7 stories to fake "intrepid traveler"

Travel may be on the one hand, exciting and delicious, with another - exhausting, dangerous and sometimes boring. In addition, the journey is much easier to say than to implement it in reality. Not surprisingly, many "heroic stories" travelers found themselves, to put it mildly, exaggerated. Here are a few of these stories:

Donald Crowhurst and his alleged part in the regatta Golden Globe Race

In the late 60's Donald Crowhurst made the whole world believe that he does circumnavigation at a record rate. British amateur yachtsman was one of seven members round the world regatta Sunday Times Golden Globe Race, which starts and ends at the southern coast of England. The winner was supposed to get a solid prize and Krouhorst hoped to get it to fix things his own company.

Sailor Krouhorst was inexperienced. Despite the fact that the yacht was equipped with the latest, we started breaking and leaking, and it soon became clear that this race honestly he would not win.

Then, without saying a word to anyone, Krouhorst fizzled. While his rivals were sailing across the oceans, our hero sat out on the beach, passing on the radio reports about their imaginary journey. He was so carried away that did not notice that "broke the world record" set previously on the same route.

As soon as rivals Krouhorsta for various reasons, are gradually coming down from the race, his name sounded more often, and more and more people peered at the horizon, hoping to see the "triumphant return of the hero."

But the return did not take place. When returned to England only finalist this regatta Robin Knox-Johnston, Krouhorst panicked, fearing exposure. His drifting boat found July 10, 1969 in the Caribbean. Himself an adventurer disappeared. Many believe that he committed suicide.

Christian Stangl and his imaginary ascent to the K2

The three summers in a row Austrian climber Stangl spent on the K2, hoping to ascend to the second highest peak in the world, and then, finally, in August 2010, returned to the base camp and announced that he has carried out his plan. And did it for a phenomenally short period of time - only four days.

In that season, no one else will get to the top, and one climber died on the way. It is not surprising that experts doubt - Stangl did not show up at camp 3, and the GPS signal from the top, too, have been reported. Climber provided as proof of his ascent is only one photo, but what is interesting - it seemed to be lifted from a lower place than other people's pictures, which are close to the top of not approaching.

Eventually Stangl admitted his deception, explaining its hallucinations of rarefied air. He assured that really believed that he had been at the top. To honor Stangl must be said that in 2012 he was rehabilitated, having won the same top. At this time, the ascent was confirmed - he once sent 21 signals with their coordinates, and took on the form of a circular panorama.

Frederick Cook and his scam climbing a mountain McKinley

The American Frederick Cook was an outstanding traveler who really have been to many places where before him "no man has gone before." But he became famous not only for its real achievements, but also imaginary.

In the period from 1891 to 1903 Cook took part in three large-scale expeditions: two to the Arctic and one in McKinley. In 1906, Cook decided to make a second attempt to climb Mount McKinley. When he returned, he reported that he had reached the top, which until then no one had never been able to conquer, and the proof provided photo. Three years later it became clear that this picture was taken on top of a small mountain, which is located 19 miles from McKinley.

Cook's reputation has been tarnished. Descriptions of the landscape around the top, which he did for the magazine, were far from reality. A first real conqueror of Mount McKinley in June 1913 became a climber Hudson Stuck.

Eric Ryback and his "campaign" on the Pacific national tourism trail

Eric Ryback was only 17 years old when in 1969 he first climbed on the Appalachian Trail (North America). But three years later he became the first man to overcome all three of the most distant pedestrian America route.

Soon, however, rumors spread that a young man hitchhiking, so it can not be said with regard to certain segments of the Pacific National tourist trail, he them "passed". After that, the glory traveler Ryback somewhat faded. By this time he had managed to write a book about his adventures in the campaign - there and back.

When a publisher guide Wilderness Press, said in the press that Ryback used in a campaign by road, he gave him to court for libel and praised him damage caused to three million dollars. In response, Wilderness Press publishing house published the testimony of several people, really bringing up Ryback.

I had the unfortunate traveler to withdraw his claim.

Imaginary Cesare Maestri climbing to the top of Cerro Torre

In 1959, an Italian named Cesare Maestri went to Argentina, where he teamed up with Australian Tony Egger attempted to climb the mountain of Cerro Torre, which until then had been considered impassable.

A few days later Maestri found at the foot of the mountains in the snow. He said that they were able to reach the summit, but on the way down there was a tragedy - Egger was hit by an avalanche and died.

No proof of climbing the maestro was not. No one believed him, because above a certain level no traces of Maestri and Egger was found. none come close to the top of Cerro Torre dared the next ten years. But in 1970, Maestri returned here to take a second attempt to climb and to dispel the doubts of skeptics. On the route he used compressor, which scored more than 70 in the bolt wall hooks. Subsequently, the route became known as "Compressor".

Unfortunately, this attempt was not successful.

A few years later Maestri somehow slip into the hearts of reporters: "What I did - it was the most important attempt to climb in the world. And I did it alone. But that does not mean I got to the top, you understand? "

That is practically confessed to cheating.

Swim across the Atlantic, which simply could not be

At the beginning of February 2009 the news agency Associated Press reported the triumphant conclusion of the swim across the Atlantic, which has made an American by the name of Jennifer Figg, has overcome to swim 2100 miles (approx. 3380 km.).

The report said that Figg began her swim 12 January in Cape Verde (West Africa). This figure has led many thoughtful people to reread the note again: from 12 January to early February. It is less than a month! This means that a woman had to swim at least 80 miles (130 km) a day - it is almost five kilometers per hour non-stop. And so for almost a month. In the end it turned out that Figg (which is accompanied by a vessel) do not even going to overcome the ocean swim, and journalists themselves have invented the swim, which could not be determined.

"Victorious" marathons Rosie Ruiz

In 1979, Rosie Ruiz ran the New York Marathon in two hours 56 minutes than earned the right to participate in a more prestigious competition.

In 1980, Rosie crossed the finish line of the Boston Marathon, breaking the record for women. However, there was one oddity - the 23-year-old champion of the little sweaty. Yes, and other marathon participants could not recall having seen her anywhere near the last 150 minutes of competition. Organizers Ruiz began to ask questions, and it turned out that the details of the route completely worn away from her head.

In the end, the girl admitted that shortly after the start of the race went, rode the subway and joined other marathon in a few tens of meters before the finish line.

After this result, which showed Ruiz during the New York City Marathon was also challenged.