Wk 04 Stay Tuned...
Date Posted: 3.12.2007
Location: 64º50'N 16º40'W
Nome, Alaska, United States
Weather Conditions: Cloudy 0° F (-17°C)
Paul is standing on the hard packed snow of the ice on the Bering Strait. To his left is the Pacific Ocean, to his right the Arctic Ocean. Looking out over the ice - just a little more than 50 miles across - lies Chukotka. So close, and yet (so many times this week) so far away. After more than 4000 miles of travel from leaving Basecamp in Minnesota, these 50 miles have proven to be by far the most challenging of the journey so far... and the expedition has not even started! Now, 'not knowing' is the nature of expeditions. "When you are on an expedition" says Aaron "you pretty much have to realize everything is subject to change, keep your mind open for whatever happens next, be ready-to-go, go with the flow...and stay tuned!" That's pretty much the motto for the week that past.
On Monday, 9 days, 8 hours and 3000 some miles later Paul and crew - his father Mike and Dan McGinnis - cruised their way into Anchorage, Alaska . "There is always a great sense of relief when a leg of the travel is behind us" says Paul, "and I was really excited to get the couple of tasks taken care of in Anchorage and be on our way flying to Nome in a few days." Tuesday Mille finally received her visa for traveling into Chukotka. Mille thrilled by now having her name printed in the Russian alphabet in her Danish passport, and Paul and the Polar Huskies almost in Nome, we were as good as ready to go... Stay tuned!
Turns out that was subject to change. That night Paul had a call. Nikolai was at home with his family in Anadyr, the capitol of Chukotka, and he had been trying to get a hold of Paul. Not having any success, Nikolai did get a hold of 'Olga' from Barrow Arctic Science Consortum who is working with us on the logistics and speaks Russian.
Olga was now calling Paul with not such great news. Because of personal reasons Nikolai will not be able travel out on the expedition trail with Team GoNorth! "I was pretty shocked" admits Paul. He goes on "Nikolai traveling with us, having a local that speaks the language and know the customs in Chukotka is very important being that neither Mille nor I speaks Russian, Chukchi or Yu'pik. For one, for us to be looking into all of what we have to investigate out here along with students around the world, it is very important that we can communicate with the locals. It is also a huge part of how we travel on the land that we can talk to Elders and hunters to learn from their knowledge about the land, good routes and dangers to watch out for." Paul called back to Basecamp, pretty much with the message "trying to get a hold of Nikolai - stay tuned..."
Paul and Nikolai were just not having any luck connecting. Mille finally got on the phone from Basecamp calling Russia having lengthy conversations first with Nikolai's young son, and then with Nikola's wife. They do not speak English and Mille does not speak Russian, so it was some funny talking, Mille gesturing in the air to make herself understood, though obviously nobody on the other end could actually see a thing of what she was trying to 'sign them.' Never the less, Mille did track down Nikolai and soon after Paul and he connected. Finally, some good news: Nikolai has been hard at work to prepare for the Polar Huskies arrival and the journey ahead. Besides from arranging for a place to stay once the first plane lands in Provedinia, and a vehicle to get the gear and sleds transported, turns out Nikolai has also arranged for another team member to join Team GoNorth! A good friend, Pronkin, will now travel along and he will be there to meet and greet us. And that is about as much as we know about that... Stay tuned!
Oh, one more message from Olga. The three hand-held satellite phones that had to be purchased in Moscow to permit usage in Chukotka, that were suppose to be delivered to Nikolai in Providineya - well, they made a detour and were now in the small community of Laverentiya about 100 miles up the coast... but several people were working on a solution of how to get them brought down to Provediniya... Stay tuned!
On that note, it was arranged for two snowmobiles and drivers to meet the team in Provediniya to bring some of our supplies to communities along the expedition trail ahead of us. Subject to change! Instead two Yup'ik from Lorino have built a huge komatek sled, and they are now possible going to dogsled down from the community on the coast of the Bering Sea to help re-supply the expedition by dogteam! We are thinking some might have been lost in the translations between Russian English, American English and just sheer surprise and confusion. "Until we get to Providineya we are just going to say 'subject to change - stay tuned!' on that one" Mille grins.
But then, before being able to send out any supplies or dogsled anywhere, we first needed our shipment of dog food to arrive in Anchorage as planned on Tuesday (which was still subject to change) and for the sleds to be found. Yes found!? Wonder how two 14 feet long, 3 feet wide sleds, red as a fire-truck could possible be lost? So did Paul, when Wednesday afternoon as the sleds were to arrive at the air cargo to be loaded on the plane with the Polar Huskies Thursday morning, got the call that the sleds were 'missing in action.' Subject to change. Stay tuned.
Ten nerve-wrecking minutes later he had another call: the sleds had arrived in the hangar! In the meantime Paul and Mike had arranged for Mike to stay back in Anchorage to wait for the missing shipment of dog food so that he would be there to 'watch it' being shipped, while Paul as planned for Thursday, would load the dogs to get the show in the air to Nome. Now, if the weather would just hold in both Anchorage and Nome... Stay tuned...
The weather didn't hold. Wednesday morning 35 miles an hour winds were whipping through Nome, blowing snow and low visibility making it impossible for the cargo plane with the Polar Huskies to land there. However, as Paul was told - "Alaskan Airlines have better instruments on the passenger plane" meaning he was still set to fly to Nome around noon - with or without dogs. Well, that was not really an option. Paul simply couldn't go if the Polar Huskies could possibly be stuck in Anchorage. Up until 2001 we would always fly with the dogs in the cargo planes, but since then, rules have changed and 'civilians' are no longer allowed onboard. Running from office to office Paul pleaded with every official possible, but no one could bend the rules to let him go with Polar Huskies on the cargo flight.
So why not just wait? Well, the permits from the Russian government to fly over and land in Chukotka was for that Sunday. The following day, on Friday, the cargo plane to take the gang to Nome was set to fly dynamite (!) - to be used for gold exploration - obviously then not able to have anything else onboard. Then the plane had to go into 'check-up' which would last until the following Thursday! There was a slim chance for possibly flying on Saturday, but that would be a smaller plane, which would possibly mean delays, and then that would mean we would miss the flight to Chukotka on Sunday!
Finally, Paul just paced hoping for the weather to lift ...Stay tuned...
It did! When Paul boarded for Nome on the Alaskan Airline plane the pilots of the cargo plane had assured him he would later watch them and the Polar Huskies land in Nome, and it was with the greatest possible relief he saw that plane touch down while the winds were howling and the snow drifting. Finally, in Nome. Soon to be off across the strait to Chukotka. Well, that part definitely turned out to be subject to change.
Turns out no one plane in Nome can carry all the mighty Polar Huskies, plus food, gear, and us. We are 2,000 lbs overweight. Paul has all along requested two planes, if not three - but everyone stood puzzled by when it turned out Paul was exactly right on that. Then Paul was informed that there was the slight complication that only one plane a day could fly to Russia. Also, if the food and gear was flown to Chukotka on its own plane with no people along with it, we would most likely be charged taxes on everything! That's not really an option and neither is it for the Polar Huskies to make this flight - however short - on their own. So...Staying tuned...
That was not what would finally put a complete stop to boarding any planes on Sunday.
Though Chukotka is so close, just on the other side of the Bering Strait, it really is a world apart from Nome, Alaska. Not least because they are 19 hours ahead! That in itself proved to be part of all the challenges this week, as we desperately tried to communicate with the authorities, getting permissions to land and for the dogs. Yes, the dogs!
Friday Paul was told that each Polar Husky now need their own permit. Mind you, since July Paul has been working with Nikola in Chukotka on lining everything up just right, getting all our paper work and permissions as needed - imagine he was more than a bit surprised! Hours later Paul had neatly arranged 23 two-page documents with all the needed information for each Polar Husky. Tick tick tick, it was faxed across the Strait to authorities in Chukotka. "I was anxiously awaiting to hear that everything was ok" says Paul, and there was a sigh of relief from Nome on the Alaskan coast to Education Basecamp in Minnesota and back, when that night word came back that everything was a go. Subject to change?... Stay tuned!
Friday morning, Olga (sorry Olga, we know none of this is to be blamed on you) got a hold of Paul with the ice-crackling news that the Russian authorities will only allow ten Polar Huskies to enter Chukotka. Ten!!! 
Shaking his head in distress and disbelief, Paul started calling. Everywhere. Unfortunately, after talking to Nikolai it was confirmed: that was really the case. And to top it off, with the time difference any 'Russian authorities' were now off for the weekend. Stay tuned - until Sunday night. And also, the plane now set to fly Mille and the remaining gear across the Strait a few days after the first plane was scheduled to go, was not being allowed to land! Permission denied. Needless to say we spend the weekend hoping all of that was subject to change as well. Change for the better that would be. We anxiously waited... staying tuned.
At the time of this report it does look like everything is resolved. Nikolai had a meeting with government officials Monday morning, which would be Sunday night in Nome. Imagine how we awaited the phone call from Nikolai. Not far from the experience of waiting for a lead in the ice to close up so we can travel across! "We can go!!" yelled Paul into the phone when he called 'home' the update. Not until after the 19th though - the time needed to get the necessary paper work done on the Russian side. Oh, and then we need new permissions for these planes to land. Again. We are still staying tuned on when exactly we will actually be able to board any planes, but at least we hope that the boarding eventually happening is a fact - and not subject to change!
"I really just can not wait to load up those sled, hitch the Polar Huskies and get going out over the ice" says Paul. "The uncertainties on the trails brought on by nature, be it storms, polar bears and cold temperatures that is a language I can deal with. What we have been dealing with this week is really testing." Aaron continues, "One thing would be if we could call up or speak directly with the Russian authorities, any one really, but with the language barrier that is just not an option. It is definitely frustrating. But hey, again, we have to keep a flexible mindset and have a positive outlook - best we can." Mille adds, "in case you are wondering, though Paul must be applauded for his efforts on learning some basic Russian, that just is not making it happen here! His efforts - not giving up but just pushing and pulling in the right direction, keeping all lines of communication open and being very tolerant - it looks like that is what is going to make it all happen regardless of obstacles..."
On the topic of tolerance, make sure to join this weeks Expert Chat on the topic of 'Globalization and Tolerance' with Rev. Brad Froslee this upcoming Friday at 10 AM CST.
Some Polar Huskies are more tolerant than others. This weeks two Polar Husky Superstars are both very happy personalities, great at going with flow. But even though they are siblings one is definitely more tolerant than the other. Polar Huskies all have an uncanny ability to stay positive, just pulling and pushing until they succeed, no matter how steep that mountain is! That said, just like people, the Polar Huskies are different in how they approach obstacles and how they communicate.
This weeks first Polar Husky Stuperstar, Khan, is as sweet-natured, gentle and loving as can be with any of us two-legged. But he has a temperament and can be really tough on any of his four-legged teammates. Khan has tremendous strength both mentally and physically. At first when you meet him, you really notice his very handsome looks and charming personalities as he talks to you, leans in and just wants to share some loving. He is also very tolerant with young puppies (they always adore him) but once you put that harness on Khan, it is an entirely different story. He truly turns into 'the ruler' just like his name indicates. "That's why we named him Khan" says Mille, she goes on "when he was just a tiny puppy he was as stubborn as any adult Polar Husky in the Kennel - he would lead out his siblings taking off across the field, and I could call until my face turned blue, he was going his own ways followed by his clan." 
The only one that might just sit back and watch the show, or come right back for a hug was Ginger, this weeks other Polar Husky Superstar. Ginger is Khan's sister, but a good friend of pretty much everyone she speaks a very different language. Ginger never gets upset, she is just very 'soft-spoken' and very gentle. Sometimes, as the going gets tough it can all be a little much for Ginger when some of the other Polar Huskies get all whack crazy to go. But then, as long a there is lots of happy talk and 'go-get'em in the wackiness, then after-all Ginger is a Polar Husky and she gets a bit wound up herself. The Polar Huskies are a bit wound up alright. All doing great, they are obviously getting very antsy to run - they are all ready to roar! That is not subject to change...so stay tuned...
