Not sure of the name of the place we are staying at, so just the coordinates I'm afraid.
Where to start? This morning i guess! Up early to meet and feed the seventy dogs that will take us on our travels. The first thing i see it 140 eyes reflecting my headtorch amidst the howling of seventy hungrey huskies in the dark of the arctic morning... That was some start to the day.
So then, after they're fed it's our turn, then after dumping half our kit and fully suited up it's time to harness up the multitude of excited dogs... I can't even begin to describe the sound and the chaos involved, the dogs are amazing but they're not pets.
Eventually we're all ready... And we're off... Probably within 15 minutes we hit the blizzard... It lasted for the whole day... And well into the dark... About 30 km apparently...
Not sure what to tell you about it all... the depth of ice in the goggles rendering them completely useless? the new skill i learn (how to defrost your eyelids so you can open them)? The most amazing skill the dogs have to tangle their lines? Why one of my dogs is called 'Tractor'? One of my fellow survivors talking to a rock because she thought it was a fallen comrade? The odd effects all this has on your mind? How real this whole experience suddenly became?
It was a really hard day for all of us, but everyone came through more or less intact and we all learnt an awful lot about dog sledding.
Ok, well, i gotta in sleep, i'm on dog feeding duty first thing!
What's this all about?
I'm joining an expedition to sled over 200 kilometers across the wilds of the Arctic Circle in the depths of the Norwegian winter (January 2009). With possible temperatures down to as low as -30C and extreme conditions such as blizzards and high winds, it's going to be a huge challenge both mentally and physically - I think just trying to keep the sled upright and in a straight line will be a challenge in itself! Added to that there are very steep inclines to run and push the sled up, and with the fact we'll be working hard and travelling long hours - I think this is going to be tough; the huskies will expect me to be working as hard as they are. We'll be looking after the dogs ourselves for the week, each of us having our own team of 4-6 dogs and a sled to work with.
I'm going to have to get very fit, and yes... even give up smoking... so that's just another reason to sponsor me. I'll try and keep this blog up to date with progress and information about the trip.
I'm doing this for many reasons, but one of the main ones is to raise money for Amnesty International. I'm funding the costs of this all myself, so every penny you give will go to Amnesty International. If you'd like to donate(sponsor me) just click on the Donate button in the Justgiving widget on the right or you can go to www.justgiving.com/jonandthehuskies
Donating through Justgiving is quick, easy and totally secure. It’s also the most efficient way to sponsor me: Amnesty International UK Section Charitable Trust gets your money faster and, if you’re a UK taxpayer, Justgiving makes sure 25% in Gift Aid, plus a 3% supplement, are added to your donation.
If you don't want to use Justgiving or just want to make a pledge, or just want to get in touch, then please email me at jonandthehuskies@googlemail.com
Thank you for considering sponsoring me... it'll really will make a difference, and it'll help keep me going slogging up hills (in the rain and cold I'm sure) trying to get fit in time...
I'm going to have to get very fit, and yes... even give up smoking... so that's just another reason to sponsor me. I'll try and keep this blog up to date with progress and information about the trip.
I'm doing this for many reasons, but one of the main ones is to raise money for Amnesty International. I'm funding the costs of this all myself, so every penny you give will go to Amnesty International. If you'd like to donate(sponsor me) just click on the Donate button in the Justgiving widget on the right or you can go to www.justgiving.com/jonandthehuskies
Donating through Justgiving is quick, easy and totally secure. It’s also the most efficient way to sponsor me: Amnesty International UK Section Charitable Trust gets your money faster and, if you’re a UK taxpayer, Justgiving makes sure 25% in Gift Aid, plus a 3% supplement, are added to your donation.
If you don't want to use Justgiving or just want to make a pledge, or just want to get in touch, then please email me at jonandthehuskies@googlemail.com
Thank you for considering sponsoring me... it'll really will make a difference, and it'll help keep me going slogging up hills (in the rain and cold I'm sure) trying to get fit in time...
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment