November 26, 2011
S74°16.386′ E011°.48.553′
Elevation 11003 feet
Given how predictably the wind has shut off at 17:30 or so the last few days, we decided to leave earlier with the intent to gain a hour or two of travel time. Setting up and breaking camp takes longer than one would assume. Everyday, you set up house, which isn’t to say we air the sheets and set the table. But bringing in sleeping pads, bags, cooking gear and communication devices; setting up solar panels, electronics and personal effects; hanging gloves and clothes to dry; melting snow for water–AND THEN airing the sheets and setting the table!–takes time. From the moment we wake up, until we are out on the trail, which generally includes time to write the blog and upload images for transmission, it generally takes about two and a half hours. Writing typically happens in the morning because the tent is too cold in the evening–generally about 20C below by the time we shut off. Sleep time means full facial cover and a hat; you cannot shove your head in the sleeping bag–tempting and warm though it is–as the breath turns to steam which eventually will turn to frost…
When we left in the morning, the wind was blowing timidly; worse, its angle had shifted twenty degrees further East, which meant that our tacking angle was pushing us farther and away from our bearing. With the light wind, gaining upwind ground is even more difficult: it is slow and painstaking, and this time yielded questionable returns. We switched from the 13 meter Frenzy’s to the big guns, the 14 meter Yakuza’s hoping to gain speed and upwind tack. In the end, all this achieved was more pull, more work on the legs and no upwind gain. We switched back, but again, impossible to gain ground. By 16:00 after a lot of work, we set down and called it a day. The wind was there, just poor direction. I hope this will not be the trend. Our research and past accounts points to a wind angle more in the North by now, but this is yet to materialize. We quit early, which this time, enables me to write this updates on the day rather than the next. That is the silver lining. There’s always one…
We traveled 27.4 kilometers–even if somewhat in the wrong direction. Enjoy your weekend everyone; I hope it is warm!
I’m hoping your progress improves and that your ribs have healed. Today is UCLA vs USC football. Go Bruins! Best to you both- Phil
Long way more to go..but its def a awesome start and i’m soooo hokeod… I was lucky had the best of sooo many teachers 😀 Mischi, Marc, Aussie Mike… and DIL !!!
Great progress! May the Force be with you! Love from Canada. xoxoxo
I love your post. I hope the wind will be better soon. Even now you are heroes! Good luck!