:06,239 This is a story about a man with a crazy dream 291 00:15:06,339 --> 00:15:09,309 that paid off in ways that no one could have imagined. 292 00:15:12,579 --> 00:15:16,282 1966 -- Duluth, Minnesota. 293 00:15:16,383 --> 00:15:20,820 39-year-old Ralph Plaisted is a hardworking insurance salesman. 294 00:15:20,920 --> 00:15:22,555 But ever since he was a kid, 295 00:15:22,655 --> 00:15:25,492 Plaisted has wanted to be an explorer. 296 00:15:25,592 --> 00:15:27,394 So when he's not at the office, 297 00:15:27,494 --> 00:15:29,829 Plaisted spends every available moment 298 00:15:29,929 --> 00:15:32,665 enjoying the great outdoors on his snowmobile. 299 00:15:32,766 --> 00:15:34,968 RENNIE: Ralph Plaisted was a guy who was 300 00:15:35,068 --> 00:15:37,037 basically a thrill seeker at heart. 301 00:15:37,137 --> 00:15:39,039 He loved his snowmobile, 302 00:15:39,139 --> 00:15:41,808 and he became a big believer in the idea that 303 00:15:41,908 --> 00:15:45,178 snowmobiles could revolutionize how people could get around 304 00:15:45,278 --> 00:15:47,147 in the frozen north. 305 00:15:50,950 --> 00:15:53,486 WILDMAN: But as he advances into middle age, 306 00:15:53,586 --> 00:15:58,158 it seems his dream of being an explorer will never be realized. 307 00:15:58,258 --> 00:16:01,194 So one day, Plaisted makes a momentous decision. 308 00:16:01,294 --> 00:16:06,132 He will ride his snowmobile all the way to the North Pole. 309 00:16:06,232 --> 00:16:09,803 RENNIE: Now, to most people, that's an obviously absurd idea. 310 00:16:09,903 --> 00:16:11,271 But to Ralph Plaisted, 311 00:16:11,371 --> 00:16:13,740 that was exactly the kind of adventure 312 00:16:13,840 --> 00:16:18,545 he'd been looking for his entire life. 313 00:16:18,645 --> 00:16:20,547 WILDMAN: Plaisted charts a course 314 00:16:20,647 --> 00:16:23,983 that will retrace the route taken by his childhood hero, 315 00:16:24,084 --> 00:16:28,054 legendary Arctic explorer Robert Peary. 316 00:16:28,154 --> 00:16:31,691 In 1909, Peary was lauded as the first person 317 00:16:31,791 --> 00:16:34,761 to reach the North Pole by an overland route. 318 00:16:34,861 --> 00:16:38,064 RENNIE: Robert Peary had gone across the ice 319 00:16:38,164 --> 00:16:40,233 to the North Pole using dogs. 320 00:16:40,333 --> 00:16:44,404 Plaisted was simply intending to try to do a similar feat 321 00:16:44,504 --> 00:16:47,540 using motorized machines. 322 00:16:50,276 --> 00:16:51,945 WILDMAN: In spite of the fact that 323 00:16:52,045 --> 00:16:55,315 his equipment is far more advanced than his hero's, 324 00:16:55,415 --> 00:16:59,686 Plaisted's journey will still be fraught with challenges. 325 00:16:59,786 --> 00:17:01,788 RENNIE: The North Polar area consists of 326 00:17:01,888 --> 00:17:03,690 these huge slabs of ice 327 00:17:03,790 --> 00:17:06,626 that are blown by the winds and by ocean currents. 328 00:17:06,726 --> 00:17:09,062 They slam into one another periodically. 329 00:17:09,162 --> 00:17:12,499 So that terrain is constantly shifting around. 330 00:17:12,599 --> 00:17:15,802 WILDMAN: But Plaisted is undaunted. 331 00:17:15,902 --> 00:17:17,203 RENNIE: For the next couple of years, 332 00:17:17,303 --> 00:17:20,807 Plaisted worked night and day to try to make his dream a reality. 333 00:17:20,907 --> 00:17:24,511 He raised money. He found sponsors for this mission. 334 00:17:24,611 --> 00:17:28,148 He found people who would go on the expedition with him. 335 00:17:28,248 --> 00:17:31,451 WILDMAN: Finally, in March of 1968, 336 00:17:31,551 --> 00:17:33,286 Plaisted and his companions 337 00:17:33,386 --> 00:17:36,222 travel to a small island off the coast of Canada 338 00:17:36,322 --> 00:17:40,560 and ride their snowmobiles out onto the polar ice sheet. 339 00:17:40,660 --> 00:17:44,798 They navigate around giant piles of ice 340 00:17:44,898 --> 00:17:46,099 and cross some of the most 341 00:17:46,199 --> 00:17:48,335 inhospitable terrain on the planet. 342 00:17:50,704 --> 00:17:52,972 Plaisted's expedition faced lots of different obstacles. 343 00:17:53,073 --> 00:17:56,443 Fierce storms were coming through 344 00:17:56,543 --> 00:18:00,146 and they constantly had to try to decide whether or not 345 00:18:00,246 --> 00:18:02,782 the ice might actually be strong enough 346 00:18:02,882 --> 00:18:04,551 to hold up the weight of the snowmobiles. 347 00:18:06,619 --> 00:18:09,356 Slowly but surely, they get closer to the Pole. 348 00:18:12,225 --> 00:18:14,794 But on the morning of April 8th, there's trouble. 349 00:18:14,894 --> 00:18:16,963 [ Ice creaking ] 350 00:18:17,063 --> 00:18:20,967 An enormous crack opens in the ice. 351 00:18:21,067 --> 00:18:23,503 Plaisted and his team become separated 352 00:18:23,603 --> 00:18:25,739 from the main polar ice sheet. 353 00:18:25,839 --> 00:18:28,408 They are stranded on a floating chunk of ice, 354 00:18:28,508 --> 00:18:32,045 surrounded by the frigid waters of the Arctic Ocean. 355 00:18:32,145 --> 00:18:33,646 Plaisted and his men were tough, 356 00:18:33,747 --> 00:18:35,782 but it was looking like the North Pole was tougher. 357 00:18:42,789 --> 00:18:46,860 It's April 1968, Ralph Plaisted is leading 358 00:18:46,960 --> 00:18:50,430 an expedition to the North Pole on snowmobiles. 359 00:18:50,530 --> 00:18:54,034 The journey gets off to a promising start, 360 00:18:54,134 --> 00:18:57,237 but as they near the pole, the shifting ice threatens 361 00:18:57,337 --> 00:19:00,240 to strand them in the middle of the Artic. 362 00:19:00,340 --> 00:19:05,412 So, will Plaisted and his team make it home alive? 363 00:19:05,512 --> 00:19:11,484 After days of drifting, a shift in the ocean's current brings the chunk of ice 364 00:19:11,584 --> 00:19:16,389 the men are floating on closer to the polar ice sheet. 365 00:19:16,489 --> 00:19:19,526 Plaisted realizes this is their chance. 366 00:19:19,626 --> 00:19:22,362 As the edge of the polar ice sheet comes into view, 367 00:19:22,462 --> 00:19:25,065 his team starts their snowmobile's engines 368 00:19:25,165 --> 00:19:28,201 and gets ready to go. 369 00:19:28,301 --> 00:19:31,404 Finally, the two giant floes smash into each other 370 00:19:31,504 --> 00:19:35,475 with a deafening boom. 371 00:19:35,575 --> 00:19:36,643 [ Engine revs ] 372 00:19:36,743 --> 00:19:39,879 The men gun their machines across the fragile ice. 373 00:19:39,979 --> 00:19:43,316 If you fell through the ice into the Arctic Ocean, 374 00:19:43,416 --> 00:19:44,651 you were dead. 375 00:19:44,751 --> 00:19:46,686 There was no question of it. 376 00:19:48,688 --> 00:19:51,725 WILDMAN: In a flash, they make it to the other side. 377 00:19:51,825 --> 00:19:53,093 They barely made it. 378 00:19:56,763 --> 00:19:59,032 WILDMAN: The team resumes the journey, 379 00:19:59,132 --> 00:20:00,767 and just 10 days later, 380 00:20:00,867 --> 00:20:02,836 successfully reaches the North Pole. 381 00:20:02,936 --> 00:20:04,337 [ Cheering ] 382 00:20:04,437 --> 00:20:07,640 RENNIE: They all broke out into a huge celebration. 383 00:20:07,741 --> 00:20:10,643 Plaisted's expedition made it to the North Pole 384 00:20:10,744 --> 00:20:14,647 in 43 days, 2 hours, and 30 minutes, 385 00:20:14,748 --> 00:20:17,150 which was only about a week more 386 00:20:17,250 --> 00:20:21,354 than Robert Peary's expedition claimed to have made it in. 387 00:20:25,492 --> 00:20:28,094 WILDMAN: But while Plaisted has accomplished his goal, 388 00:20:28,194 --> 00:20:31,231 he's actually achieved something far great. 389 00:20:31,331 --> 00:20:35,468 20 years later, researchers examining Robert Peary's logs 390 00:20:35,568 --> 00:20:38,171 from his historic 1909 expedition 391 00:20:38,271 --> 00:20:40,440 make an astounding discovery. 392 00:20:40,540 --> 00:20:42,776 RENNIE: When they went over the notations 393 00:20:42,876 --> 00:20:44,978 that Robert Peary had made about 394 00:20:45,078 --> 00:20:48,848 the positions of the sun and the stars during his expedition, 395 00:20:48,948 --> 00:20:52,619 they realized that something was wrong. 396 00:20:52,719 --> 00:20:57,457 WILDMAN: While Peary wrote about seeing the sun rise and set, 397 00:20:57,557 --> 00:21:01,027 the sun never fully rises at the Pole. 398 00:21:01,127 --> 00:21:04,664 The researchers determined Peary never actually made it 399 00:21:04,764 --> 00:21:06,966 all the way to the North Pole. 400 00:21:07,067 --> 00:21:09,102 RENNIE: Some people think that Peary decided 401 00:21:09,202 --> 00:21:11,338 to falsify the records deliberately. 402 00:21:11,438 --> 00:21:14,007 Maybe he just got confused. 403 00:21:14,107 --> 00:21:18,578 We'll never know exactly what was in his mind. 404 00:21:18,678 --> 00:21:21,715 WILDMAN: The announcement officially makes Ralph Plaisted, 405 00:21:21,815 --> 00:21:25,251 a middle-aged insurance salesman from Minnesota, 406 00:21:25,352 --> 00:21:28,188 the first person to verifiably reach the North Pole 407 00:21:28,288 --> 00:21:30,523 by an overland route. 408 00:21:30,623 --> 00:21:32,258 And Ralph becomes the famous explorer 409 00:21:32,359 --> 00:21:34,894 of his childhood dreams. 410 00:21:34,994 --> 00:21:36,429 Plaisted finally got the recognition 411 00:21:36,529 --> 00:21:38,331 that he had always wanted and deserved. 412 00:21:40,934 --> 00:21:42,836 WILDMAN: Today, the same snowmobile driven 413 00:21:42,936 --> 00:21:44,904 during the Plaisted expedition 414 00:21:45,005 --> 00:21:48,575 is on display at the Snowmobile Hall of Fame and Museum 415 00:21:48,675 --> 00:21:51,578 in St. Germain, Wisconsin. 416 00:21:51,678 --> 00:21:54,147 It recalls the intrepid amateur explorer 417 00:21:54,247 --> 00:21:56,616 who wound up on top of the world. 418 00:22:01,121 --> 00:22:04,157 The tiny town of Bethel, situated in southwestern Ohio, 419 00:22:04,257 --> 00:22:07,527 was once home to the nation's 18th president, 420 00:22:07,627 --> 00:22:10,964 Ulysses S. Grant, and in the heart of town, 421 00:22:11,064 --> 00:22:14,367 inside the Grant Memorial Building, is an institution 422 00:22:14,467 --> 00:22:17,303 that celebrates the region's rich heritage-- 423 00:22:17,404 --> 00:22:20,440 the Bethel Historical Society & Museum. 424 00:22:23,109 --> 00:22:25,612 The collection includes a child's doll from the 19th century, 425 00:22:25,712 --> 00:22:29,549 an array of medicine bottles dating back to the 1940s, 426 00:22:29,649 --> 00:22:33,520 and an Army uniform from the Vietnam War. 427 00:22:39,492 --> 00:22:42,362 But one item looks like it belongs not in a museum 428 00:22:42,462 --> 00:22:44,597 but in a gym locker. 429 00:22:44,698 --> 00:22:47,600 NEWMAN: The artifact is 13 inches long, eight inches high, 430 00:22:47,701 --> 00:22:50,070 and around five inches wide. 431 00:22:50,170 --> 00:22:53,273 It is made out of leather and tan fabric 432 00:22:53,373 --> 00:22:55,975 and has a rubber base. 433 00:22:56,076 --> 00:22:58,545 It looks tired, as if it has 434 00:22:58,645 --> 00:23:00,914 been through a lot of use. 435 00:23:02,682 --> 00:23:04,617 WILDMAN: These boots played a starring role 436 00:23:04,718 --> 00:23:07,687 in a 'round the world adventure that went terribly wrong. 437 00:23:07,787 --> 00:23:10,657 NEWMAN: This is a story about determination, 438 00:23:10,757 --> 00:23:13,927 exploration, and one very long walk. 439 00:23:17,864 --> 00:23:20,600 WILDMAN: 1978, Casper, Wyoming. 440 00:23:20,700 --> 00:23:23,303 Twenty-three-year-old Steven Newman 441 00:23:23,403 --> 00:23:26,239 is a journalist working at the local newspaper. 442 00:23:26,339 --> 00:23:28,441 In his spare time, he enjoys hiking 443 00:23:28,541 --> 00:23:31,945 the many trails that crisscross Wyoming's mountains and prairies, 444 00:23:32,045 --> 00:23:35,949 but the avid outdoorsman dreams of a bigger adventure 445 00:23:36,049 --> 00:23:38,985 far beyond the borders of the Cowboy State. 446 00:23:39,085 --> 00:23:42,055 NEWMAN: At this point in my life, I was very adventurous. 447 00:23:42,155 --> 00:23:45,525 I had big dreams, and I was full of optimism. 448 00:23:45,625 --> 00:23:48,061 I always wanted to know what was down the road 449 00:23:48,161 --> 00:23:49,996 or over the next hill. 450 00:23:52,932 --> 00:23:55,702 WILDMAN: So one day, Newman makes a momentous decision. 451 00:23:55,802 --> 00:23:58,972 He'll become the first person to walk solo 452 00:23:59,072 --> 00:24:01,341 around the world. 453 00:24:01,441 --> 00:24:04,277 NEWMAN: Ever since I was a little boy, I had dreamed about walking 454 00:24:04,377 --> 00:24:07,147 around the world--I thought the world was a magical place. 455 00:24:07,247 --> 00:24:09,749 My plan was to walk from 456 00:24:09,849 --> 00:24:12,252 one side of each continent to the other side 457 00:24:12,352 --> 00:24:16,156 and to take either a plane or a boat across the oceans. 458 00:24:21,428 --> 00:24:23,963 WILDMAN: Finally, on April 1, 1983, 459 00:24:24,064 --> 00:24:27,767 after five years of preparation and with an 80-pound pack 460 00:24:27,867 --> 00:24:30,970 of gear on his back, Newman sets out on his journey. 461 00:24:35,275 --> 00:24:38,545 From his hometown of Bethel, Ohio, he walks east to Boston. 462 00:24:38,645 --> 00:24:40,680 Then he gets on a plane, 463 00:24:40,780 --> 00:24:42,882 flies to Ireland, and keeps walking. 464 00:24:42,982 --> 00:24:45,485 He walks his way across the British Isles 465 00:24:45,585 --> 00:24:47,487 and Continental Europe. 466 00:24:47,587 --> 00:24:49,489 NEWMAN: I was so excited. 467 00:24:49,589 --> 00:24:51,758 I'd never been outside of the United States. 468 00:24:51,858 --> 00:24:54,728 WILDMAN: Along the way, the explorer makes 469 00:24:54,828 --> 00:24:58,098 detailed notes of his journey and takes countless photographs. 470 00:24:58,198 --> 00:25:01,668 NEWMAN: I wanted each day to be filled with as much spontaneity 471 00:25:01,768 --> 00:25:04,337 as possible--some days, I got two miles, 472 00:25:04,437 --> 00:25:06,339 some days I went 20 miles. 473 00:25:06,439 --> 00:25:09,242 WILDMAN: But in October 1984, 474 00:25:09,342 --> 00:25:11,378 18 months into his trip, 475 00:25:11,478 --> 00:25:13,947 things take a turn for the worse. 476 00:25:14,047 --> 00:25:17,150 Newman enters Turkey and finds the nation embroiled 477 00:25:17,250 --> 00:25:19,552 in a civil war-- soon after, 478 00:25:19,652 --> 00:25:23,089 the explorer's antics attract some unwanted attention. 479 00:25:23,189 --> 00:25:26,359 While sitting in a teahouse, 480 00:25:26,459 --> 00:25:28,995 Newman is approached by armed soldiers. 481 00:25:29,095 --> 00:25:32,799 They accuse him of being a spy. 482 00:25:32,899 --> 00:25:36,469 One reason that these soldiers suspected I might be a spy-- 483 00:25:36,569 --> 00:25:39,506 I had journal books written in shorthand, 484 00:25:39,606 --> 00:25:41,741 and I spoke more than one language, 485 00:25:41,841 --> 00:25:43,977 and, most ominously of all, 486 00:25:44,077 --> 00:25:46,212 I was taking lots of photographs. 487 00:25:46,312 --> 00:25:50,183 WILDMAN: Newman protests his innocence, 488 00:25:50,283 --> 00:25:52,585 but the soldiers don't buy it. 489 00:25:52,686 --> 00:25:55,822 Newman is arrested and locked up in a Turkish prison. 490 00:25:55,922 --> 00:25:58,825 NEWMAN: This was the scariest moment of my life. 491 00:25:58,925 --> 00:26:02,228 I was certain that there was no way I was 492 00:26:02,328 --> 00:26:04,564 gonna get out of this alive. 493 00:26:04,664 --> 00:26:07,267 WILDMAN: So how will Steven Newman make it home? 494 00:26:07,367 --> 00:26:10,270 [dramatic music] 495 00:26:16,676 --> 00:26:19,112 It's October 1984. 496 00:26:19,212 --> 00:26:21,548 Hiker, Steven Newman, is on a mission 497 00:26:21,648 --> 00:26:24,684 to circumnavigate the globe on foot. 498 00:26:24,784 --> 00:26:27,420 His journey gets off to a promising start, 499 00:26:27,520 --> 00:26:30,690 but when he arrives in Turkey, he's arrested 500 00:26:30,790 --> 00:26:34,027 and accused of being a spy-- so what will become 501 00:26:34,127 --> 00:26:36,296 of this pioneering pedestrian? 502 00:26:39,432 --> 00:26:41,401 Newman is held under the watchful eye 503 00:26:41,501 --> 00:26:43,203 of an armed guard. 504 00:26:43,303 --> 00:26:45,305 I don't think I'd ever felt so lonely 505 00:26:45,405 --> 00:26:47,173 and so scared in my life. 506 00:26:49,175 --> 00:26:52,946 I was so scared that I would be rotting there for the rest of my life, 507 00:26:53,046 --> 00:26:54,280 and no one would know it, 508 00:26:54,381 --> 00:26:57,217 or killed and buried in some rocky field somewhere, 509 00:26:57,317 --> 00:26:59,252 never discovered. 510 00:26:59,352 --> 00:27:02,489 WILDMAN: Then he gets a lucky break. 511 00:27:02,589 --> 00:27:05,091 When the guard steps away for a cigarette break... 512 00:27:07,527 --> 00:27:10,764 Newman seizes the opportunity. 513 00:27:10,864 --> 00:27:13,933 He scrambles through the window and makes a run for it. 514 00:27:14,034 --> 00:27:16,403 NEWMAN: That open window was my only way out of there, 515 00:27:16,503 --> 00:27:18,972 and I had to take the chance. 516 00:27:19,072 --> 00:27:20,974 I was scared to death. 517 00:27:21,074 --> 00:27:23,243 [dramatic music] 518 00:27:25,745 --> 00:27:27,647 WILDMAN: For several days, Newman hides out 519 00:27:27,747 --> 00:27:29,849 in a small hotel. 520 00:27:29,949 --> 00:27:32,986 Then, when the coast is clear, he hits the road again. 521 00:27:33,086 --> 00:27:36,489 NEWMAN: The rest of the journey was largely adventurous 522 00:27:36,589 --> 00:27:39,459 and full of wonderful stories 523 00:27:39,559 --> 00:27:42,629 and the most incredibly kind people. 524 00:27:46,032 --> 00:27:48,234 WILDMAN: On April 1, 1987, 525 00:27:48,335 --> 00:27:51,137 four years after embarking on his adventure, 526 00:27:51,237 --> 00:27:54,741 Newman returns to his hometown of Bethel, Ohio. 527 00:27:54,841 --> 00:27:57,877 He's walked more than 21,000 miles 528 00:27:57,977 --> 00:28:00,213 through 20 countries. 529 00:28:00,313 --> 00:28:03,516 The trailblazer earns his place in the record books 530 00:28:03,616 --> 00:28:07,721 as the first person to complete a solo walk around the world. 531 00:28:07,821 --> 00:28:11,224 I felt very pleased that I had been able 532 00:28:11,324 --> 00:28:14,294 to live that little boy's dream. 533 00:28:18,698 --> 00:28:21,735 WILDMAN: Today, a pair of boots worn by Steven Newman 534 00:28:21,835 --> 00:28:24,104 on his epic journey are on display 535 00:28:24,204 --> 00:28:27,474 at the Bethel Historic Society & Museum in Ohio. 536 00:28:27,574 --> 00:28:30,377 They're a reminder of a bold adventure 537 00:28:30,477 --> 00:28:32,412 that was anything but pedestrian. 538 00:28:37,117 --> 00:28:38,985 San Diego, California, is home 539 00:28:39,085 --> 00:28:42,722 to the nation's largest urban cultural green space -- 540 00:28:42,822 --> 00:28:45,058 Balboa Park. 541 00:28:45,158 --> 00:28:46,860 Covering 1,200 acres, 542 00:28:46,960 --> 00:28:49,295 it features renowned performance venues, 543 00:28:49,396 --> 00:28:53,199 lush gardens, and a staggering 15 museums. 544 00:28:56,670 --> 00:28:59,506 But located in this serene setting is an institution 545 00:28:59,606 --> 00:29:02,809 dedicated to a decidedly noisy pursuit -- 546 00:29:02,909 --> 00:29:05,745 the San Diego Automotive Museum. 547 00:29:05,845 --> 00:29:10,583 Inside, visitors can find a 1914 Ford Model T, 548 00:29:10,684 --> 00:29:14,154 a 1982 DeLorean, 549 00:29:14,254 --> 00:29:16,690 and a vast collection of Indian motorcycles. 550 00:29:18,792 --> 00:29:19,893 Most of these classic cars 551 00:29:19,993 --> 00:29:23,229 look like they've just rolled off the assembly line. 552 00:29:23,329 --> 00:29:27,734 But there's one vehicle here that's heavily customized. 553 00:29:27,834 --> 00:29:30,437 The artifact is off white, 554 00:29:30,537 --> 00:29:34,140 about 15 to 20 feet long, about 8,000 pounds. 555 00:29:34,240 --> 00:29:37,143 It has features that you're not gonna find on a regular car. 556 00:29:37,243 --> 00:29:39,546 These modifications greased the wheels 557 00:29:39,646 --> 00:29:42,182 for an incredible journey. 558 00:29:42,282 --> 00:29:44,284 BRANDES: This amazing, one-of-a-kind car 559 00:29:44,384 --> 00:29:46,853 went on a one-of-a-kind adventure. 560 00:29:49,956 --> 00:29:53,426 WILDMAN: 1947, San Diego, California. 561 00:29:53,526 --> 00:29:57,564 36-year-old Louie Mattar is a skilled auto mechanic 562 00:29:57,664 --> 00:29:59,632 with a vivid imagination. 563 00:29:59,733 --> 00:30:03,036 Louie Mattar was a very effervescent character. 564 00:30:03,136 --> 00:30:06,039 He loved tinkering with his cars. 565 00:30:08,675 --> 00:30:10,477 WILDMAN: Mattar is obsessed 566 00:30:10,577 --> 00:30:13,813 with squeezing maximum performance out of his vehicles, 567 00:30:13,913 --> 00:30:16,816 so when he purchases a brand-new Cadillac sedan, 568 00:30:16,916 --> 00:30:18,885 he gets a big idea. 569 00:30:18,985 --> 00:30:21,888 Mattar thought, "How far can I go? 570 00:30:21,988 --> 00:30:24,090 How about New York -- and back?" 571 00:30:24,190 --> 00:30:26,926 "Without stopping." 572 00:30:27,027 --> 00:30:30,196 WILDMAN: Mattar resolves to set the record 573 00:30:30,296 --> 00:30:32,532 for the longest non-stop drive. 574 00:30:32,632 --> 00:30:37,003 He plans to drive 6,300 miles without ever stopping. 575 00:30:37,103 --> 00:30:40,674 But the project poses a host of problems. 576 00:30:40,774 --> 00:30:45,345 BRANDES: He had to consider fuel, water, oil, 577 00:30:45,445 --> 00:30:48,014 and you have to eat, you have to sleep -- 578 00:30:48,114 --> 00:30:51,718 all of these things while you're driving down the highway. 579 00:30:51,818 --> 00:30:54,988 WILDMAN: And so to complete the epic journey, 580 00:30:55,088 --> 00:30:59,159 Mattar resolves to modify nearly every inch of his Cadillac. 581 00:30:59,259 --> 00:31:01,461 He installs a larger fuel tank 582 00:31:01,561 --> 00:31:05,899 and plots a route that will allow him to gas up on the go. 583 00:31:05,999 --> 00:31:08,868 He made arrangements to go to an airfield 584 00:31:08,968 --> 00:31:12,806 where a tanker could come alongside the car and refuel. 585 00:31:12,906 --> 00:31:15,442 WILDMAN: And just in case the Caddy gets a flat, 586 00:31:15,542 --> 00:31:18,211 Mattar rigs the vehicle with a special contraption 587 00:31:18,311 --> 00:31:19,646 that will keep it rolling. 588 00:31:19,746 --> 00:31:22,048 BRANDES: You can change the tires on this car 589 00:31:22,148 --> 00:31:23,550 while it's in motion. 590 00:31:27,354 --> 00:31:30,457 WILDMAN: Mattar recruits two friends to be his co-pilots, 591 00:31:30,557 --> 00:31:32,826 allowing the three of them to switch off 592 00:31:32,926 --> 00:31:34,461 between driving and sleeping. 593 00:31:34,561 --> 00:31:37,630 And to make their journey as pleasant as possible, 594 00:31:37,731 --> 00:31:40,233 Mattar puts in a few creature comforts. 595 00:31:40,333 --> 00:31:43,737 Mattar added a stove, a water fountain, 596 00:31:43,837 --> 00:31:47,273 a bar, a shower, a washing machine, 597 00:31:47,374 --> 00:31:51,911 a toilet, and, of course, a kitchen sink. 598 00:31:52,012 --> 00:31:55,715 WILDMAN: He even installs the very latest in technology, 599 00:31:55,815 --> 00:31:59,419 making use of the nation's brand-new wireless network. 600 00:31:59,519 --> 00:32:02,622 Probably the most progressive thing he put in his car 601 00:32:02,722 --> 00:32:05,325 was a mobile telephone. 602 00:32:07,927 --> 00:32:11,598 WILDMAN: Finally, on September 20, 1952, 603 00:32:11,698 --> 00:32:14,734 after five years of careful planning 604 00:32:14,834 --> 00:32:16,736 and $75,000 in upgrades, 605 00:32:16,836 --> 00:32:19,639 Mattar and his pals hit the road. 606 00:32:19,739 --> 00:32:21,641 The excitement level was pretty high. 607 00:32:21,741 --> 00:32:24,177 The first few days went very well. 608 00:32:24,277 --> 00:32:26,212 The car was working very well. 609 00:32:26,312 --> 00:32:29,215 WILDMAN: But then, despite their preparations, 610 00:32:29,315 --> 00:32:32,352 the team faces a problem they never anticipated. 611 00:32:35,655 --> 00:32:38,658 Mattar and his buddies get sick. 612 00:32:38,758 --> 00:32:40,360 The symptoms came on slowly. 613 00:32:40,460 --> 00:32:45,665 First it was headaches, then it was stomach cramps. 614 00:32:45,765 --> 00:32:47,567 And then... 615 00:32:47,667 --> 00:32:49,703 constipation. 616 00:32:49,803 --> 00:32:52,005 They hadn't planned on that, 617 00:32:52,105 --> 00:32:54,607 so they didn't have any medicine to take care of it. 618 00:32:54,708 --> 00:32:56,876 WILDMAN: The men are in a bind. 619 00:32:56,976 --> 00:32:59,612 If they stop at a drug store, 620 00:32:59,713 --> 00:33:02,882 their record-setting quest will skid to a halt. 621 00:33:02,982 --> 00:33:04,384 But if they don't, 622 00:33:04,484 --> 00:33:08,421 the problem could become too uncomfortable to ignore. 623 00:33:08,521 --> 00:33:10,123 BRANDES: This was a big deal. 624 00:33:10,223 --> 00:33:11,791 They had their eye on the prize. 625 00:33:11,891 --> 00:33:15,829 They couldn't stop. They had to do something. 626 00:33:15,929 --> 00:33:19,399 WILDMAN: Is Mattar's epic drive headed for a breakdown? 627 00:33:27,240 --> 00:33:28,708 It's 1952. 628 00:33:28,808 --> 00:33:30,577 Mechanic Louie Mattar is attempting 629 00:33:30,677 --> 00:33:33,613 a record-setting non-stop cross-country road trip 630 00:33:33,713 --> 00:33:35,448 in his souped-up Cadillac... 631 00:33:35,548 --> 00:33:39,486 but along the way, his teams falls ill. 632 00:33:39,586 --> 00:33:44,157 So is this epic drive out of gas? 633 00:33:48,128 --> 00:33:50,864 Luckily, Mattar realizes he has just the right gadget 634 00:33:50,964 --> 00:33:53,833 to help them -- his mobile phone. 635 00:33:53,933 --> 00:33:56,136 BRANDES: He called the local police, 636 00:33:56,236 --> 00:33:57,871 told the police what the trouble was, 637 00:33:57,971 --> 00:34:00,440 and the police called a doctor, 638 00:34:00,540 --> 00:34:04,344 who said, "Oh, I have just what they need." 639 00:34:04,444 --> 00:34:05,645 Laxatives. 640 00:34:05,745 --> 00:34:08,448 [ Siren wails ] 641 00:34:08,548 --> 00:34:11,151 WILDMAN: The officers pick up the medicine 642 00:34:11,251 --> 00:34:13,953 and meet them along the Caddy's route. 643 00:34:14,054 --> 00:34:17,190 Louie couldn't stop and pick up the medicine because then 644 00:34:17,290 --> 00:34:19,859 he wouldn't set the distance endurance driving record. 645 00:34:19,959 --> 00:34:23,563 The car couldn't stop. 646 00:34:23,663 --> 00:34:24,831 BRANDES: They pulled up next to the car, 647 00:34:24,931 --> 00:34:25,899 rolled down the windows, 648 00:34:25,999 --> 00:34:28,435 and handed over the all-important medicine. 649 00:34:28,535 --> 00:34:31,338 The team was...relieved. 650 00:34:31,438 --> 00:34:35,241 WILDMAN: Their troubles flushed away, 651 00:34:35,342 --> 00:34:38,611 Mattar and his crew shift into high gear. 652 00:34:40,246 --> 00:34:43,283 On September 23, they arrive in New York City, 653 00:34:43,383 --> 00:34:46,619 make a speedy U-turn, and head back west. 654 00:34:46,720 --> 00:34:50,824 They didn't stop in New York for anything. 655 00:34:50,924 --> 00:34:53,093 This was a non-stop trip 656 00:34:53,193 --> 00:34:57,364 so instantly back on the route to San Diego. 657 00:34:57,464 --> 00:35:00,266 Finally, on September 27, 658 00:35:00,367 --> 00:35:03,803 only seven days after beginning their epic road trip, 659 00:35:03,903 --> 00:35:07,741 Mattar and his buddies arrive back in San Diego. 660 00:35:07,841 --> 00:35:10,810 BRANDES: Mattar was euphoric. He did the unthinkable. 661 00:35:10,910 --> 00:35:15,482 He drove that car over 6,000 miles non-stop. 662 00:35:15,582 --> 00:35:18,251 WILDMAN: Today, 663 00:35:18,351 --> 00:35:22,088 Louie Mattar's extraordinary 1947 modified Cadillac 664 00:35:22,188 --> 00:35:25,892 sits on display at the San Diego Automotive Museum. 665 00:35:25,992 --> 00:35:29,195 It's a motoring monument to a daring tinkerer 666 00:35:29,295 --> 00:35:32,032 who drove himself into the record books. 667 00:35:36,503 --> 00:35:38,204 Lewisburg, Tennessee. 668 00:35:38,304 --> 00:35:39,873 This small, agricultural community 669 00:35:39,973 --> 00:35:42,142 was settled in the late 18th century 670 00:35:42,242 --> 00:35:45,545 by Revolutionary War veterans and took its name 671 00:35:45,645 --> 00:35:49,482 from the famous frontiersman and explorer Meriwether Lewis. 672 00:35:49,582 --> 00:35:52,552 But on the outskirts of town is an institution 673 00:35:52,652 --> 00:35:55,588 that celebrates another bold adventurer, 674 00:35:55,689 --> 00:35:58,825 the Wyatt Archeological Museum, 675 00:35:58,925 --> 00:36:02,829 dedicated to the achievements of Archeologist Ron Wyatt. 676 00:36:02,929 --> 00:36:05,265 Its collection includes 677 00:36:05,365 --> 00:36:07,133 artifacts from ancient civilizations, 678 00:36:07,233 --> 00:36:09,669 including an olive press 679 00:36:09,769 --> 00:36:12,806 and an assortment of clay pots from Israel. 680 00:36:12,906 --> 00:36:16,176 But among the utensils of everyday life 681 00:36:16,276 --> 00:36:20,046 is one item that is anything but typical. 682 00:36:20,146 --> 00:36:21,881 RIVES: This artifact is about 16 inches long, 683 00:36:21,981 --> 00:36:26,186 it's about 9 inches wide, and it's brown in color. 684 00:36:26,286 --> 00:36:28,455 And it's hard like a rock. 685 00:36:28,555 --> 00:36:31,591 WILDMAN: This fossilized object is evidence 686 00:36:31,691 --> 00:36:35,495 of an incident of biblical proportions. 687 00:36:35,595 --> 00:36:37,664 This artifact is a piece of one of 688 00:36:37,764 --> 00:36:41,167 the most significant events in Earth's history. 689 00:36:41,267 --> 00:36:42,869 WILDMAN: How is this artifact connected 690 00:36:42,969 --> 00:36:46,673 to one of the world's most enduring mysteries? 691 00:36:46,773 --> 00:36:50,844 1960 -- Nashville, Tennessee. 692 00:36:50,944 --> 00:36:54,614 Amateur archeologist Ron Wyatt is thumbing through 693 00:36:54,714 --> 00:36:57,717 the September 5th issue of Life Magazine 694 00:36:57,817 --> 00:37:00,086 when an article grabs his attention. 695 00:37:00,186 --> 00:37:03,957 He saw a picture with a caption that said, "Noah's ark?" 696 00:37:04,057 --> 00:37:06,426 WILDMAN: As he reads the story, 697 00:37:06,526 --> 00:37:09,029 Wyatt learns that a mysterious formation 698 00:37:09,129 --> 00:37:11,631 was spotted in the mountains of eastern Turkey. 699 00:37:11,731 --> 00:37:14,968 An aerial photograph reveals what appears to be 700 00:37:15,068 --> 00:37:18,138 a boat-shaped object buried beneath the earth. 701 00:37:18,238 --> 00:37:20,040 Wyatt is astonished by the discovery 702 00:37:20,140 --> 00:37:23,009 and feels this could truly be the ancient vessel 703 00:37:23,109 --> 00:37:25,979 from one of the Bible's most famous stories. 704 00:37:26,079 --> 00:37:27,313 RIVES: It was very exciting to think 705 00:37:27,414 --> 00:37:29,649 that it could be the remains of Noah's ark. 706 00:37:29,749 --> 00:37:32,585 WILDMAN: According to the book of Genesis, 707 00:37:32,686 --> 00:37:35,889 God warned Noah about a catastrophic flood, 708 00:37:35,989 --> 00:37:38,591 instructing him to build a giant boat 709 00:37:38,692 --> 00:37:42,529 to save his family and two of every creature on earth. 710 00:37:42,629 --> 00:37:45,331 [ Thunder rumbles ] 711 00:37:45,432 --> 00:37:47,634 The story of this epic flood is thought by some 712 00:37:47,734 --> 00:37:50,670 to be based on an historic event where rising sea levels 713 00:37:50,770 --> 00:37:54,341 submerged huge portions of Turkey. 714 00:37:54,441 --> 00:37:56,276 This is where Noah's ark 715 00:37:56,376 --> 00:37:59,612 is said to have come to rest when the water receded. 716 00:37:59,713 --> 00:38:01,581 RIVES: We do know from the biblical account 717 00:38:01,681 --> 00:38:03,516 that it landed in the Mountains of Ararat, 718 00:38:03,616 --> 00:38:05,285 which is that whole mountainous region 719 00:38:05,385 --> 00:38:06,619 over in eastern Turkey. 720 00:38:06,720 --> 00:38:08,621 WILDMAN: So, is this formation 721 00:38:08,722 --> 00:38:10,990 physical proof of the legendary tale? 722 00:38:11,091 --> 00:38:14,494 RIVES: Some people say that this is not the remains of Noah's ark, 723 00:38:14,594 --> 00:38:16,129 that it's a natural object. 724 00:38:16,229 --> 00:38:18,465 WILDMAN: But Wyatt is convinced otherwise 725 00:38:18,565 --> 00:38:20,367 and becomes obsessed with proving 726 00:38:20,467 --> 00:38:24,404 that this is, in fact, the biblical boat. 727 00:38:24,504 --> 00:38:29,909 Finally, in 1979, he is able to finance a trip to Turkey. 728 00:38:31,011 --> 00:38:33,980 And after a long journey through the rugged mountains, 729 00:38:34,080 --> 00:38:37,350 Wyatt beholds this incredible spectacle for himself. 730 00:38:37,450 --> 00:38:39,419 He couldn't believe his eyes. 731 00:38:39,519 --> 00:38:41,421 Ron was able to see what he believed 732 00:38:41,521 --> 00:38:43,089 to be the remains of Noah's ark. 733 00:38:43,189 --> 00:38:46,259 WILDMAN: Wyatt thinks he sees the outline of a ship's hull, 734 00:38:46,359 --> 00:38:49,396 and when he takes measurements of the entire site, 735 00:38:49,496 --> 00:38:52,132 the results amaze him. 736 00:38:52,232 --> 00:38:55,902 RIVES: The Bible says that Noah's ark was 300 cubits in length, 737 00:38:56,002 --> 00:38:59,739 or about 515 feet, and the site measures out 738 00:38:59,839 --> 00:39:02,776 exactly 300 of those cubits in length. 739 00:39:02,876 --> 00:39:06,212 WILDMAN: Wyatt releases the astonishing findings, 740 00:39:06,312 --> 00:39:08,748 but members of the scientific community 741 00:39:08,848 --> 00:39:10,583 are quick to decry his claims, 742 00:39:10,684 --> 00:39:13,086 insisting that the rock formation 743 00:39:13,186 --> 00:39:15,722 is the natural result of mud flows. 744 00:39:15,822 --> 00:39:18,491 But Wyatt is about to unearth something 745 00:39:18,591 --> 00:39:21,428 that will shock even his fiercest critics. 746 00:39:21,528 --> 00:39:24,497 He turns to subsurface radar equipment 747 00:39:24,597 --> 00:39:26,366 to map out the location. 748 00:39:26,466 --> 00:39:28,968 As Wyatt carefully goes over the site, 749 00:39:29,069 --> 00:39:31,771 he gets a reading on the radar indicating 750 00:39:31,871 --> 00:39:34,841 an unidentified object very close to the surface. 751 00:39:34,941 --> 00:39:38,445 He digs up what appears to be a chunk of rock, 752 00:39:38,545 --> 00:39:40,814 but on closer inspection, 753 00:39:40,914 --> 00:39:44,818 Wyatt is convinced that it is fossilized wood. 754 00:39:44,918 --> 00:39:47,020 So, is this archeological find 755 00:39:47,120 --> 00:39:50,857 a genuine piece of the famed Noah's ark? 756 00:39:54,861 --> 00:39:56,262 It's 1960. 757 00:39:56,363 --> 00:39:58,698 Aerial photographs of a mountain range in Turkey 758 00:39:58,798 --> 00:40:02,769 have revealed what seems to be an unusual boat-like formation. 759 00:40:02,869 --> 00:40:05,805 Amatuer archeologist Ron Wyatt is convinced 760 00:40:05,905 --> 00:40:08,408 that these are the remains of a legendary vessel -- 761 00:40:08,508 --> 00:40:10,310 Noah's ark. 762 00:40:10,410 --> 00:40:13,046 But others dismiss it as an illusion of nature. 763 00:40:13,146 --> 00:40:17,984 So, does Wyatt's wild theory float? 764 00:40:18,084 --> 00:40:20,220 Wyatt sends the sample out for testing, 765 00:40:20,320 --> 00:40:25,658 and when the results come back, he's amazed at what they reveal. 766 00:40:25,759 --> 00:40:27,394 Rives: Upon analysis, appeared to have 767 00:40:27,494 --> 00:40:30,130 a very high organic carbon content. 768 00:40:30,230 --> 00:40:33,466 So, at that point, Ron knew it had to be a piece of wood 769 00:40:33,566 --> 00:40:35,635 that had fossilized or petrified. 770 00:40:35,735 --> 00:40:38,405 WILDMAN: As wood decays underground, 771 00:40:38,505 --> 00:40:42,075 mineral deposits replace the plant's organic matter 772 00:40:42,175 --> 00:40:45,078 and a stone mold forms in its place. 773 00:40:45,178 --> 00:40:47,614 Ron Wyatt thinks that the same process 774 00:40:47,714 --> 00:40:49,516 has transformed this artifact, 775 00:40:49,616 --> 00:40:52,852 now on display at the museum that bears his name. 776 00:40:52,952 --> 00:40:55,055 And he believes that it's evidence 777 00:40:55,155 --> 00:40:58,758 of the final resting place of Noah's ark. 778 00:40:58,858 --> 00:41:01,327 In light of this claim, 779 00:41:01,428 --> 00:41:05,065 authorities grant the site special historic significance. 780 00:41:05,165 --> 00:41:07,100 The Turkish government declared it 781 00:41:07,200 --> 00:41:09,202 a national treasure and a national park 782 00:41:09,302 --> 00:41:11,371 and built a visitors center at the site. 783 00:41:11,471 --> 00:41:13,573 WILDMAN: But despite this weighty endorsement, 784 00:41:13,673 --> 00:41:16,242 cynics continue to voice skepticism 785 00:41:16,343 --> 00:41:18,912 that the formation is in fact man-made. 786 00:41:19,012 --> 00:41:20,313 Unfortunately, 787 00:41:20,413 --> 00:41:23,516 Wyatt never gets the chance to convince them otherwise. 788 00:41:23,616 --> 00:41:26,986 In 1991, political unrest in the region 789 00:41:27,087 --> 00:41:30,056 makes the site too dangerous for foreigners. 790 00:41:30,156 --> 00:41:32,659 RIVES: So, there's more work that needs to be done, 791 00:41:32,759 --> 00:41:35,462 but at this point in time, we've not been able to do that. 792 00:41:36,730 --> 00:41:39,733 WILDMAN: But this object on display at the Wyatt Museum 793 00:41:39,833 --> 00:41:42,435 continues to stir timeless fascination 794 00:41:42,535 --> 00:41:44,904 with the truth behind this ancient ark. 795 00:41:46,740 --> 00:41:50,610 From a voyage to the North Pole, to a walk around the world, 796 00:41:50,710 --> 00:41:54,247 a lost city of gold, 797 00:41:54,347 --> 00:41:56,249 to the search for Noah's Ark. 798 00:41:56,349 --> 00:41:57,884 I'm Don Wildman, 799 00:41:57,984 --> 00:42:00,086 and these are the Mysteries at the Museum.