Timber Tales     Week 12

We are in Provideniya! Chaplino - my little puppy friend who has been traveling along with us since 'Yanks' - came along with us all the way! It took us a couple of great days to get from 'Yanks' to New Chaplino. That one night we camped in a pretty spot with mountain around us, and some nice deep snow. It has been hot everyday. It feels so good to lie in the deep snow at night. Aaron gave Chaplino a big portion of food right next to me and that's where she slept most of the night. She is very small, but she would actually be a great bear dog.

It was very early, I just heard Mille start the stove in her tent, when we heard a noise in the distance sounding like 'naaaaaaaaahhh.' At first it made me jump up thinking maybe one of the guys had lost their way outside of the tent. I guess Mille thought the same because pretty soon she yelled out the tent if everyone was ok!? By then we could see Chukchi dog teams and their mushers coming at our campsite. Before I even got to say a peep, Chaplino jumped out in front of all of us making lots of noise just like I would do it. I was very proud of her! Aaron talked with the mushers. They all used their hands a lot to talk. The Chukchi mushers kept making a sign putting their fingertips together. From the conversations, Aaron told Paul that maybe there was some pressure ice ahead. I thought the sign looked more like a mountain. I have to admit I believe I was right too, cause most of that day we were running through the hills all the way into New Chaplino.

I thought for sure Chaplino was heading back to her family for good once we pulled the sleds into the community, but when we took off again the next morning she was right there with us again. I have been running next to my old buddy Peto. They did run by a bear further north - a polar bear. I guess a hunter who was traveling ahead of them on the trail saw the bear sleeping on the floe edge. None of the Polar Huskies saw him... Good thing the bear didn't stalk them!

But another bear did stalk this hunter!! Disko explained how there was seal blood on the trail of the hunters' sled and dogs. It must have been dripping from the seal he just hunted, which he was carrying on his sled. Soon Disko saw a set of bear prints right in the track of the blood stains, and sure enough the hunter had to chase off a hungry brown bear that had woken up early from his winter sleep.  

Soon it is our turn to lie around and sleep for the summer. We pulled the sleds back into Provideniya two sunrises ago. Everything looks very different here now - lots of dirt, rocks and open water. I think it is always a bit sad when an expedition comes to an end. It is of course also very thrilling with everybody smiling and laughing a lot! The guys have been unloading the sleds, and Artur took off on his snowmobile waving to us all. We gave him a big howl. I am pretty excited. I heard Paul talk about we are flying again tomorrow...