torsdag 23 augusti 2012

Beautiful weather, 23/8-12


In the last 6 days (Friday-Wednesday) the hikers have enjoyed mostly fantastic weather. They've taken it pretty easy, fishing and swimming. Birk has shown further evidence of his courage and balance as they have gone over long swaying suspension bridges.

Yesterday afternoon they arrived at Ritsem where they ate and slept well. Magnus has started working so now Håkan and Birk are alone again and today they began the trek to Abisko which is the last depot before Treriksröset.

Magnus on top of a rauk

These strange round holes were made by the water

The longest bridge so far

Berta took good care of us as we last spring visited the station where she was a hostess

The sami Mikael gave the hikers a ride over Akkajaure to Ritsem


yesterday it could have been nice to have an umbrella but a cliff worked almost as well

Resting

Slippery and swaying bridge

Sunday morning was a bit cold so it was nice to put on a beanie

Camping place sunday to monday

the pots were to small for the big fish that Magnus caught

Mountain lizard?

Håkan nearly fell into the water as he was trying to catch some fish for dinner. He dropped the fishing rod, but it got stuck between some stones so they could pick it up

Proud fisherman

Seems like a nice dinner

Narrow, slippery and swaying

The best sandwich ever and the most expensive beer

lördag 18 augusti 2012

Nice company

On Thursday the hikers arrived at Kvikkjokk where Magnus (Håkan's sister's husband) was waiting. Magnus will walk together with Håkan and Birk to Ritsem.

Webmaster has taken time off for a few days since one of the bitches at home had puppies and the vacation has come to an end so time has not been enough to update the blog. Phone coverage is now fairly sporadic yes indeed almost non-existent and I haven't spoken to Håkan since thursday there for I haven't so much to write about. Last I heard something from Håkan all was good. They had left Kvikkjokk and walked about 10km and he called to tell me that from now until Ritsem he expects to be on the white map according existing phone coverage. He has at least sent some photos.




Håkan and Magnus say hiking is very nice





A Fjällbrud is a flower which is protected

The sun comes again after 5mm rain

måndag 13 augusti 2012

Day 29 13/8-12 20km

Miss in logistics

Just as usual the hikers woke up, like early birds, at 8am, after a cold night and were greeted by a clear blue sky. The fine weather persisted throughout the day and for the sixth consecutive day Håkan enjoyed being able to walk in shorts without being bothered by neither mosquitoes, gnats or other insects and the temperature was pleasant (around 20-25 degrees).

At 11 o'clock, they reached Adolfström. There, they ate breakfast and waited for the post that would come with a new package of dog food and freeze dried food to Håkan, but ouch - there was no package and the next mail delivery would not come until Wednesday. Would they be forced to stay in Adolfström until Wednesday?

After a nice shower Håkan happened to meet Tom Wiklund from Arjeplog. To Håkans delight he had both a map and dog food, with which he sponsored Håkan. After a visit to the shop the gasket was full again and the hikers could continue. The clock was now just after 16 so todays stage became relatively short.

Today, Håkan picked and ate the first ripe cloudberries, earlier he has just seen unripe berries.

The little shop in Adolfström , well worth   a visit, sells almost everything

Birk stops  to drink  at every stream 


Interesting trail mark

This was one of the hardest parts to go sledging with a 10-team of samoyeds, which I did last spring

söndag 12 augusti 2012

Day 28 12/8-12 34km

Continued good hiking weather and a lighter backpack makes life easy for Håkan. Today's stage on great trails and in the absence of mosquitoes, gnats and brakes has been very nice . Yesterday's stage became a total of 38km. After I had spoken to Håkan, he found out that the place which he had planned to put up the tent was inappropriate in the strong wind. After another 3 km, they found a good spot in the lee of a small hill and with water nearby.

Birk has learned that he almost every time get a little taste of his master as the food is running out, but yesterday as Håkan gave him 4 hg minced meat he didn't think it was his food. Håkan had to say Go ahead several times before he dared to eat, but then he licked every last bit with pleasure, and could even eat the last of Håkan's potato salad.

Birk has become really tough and does not hesitate at all as he shall go over swaying bridges with foaming rapids below, he now relies entirely on Håkan and he is sure that Håkan will not ask him to do something that might be dangerous.

Yesterdays camping place



Maybe this is one of the places where we had to shuffle snow to be able to go on with our sledges last spring as we went the Vita bandet

lunch time

The water below is really fascinating

therfore Håkan always keep Birk on leach as they pass bridges



lördag 11 augusti 2012

Day 27 11/8-12 35km

After an early morning, they broke camp already shortly after 07 pm, the start of todays hiking was fairly difficult and less enjoyable north of Tjulträsket. The trail went on footbridges which were surrounded by man's height vegetation. Birk went first and the only thing impling that he was somewhere there in front of Håkan was a gently swaying in the vegetation. All of a sudden there was a cabin in the wilderness, at Rödingviken. A sign explained that aready in 1923 a phone was installed here  which made the house a meeting point of contact with the outside world.
The travelers arrived in Ammarnäs sometime before 14. In Ammarnäs commercial Håkan received a package, which I had sent, containing a lighter sleeping bag and a lighter sleeping pad. The old sleeping bag and sleeping pad are now on there way home by mail and Håkan is enjoying the fact that his bacpack now is about 4 kg lighter. Now we just keep our fingers crossed that the lighter sleeping bag will keep its promises regarding the ability to keep the warmth.

In Ammarnäs  Håkan was told he had been very lucky with the weather. It was the hottest day so far this summer in Ammarnäs and probably the only day when shorts were suitable as clothing for a hiker.


The cabin in Rödingvik. The flag is the samic flag

Birk proudly carries his bags

fredag 10 augusti 2012

Day 26 10/8-12 about 28km

Imagine 7hg can matters so much. When Håkan had eaten food so that the gasket was 7hg lighter the backpack suddenly didn't feel at all heavy anymore. Perhaps the beautiful mountain landscape, the fine trail and the nice weather also made some difference - today's stage has felt outrageously easy. The old man is slowly getting into shape :))



torsdag 9 augusti 2012

Day 25 9/8-12 about 22km

Beautiful hiking

Stunning views and glorious weather, today the walk was easy, except that Håkan after filling up his foodsupply in Tärnaby wondered if he had by mistake packed something that he shouldn't. The backpack was so heavy after he filled up with about 4 kg, but after a few km, it felt normal again.

Today's stage has been a real pleasure and well worth fighting the mosquito, wet bogs and wet weather. As I spoke to Håkan today he lay on his back on the mountain and just enjoyed himself.





Håkan enjoys some nuts from his only sponsor; OLW and even Birk enjoys the nuts

Birk in front of Syterpasset