Here we sit in the solitude of Lake Lebarge, having just had breakfast and another stimulating chat about life and adventure. Yesterday this time we were sitting in our soul-less hotel room in Whitehorse, and Imi made the remark that this was our last night in a real bed, and how one feels this slight apprehension about being exposed to nature and all the associated unknowns for more than two weeks. Yeah, that's an adventure, and in him saying that I knew we would be ok, as he had experienced it before.
We had a slow start with a few admin issues at the canoe outfitter, and the inevitable last minute decision. One of these was water and whether we can drink from the lake / river. As is so often these days, the zero tolerance advice torrent kicks in with all the extreme stories designed to make one fearful and then desiring of buying any and all solutions to prevent any and all possible water problems. Well true to form we didn't fall for this and will really on instinct and nature to guide us.
We finally made our first paddle strokes in Lake Lebarge at 12h30, setting off from Deep Creek on a perfectly still, but slightly overcast day. The lake water was bitterly cold, with my feet going numb as I stood holding the boat so Imi could get in, another chilling reminder of the potential danger ahead.
Being the sighted navigator, I took up the steering position at the stern of the canoe and Imi the power man at the front. Although having done much kayaking, I hadn't paddled a traditional double ender, so the steering skills from the back were something I knew I'd need to learn, and here the 'J' stroke is key.
Well we wandered along zigzagging all over the place, and I was glad Imi wasn't aware of our tortuous course. Being an experienced solo canoe adventurer, and master of the 'J' stroke when he was sighted, I really felt for how he must feel, being relegated to front man. I had to rise to the challenge and get a level of proficiency that he would have demonstrated, but hey this wasn't easy... My muscles didn't like the foreign action, and my mind didn’t like the contradictory, yet temporary brake each stroke included. My resistance to change started kicking in wondering how this stroke will ever feel natural, and with 14+ days ahead this is the start of a nightmare.
The adaption side of my human psyche kicked in and within an hour I was feeling the battle for the feeling of paddling normality will be won. Soon we were keeping an arrow perfect straight course and the GPS showed an impressive 'team' 5.7 km/h, but there was just one issue: Certain shoulder and arm muscles were crying out saying how come you have finally found us after 54 years; we had managed to hide from being used! At the end of our six hour paddling day we had covered some 27 km's, but the body was aching.
Campsite was a perfect spot on the west side of the lake, snow sprinkled mountains behind us, impressive rock outcrops across the lake, and just a whisper of breeze making for cool conditions. It was pretty cold paddling on the lake, and rest breaks needed an additional layer of outer wear.
We didn't see another soul the whole day, our only companions being a few iconic loons, curious at our mid lake travel. I guess the truly awesome call of these loons in the vast solitude of the lake and surrounding terrain brought a connection with the cry of the African fish eagle and my more familiar 'bush'. For Canadians the loon is a common and well known sight, but somehow this was special for both of us, the sound of the call bringing Imi right there with me in our deep joint experience.
It was just great to escape into this wilderness, and the way Imi immersed himself so naturally and passionately into its solitude was amazing. He was like a changed person, at one with where he was.
Tent building time produced some new milestones! Being fiercely independent individuals, we have separate tents, and Imi has been determined to not burden me with having to build his tent every day. Well, the man loves a challenge and this one is supreme: Firstly on a search for tents most suited to visually impaired people, I'm pretty sure that his tent will rank 100th least suitable out of 100, mainly for complexity of setup! For aesthetic appeal, and engineering innovation it’s tops, and so provided Imi with an irresistible challenge.
While I setup cooking facilities, he proceeded to find a tent site and build his tent, insisting he didn't want help from me. Five minutes and 33 seconds later, he had set a new (the only!) record for the blind building of the tent. TRULY amazing feat, I really mean that!
Dinner around a driftwood fire was a delightful experience, and the ever helpful Imi, heading solo down to the water's edge to wash the dishes, returning without any lost cutlery!
Our discussions have been very intellectual and illuminating, with the concept of personal triumph, and our need to feel internally powerful through personal triumph being a very illuminating confirmation of my adventure life since 2004. Imi has very interesting perspectives, and as we talk I see so much more of our similarities as being explorers and adventurers of life.
More on all of this to come....
Time to head off paddling, and hopefully complete the still waters of Lake Lebarge. The strong flowing current of the Yukon awaits…
H+I
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Calgary to Whitehorse...The Team bonds and an amazing experience....
We have made it to Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada..... Thirty three hours on the bus, but a surprisingly wonderful experience. Just goes to show hey, manage expectations and reality delivers far beyond one could have ever imagined! The trip was very special in that it took us together at the perfect pace from our busy individual lives to the slower pace and outdoor environment on the Yukon, where we now feel deserving of the adventure that lies ahead. We both agreed that instantly flying into Whitehorse would have excluded us from having this wonderful acclimatising, bus experience.
It was a pretty emotional meeting at the Greyhound Bus Station downtown Calgary, Alberta. A soul-less dump was suddenly converted into a place that cemented the foundation for a wonderful dream that is about to unfold. Imi arrived in full adventure attire, a single backpack immediately passing the test of "Simply Adventure", and setting the standard for simplicity, that will be key in the weeks ahead.
Having last travelled on a Greyhound bus in 1979, I was astounded at how things have changed:
There are baggage limits, size and number, and extra baggage revenue opportunism is alive and well. There are bag searches just like the airlines, and no sharp instruments are allowed in hand luggage. Alcohol is a definite no-no, and in theory anyone smelling of alcohol will not be allowed on the bus. The world has clearly become a different place from the freedom of the 70's when I remember in Texas a blind eye was even turned on marijuana. Apparently last month in Alberta there was an incident where in a personal conflict, one passenger literally beheaded the person next to him in front all passengers on a moving bus. A horrific incident....
Needing a 'start of adventure' celebratory beer, Imi and I did our first bit of team exploring, and found Minkies pub, a few blocks away from the station. This was a whole new experience for me, leading Imi, watching the reactions of others. I hope this doesn't become a boring line, but I am just amazed how independent Imi is, and how intuitive he is about people and the atmosphere around him. Below is a photo of us having those first beers together.
The three hours waiting for departure time, went by so fast as we discussed everything from our families and how we fit in,(we both are sort of black sheep members) to the adventure, Africa, to capitalism, human need for power and the inevitable subject that challenges men: Women! All amazing stuff, and i can see we will have many rich, deep and meaningful discussions about life.... So wait for the Yukon born, new way of river life philosophy!
The bus ride from Calgary to Edmonton was a full on commuter service, but from then on we had an interesting mix of wanderers, vagabonds, and returning locals on board. The terrain became more mountainous, and the towns more spread out. We saw bears, a huge heard of stampeding bison, complete with calves. The photo below is poor quality as it's taken from the moving bus, but hopefully gives some idea of the size of the herd and the energy with which they were moving away from the bus.
I saw lots of deer and moose, and at one of the roadhouse stops I was fortunate to see three moose and two calves actually swimming down a lake. This was all quite challenging for our team as I was hit with the thoughts that Imi can't see any of this, and I wasn't sure whether telling about it was a good thing or not...? We discussed this and he expressed a wish that I describe what I see as best as possible so he can form a picture within. Already I have been humbled in these experiences as I think through the limitations and how he deals with it all so amazingly....
The bus stops every few hours for a rest stop, sometimes at some remote roadhouse, and other times a small town. The closer to Whitehorse we got that more character the places had, all of course are "Legendary" and this hotel at the small town of First Nelson, was typical of one of these stops.
Another roadhouse at Toad River, had home made food, burgers of course, but also a hearty soup and beef stew. Tacky but full of authenticity, the ceiling was made up of customer donated baseball hats:
The guy sitting behind me on the bus was heading to Watson Lake, just before Whitehorse, and he was planning to spend two months camping out there harvesting morel mushrooms. Apparently they are at their best after forest fires, and this area was hit last year, so he was expecting a bumper crop. Yukon quality is apparently amazing, and these mushrooms are destined for export to Europe. The guy told me he will make $20-30 000 over the two months, and the mushrooms come from free access, state owned land. These are the people one meets on the bus!
Imi and I had a wonderful bonding time, we would chat about philosophy, the adventure, and about life in general, and I am sure most of the bus were fascinated at our discussion. Imi is truly an amazing guy, and in his depth and breadth of experiences I have a partner who will provide a unique level of companionship, stimulating conversation yet, because we both enjoy our own space, we will have a lot of quality alone time. Every stop we would get off, and I'd help Imi find his way around to the toilet, restaurant etc, but what always surprised me was how little I had to do before he was home on his own in each new environment. Being obviously exotic, people would come up to him and chat, and they were always astounding to hear we were heading to Whitehorse to canoe the Yukon. In walking around the villages I was also amazed at how Imi's white walking stick had so much power and authority. One just stands on the side walk thinking of crossing a road and the whole intersection literally comes to a standstill as cars wait to allow us to cross. This Canadian respect, concern and politeness is something quite amazing to be experienced.
The last 500 kilometres of the journey was through real Yukon country, the road often right next to large fast flowing rivers or expansive lakes, impressive mountains either side, and almost to our dismay lots of snow still lying around and not that much higher than the road we were travelling on. Hmmm, its summer, but it isn't an African summer I'm used to then. This took me back two years to my bicycle trip through the Yukon, and I remember the often challenging weather and the real danger of hypothermia. The Yukon River we will canoe down will be an icy 3-5 degrees centigrade, and that will be a real motivator for not falling out or doing crazy things.
We finally arrived in Whitehorse at three o'clock in the morning, with the plan being to find a 'place in the bush' to sleep through until hotels opened and we could find one and check in.
Imi was really game on this plan, so after finding our way to the only open place, a Tim Hortons, coffee shop, I left Imi, to explore the town for a suitable refuge for us. We had both agreed that it was a bit colder than we had expected, and as I walked around I came across this 'perfect' hotel solution, and the plan moved to a more comfortable and pragmatic room and bed solution. Ever the adventurer, Imi was a bit reluctant to accept the easy solution at first, but agreed in hindsight we had chosen the best alternative. We ended up paying for the extra night, but by 04h30 we were tucked nicely into a snug bed and fast asleep.
We awoke rested and had a detailed planning session over coffee and breakfast, a plan which saw us walk the town ticking off the long list of chores we had to accomplish in preparation for our adventure. Meeting and bonding with our 17 foot red canoe was pretty special. This is supplied by Up North Adventures, and it was just great finally meeting Elisabeth who runs the logistics for the operation and with whom I had had much email communication. Great team at Up North, and we were soon off to buy the food for our expedition.
We are taking 16 days worth of food which is packed in waterproof, and virtually bear tamper proof containers that will be stored in the canoe. Mainly dehydrated food, and lots of other energy food like salami, chocolate, nuts, oats, and cheese. A few special treats added that will no doubt make the trip a holiday rather than an adventure! (Holiday being where one puts on weight, and an adventure being when one loses weight!)
Whitehorse is one of these typical Up North towns, somewhat confused in its modernism yet traditional saloon type heritage. Very easy to access, and full of very friendly people, one senses that life is quite hard here, and that those that live here pride themselves on this differentiator. It was amazing discussing with Imi this morning, his views of Whitehorse, and while I constantly paint pictures of the surrounding environment as we walk, he had clearly built up a rich and very accurate perception of the town, its people and how it works. Imi at breakfast this morning!
We are pretty much packed up now, just have a few last items to attend to, and we will be dropped at Lake Lebarge tomorrow (Friday) at around 11 am form where we will begin our epic canoeing trip.
From time to time I'll provide real insights into our experiences as a blind and sighted adventure team, and this morning was one worth sharing:
Yesterday was a full on tiring day, with me leading Imi (in tow) around Whitehorse as we went from place to place, organising, buying things and gathering information. Lots of decisions, and all in an unknown environment, with me as Imi's eyes, and wanting us to make team decisions, on everything from what food we will eat, travel arrangements back to Calgary, clothing choices, leave behind items etc.... We were sharing in the decisions associated with the comfort, risks, and plans for the days ahead. It all worked amazingly, but as a team, and with me needing to lead the team, planning was key, and sharing my plan with Imi, and then modifying it for his needs was critical. It all worked 100% but through the process I started feeling indispensable to Imi's movements and happiness. I woke today feeling I had a huge amount of my own things to do today, including this blog. Given, my self appointed position as being in charge of Imi's movement and time, I had this dilemma: How was I going to get my stuff done, without Imi being left on his own and being helpless. I couldn't do that to him, yet I needed at least four hours on my own...? Well, we had a very open conversation today, and as I had worked out the problem is mine not his: He told me he is quite happy to be on his own, explore downstairs from our room, maybe even head out beyond the hotel his own, and that I should not worry about entertaining or looking after him. He opened up to me that one of the reasons why he wanted to come with me, is because he sensed I also need time on my own, and he wouldn't feel claustrophobic, like he has with others who have 'taken' him on outdoor trips. He like me is very much a solo adventurer, and loves being outdoors on his own. Talking through this brought such freedom to me, and made me realise how much we assume things about others and the role we may have. I have been sitting here in the hotel room getting all my admin / technology stuff going for four hours now, and Imi is somewhere out there on his own in Whitehorse. This is a whole new learning experience for me, and in many ways its quite difficult to let go, but I can see it will be one of the keys to us both having a truly special 'together' experience.
Imi, has also said he doesn't worry what I write in these blogs, and would prefer me to be as open as possible in sharing our unique experiences and discussions. I hope in this sharing that we can together provide some unique insights into the journey we are about to embark on. Some days I will play the scribe role where I will merely commit to blog Imi's communication aspirations and desires. So look forward to that...
Back to our adventure tomorrow:
Lake Lebarge is a fearsome lake, and has claimed quite a few lives over the years. The main issue is the icy temperature of the water, and the fact that bad weather comes in so rapidly that the unwary canoeist who has strayed to far from the lake edge is suddenly faced with huge waves that can capsize the canoe and force one into a fateful swim.
Until the next post from the Great river North, the REAL Yukon River.....
Howard and Imi in spirit
It was a pretty emotional meeting at the Greyhound Bus Station downtown Calgary, Alberta. A soul-less dump was suddenly converted into a place that cemented the foundation for a wonderful dream that is about to unfold. Imi arrived in full adventure attire, a single backpack immediately passing the test of "Simply Adventure", and setting the standard for simplicity, that will be key in the weeks ahead.
Having last travelled on a Greyhound bus in 1979, I was astounded at how things have changed:
There are baggage limits, size and number, and extra baggage revenue opportunism is alive and well. There are bag searches just like the airlines, and no sharp instruments are allowed in hand luggage. Alcohol is a definite no-no, and in theory anyone smelling of alcohol will not be allowed on the bus. The world has clearly become a different place from the freedom of the 70's when I remember in Texas a blind eye was even turned on marijuana. Apparently last month in Alberta there was an incident where in a personal conflict, one passenger literally beheaded the person next to him in front all passengers on a moving bus. A horrific incident....
Needing a 'start of adventure' celebratory beer, Imi and I did our first bit of team exploring, and found Minkies pub, a few blocks away from the station. This was a whole new experience for me, leading Imi, watching the reactions of others. I hope this doesn't become a boring line, but I am just amazed how independent Imi is, and how intuitive he is about people and the atmosphere around him. Below is a photo of us having those first beers together.
The three hours waiting for departure time, went by so fast as we discussed everything from our families and how we fit in,(we both are sort of black sheep members) to the adventure, Africa, to capitalism, human need for power and the inevitable subject that challenges men: Women! All amazing stuff, and i can see we will have many rich, deep and meaningful discussions about life.... So wait for the Yukon born, new way of river life philosophy!
The bus ride from Calgary to Edmonton was a full on commuter service, but from then on we had an interesting mix of wanderers, vagabonds, and returning locals on board. The terrain became more mountainous, and the towns more spread out. We saw bears, a huge heard of stampeding bison, complete with calves. The photo below is poor quality as it's taken from the moving bus, but hopefully gives some idea of the size of the herd and the energy with which they were moving away from the bus.
I saw lots of deer and moose, and at one of the roadhouse stops I was fortunate to see three moose and two calves actually swimming down a lake. This was all quite challenging for our team as I was hit with the thoughts that Imi can't see any of this, and I wasn't sure whether telling about it was a good thing or not...? We discussed this and he expressed a wish that I describe what I see as best as possible so he can form a picture within. Already I have been humbled in these experiences as I think through the limitations and how he deals with it all so amazingly....
The bus stops every few hours for a rest stop, sometimes at some remote roadhouse, and other times a small town. The closer to Whitehorse we got that more character the places had, all of course are "Legendary" and this hotel at the small town of First Nelson, was typical of one of these stops.
Another roadhouse at Toad River, had home made food, burgers of course, but also a hearty soup and beef stew. Tacky but full of authenticity, the ceiling was made up of customer donated baseball hats:
The guy sitting behind me on the bus was heading to Watson Lake, just before Whitehorse, and he was planning to spend two months camping out there harvesting morel mushrooms. Apparently they are at their best after forest fires, and this area was hit last year, so he was expecting a bumper crop. Yukon quality is apparently amazing, and these mushrooms are destined for export to Europe. The guy told me he will make $20-30 000 over the two months, and the mushrooms come from free access, state owned land. These are the people one meets on the bus!
Imi and I had a wonderful bonding time, we would chat about philosophy, the adventure, and about life in general, and I am sure most of the bus were fascinated at our discussion. Imi is truly an amazing guy, and in his depth and breadth of experiences I have a partner who will provide a unique level of companionship, stimulating conversation yet, because we both enjoy our own space, we will have a lot of quality alone time. Every stop we would get off, and I'd help Imi find his way around to the toilet, restaurant etc, but what always surprised me was how little I had to do before he was home on his own in each new environment. Being obviously exotic, people would come up to him and chat, and they were always astounding to hear we were heading to Whitehorse to canoe the Yukon. In walking around the villages I was also amazed at how Imi's white walking stick had so much power and authority. One just stands on the side walk thinking of crossing a road and the whole intersection literally comes to a standstill as cars wait to allow us to cross. This Canadian respect, concern and politeness is something quite amazing to be experienced.
The last 500 kilometres of the journey was through real Yukon country, the road often right next to large fast flowing rivers or expansive lakes, impressive mountains either side, and almost to our dismay lots of snow still lying around and not that much higher than the road we were travelling on. Hmmm, its summer, but it isn't an African summer I'm used to then. This took me back two years to my bicycle trip through the Yukon, and I remember the often challenging weather and the real danger of hypothermia. The Yukon River we will canoe down will be an icy 3-5 degrees centigrade, and that will be a real motivator for not falling out or doing crazy things.
We finally arrived in Whitehorse at three o'clock in the morning, with the plan being to find a 'place in the bush' to sleep through until hotels opened and we could find one and check in.
Imi was really game on this plan, so after finding our way to the only open place, a Tim Hortons, coffee shop, I left Imi, to explore the town for a suitable refuge for us. We had both agreed that it was a bit colder than we had expected, and as I walked around I came across this 'perfect' hotel solution, and the plan moved to a more comfortable and pragmatic room and bed solution. Ever the adventurer, Imi was a bit reluctant to accept the easy solution at first, but agreed in hindsight we had chosen the best alternative. We ended up paying for the extra night, but by 04h30 we were tucked nicely into a snug bed and fast asleep.
We awoke rested and had a detailed planning session over coffee and breakfast, a plan which saw us walk the town ticking off the long list of chores we had to accomplish in preparation for our adventure. Meeting and bonding with our 17 foot red canoe was pretty special. This is supplied by Up North Adventures, and it was just great finally meeting Elisabeth who runs the logistics for the operation and with whom I had had much email communication. Great team at Up North, and we were soon off to buy the food for our expedition.
We are taking 16 days worth of food which is packed in waterproof, and virtually bear tamper proof containers that will be stored in the canoe. Mainly dehydrated food, and lots of other energy food like salami, chocolate, nuts, oats, and cheese. A few special treats added that will no doubt make the trip a holiday rather than an adventure! (Holiday being where one puts on weight, and an adventure being when one loses weight!)
Whitehorse is one of these typical Up North towns, somewhat confused in its modernism yet traditional saloon type heritage. Very easy to access, and full of very friendly people, one senses that life is quite hard here, and that those that live here pride themselves on this differentiator. It was amazing discussing with Imi this morning, his views of Whitehorse, and while I constantly paint pictures of the surrounding environment as we walk, he had clearly built up a rich and very accurate perception of the town, its people and how it works. Imi at breakfast this morning!
We are pretty much packed up now, just have a few last items to attend to, and we will be dropped at Lake Lebarge tomorrow (Friday) at around 11 am form where we will begin our epic canoeing trip.
From time to time I'll provide real insights into our experiences as a blind and sighted adventure team, and this morning was one worth sharing:
Yesterday was a full on tiring day, with me leading Imi (in tow) around Whitehorse as we went from place to place, organising, buying things and gathering information. Lots of decisions, and all in an unknown environment, with me as Imi's eyes, and wanting us to make team decisions, on everything from what food we will eat, travel arrangements back to Calgary, clothing choices, leave behind items etc.... We were sharing in the decisions associated with the comfort, risks, and plans for the days ahead. It all worked amazingly, but as a team, and with me needing to lead the team, planning was key, and sharing my plan with Imi, and then modifying it for his needs was critical. It all worked 100% but through the process I started feeling indispensable to Imi's movements and happiness. I woke today feeling I had a huge amount of my own things to do today, including this blog. Given, my self appointed position as being in charge of Imi's movement and time, I had this dilemma: How was I going to get my stuff done, without Imi being left on his own and being helpless. I couldn't do that to him, yet I needed at least four hours on my own...? Well, we had a very open conversation today, and as I had worked out the problem is mine not his: He told me he is quite happy to be on his own, explore downstairs from our room, maybe even head out beyond the hotel his own, and that I should not worry about entertaining or looking after him. He opened up to me that one of the reasons why he wanted to come with me, is because he sensed I also need time on my own, and he wouldn't feel claustrophobic, like he has with others who have 'taken' him on outdoor trips. He like me is very much a solo adventurer, and loves being outdoors on his own. Talking through this brought such freedom to me, and made me realise how much we assume things about others and the role we may have. I have been sitting here in the hotel room getting all my admin / technology stuff going for four hours now, and Imi is somewhere out there on his own in Whitehorse. This is a whole new learning experience for me, and in many ways its quite difficult to let go, but I can see it will be one of the keys to us both having a truly special 'together' experience.
Imi, has also said he doesn't worry what I write in these blogs, and would prefer me to be as open as possible in sharing our unique experiences and discussions. I hope in this sharing that we can together provide some unique insights into the journey we are about to embark on. Some days I will play the scribe role where I will merely commit to blog Imi's communication aspirations and desires. So look forward to that...
Back to our adventure tomorrow:
Lake Lebarge is a fearsome lake, and has claimed quite a few lives over the years. The main issue is the icy temperature of the water, and the fact that bad weather comes in so rapidly that the unwary canoeist who has strayed to far from the lake edge is suddenly faced with huge waves that can capsize the canoe and force one into a fateful swim.
Until the next post from the Great river North, the REAL Yukon River.....
Howard and Imi in spirit
Monday, June 13, 2011
Last week...: Brooks, Alberta
Howard's Run up to the Yukon Adventure: Brooks Alberta
I don’t normally give blog space to my holiday experiences, but I truly feel the last week is worthy of this space.
The vision of Susan Mitchell, a teacher from the Brooks Junior High School, has resulted in me having a truly amazing experience in the unlikely cowboy town of Brooks, Alberta some 200km east of Calgary.
Susan and Howard
In 2010, Susan used my North Pole expedition as a teaching opportunity for here special English class of immigrant teenagers, for who English is a second language. The kids are from a diverse range of countries, including Ethiopia, Sudan, Yemen, Cuba, China, Egypt, and Pakistan. Most have been in Canada for less than two years, and arrived unable to speak a word of English. A group of about 28 kids, who form a special needs group within the almost 400 pupils of the broader Junior High School. These kids are on their own extreme adventure, and the similarity with my North Pole expedition is not insignificant in its adventure challenge, but obviously differing in the specifics. Herein lay the basis of a mutually rewarding sharing journey, that resulted in me visiting the school over the past week, and sharing in three days of truly inspirational cultural sharing. Having followed my expedition closely through my blog (www.canadatothenorthpoleblogspot.com) these kids had virtually lived my experience, and meeting last them was an emotional connection, full of concern, care, and a multitude of question and answers which demonstrated a deep understanding of my expedition and its trial and tribulations. We shared many hours together both in the classroom and out in the special outdoor attractions nearby Brooks. (The Dinosaur Park, is a Unesco World Heritage site, being the largest collection of dinosaur bones found anywhere in the world.)
The time together with the school kids, culminated in a ‘Life as a series of Adventures’ presentation by myself to the whole school, ending with me presenting Susan’s class with one of my North Pole snow shoes, and in return some of the kids presenting me with a few very special mementos. Not embarrassed to admit, the whole experience was amazing bring open tears to my eyes as the extent of sharing of a very special journey became apparent.
Outside of school I was a guest to Susan and her husband Loren for the full stay in Brooks, and experienced their amazing warmth and full on Alberta hospitality. Immersing oneself in a small community town like Brooks, makes one really understand how the big cities in their competitive hustle and bustle have lost some very key human and cultural preservation element. My visit coincided with the annual Rodeo weekend festivities, which were absolutely amazing in the cultural uniqueness. Saturday was a community parade through the town, and the evening was a full on Rodeo experience. This place is a real cowboy town, and so first stop was a liquor store to load up with beers for the weekend ahead.
The hat I am wearing was a free gift from the liquor store on condition I wore it out the whole weekend! This not being enough to fit in, Susan ended up buying me a checked, long sleeve cowboy shirt, all of which helped at the rodeo, but couldn’t disguise my ‘strange’ accent!
All in all a fantastic experience, another adventure. I feel many hearts were touched, new friendships were formed, and I came away a richer person from the unique human interactions and cultural experiences.
Many ask me why I do the North Pole and other crazy things, well mostly the answers aren’t at the destinations! I just love the richness of this wandering adventure life, and another one starts in a few hours, when I meet up with Imi.
I am feeling a little apprehensive, the type of feeling I have learnt to understand before an adventure. This one is totally new for me, and that's what is causing the turmoil within... This adventure has another new dimension, one that will require supreme team effort, and one that is going to draw on me like I have never experienced before. I couldn't have trained for this, and its all about working closely with someone who will need my support...... I will need to manage myself so I have the capacity to take on more, and this is this Yukon adventure challenge for me. For Imi he will have his own unique set of adventure challenges and we will talk through these and I will be relying on him to deal with them within as best he can.... All this provides the excitement of the unknown....
When we initially discussed this adventure, Imi asked me why I wanted to do it? I said firstly, I wanted to do it for me, as with our team challenges, I'd find my challenge something I really valued and wanted. Secondly, I wanted to help him achieve his dream. Based on my answer he was happy to step forward together, as we both know, to do something like this, we must both have a strong personal reason, it can't just be about helping the other....That wouldn't work, when the going gets tough!
That's it for now, it's time to head off to the dreaded Greyhound bus station.... Imi will help brighten it up, and then the adventure begins!
More soon
I don’t normally give blog space to my holiday experiences, but I truly feel the last week is worthy of this space.
The vision of Susan Mitchell, a teacher from the Brooks Junior High School, has resulted in me having a truly amazing experience in the unlikely cowboy town of Brooks, Alberta some 200km east of Calgary.
Susan and Howard
In 2010, Susan used my North Pole expedition as a teaching opportunity for here special English class of immigrant teenagers, for who English is a second language. The kids are from a diverse range of countries, including Ethiopia, Sudan, Yemen, Cuba, China, Egypt, and Pakistan. Most have been in Canada for less than two years, and arrived unable to speak a word of English. A group of about 28 kids, who form a special needs group within the almost 400 pupils of the broader Junior High School. These kids are on their own extreme adventure, and the similarity with my North Pole expedition is not insignificant in its adventure challenge, but obviously differing in the specifics. Herein lay the basis of a mutually rewarding sharing journey, that resulted in me visiting the school over the past week, and sharing in three days of truly inspirational cultural sharing. Having followed my expedition closely through my blog (www.canadatothenorthpoleblogspot.com) these kids had virtually lived my experience, and meeting last them was an emotional connection, full of concern, care, and a multitude of question and answers which demonstrated a deep understanding of my expedition and its trial and tribulations. We shared many hours together both in the classroom and out in the special outdoor attractions nearby Brooks. (The Dinosaur Park, is a Unesco World Heritage site, being the largest collection of dinosaur bones found anywhere in the world.)
The time together with the school kids, culminated in a ‘Life as a series of Adventures’ presentation by myself to the whole school, ending with me presenting Susan’s class with one of my North Pole snow shoes, and in return some of the kids presenting me with a few very special mementos. Not embarrassed to admit, the whole experience was amazing bring open tears to my eyes as the extent of sharing of a very special journey became apparent.
Outside of school I was a guest to Susan and her husband Loren for the full stay in Brooks, and experienced their amazing warmth and full on Alberta hospitality. Immersing oneself in a small community town like Brooks, makes one really understand how the big cities in their competitive hustle and bustle have lost some very key human and cultural preservation element. My visit coincided with the annual Rodeo weekend festivities, which were absolutely amazing in the cultural uniqueness. Saturday was a community parade through the town, and the evening was a full on Rodeo experience. This place is a real cowboy town, and so first stop was a liquor store to load up with beers for the weekend ahead.
The hat I am wearing was a free gift from the liquor store on condition I wore it out the whole weekend! This not being enough to fit in, Susan ended up buying me a checked, long sleeve cowboy shirt, all of which helped at the rodeo, but couldn’t disguise my ‘strange’ accent!
All in all a fantastic experience, another adventure. I feel many hearts were touched, new friendships were formed, and I came away a richer person from the unique human interactions and cultural experiences.
Many ask me why I do the North Pole and other crazy things, well mostly the answers aren’t at the destinations! I just love the richness of this wandering adventure life, and another one starts in a few hours, when I meet up with Imi.
I am feeling a little apprehensive, the type of feeling I have learnt to understand before an adventure. This one is totally new for me, and that's what is causing the turmoil within... This adventure has another new dimension, one that will require supreme team effort, and one that is going to draw on me like I have never experienced before. I couldn't have trained for this, and its all about working closely with someone who will need my support...... I will need to manage myself so I have the capacity to take on more, and this is this Yukon adventure challenge for me. For Imi he will have his own unique set of adventure challenges and we will talk through these and I will be relying on him to deal with them within as best he can.... All this provides the excitement of the unknown....
When we initially discussed this adventure, Imi asked me why I wanted to do it? I said firstly, I wanted to do it for me, as with our team challenges, I'd find my challenge something I really valued and wanted. Secondly, I wanted to help him achieve his dream. Based on my answer he was happy to step forward together, as we both know, to do something like this, we must both have a strong personal reason, it can't just be about helping the other....That wouldn't work, when the going gets tough!
That's it for now, it's time to head off to the dreaded Greyhound bus station.... Imi will help brighten it up, and then the adventure begins!
More soon
Saturday, June 11, 2011
The Run Up to the Adventure
The Adventure starts in Calgary, Alberta, Canada....
Imi and Howard will be meeting in Calgary on 13th June 2011, to start this Yukon Adventure. Howard having flown from London, and spent 5 days in Brooks, Alberta, connecting with his North Pole expedition followers from Brooks Junior High School, and Imi, having travelled from River Falls, via his parents in Kitchener, near Toronto Canada.
The Adventure will begin at the Greyhound bus station in Calgary, as we step on a greyhound bus that will take 33 hours to get us to Whitehorse some 2200 kilometres north west of Calgary. In keeping with the Simply Adventure philosophy, and Imi’s preference, this marathon bus trip will be a baptism of fire, no doubt full of stories, and a wonderful precursor to our river canoeing adventure, also a time for bonding and final planning.
We will arrive in Whitehorse on the 15th of June, and collect our two person open canoe from Up North Adventures, and then spend the next two days sourcing provisions and the outstanding items of equipment that we will need for the trip down the river.
We plan to start from Lake Lebarge, just outside Whitehorse on the 18th of June. Lake Lebarge 50 kilometres long and 3 to 5 kilometres wide, and is noted for its strong and sudden storms. Also noted for its cold water the lake will provide a potentially challenging initiation to our embryonic canoeing team, as we try out various paddling options and techniques in preparation for the flowing river they we will encounter on leaving behind its vastness.
From Lake Lebarge, the river will take a fairly tortuous route to Dawson City passing through huge areas of true wilderness, where the shore lands and islands are covered in aspen, birch and poplar and we can expect to encounter muskrat, beaver, fox, wolf, bear, eagle, trumpeter swan, along with a diverse range of migrant waterfowl, who make the river their temporary home.
The river was an important transport route during the Klondike Gold rush which started at the turn of the 2oth century and continued through to 1930’s. While the area has been largely returned to pure wilderness status, we will encounter lots of history in ruins and other artifacts from the incredible activity of this era.
The plan is to camp out near the river each night, and future postings from these camp sites will take readers right into the heart of our daily river journey and our campsite experience. The possibility of encounters with bears will mean that we will always be practising sound bear cohabitation strategies when setting up camp, moving around our immediate camp area, eating and sleeping.
The 48 kms from Lake Lebarge to the Teslin River (Called 30 mile Section) is supposed to be a fascinating section and one rich in gold mining history, being the base and operating area for many of the river steamers used in the gold rush times. At between 50 and 100 metres, the river is relatively narrow, and we are expecting it to be quite fast flowing, at around 5 miles per hour. These conditions were challenging on the river for the river steamers and as evidence we expect to see a few wrecks along the way.
Near the small settlement of Hootalinqua the Teslin River then joins the Yukon doubling its size, and dramatically changing the rivers character. We will no doubt stop and explore the wreck of the Evelyn, a 45m paddle steamer, before continuing in the wider and slowing flowing combined river.
Carmacks is a town of less than 500 people, situated about halfway along our journey and we plan to restock on food and any other consumables we may need. Soon after Carmacks we will encounter the most challenge of the trip, Five Fingers rapids, and hopefully by then we would have our canoeing teamwork fine tuned so we have an eventless passing through its fast flowing turbulent waters.
The river will then take us past fort Selkirk, an abandoned trading post with much recent (1850’s history) as well as older native Athabascan significance. From there it is on the Dawson City, with the White River joining the Yukon, with its unique volcanic silt load adding a new dimension of colour to the river, before we hit the confluence of the Stewart river, marked by Stewart island, and the soon to be no longer Stewart City, as the river carves its way through it.
Dawson City is a town with a population of less than 3000, that essentially grew out of the Klondike gold rush days, and has much of its historical past remaining.
We look forward to sharing our experience.
Imi and Howard will be meeting in Calgary on 13th June 2011, to start this Yukon Adventure. Howard having flown from London, and spent 5 days in Brooks, Alberta, connecting with his North Pole expedition followers from Brooks Junior High School, and Imi, having travelled from River Falls, via his parents in Kitchener, near Toronto Canada.
The Adventure will begin at the Greyhound bus station in Calgary, as we step on a greyhound bus that will take 33 hours to get us to Whitehorse some 2200 kilometres north west of Calgary. In keeping with the Simply Adventure philosophy, and Imi’s preference, this marathon bus trip will be a baptism of fire, no doubt full of stories, and a wonderful precursor to our river canoeing adventure, also a time for bonding and final planning.
We will arrive in Whitehorse on the 15th of June, and collect our two person open canoe from Up North Adventures, and then spend the next two days sourcing provisions and the outstanding items of equipment that we will need for the trip down the river.
We plan to start from Lake Lebarge, just outside Whitehorse on the 18th of June. Lake Lebarge 50 kilometres long and 3 to 5 kilometres wide, and is noted for its strong and sudden storms. Also noted for its cold water the lake will provide a potentially challenging initiation to our embryonic canoeing team, as we try out various paddling options and techniques in preparation for the flowing river they we will encounter on leaving behind its vastness.
From Lake Lebarge, the river will take a fairly tortuous route to Dawson City passing through huge areas of true wilderness, where the shore lands and islands are covered in aspen, birch and poplar and we can expect to encounter muskrat, beaver, fox, wolf, bear, eagle, trumpeter swan, along with a diverse range of migrant waterfowl, who make the river their temporary home.
The river was an important transport route during the Klondike Gold rush which started at the turn of the 2oth century and continued through to 1930’s. While the area has been largely returned to pure wilderness status, we will encounter lots of history in ruins and other artifacts from the incredible activity of this era.
The plan is to camp out near the river each night, and future postings from these camp sites will take readers right into the heart of our daily river journey and our campsite experience. The possibility of encounters with bears will mean that we will always be practising sound bear cohabitation strategies when setting up camp, moving around our immediate camp area, eating and sleeping.
The 48 kms from Lake Lebarge to the Teslin River (Called 30 mile Section) is supposed to be a fascinating section and one rich in gold mining history, being the base and operating area for many of the river steamers used in the gold rush times. At between 50 and 100 metres, the river is relatively narrow, and we are expecting it to be quite fast flowing, at around 5 miles per hour. These conditions were challenging on the river for the river steamers and as evidence we expect to see a few wrecks along the way.
Near the small settlement of Hootalinqua the Teslin River then joins the Yukon doubling its size, and dramatically changing the rivers character. We will no doubt stop and explore the wreck of the Evelyn, a 45m paddle steamer, before continuing in the wider and slowing flowing combined river.
Carmacks is a town of less than 500 people, situated about halfway along our journey and we plan to restock on food and any other consumables we may need. Soon after Carmacks we will encounter the most challenge of the trip, Five Fingers rapids, and hopefully by then we would have our canoeing teamwork fine tuned so we have an eventless passing through its fast flowing turbulent waters.
The river will then take us past fort Selkirk, an abandoned trading post with much recent (1850’s history) as well as older native Athabascan significance. From there it is on the Dawson City, with the White River joining the Yukon, with its unique volcanic silt load adding a new dimension of colour to the river, before we hit the confluence of the Stewart river, marked by Stewart island, and the soon to be no longer Stewart City, as the river carves its way through it.
Dawson City is a town with a population of less than 3000, that essentially grew out of the Klondike gold rush days, and has much of its historical past remaining.
We look forward to sharing our experience.
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