title: Wings of Ice: The Riddle of the Polar Air Race
author: Jeff Maynard
description: Jeff Maynard is an author and documentary maker. His books include Niagaras Gold, Divers in Time and The Unseen Anzac. He is a former editor of Australian Motorcycle News and retains a keen interest in classic motorcycles. He is a member of the Explorers Club and on the board of the Historical Diving Society. Jeff lives in Melbourne, Australia, with his wife, Zoe, and their family.
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  PART 1
  
  NO PARENTS,
  
  NO SCHOOL,
  
  NO RULES
  
  1
  
  Sweeping, swooping, soaring, air-current thrill rides — there's nothing
  better. For miles around, we were the only things in the infinite, wide-open,
  clear blue sky. You want an adrenaline rush? Try tucking your wings in, dive-
  bombing for about a mile straight down, then whoosh!  Wings out, grab an air
  current like a pit bull, and hang on for the ride of your life. God, nothing
  is better, more fun, more exciting. Okay, we were mutant freaks, we were on
  the lam, but man, flying — well, there's a reason people always dream about
  it.
  
  "Oh, my gosh!" the Gasman said excitedly. He pointed. "A UFO!" I silently
  counted to ten. There was nothing where the Gasman had pointed. As usual.
  "That was funny the first fifty times, Gazzy," I said. "It's getting old."
  
  He cackled, several wingspans away from me. There's nothing like an eight-
  year-old