We live and breathe

On 18 November, 2015 By lillahjarnanIn Blandat/mixed, In English, OkategoriseradeLeave a comment

The Syrian issue is one of the most complicated problems in modern history. For Europe, the Middle East, the US… For all of us. It’s a question of freedom, religion, and the enemies of freedom. People dying, suffering, fleeing their countries and homes. It’s heartbreaking and impossible to explain or solve. Sweden is on “high alert” for the first time ever and people are shocked. Only the future will tell… Open hearts and closed borders, a problem that sounds impossible to solve. It makes it so difficult when religion is involved.

Life goes on here. We live and breathe. We are so far away yet so close. Our problems seems so small in comparison. As always I evaluate and think, how and why? Is it worth it to be so far away from the people that matters. We lost a very old and dear friend this week. It seems to be the thing right now. Every time I call my parents I get bad news. It’s a different kind of grief when a person dies after a very long life. I feel sad that I lost an entire generation. This was my last, beautiful friend from another era, and the last connection with my grandparents. The era before the 1^st World War. It is impressive to live until 106, on the day. So many stories and so much experienced. So many, many years. I grief that my children lost a family member and the last connection to the older generation. And I really wish I was closer so I could to pay my respects and say goodbye.

A different thing… Mind. State of mind. The way you train your mind. And the way you decide to react and change your mindset. Adventure and how to train your mind, not only your body. That will be the subject of my next talk. I’ve been invited to speak and it’s always an honor to share your thoughts with other people. It means that I will have to get my stuff together once again, find pictures, try to think clear thoughts. I love it and wish I got the chance to do it more often, the clear thoughts I mean. It’s always interesting to speak in front of a large group in English, it makes it a tad bit more interesting.

From all the important stuff in life to the most trivial… We end the evening and discussion at the dinner table/homework table at 10.45…David Beckham…presumable the sexiest man alive. No! I had to Bing him and no. Felt obligated to inform my kids that he is 40 but they didn’t care. Yes, the man is ripped but he is not the sexiest man alive, ridiculous.

Party hardy

On 27 August, 2015 By lillahjarnanIn Blandat/mixed, In English, OkategoriseradeLeave a comment

This day turned out most excellent. So far. We are all trying to squeeze out the last of our summer vacation. The weather is cooperating. Days are hot and nights are… not. It’s getting dark and cold but nothing some candles and a heater can’t take care of. The barbeque is still working hard. Maybe too hard. Food is good, maybe too good sometimes.

Try outs are rolling on and it seems ok. Hard work, sweat but no tears. Always a good combo. I think it will be another great season.

I went to pick up some shirts and a dress at the dry cleaners today. I am there quiet often and the little lady behind the counter is getting more and more chatty every week. My dress didn’t get cleaned because of the fabric, they didn’t think they could do a good job. No big deal. But the little lady with a very cute Asian accent tried to give me a grown up talk, enlighten me a bit. First of all she loved my dress and I must say that I really like it too. Then she told me… “Ms. Charlotte, if you are going to party hardy don’t wear a nice dress. You are only going to stand up and look pretty in a dress like this.” I felt a little bit puzzled, I didn’t really ”party hardy” wearing the dress. But I thanked her for the nice advice, paid and got my clean shirts and started walking out. The she called me back and said “stop wearing black and white dresses all the time. I keep track! You only clean black and white dresses, striped, polka dot and solid black.” Well thanks, I guess I am going dress shopping. So to all my friends, I will start to party hardy in my not so nice clothes. Whatever that means. Bring out the champagne, I am wearing shorts today. I was thinking of bringing in my good sleeping bag and a couple of down coats I wore in Alaska but I am really afraid she will give me some more creepy advice.

I bumped in to a friend that I haven’t seen for a while, that is always nice. I think I need to do better job keeping in touch with friends. I switched gyms and since a year back I don’t hang out with my regular crew on a daily basis, I think this needs to change.

The zoo like feeling around our house changed. The lovely deer family is gone. I guess they ate all my vegetables and moved on. The veggies dried out a bit with the nice and warm weather so I guess it didn’t taste as nice and juicy as always. The bunnies that more or less lived in our back yard moved on last week. They got a few new family members and are now living in the bushes. All good, they got a little bit too friendly. They looked at us when we had dinner outside and more or less asked if we actually made reservations because they were there first. The new zoo members I don’t really care about that much. Raccoons, not my favorites. And a cat that looks half eaten by something big. He insists on hiding in our garage. But since I will never become a crazy cat lady I am running around with a broom chasing the poor thing but really trying to speak nicely at the same time. I am more of a deer or moose person than a cat person.

Life struggles

On 29 July, 2015 By lillahjarnanIn OkategoriseradeLeave a comment

Phone: Crushed screen, dropped it running the other day. Apparently running in a bouncy way. Need to work on running form. And need to work on better language when sh** happens.

Computer: Dead, very dead. Quiet and cold. Been booting, praying, cursing, charging…

Weather: Rain every day and night so far. No joke, worst summer since RV tour around Sweden 1977. Pale as an uncooked shrimp. Cold as a frozen lobster tail. Freckles gone.

Body: Still not cooperating. Been resting more than a person in a full body cast. Working my brain more than my body. And filling every little piece of it with bread.

Activity level: Ehhh, a bit itchy so C and I joined a gym. Found a climbing wall and some kettle bells. Made a lot of interesting discoveries. I need to change my work out clothes to blend in. Get some ink and pump my biceps. And be quiet. Will try again tomorrow.

Nu är det dags

On 27 June, 2015 By lillahjarnanIn OkategoriseradeLeave a comment

Tältsaden där vi förvarat all utrustning är riven. Cykellådor, TA bins, klätterutrustning och glaciärutrustning är packat och placerat i olika lastbilar. Vi har packat våra ryggsäckar och hänger på rummet och försöker lugna våra nerver. Kartorna är packade och vi har en viss aning om vad som kommer ske de närmsta dagarna. Glaciär och tundra trek första etappen, straxt under 60km. Finfint. Det kommer bli tufft från första rycket. Följer ni oss på trackern så kommer pricken inte rusa fram direkt.

Vi vill gärna ha trailmail. Skicka en hälsning eller många via hemsidan så får vi den när vi kommer till nästa TA där vi byter till en ny etapp. Det piggar upp!

Följ oss på ExpeditionAK.com

Tjing

Sista rycket

On 27 June, 2015 By lillahjarnanIn OkategoriseradeLeave a comment

Sista frukosten innan avfärd imorgon. Sista koppen kaffe. Igår fortsatte förberedelserna med björnsäkerhet och kartutdelning. Vi vet var vi ska nu. Glaciärtrekken första två dagarna kommer bli brutal. Om ni följer oss på spotten så bli inte förvånade om den knappt rör sig. Björnkunskapen var egentligen inget nytt mer än att det finns grizzlybjörn här omkring och brun och svart vanlig björn. De räknar med att vi kommer möta björn många gånger per dag.

Vi fortsatte med glaciär genomgång och test. Allt som vi faktiskt kunde innan kändes som bortblåst. Efter ett antal räddningsförsök och uppsättningar så känns det faktiskt som det sitter. De gissar att flera av lagen kommer behöva använda sina räddningskunskaper och vi tänker inte bli en av dem. Det är oerhört mycket glaciärsprickor. Vi kommer välja att ta oss långsamt fram för att hitta en säker rutt, eller så säkert det kan gå.

Vi packade och packade igår. Och idag ska jag åter igen packa om. Det finns ju ingen chans att vända eller fixa något när vi väl är på gång.

Nu följer wilderness first aid. Och ompackning. Och mer kartgenomgång.

Fortsättning

On 26 June, 2015 By lillahjarnanIn OkategoriseradeLeave a comment

Denali, Alaska. Lång bussresa norr över. Björnspan från bussen. Incheckning och upplockning, urlastning och allmänt kaos. Packade upp och monterade ihop cyklar som varit nerstuvade i lådor. Lite vint framhjul. Började packa matpåsar och klädpåsar. Maten håller inte hög standard.

Idag har vi i timmar fått mer utbildning i glaciär räddning, sprickor etc. Strålande sol och blå himmel. Alla blev aningen uttorkade och dammiga. Framåt kvällen cykling med full packning ner till floden där vi gick en snabb genomgång i hur man tar sig upp i flotten om man tippar. Torrdräkt och flytväst gör det hela lite meckigt. Strömt och väldigt kallt vatten, ännu mer besvärligt. Tur att vi är aningen vana efter träning i WA och har lite skinn på näsan. Läskiga saker. Efter turen packade vi ihop cyklarna och stoppade ner dessa i lådorna igen. Japp, cykelmeck och sånt pysslar vi också med.

Imorgon fortsätter vi glaciär träningen med prov och sedan björnkunskap. Pust. Och gear check. Hoppas att vi inte glömt något hemma.

Nu sover vi så gott vi kan. Lite lägerkänsla. Något taskigt och fuktig lukt. Och tydligen så snarkar jag.

Då bär det av…

On 24 June, 2015 By lillahjarnanIn OkategoriseradeLeave a comment

Efter 8 timmars shopping och matintag har vi hyrbilen full med konserver och allmän skräpmat som klarar sig ute i rabarbern.

Vi hämtar också upp björnsprej och insekts sprej som ska kunna ta död på mygg stora som svalor eller örnar, cykelpump och lite annat smått och nödvändigt.

Nu bär det av mot wiffi fritt land… Tjing

Bunkring

On 24 June, 2015 By lillahjarnanIn OkategoriseradeLeave a comment

Då var det dags. Okristligt tidig uppgång och färd norröver. All utrustning dök upp på bandet och vi lastade kärror, hyrde bil och lämnade cyklarna på hyrutrymme bland älghorn och frusen fisk.

Nästa stopp lunch och sedan upphämtande av lagmedlem nummer 4 från östkusten. Nu gällde det att tänka till bunkra upp för långlopp och stora kaloriintag.

Hey out there

On 14 June, 201514 June, 2015 By lillahjarnanIn OkategoriseradeLeave a comment

Sun is out and it’s Sunday. The family is out and about. One car took off Friday for a climbing comp in Oregon. The rest of the bunch have other things to do. Going in different directions. I’ve been enjoying lots and lots of pictures from graduations and last day of school parties from Sweden but we are not quite there yet. We have another week of school and finals. I know my former colleagues are now taking a deep breath and have cleaned out their classrooms after a long school year. Happy summer to you.

We have less than two weeks left before takeoff for Alaska. We met up yesterday morning at a park and ride in Lynnwood and drove up to Baker, a nice two hour drive. I couldn’t sleep the night before and got more and more stressed until I just accepted that this would be another sleep training weekend with a good chunk of training without sleep. I got up at 4.45 after about 2 hours of sleep, packed up and left. It was a gorgeous day, not too warm, sunshine and lots of snow. Heavy backpacks on with all race gear, crampons, ice axe, tent, 50yrd rope, harnesses, food etc. After walking uphill for 2 hours the mountain opens up and leaves you breathless. It is beautiful! And I instantly understand why people go mountain crazy and don’t want to leave. We started walking up on the snow. Avoiding crevasses, big and small, and finding the best route. We met other climbers, saw a few tents and chatted a bit with a bunch of guys. We came to practice roping up and climbing together, so that’s what we did. Around 2 in the afternoon we sat on a tarp at 7600ft, ate a little, drank a little and talked. The summit would only take us a few more hours but today is not the day for that. We definitely have to come back. We packed up and started walking, gliding down. I even tried gliding on my butt. An absolutely fantastic day. I wish I had good pictures but somehow I messed up with sunglasses on and sun in my face all the time.

And we are back on the trail, walking and walking. We walk for miles on a ridge and there are marmots everywhere. They are whistling and heat up their furry bodies in the sun. I am trying to figure out the Swedish word for marmot but I can’t think of it. I don’t know why it always takes forever to walk back. The pack feels heavy, I am sweating, my face hurts from not using enough sunblock on the glacier and the car feels far away. And after about 14 hours I am back home and the oldest and the youngest have dinner ready for us and I fall asleep in front of a movie. One day closer.