last great journey

The Great Journey Walkthrough

From Halopedia, the Halo wiki

This page is a walkthrough for the 15th and last campaign level in Halo 2 , The Great Journey . It is written to be played on Legendary difficulty. The player's initial loadout is a Okarda'phaa -pattern plasma rifle and Type-25 plasma pistol and four Anskum -pattern plasma grenades . Upon beginning the level, there is a Wuzum -pattern Spectre piloted by an Elite that will approach from behind and is drivable by the player, or the player can man the plasma turret mounted on the back and the Elite pilot will drive.

• 3.1 Part 1: Your Ass, My Size-24 Hoof
• 3.2 Part 2: Backseat Driver
• 3.3 Part 3: Delusions and Grandeur
• 4 Video Walkthrough

Weapons [ edit ]

• Plasma Pistol
• Okarda'phaa -pattern plasma rifle
• Brute Plasma Rifle
• Covenant Carbine
• Particle Beam Rifle
• Energy Sword
• Plasma Grenade
• Fragmentation Grenade
• Black Eye Skull (Legendary Only)

Vehicles [ edit ]

• Wuzum -pattern Spectre
• Scarab (non-drivable, can ride)
• Phantom (non-drivable)
• Covenant Assault Carrier (non-drivable)

Legendary Walkthrough [ edit ]

Part 1: your ass, my size-24 hoof [ edit ].

Although you start out on foot a Spectre will soon arrive to pick you up. Since the spec-ops commander stubbornly refuses to give up his Wraith, the Spectre is the best we can do for the moment. (In lower difficulties, he will leave the Wraith and you can choose which vehicle you want).

Interestingly, the level starts you out very close to your ultimate destination. Any attempts to head right for the control room, though, will likely be foiled by the cheap instant death barrier down below the cliff.

Your first priority is to upgrade your vehicle to something a bit more robust, as you'll be wading through quite a few enemy Ghosts, as well as a couple of Wraiths. Thus, rather than jumping right into the combat at the beginning, boosting ahead a bit and boarding the first available Wraith is recommended, as shown in the next video.

QuickTime (3.9 mb) | WMP9 (5.9 mb)

Right-click (option-click on a Mac) and "Save As" to save to disk.

The biggest danger associated with this tactic is probably being shot apart by Ghosts while you're boarding the Wraith. However, if you don't waste any time, you should usually be able to make it to the Wraith and complete the boarding before you really get swarmed. Using grenades to kill the driver can help speed up the process, though you run the risk of destroying the Wraith along with him. As your allies don't let little considerations like, say, the fact that you're clinging to the vehicle that they're firing on slow them down, there's also the danger of friendly fire. Partly for this reason (and partly to avoid getting caught in the explosion if it gets destroyed), I'd suggest parking your Spectre behind the rock before boarding the Wraith.

Once you've safely gained control of the wraith, you can relax a bit. Obliterate any Ghosts that may be pestering you and move ahead to engage the two enemy Wraiths near the door. I'd recommend attacking them more or less head-on, as shown in the next video.

QuickTime (3.4 mb) | WMP9 (3.4 mb)

The small tree on the right can actually help provide a bit of cover, intercepting some of their shots. You could try flanking them from around the little hill on the right, but the narrow path severely restricts your movement, making you an easy target. Note that there's also a Phantom out past the cliff to the left who may fire on you at some point. From this distance, though, he's not really much of a threat, so you should just ignore him and focus on the Wraiths. Take a moment to savor vaporizing the Brutes running around on foot with the Wraith's cannon.

When the area is clear, it is suggested to exchange your useless Plasma Rifle for a Brute Shot and as much ammo as you can find before heading inside. Unfortunately, you won't run across an Energy Sword for a while, so the Brute Shot is the best you can do for melee attacks.

Once inside, proceed through the hallways, making sure to exchange your equally useless Plasma Pistol for a Beam Rifle along the way, until you enter a two-level room guarded by a phalanx of five Brutes on the upper level. A couple of additional Brutes will also enter through the upper door after you've killed off a few members of the initial group.

You might be inclined to sit back in the hallway and use your newly-acquired Beam Rifle to pick off the Brutes from a distance. The problem with that tactic is that not only is it tedious (with all of the grenades bouncing around, it can be hard to get a clear shot unless you're cloaked), but your Hunters will take a tremendous pounding, and at least one of them will most likely die. The Hunters can be a valuable distraction in the next battle, and so it really pays to keep both of them alive. Thus, I'd recommend moving in on the Brutes right away, before they can deal out too much damage. Although there are quite a few of them, they tend to focus their attention on the Hunters, which makes it much easier to sneak up the ramp and kill several of them from behind before they even know you're there, as shown in the next video.

QuickTime (2.1 mb) | WMP9 (2.1 mb)

Make sure not to use your cloak too early, as you'll want to save it for when the Brutes arrive through the door. If necessary, you can also drop down to the lower level after taking out the first group. Note that, for some reason, the Brutes in the second group (even those that have gone berserk) have a tendency to retreat back the way they came when they're losing the battle, so if you don't finish them off here you'll have to deal with them in the next room. As usual, collect Plasma Grenades and Brute Shot ammo after the battle.

As you proceed through the next door into the large cavern, you'll find yourself on one arm of a U-shaped platform that curves around to the right, while five Brutes occupy the other. Another group of two Brutes, two regular Jackals, and two Jackal Snipers will arrive from the cave on the opposite side after you either kill off most of the original Brutes or you approach the exit.

The easiest way to survive this room is probably to run right through, as shown in the next video.

QuickTime (1.7 mb) | WMP9 (1.6 mb)

Jumping the chasm at a couple of points helps to speed things up and bypass the brute in the turret, though sometimes you may end up taking quite a bit of fire from the main group. Be sure to save your cloak for the end, as you'll need it to avoid the snipers.

Despite the effectiveness of this tactic, I'd recommend fighting this battle merely because it can be rather fun. If you've been following my advice, you should be carrying a full sniper rifle, and so it's certainly possible to sit back and snipe everything. However, closing in on the enemies right away can work just as well for killing them all as it does for avoiding them. If you're quick enough, you can manage to get around behind the second group while they're still mostly bunched up, as shown in the next video.

QuickTime (3.1 mb) | WMP9 (3.0 mb)

Otherwise, if the second group manages to disperse, you'll just have to take out the first group and then approach the remaining enemies in whatever way seems best, as shown in the next video.

QuickTime (3.5 mb) | WMP9 (3.5 mb)

Note that you can always crouch jump over the low wall in order to flank the enemies, when necessary. Whatever you do, I'd advise against standing around in the vicinity of the turret brute. There are several exploding objects nearby that are easily detonated by brute shots and possess a dangerously wide kill radius.

Continuing onward, you'll reach a short bridge defended by several nearby jackals, as well as a jackal sniper and several drones at the far end. The next video shows how I usually approach this battle.

Note that a phantom will appear on your left to complicate matters when you're about halfway across, so once you start moving I wouldn't stop until you're safely out the other side. In my view, there's not much to be gained from fighting the drones except pain, so I'd recommend running right past them. The timing of your cloak is very important here, as the drones will send a barrage of plasma fire your way if you wait too long, which will usually cancel your invisibility.

Continue up the hallway and into the prison.

Once again you'll have to deal with two large contingents of brutes, with the second group showing up, as usual, when enough members of the original group have fallen. Three jackals also lurk up on the walkway around the center of the room. Despite the large number of enemies, though, a relatively mindless tactic is all that's really necessary to clear the room, as the next video shows.

QuickTime (7.3 mb) | WMP9 (7.0 mb)

It's very easy to die if you take too long to fire a burst of needles, as the brutes will quickly start launching grenades and shooting carbines your way. The Needlers tracking is pretty forgiving, though, so you won't have to aim too carefully; but don't forget to use your cloak when it's available. It's possible to free your captured allies from prison during the battle (just shoot the little force field emitters in front of the cell doors). However, they won't last very long with all of the brutes around, so I usually don't bother. Sometimes, there will be a prison cell that holds two Hunters. If you really want to finish this quickly, free your elite allies and the hunters. It may buy you some time. Note that the door by the brutes will stay locked until the second group arrives, so even if you're planning on just running through the prison, you'll still have to kill at least a few of the enemies.

When the battle is over, you should pick up the energy sword if you haven't already and exchanging your Needler for the beam rifle. Fill up on grenades, and free your allies as well, though they won't be able to help you for very long.

Continue through the next hallway, which eventually leads you to a large platform outside.

Part 2: Backseat Driver [ edit ]

When the cutscene ends grab a banshee to begin a fairly long sequence of vehicular battles. Make sure that you have at least one plasma grenade left before you leave, as it will become very useful the next time you're fighting on foot. The terrain should look rather familiar from the beginning of the level. Regardless of what your objective says, the scarab is just as indestructible as it looks and you don't have to worry about protecting it. In fact, you can skip as much of the combat this chapter as you desire, as the scarab will eventually kill the three wraiths and then lumber onward to its ultimate destination.

Still, as long as you're waiting you might as well make yourself useful and speed things up. The safest way to destroy the wraiths is probably with the banshee, as it's quick enough to dodge their slow shots with relative ease. However, if you intend to keep fighting after the Wraiths are gone, you'll also have to face two Spectres and four banshees around the next bend. To make matters worse, several enemy turrets line the canyon walls. Surviving this gauntlet in the banshee can be fairly challenging, and so you'll be better off in the long run if you can take control of one of the Wraiths. I'd suggest boarding the one on the right and using it to take out the other two, as shown in the next video.

QuickTime (4.0 mb) | WMP9 (3.9 mb)

You should receive a checkpoint after this battle, and I'd recommend that you save and quit before proceeding.

The two Spectres will arrive as you move a bit farther along the canyon. They can be fairly annoying, gradually picking you apart with their little cannons, so I'd suggest taking the proactive approach and going right after them, as you'll be less likely to miss at close range. When the Spectres are gone, four Banshees will fly over the cliff ahead of you one at a time. The next video shows how I approach this battle, using the Wraith.

QuickTime (9.5 mb) | WMP9 (9.2 mb)

Staying near the corner along the side of the cliff forces the Banshees to begin their attack runs closer to you, making them somewhat easier to hit. As you can see, their tendency to fly straight at you does not exactly help their cause, either.

By the time you finish with the Banshees, the scarab will most likely have reached its destination. If you're really out for blood, you could take the time to destroy the two wraiths and four banshees in the next area, but I generally just head for the door at this point. I'd also recommend that you save and quit before proceeding if you received a checkpoint after destroying the banshees. I'll note once again that it's possible to skip this whole section simply by hopping back into a banshee after clearing out the first three wraiths and flying right to the control room. You can wait there out of harm's way until the scarab shows up. You'll have to fly toward the scarab close enough that Sarge begins firing on the control room door.

Part 3: Delusions and Grandeur [ edit ]

After the door is destroyed, the intended path for you to take is clearly to land outside and proceed on foot. You'd then have to fight through a large group of brutes before finally arriving at the control room.

However, it's actually possible to squeeze your banshee through the tunnel and fly over the brutes and into the control room. This approach has the advantage of not only bypassing the difficult battle with the brutes (though they can still potentially shoot you down), but also allowing you to employ the banshee in the final battle with Tartarus. In order to get the banshee through the tunnel you'll have to squeeze it up and over the rubble once you're past the doorway. You can make this task somewhat easier by destroying one or both of the banshee's "wings".

There's an even more interesting way into the control room, though, that involves exploiting a glitch whereby you can trigger the cutscene that precedes the final battle from outside the control room structure (thanks, Kyle Barr!), as shown in the next video.

QuickTime (4.9 mb) | WMP9 (4.5 mb)

As you can see, not only is this method quicker, but it also allows you to skip the brutes entirely and, surprisingly, even warps the banshee inside with you. Well, most of the time, at least. It's been my experience that the banshee doesn't always make it through in working condition (for example, I've run back to find it stuck in the floor). It's for this reason that I encouraged you to save and quit at the nearest checkpoint before you entered the control room structure. Be aware that you can't enter the control room in this manner until Sarge breaks down the door and the final chapter transition occurs, so there's no sneaking in early. Also, if you don't already have a beam rifle I'd recommend stopping by the bridge and picking one up before you proceed. You may not even end up using it if you have the banshee inside, but it gives you more flexibility for deciding how you want to deal with the brutes in the final battle. Anyway, it's not like you have anything else to do while Sarge is breaking down the door.

And so we come at last to the final battle of our epic, galaxy-spanning quest.

In light of this momentous occasion, Bungie added a entirely new weapon never before seen in the Halo universe, the gravity hammer . Tartarus wields this formidable weapon against the Arbiter in their final encounter.

Unfortunately, Tartarus is one of the easier of the three bosses (assuming that you don't use the fuel rod gun tactic on the Heretic Leader, at least). In contrast the other two bosses, Tartarus doesn't have a ranged attack, and so he can't hurt you as long as you don't let him get to close to you. His henchmen, meanwhile, attack only from one direction and only at fairly specific times during the battle. Thus, you can see them coming a mile away and there's little chance of being surrounded or taken by surprise.

The structure of the battle is fairly simple. Like the other boss fights, I tend to think of it in terms of several rounds, with each round ending when Sarge knocks out his shield and you damage Tartarus. Depending on your weapon choice, you'll probably need somewhere in the vicinity of 8-10 rounds to kill him. So, as far as Tartarus himself goes, the battle basically amounts to maneuvering to keep him at a distance until Sarge gets his shots in and you can do a bit of damage. Remember, Tartarus' shield only stays down for about 2–3 seconds at a time, so you have to be quick.

The only breaks in this pattern occur when the brute reinforcements show up. Although the time of their appearance does not appear to be absolutely fixed, it's at least consistent to a pretty high degree. The first group almost always appears after you first damage Tartarus (he'll say "A lucky hit. You'll not land another"). Expect the second group to arrive about 2-3 rounds after that, and the third group after another two rounds or so. As long as you keep an eye on their platform, you should be able to see them coming long before they actually get close enough to present a threat.

Given an understanding of the basic structure of the battle, the issue then becomes the specific tactics for damaging Tartarus and eliminating his brutes before they can cause you trouble. As I mentioned earlier, potentially clever shortcuts like pushing him off the platform into the abyss or smashing him with the banshee won't work, so you'll have to do it the old-fashioned way.

First and foremost, I should point out that the easiest and quickest method is to rely exclusively on the banshee. In that case, all you need to do is hover around Tartarus until Sarge takes out his shields and then blast him with the fuel rod cannon, flying off to interdict the other brutes as necessary. As Tartarus won't even be able to reach you, victory is almost assured, as long as one of the other brutes doesn't get in a lucky shot with a grenade or something.

Of course, the battle is quite manageable even without the banshee. Personally, I prefer to fight Tartarus on foot simply because I think it's more fun, and use the banshee only to take on the rest of the brutes.

Perhaps the most important observation if you intend to forget the banshee at any point is that although the battleground consists of three platforms, virtually none of the action will occur anywhere but the middle platform. Tartarus may fall down to the lower level or use the beam in the middle to ascend to the top, but given a bit of time he'll always return to the middle. Likewise, both the brutes and your useless elite allies will jump to the middle level and stay there. Thus, the top or bottom levels (I always choose the top) can serve as a safe refuge and an ideal drop-off point for weapons and your banshee where nothing is likely to disturb them.

As far as weapons go, I'd recommend dual brute plasma rifles. They'll do a tremendous amount of damage in a short period of time, and you'll never have to worry about running out of ammo. The shotgun works well, provided that you have enough ammo. The sword, for a change, is highly ineffective and puts you at great risk every time you get close to Tartarus. The carbine and brute shot, for their part, suffer from ammo limitations and just don't seem to deal as much damage as the plasma rifles or shotgun. As for plasma grenades, his shield is usually back up by the time they explode. You may be inclined to try knocking out his shield yourself with the beam rifle in order to speed things up. While it's certainly possible to do so, I've never really found it to be worth the trouble, as you'll quickly run out of ammo and you won't have much time left to damage him after switching weapons. In my experience, you're better off just sticking with the plasma rifles. However, the beam rifle can be very useful if you don't have the banshee (or are choosing not to use it), as you can often snipe several of the brutes before they even make it to the central platform.

Since you'll need to wait for Sarge to dispel his shield in each round, I'd recommend maneuvering Tartarus into a location where Sarge can get a clear shot, without any obstructions. Your best bet, perhaps not surprisingly, is around the outside of the middle platform right in front of Sarge's position.

As an alternative method to avoid Tartarus' hammer, take the Needlers off one of the elites that spawn (if he doesn't spawn then revert to saved until you get one). Then jump on the platform with Miranda and 343 GS on and attack Miranda with the Needler until she has taken enough rounds for them to explode, she will then run forwards and hold an imaginary gun. As she is invincible she wont die when Tartarus attacks her and he wont leave until she is dead (which is impossible). Hey presto the battle is easier.

With these considerations in mind, the next video shows an example of such a battle.

QuickTime (19.8 mb) | WMP9 (19.2 mb)

As you can see, nothing really fancy is required. Just be patient and deliberate in your movement, taking care to keep Tartarus in an advantageous location and to watch for approaching brutes. Keep in mind that he can strike both forward and backward (like the hunters), so be sure to stay a safe distance away from both sides of him. I'd also discourage you from trying to jump over his head. One move you can use to fake him out, though, is to hesitate slightly when backing away from him (much like you could do with the hunters in Halo 1 to trick them into lunging and exposing their midsections). This feint will trigger his melee attack and allow you to put a bit more distance between yourselves.

• Note*: An alternate method of bringing Tartarus down is to wait for Johnson to take out his shield, and then sword him. Right as Tartarus first jumps onto the platform, several Elites follow, all carrying energy swords. Once they are taken out, take one of their energy swords and lunge at Tartarus with the sword once his shield is down. In my experience, if you're playing multiplayer, have one person distract him so that the one with the sword can get at him from behind.
• Another alternative is to use the sword in conjunction with Active Camouflage. Since shots from the Beam Rifle generally stun him, if you lunge at him from behind you can easily move out of the way before he retaliates. This may be hard to pull off, but is highly effective when done correctly.
• Yet another strategy is to use dual Needlers. This usually requires more luck than anything else, but if you unload your Needlers into him, and then Johnson brings down his shield before the shards explode, Tartarus would take a tremendous amount of damage from the explosions. When done correctly on lower difficulties, his shield won't even need to be brought down a second time. This strategy is made easier with 2 players, where one carries the Beam Rifle.

That's what he gets for bringing a hammer to a gunfight.

Be aware that you won't get a checkpoint at any time during the fight, so don't let up and get careless at the end.

When you're done, sit back, enjoy the ending cutscene, and revel in your legendary victory.

Congratulations!

Video Walkthrough [ edit ]

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Halo 2 (Mission 15) The Great Journey Walkthrough

Video Walkthrough: Halo 2 (Mission 15) The Great Journey Walkthrough Skull Location: Black Eye Skull Location Terminal Location: The Great Journey Terminal Location

You begin The Great Journey, the final mission of Halo 2, as The Arbiter. This was a big deal back in the day because you didn't even finish the game as Master Chief, the main character. Anyway, the first part of this mission has you in a Wraith dealing with about a dozen different enemies in vehicles. Follow the linear route to reach a large Covenant structure which will have some Wraiths and Brutes outside of it.

Take out all of the enemies then go inside of the building. You'll get some allies (including Hunters) that join you in the building and fight with you through the next few rooms. All of the upcoming areas are very linear battle arenas - figuring out where to go isn't the hard part, dealing with the enemies is.

Note: The Didact Toy is the Toy that you can get on this mission. Getting it requires you to go out of your way by a large margin and it also requires you to do some setup at the start of the mission. Check out my The Didact Toy Youtube Video for more information about this.

After clearing a few rooms and hallways you will come across a prison (pictured below). You can make the fight in this area significantly easier by shooting the power supplies for the shields that are holding the Covenant captive. When you free these Covenant they'll join the fight and help you. There is a sword Elite you can free as well as some Hunters; more Brutes will charge into the room once you free some allies but the Hunters can deal with them pretty easily.

If you're interested in getting the Terminal on this mission you can find it in one of these prison cells as well. Check out my The Great Journey Terminal Location Youtube Video for details of exactly where it can be found. Any surviving allies that you freed will charge through the door once the Brutes are dead and will continue to the next area (as you should too). You'll eventually come to an outside area with a large Scarab and a bunch of Covenant that you'll have to kill in order to trigger a cutscene.

When the cutscene is over some Elites will drop off a Banshee for you which you'll need for the next part of this mission. This next part is one long scripted event - you need to fly the Banshee around and take out all of the Covenant Wraiths on the ground so that the Scarab can proceed through the canyon. You need to kill all of the Wraiths on this part of the mission, missing one of them will result in the Scarab sitting in place waiting for you to clear the way.

Eventually you will reach the beach and the Scarab will need you to protect it from all of the Banshees flying around in the air. Once you clear out all of the enemies the Scarab will blast a giant hole in the door of the building in the distance (pictured below). You will need to fly the Banshee over to this door, disembark and go inside to proceed with the mission.

There will be a large room filled with Brutes that you'll have to deal with once you're inside. If you're having trouble with this pack of enemies I recommend using the hole in the floor to hide from them long enough to deploy your Active Camo. You can also use this hole to recharge your shields since enemies don't seem to ever follow you down here. After they're dead go through the next hallway to trigger a cutscene.

All that's left of this mission is a boss fight against Tartarus. When you regain control of your character there will be a group of Brutes in front of you that you need to take out - then you'll have to jump to the nearby platform where Tartarus is. He's a pretty easy boss once you get used to how he moves around and how the platform you're on works.

Use the grav lift in the middle of the platform to move between the floors and use the terrain nearby to make Tartarus take longer to get to you. Remember, NPCs always have to run around objects that block their path - whereas we can jump over them!

So, for this fight you will want to use a Covenant Carbine which you can find on every level of this platform. You also do not want to shoot Tartarus when his shield is active; you can tell if his shield is active because he'll have the blue glow/smoke trail around him (pictured below).

When his shield is active you will need to wait for Sergeant Johnson to hit him 3 times with a Beam Rifle to make it go down. Pay attention to the sound of the Beam Rifle shots and you should be able to see the streak the shots leave in the air too. Once Tartarus' shield is down unload on him with your weapon aiming for his head.

It will take awhile because Tartarus has a ton of HP but you'll eventually whittle him down and kill him. Congrats you've now completed Halo 2!

Continue to Halo 2 Walkthrough Index

Return to Mission 14: Uprising Walkthrough

In pictures: Thousands line streets as Queen's 'last great journey' begins

The Queen's coffin was taken to Scotland's capital on Sunday before being laid to rest on Monday at the St Giles' Cathedral along the Royal Mile.

By Ian Sale, news reporter

Thursday 15 September 2022 09:31, UK

Thousands of people lined the streets to bid farewell to the Queen for what the King described as her “last great journey” from Balmoral Castle.

A seven-car cortege carrying her coffin gave Scottish mourners the opportunity to pay a final tribute to the country's longest-serving monarch .

The coffin was taken on a 180-mile journey on Sunday from Balmoral in Aberdeenshire to Edinburgh's Palace of Holyroodhouse, where the crowds were 10 deep in places.

It was then laid to rest on Monday at St Giles' Cathedral.

The King led the procession behind the Queen's coffin along the Royal Mile to the cathedral for a service of thanksgiving for her life.

The Reverend Calum MacLeod told the mourners the ceremony was "Scotland's farewell to our late monarch".

Long queues form to see Queen's coffin - live updates

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The Last Great Journey on Earth: From Amazon to Orinoco by Hovercraft

• Episode aired Oct 20, 1968

How 20 men took a British hovercraft on a 1,500-mile journey through wild jungle territory and over dangerous rapids. How 20 men took a British hovercraft on a 1,500-mile journey through wild jungle territory and over dangerous rapids. How 20 men took a British hovercraft on a 1,500-mile journey through wild jungle territory and over dangerous rapids.

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• October 20, 1968 (United Kingdom)
• The Last Great Journey on Earth from Amazon to Orinoco by Hovercraft
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The Long Riders' Guild

Mankind has been riding horses for approximately 6,000 years, during which time countless equestrian journeys have been accomplished on every continent including Antarctica.

Yet even though men have walked on the moon, no human has yet to ride ocean to ocean from Russia’s Pacific (Asia) to England’s Atlantic (Europe).

Two Continents – Two Traditions

The annals of the Historical Long Riders include men and women of astounding bravery, remarkable resourcefulness and enduring optimism.

While each of these journeys had an emotional impact on the lives of the riders, two astonishingly original equestrian travel traditions developed on either side of the Bering Strait , the 82 kilometre (51 miles) wide body of water that separates Russia and the United States.

Leaving New York State in 1875 former cavalryman Willard Glazier set out to become the first Long Rider to ride ‘ocean to ocean’ across America.

This national tradition was confirmed in 1911 when Temple and Bud Abernathy , who were only six and ten years old at the time, rode nearly 4,000 miles, from New York to San Francisco, in sixty-two days.

In contrast to this focus on the sea, beginning in 1717 Long Riders launched Russia’s rich tradition of vast land travel.

The most historically important journey occurred in November 1889 when Dmitri Peshkov   left his garrison's faraway outpost of Blagoveshchensk in the far east of the Russian Empire on his Siberian horse, Seriy.  After many amazing adventures, they arrived in St. Petersburg at the Tsar’s court having covered more than 5,500 miles – in temperatures sometimes as low as -60 degrees Fahrenheit. In recognition of the hardships endured by Seriy, the Siberian horse was adopted by the family of the Czar.

Like his American contemporary across the Pacific, Peshkov also inspired others to follow in his horse’s hoof prints.

In May 1910 Alexandra Kudasheva set off alone from Harbin, China. After riding 12,600 miles, Kudasheva reached St. Petersburg on May 30, 1911, where she too was greeted by Czar Nicholas II .

Thus “Ocean to Ocean” and “Across Siberia” are two remarkable equestrian travel themes which have never been connected – until now.

How to Ride Ocean to Ocean?

Why has an equestrian journey across Eurasia never been attempted?

Because of several potentially deadly reasons!  

It will require approximately two years to ride the 15,000 kilometre (9,320 miles) that separate the two great oceans.

Eastern Russia is sparsely populated and large parts of the vast country are impassable.

The journey will begin in eastern Siberia. This area is famed as being the ‘Pole of Cold’, where the temperature reached as low as −71.2 °C (−96.2 °F), the lowest temperature ever recorded for a permanently inhabited settlement .

Finally, though Russia once had a strong equestrian travel culture, Joseph Stalin outlawed the private ownership of horses, so there were no equestrian journeys done by outsiders for most of the 20th century.

Thus a journey from Russia’s Pacific to England’s Atlantic would be remarkable.

But can it be done?

Only if a specially qualified traveller, mounted on a unique horse, has the unprecedented aid of political, cultural and equestrian experts from a brotherhood of nations.

Heritage and History

Dr. John Bell set off from St. Petersburg in 1717 and then spent sixteen months riding to Peking.

Prior to that Peter the Great had gone to England in 1698 to study ship building.

So there are equestrian and historical links between Russia and England that date back centuries and a ride between the oceans of these nations would be of tremendous interest to the people of both countries.

In his brilliant book, Imperium , Polish journalist Ryszard Kapuscinski documented the vast ethnic diversity that once resided under the flag of the former USSR. The journalist referred to a new type of individual as Homo Sovieticus.

Though the Soviet Union no longer exists, luckily a young man with connections to both Russia and England is preparing to set off on the first ‘ocean to ocean’ ride from the Pacific to the Atlantic.

Nikita Gretsi has genetic, linguistic and cultural roots that reach across the vastness of Russia and his family’s history symbolizes what once was and what no longer exists.

“People often ask what my nationality is, and it’s difficult for me to immediately give one answer. Mom has Russian and Ukrainian background. Dad has Russian, Uzbek and Estonian. My great grandmother was born in Altai, Siberia. I was born in Estonia and grew up between that country and Ukraine, until I moved to England at the age of 7.”

A fluent Russian speaker, Nikita lived in the small town of Welwyn Garden City near London, where he worked as the manager of a restaurant, until the allure of making a historic equestrian journey touched his soul.

Having read the three-volume Encyclopaedia of Equestrian Exploration and the Horse Travel Handbook , Nikita had gained a solid equestrian travel education. In early 2019 the twenty-two-year-old contacted the Guild in search of wisdom, advice and allies.

He wrote, “I want to ride on horseback across from the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean. Many people in America have made such horse trips, but in Eurasia no one has even tried.”

What transpired next was unprecedented in Long Rider history.

An International Alliance

Three experienced Long Riders began the process of helping Nikita prepare for the potentially dangerous journey.

Canadian Long Rider Bonnie Folkins , who travelled extensively in Mongolia and Kazakhstan, shared valuable advice gained during her numerous journeys.

New Zealand Long Rider Ian Robinson , who rode solo across Mongolia, Tibet, Afghanistan and part of Siberia, provided Nikita with essential guidance about conditions in the desolate taiga.

And in the summer of 2019, Nikita met New Zealand Long Rider John Williamson , who operates an equestrian tour company. John arranged for Nikita to spend two weeks riding and travelling with Mongolian nomads.

But having the support of the Long Riders’ Guild was deemed not enough in this special situation.

With the help of the Guild, Nikita visited Moscow, where he was greeted by two of Russia’s most important equestrians.

Though born in China, legendary Long Rider Jing Li made a gruelling 9,000 kilometre (5,592 miles) ride from Votkinsk, Russia to Peking, China in 2009.

In 2018 Jing Li carried the Guild flag from the Caucasus Mountains to the Moscow headquarters of the Russian Geographical Society, thereby honouring the Russian roots of modern equestrian travel.

To mark the occasion, Gennadii Semin , President of FITE, the International Equestrian Tourism Federation, presented a special lecture which explained how Russia played a remarkable role in horse-human history.

Jing Li, who famously said, “Life is too short. When t he time comes, we must swing into the saddle like the ancients did in the old fashioned way,” filled Nikita with eyewitness evidence about what lay ahead.

And Gennadii promised to alert the Russian government and media to the importance of the unprecedented ‘ocean to ocean’ ride.

With assistance assured in Russia’s capital, Nikita travelled by train to reach the heart of his forthcoming journey, Sakha, the mysterious heart of Siberia.

Scouting in Siberia

For countless generations travelling horsemen simply disregarded borders, preferring to ride where their hearts led them. Nowadays you can’t get away with ignoring political reality.

In the 21st century it is bureaucrats, not bandits, who pose the greatest potential threat to any international equestrian journey. This has resulted in the rise of an increasingly hostile mindset, one which defines a Long Rider as a potential hazard or a national menace. Such people have obstructed the progress or cancelled the journeys of uninformed equestrian travellers .

The more potential problems you can identify and either solve or prepare for in advance, the higher your chances of success.

This basic principle is seldom understood, even by Long Riders with thousands of miles under their saddle.

Thankfully Nikita realized that even though Russia had a rich history of equestrian travel, those journeys happened a long time ago. He knew that if he wanted to open a new chapter in modern horse travel he must obtain the critically important diplomatic support of the government authorities that rule eastern Russia.

"Given the difficulty of the journey ahead, I know that no matter how much I prepare I will still be faced with moments and situations where I will struggle to find the wisdom to deal with the problems at hand. But I want to drastically reduce the potential risks and consequently increase the chances of success. To do this, I want to learn from the mistakes made by other Long Riders, not repeat them.”

To improve Nikita’s chances of success, the Long Riders’ Guild provided him with a special “ firman ” (PDF); i.e. an official letter of introduction that was written in Cyrillic. It explained the importance of the journey and asked government officials to provide official recognition and logistical assistance.

Say the word “Siberia” and most people picture a vast uninhabited frozen wasteland.

In fact the world’s most unique equestrian culture has thrived there for centuries!

With the fall of the Soviet Union in 1990, the newly formed Russian Federation recognized the borders of an enormous portion of Siberia. P referring the native word “Sakha” to the Russian word “Yakut, Yakutia became the Sakha (Yakut) Republic .” Consisting of 3,083,523 square kilometers (1,190,555 sq miles), the republic is the largest subnational governing body in the world. With a population of less than a million people, the inhabitants speak their own language, have a different culture and practice a different belief system than Russia Orthodoxy. More importantly, living within the borders of this frozen realm are the original Polar Riders whose astonishing horses thrive in sub-zero temperatures.

When Nikita arrived in the capital city of Yakutsk, he was greeted by Egor Petrovich Makarov. An author, photographer and documentary film maker, this passionate and knowledgeable expert in Yakut horses is an official Friend of the Guild who has assisted Long Riders in the past.

With Egor’s help, an extraordinary meeting was organized. Representatives of the Sakha government, and tribal elders of the horse herders, gathered to meet the young traveller who proposed to use two Yakut horses to ride across Eurasia.

The deputy chairman of the government, Denis Belozerov, approved of the idea.

“Of the entire length of the route, the section passing through Yakutia occupies about three thousand kilometers. This is one fifth of the route.”

He went on to state that “the government is ready to support this initiative.”

And t he vice speaker of the State Assembly, Il Tumen Alexander Zhirkov, expressed his admiration for Nikita’s idea “to promote the culture of the Sakha people and the unique Yakut horse to the world”.

In an unprecedented act of diplomatic support, the Ministry of External Relations and Ethnic Affairs, Ministry of Digital Development, Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Culture and Spiritual Development, the Federation of Equestrian Sport, the Russian Geographical Society and the State Agricultural Academy offered tactical and political help to Nikita.

Deeply moved by the kindness and generosity of these officials, Nikita told the local press, “S ometimes life grants us a great opportunity and it is up to us to seize it. I am very encouraged by the fact that there are so many of us who not only share the same views but by the looks of it are trying to achieve the same goal.”  

Having gained the trust of the government, Nikita and Egor set off to locate the two horses which would make equestrian travel history.

Documenting the Neanderthal Horse

The horses chosen to make this journey are of critical importance. Thankfully Sakha is home to a breed that is nearly impervious to cold and may have been in existence since prehistoric days.

The Chauvet-Pont-d'Arc Cave in France is a cave that contains what is believed to be the world's oldest known representational art. The images are estimated to be between 27,000 to 32,000 years old. Hundreds of animal paintings have been catalogued, depicting at least 13 different species, including horses. The photograph of the Yakut horse (left) bears a striking resemblance to the Stone Age horse (right). Based on the facial similarities of the two horses seen above, it would appear that the descendants of horse that existed 32,000 years ago are still to be found in Yakutia (Sakha, Siberia).

The Yakut horses are the only breed able to survive in the extreme Siberian cold. Able to endure seven months of winter, they have an exceptional sense of smell. This allows the horse to find forage during the long semi-darkness of the Arctic winter. Extra hard hooves enable it to scrape away snow and ice so as to reach the food hidden below. When the water is frozen, the horses survive by eating snow and ice. They have specialized hair which has a unique core that greatly increases its insulating charac­teristics. Additional insulation is provided by a sub-dermal layer of fat. Scientists have revealed that these horses can alter their rate of respiration and have the ability to conserve energy by entering into a state of semi-hibernation .

Yet when summer comes and temperature can soar to 40 Celsius (104 Fahrenheit), the horses must quickly adapt. Though they shed their winter coats, their thick skin protects them from the swarms of billions of blood sucking insects that infest the taiga.

Surviving in such a harsh climate has produced the world’s toughest horses, a fact once well known to equestrian explorers who were familiar with Siberia’s centuries-old tradition of winter-time horse travel.

What is seldom remembered today is that these remarkable “ polar ponies ” were employed by Sir Ernest Shackleton and Captain Robert Scott during their attempts to reach Antarctica’s South Pole in the early 20 th century.

The indigenous inhabitants of Sakha drew their religious roots from an ancient belief in shamanism. Yakuts believe that animals are another kind of people wearing a different shirt. They do not attempt to dominate the horse. They treat the animal as their brother, believing that they have ancestors in common. This respect and reverence is so deeply ingrained that Yakuts frown on speaking roughly to a horse and striking the animal is a cultural taboo. 

Yet this ancient horse-human bond was imperilled when the Soviet Union assumed political power over Siberia and insisted that native horse herders participate in collective farms. Thereafter the fabled Yakut horses remained isolated from the rest of the world during the majority of the 20th century.

To help resolve this mystery the Guild asked Swedish Long Rider Mikael Strandberg, who was preparing to ski across a portion of Sakha, to report on the existence, or demise, of this once-legendary equestrian culture.

On 10th January, 2005 the Guild received an email from Mikael which confirmed that thanks to the combination of its remote location and severe weather, Sakha’s unique horses and their fur-clad tribal riders had weathered the Soviet storm.

"I've come into an area where there's at least 4,000 pure-bred Yakut horses living in the wild. The Yakut people ride them when it is minus 65°F!  They are short, stocky, sturdy, hairy, relaxed and tough horses that are made for Long Riders. The cold causes them no problems, they find food for themselves and they look great!"  

Though the existence of the horses had been confirmed, the problem Nikita faced was could he find and purchase two of these remarkable animals in this modern age?

Finding Hero Horses

Verkhoyansk is a town located 675 kilometers (419 miles) north of Yakutsk, the capital of Sakha. The town holds the Guinness world record for the greatest temperature range on Earth. With the help of Egor Makarov, Nikita travelled there to meet the northern horse herders.

He expressed his excitement about locating the horses.

“The Verkhoyansk horses are regarded as one of the toughest of the Yakut breed because they live wild in extreme conditions.”

Because the majority of mankind reside in areas where it is easy to buy and sell horses, Nikita's subsequent problem may be of interest.

What he discovered was fascinating.

In minus sixty degree winters, motor vehicles can't be relied on.

So the Yakuts depend on the horse to keep themselves alive. Errands, hunting, pregnancies etc are all linked to having a reliable horse that can endure the cruelest cold.

Thus the Yakuts love, cherish and worship their horses, because their lives depend upon them.

That's why, to Nikita's surprise, he discovered that the Yakuts wouldn't sell him any horses!

Actually Nikita made two shocking discoveries.

First, there are indeed vast herds of hundreds of horses. They are allowed to roam free in the forests, where they survive the winters by pawing the snow away and eating the moss that is hidden underneath.

The horses are used to humans and are not averse to being rounded up and brought into a corral.

But 99% of them are never saddled.

Only a few horses are trained to be ridden and once this is done, the owner keeps and rides the horse for ten to twenty years.

Thus, though there were hundreds of horses, there were almost no horses ready to ride and no owners willing to sell.

Finally, Nikita found two herders who had potential horses that might work for the journey.

The road horse, which is 16/17, had not been ridden in a year. The Yakuts were afraid of this horse and thought Nikita couldn't stay on him. But Nikita has become a confident rider, so he rode out the bucking and then took the horse out on a long test ride.

He said the horse was 'impeccable.'

The pack horse was owned by another herder. It is 14/15 years old, and like the road horse is a gelding. This horse hadn't been ridden in two years. But Nikita found it to be 'calm and obedient.' The more emotionally powerful road horse quickly took the lead, and the quieter pack horse fell into step behind.

Thus, it was a minor miracle that Nikita found these two suitable horses and purchased them at a fair price.

To ride ocean to ocean from Russia to England would be remarkable.

But to bring these two fabulous Yakut horses to London would be unprecedented!

Dangers En Route

Having purchased his horses, Nikita arranged for them to be safe guarded by Duguy Dan, a respected tribal horse herder who will protect, ride and train the horses during the current health crisis.

Nikita then returned to London where he created a website documenting the journey.

Prior to Nikita’s departure, Egor Makarov and a Siberian film team created an extraordinary documentary which shows the Long Rider and his horse galloping across the snowy landscape and staring in wonder at the night sky coloured bright green by the brilliant aurora borealis.

Yet even though tremendous progress has been made, when Nikita departs in January 2021 he will be confronted with challenges so harsh that no Long Rider since the days of Antarctic exploration in the 1910s could relate.

Siberia is a simple word but in actuality it encompasses the last great wilderness on Earth, an area of 13.1 million square kilometres (5,100,000 sq miles). Winter temperatures are so cold that trees explode and when a person exhales their breath is transformed into a shower of ice crystals, followed by a tinkling sound known as “the whisper of the stars.”

It is during the harsh winter when packs of starving wolves stalk horses and humans.

In 2011 the world’s largest wolf pack attacked the horses that lived in the Verkhoyansk area. The terrorized inhabitants described their predicament as an " animal apocalypse ". Wolves weighing an estimated 100 kilos (220 pounds) killed and ate more than 30 Yakut horses.

The onset of warmer weather will provide a different set of challenges.

The population is so sparse that when New Zealand Long Rider Ian Robinson explored the taiga in the summer of 2016, he didn’t see another person for seventeen days.

Billions of ravenous insects hatch and hunt anything moving.

English Long Rider Kate Marsden, who rode in Sakha in 1891 wrote, “We were obliged to travel in the night, because our horses had no rest in the day time from the terrible horse-flies that were quite dangerous there. They instantly attacked the wretched beasts, so that it was an awful sight to see our horses with the blood running down their sides, many of them becoming so exhausted that they were not able to carry our luggage.”

The entire route, which will cross ten time zones, begins in January at the isolated seaport of Magadan . Nikita will then ride west along the infamous “ Road of Bones ”. Built during the Soviet Union's Stalinist era, the road is treated as a memorial, as the bones of the estimated 250,000 people who died while constructing it were laid beneath or around the road.

Yakutsk, the regional capital is 2,000 kilometers (1,200 miles) west. Then comes Lake Baikal, the Altai and Ural Mountains, and finally Moscow. After that is it is only 2,900 kilometres (1,800 miles) on to London.

A journey of this danger and complexity demands attention to detail. The Long Riders’ Guild has supplied Nikita with the best equestrian equipment, including the famous Canadian adjustable pack saddle made by Kelly de Strake of Outfitter’s Supply .

Special fur clothing, that will provide protection against the deadly cold, is being specially tailored for Nikita by the horse herders.

Yet in spite of the smooth planning, despite the government’s endorsement, regardless of the strong horses, it still comes down to one moment in time when Nikita will have to set aside all fear, summon up his courage, swing into the saddle, point his horse towards the setting sun and ride alone across a tremendous portion of the planet.

The Salt of Life

Before Aimé Tschiffely began his ride from Buenos Aires to New York in 1925, local horsemen told the press, “The man’s mad.”

But they can hardly be blamed for their initial scepticism. Up till then Tschiffely’s most gruelling task had been teaching in a posh school for boys outside Buenos Aires. True, he had knocked around the world, leaving home at an early age to immigrate, first to England, before taking the teaching job in Argentina. But his only experience with expeditions of any kind had been acquired from the safety of an armchair, as he read of the early exploits of the Conquistadors and their equine companions.

His lack of equestrian skills or exploration credentials never bothered him. 

Remarkably self-assured, the slightly-built red-head balanced the scepticism of his critics against his own need to discover the wild parts of the South American continent.  His plan to ride Criollos to Washington D.C. was the natural outgrowth of his years of research into South American Spanish history.

He wrote, “Eventually there was only one thing to do: screw up my courage, burn all the bridges behind me, and start a new life, no matter whither it might lead.  Convinced that he who has not lived dangerously has never tasted the salt of life, one day I decided to take the plunge."

Like Tschiffely before him, Nikita’s journey has forced him to confront the precious gift of life and the possibility of death.

Asked by a Russian reporter if he was afraid, Nikita responded, “ I’m no superhuman. I too feel fear as we all do. I just refuse to let it stop me. Do what scares you in life. Once you accept that it’s normal to feel fear, you just have to confront it and go on regardless and there won’t be much that will stop you achieving goals.”

In an email to the Guild, Nikita explained how rather than dwell on fear, he saw the journey as a door to personal enlightenment.

“ I am aware of the difficulties which lie ahead. I can assure you that when I think of doing this I do not think of myself riding in the warmth of the sun with a calm breeze surrounding me. Instead, I think of all the difficult challenges that I will have to overcome and I imagine how I will endure these. There is no running away from it. Each challenge must be endured but only one step at a time. This is what gives me joy, for I know that where most people crumble I have the will power to keep moving one step at a time. Whilst I am not seeking to be in the most dangerous life-threatening situations, I am seeking something that will be incredibly challenging not only physically and mentally, but also spiritually. I believe that it is in those moments, when we are faced with the hardest conditions of life that we find out who we truly are. So the challenge will not come from seeing whether I can survive the cold or the various dangers. The real challenge will be to test the bond I form with the horses and Nature itself and to ensure that we complete this journey safely.”

Additional Information about Siberia and Yakut Horses

Finding Siberia’s Legendary Yakut horses in 2004

Exploring Siberia’s Yakut Horse Culture in 2016

A Study of the Sakha (Yakut) Breed of Horse

The Yakut Horse - Blood brother of the Sakha people

Polar Ponies – Siberian Horses in Antarctic Exploration

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The Fatal Voyage: Captain Cook's Last Great Journey Hardcover – January 1, 2005

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Media Center 5/9/2024 3:00:00 PM Susanna Weir

Gabbie Ewing’s journey from athlete to advocate

Former division ii soccer standout uses experiences to advance the lives of student-athletes.

For Gabbie Ewing, the impact of being a student-athlete will last a lifetime. 

"I think my student-athlete experience has shaped me in every possible way," she said. "Without it, none of what I'm doing now exists." 

The former soccer student-athlete at Concordia Portland had a highly successful college athletic career, scoring 22 goals and adding 18 assists in her 76 games with the Cavaliers. A Division II All-American, Ewing was named the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Player of the Year in 2017 and signed a contract to play professional soccer in Sweden following her graduation in 2019.

While Ewing eventually left her playing career behind, she never drifted very far from the athletic world and the community that left a lasting impact on her during her time as a student-athlete. Earning a master's degree in sports management from Solent University in the United Kingdom in 2022, Ewing eventually decided to channel her passion for the student-athlete experience into a career in college athletics. 

A pivotal first step came in 2023 as Ewing was named a recipient of the NCAA's Ethnic Minorities and Women's Internship Grant. Awarded annually, the grant is designed to provide financial assistance to Division II and III member schools and conferences that are committed to enhancing representation in entry-level athletics administrative positions. This provided Ewing with the opportunity to take on the role of digital media and championships assistant for the Great Northwest, the same conference in which she competed as a student-athlete.

"Being named a recipient of this grant was so important because I (got) to be part of a group that is often underrepresented," Ewing said. "For me, as an Asian American woman, I think it is so important to have that representation. … This grant has helped give me the basic foundation to set me up for success later down the road." 

While Ewing continued to develop her career as a sports professional at the conference, she also took on another monumental project within the athletic community: the founding of The Athlete Confidential. 

Developed in 2023 by Ewing, The Athlete Confidential serves as a "community hub" where athletes can come together to tell and share stories about their experiences. Storytelling and discussion take place through a variety of channels, including Instagram, a podcast and a blog. It is a platform that was born out of Ewing's own experiences after finishing her athletic career, as well as her passion for bettering the lives of student-athletes. It focuses on exploring topics such as mental health, relationships, equality, athlete identity and life after sport. 

"I decided to form my platform, The Athlete Confidential, really because I had my own struggles with mental health," Ewing said. "I needed a place to talk about it. I didn't know who to talk to, I didn't know how to talk about it. I just felt that I (couldn't) be the only one feeling this, and I didn't want other people to feel like they were alone in what they were going through." 

Individuals are free to discuss sport-specific topics on the platform, such as performance goals, training plans and game tactics, but they are also encouraged to dive into human experiences and identities that exist outside of sport. 

While the platform has allowed Ewing to connect with current and former NCAA athletes, it has also opened conversations with professional athletes, coaches and athletic trainers from across the country and throughout the world who understand and recognize the universal language of sports.

"We as individuals who play sports and have grown up playing sports — the way that we see the world is often through the lens of sport," she said. "That shapes a lot of our experiences and who we are. So The Athlete Confidential is really trying to communicate (with) people that can understand us and relate to us on a different level." 

Since the platform was launched in January 2023, Ewing has received positive feedback and witnessed tremendous success. The platform has continued to grow and evolve rapidly both on a national and global scale. 

"I think that this platform has made more of an impact than I anticipated when I first started," she said. "It just validates that people need to hear these stories. … It's important to continue sharing and keep moving the needle forward on these topics." 

While The Athlete Confidential has continued to grow, Ewing's professional career has also continued to take steps forward, allowing her to continue to use her passion for bettering the student-athlete experience in her everyday life. Recently named the assistant athletic director for marketing at Western Washington, she has the opportunity once again to make an impact on student-athletes within the Great Northwest, an athletic community that has played a significant role in her development as an individual. 

Wherever Ewing's career may take her in the future, she plans to rely on her own student-athlete experience to fuel her work while continuing to be an advocate for student-athletes everywhere.  

"My long-term career goals are to continue helping and supporting student-athletes in whatever form that takes," she said. "I'm able to relate to the student-athletes because I've been there and I've experienced what they've been through. I think that is just going to help to propel me into a lot of success in the future." 

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