Unknown unknowns

To a certain extent the concept of the Red Bull X-Alps is easy, fly or run walk from Salzburg to Monaco, however that’s as far as the pilot is concerned for the supporter the task is less straightforward as they have to respond to differing situations, routes and conditions. I am reminded of the words of that great orator Donald Rumsfeld who claimed "We know there are known knowns: there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns: that is to say we know there are things we know we don't know. But there are also unknown unknowns — the ones we don't know we don't know." Bizarrely that sums up what I feel about the X-Alps at the moment we have a training plan to familiarise ourselves with the route, we can plan route alternatives, we can plan the more mundane, yet important tasks such as catering, we can begin collecting the best equipment for the event yet ………………………….

I suppose this is what makes the event so challenging and exciting, tough physically certainly, requires high flying skills certainly, requires seamless teamwork certainly, but also the probability of having to think on one’s feet and address those darn “unknown unknowns”