Days 23 and 24 - And then there were three
Today is an enforced rest day. Trond’s new skis and the new pulk have failed to arrive.
Days 20 to 22 - Pulky retires
… this pounding has taken a heavy toll and holes have appeared on the bottom of poor Pulky. He won’t last much longer. These next few days to Sulitjelma will be his last.
Days 14-19 - Rain stops play
He couldn’t simply let Pulky go, too many trees, so he just aimed for a straight part with no trees, lay on the pulk and… weeeee!
Days 11-13 - Resupply Disaster!
To put your mind at rest, no one is hurt, nothing is damaged and the journey continues, but there has been what I consider to be a disaster.
Days 9 and 10 - Hatfjeldall to Seterstad Gard
Down at the lake there is one last short, steep downhill bit. David says to Trond, “You might want to have a think how you’re going to get down here.”
Days 5-8 - Røyrvik to Hatfjelldal
“If it looks like a hut it is probably a rock. If it looks like a reindeer, it is also probably a rock.”
Day 2 to 4 - Kvelia Bua to Røyvik
We have had a really easy time of it these last few days. There are however constant reminders of what is to come.
Once more unto the breach dear friends…
Well, maybe not as dramatic as the words spoken by Henry in Shakespeare’s Henry V, but it’s a big moment for us.
Final days of training -Ustaoset
There was a Zen like simplicity to the all encompassing white…
Trial run - Part 2 - Big news
Have we passed our own test? Can we ski well enough in most conditions? Does the pulk work? Are we fast enough? Are our rucksacks light enough? The answer is…
Trial run - Part 1
It all began shortly after sunrise on Monday morning when David, Trond and I set off from the cabin carrying everything our new team of 3 would use should the journey north continue.
Squeaky snow
Squeaky snow. Always a good sign I think. I love squeaky snow. Do you want to know the science behind when it squeaks and why? Well…
Hair today…
I have my daily chat with the inimitable Mrs P. The counselling sessions have ended (she’s too expensive), so what to talk about?
No plan survives first contact with the enemy.
I don’t think either David or I gave much thought as to what we would do beyond telling Trond what happened.
Day 11 - Tjonndalen to the road
The theory is that we will ski the 7.5 km to the road, then strap our skis to our bags and walk 14 km to the nearest place north with a place to stay at Rysstad. This wasn’t to be the case.
Day 10 - Gaukhei to Tjonndalen
New wax on skis and new skins. Much easier, but still hard work. Don’t notice the rucksack weight so much as I am concentrating on skiing. Maybe I am getting used to it?
Day 9 - Pytten barn to Gaukhei
…when it shone it transformed our bleak, grey black and white world into a whole different place. A magical landscape filled with light and colour.
Day 8 - Ljosland to Pytten barn
Faced with a wide open stretch between two lakes we decided our best option to get past was on the left hand bank. It really wasn’t!