Feb 2009 - Tour du Nord V: this time, it's personal

[wilsonrabbit]

Quote: Originally Posted by blalor (original)

Looks like we might be able to bag a degree of confluence: DCP: 52 degrees north, 81 degrees west I think the ice road is going to run fairly close to it...

I read an article from last year about a guy who's really into being the first to bag them. It was interesting to read the lengths to which he'd go. If anyone is interested I can go search for it and rip it out to bring it along for some "light reading". I personally find it meaningless. I'm all for the adventure but I find that doing it as a competition or what not is arbitrary and fundamentally flawed.

That brings to mind, I doubt there are any geocaches up there. Haven't checked. So I'd love to put the first geocache up there even if it's a virtual cache. I know last year was just an utter failure and I apologize for dragging you guys into it but you can help me create a virtual cache if you'd like.

[wilsonrabbit]

Is ice climbing a potential activity? Or perhaps we could do a little ice racing in the MINIs or against the locals if they're into that too.

[LePew]

Quote: Originally Posted by wilsonrabbit (original)

Or perhaps we could do a little ice racing in the MINIs or against the locals if they're into that too.

I'm bringing my winter run "cone kit" just in case.

[Oldpaint]

Quote: Originally Posted by MinorRoadsKill (original)

A couple of ArcticMINI Runs ago I was asked about the "elderly lady of German descent who lives in a castle across the sea" who appears on Canada's coins and bills.

This led to a lengthy explanation of how Canada (sort of) works, and an unconvincing case of just when Canada became sovereign. During our Parliamentary crisis in December, it turns out most Canadians hadn't a clue.

Rick Mercer, my favourite Newfy, has done a much shorter, more humourous job of explaining things. Yes, there are two 'u's in humourous - no wait, that's three. Hmm, needs more 'u's.

Canada Explained

P.S. Please excuse the single George Bush joke. Political humour demands a token GWB joke.

That was a very good explanation. I visited the governor generals house in Ottawa a few years ago, but she and the Queen weren't home. Who was running things then?

[DUCTTAPE]

Quote: Originally Posted by MinorRoadsKill (original)

DuctTape: No French eh? The french in Canada are MUCH funnier than the English. You should know - we've met.

Realistically, that puts out La Grande Seduction, which is dubbed. Good Cop / Bon Cop is probably 70% English. But the mix is part of the fun.

The good news is that with so many evenings, we can probably accommodate everyone.

I will defer the entertainment selection to you as well.

I do not think i will bring my lap top, but I will bring my digital slides of Antarctica, should anyone wish to see the images. Even a short vid or two on it, mostly entitled 'Why one does not eat for 3 days in the Drake Passage', or some variation on that. If anyone has a laptop, we can watch those for 15 minutes

[MinorRoadsKill]

Quote: Originally Posted by wilsonrabbit (original)

That brings to mind, I doubt there are any geocaches up there. Haven't checked. So I'd love to put the first geocache up there even if it's a virtual cache. I know last year was just an utter failure and I apologize for dragging you guys into it but you can help me create a virtual cache if you'd like.

We will likely have more activity time than we know what to do with in Attawapiskat, so you might have more time to leave a cache on your own. Keep in mind though that the village area is communally owned by the band, so you'd need to get permission. However, outside of that, it's Crown land (owned by everyone), no permission required.

And to answer your other post, I was told by a resident that there is an ice road that heads out to the bay from the village. If it really is an ice road (and not just a winter (land) road), it will likely be wider, allowing more fun.

[MinorRoadsKill]

Quote: Originally Posted by DUCTTAPE (original)

I will defer the entertainment selection to you as well.

I do not think i will bring my lap top, but I will bring my digital slides of Antarctica, should anyone wish to see the images. Even a short vid or two on it, mostly entitled 'Why one does not eat for 3 days in the Drake Passage', or some variation on that. If anyone has a laptop, we can watch those for 15 minutes

I am bringing my laptop, and this year it will be equipped with my home-grown CMS, so I can update my photo website nightly.

I also have a 32" media PC/TV system in Carp, which we could use after the bunker tour. If you bring your stuff on DVD, CD, USB drive, or a flash card (SD, MemoryStick, etc), it's lock and load time. The only thing I don't take is xD.

[MinorRoadsKill]

Honestly, we never expected that 11 of you would be bunking with us on Wednesday. Our usual strategy of moving stuff around just wasn't going to cut it - since the arrival of munchkins 1 and 2, stuff has been accumulating rather quickly, and there's no space left. So, we rounded up a couple roomfuls of stuff.

Long story short, because of ArcticMINI, there are a lot of new and used toys going to Goodwill and the Salvation Army tomorrow.

As to how many will enjoy both of our copies of "Trivial Pursuit: The 80s"... well, it was a great decade.

[wilsonrabbit]

I was just thinking if the wind is in the low teens (mph not knots, etc) and if there is interest and help, I can bring my KAP setup and take an aerial photo of our outfit. Caveats are a)more crap to take up space in the car (I'm 99% sure I'll be a passenger somewhere) b)the carbon fibre frame might shatter in those cold temps?? no clue... c) my kite line is rather tangled but with a bunch of manly help, I might be able to loosen enough to have the kite get high enough for a few shots. It's really jury rigged so it might be an unwanted hassle to do in such temps and wearing klunky gloves etc... If people are interested, I need to dig it up all the parts, charge batteries etc...

Side note, there are a few caches in Moosonee but most of them are rated difficult. There are none in Attawhatever it's called. I don't plan on leaving a physical cache as I can't maintain it and well, the place is snow-covered. I was thinking more of a visual cache (a mini tour of some landmarks, an interesting/important site, a curiosity site...) Maybe interesting bits from the scavenger hunt could be incorporated into this cache idea o'mine.

[wilsonrabbit]

Anyone wearing this?

"...the Snow Mantra Parka, is bar none the warmest winter coat I have ever pulled on...stuffed two inches thick with pounds of goose down...The company (Canada Goose) touts the Snow Mantra as holding its own to temperatures as low as minus-70 degrees Fahrenheit....It is made for outdoors activities in extreme cold where the wearer will be stationary or fairly inactive...Indeed, in weather above 10 degrees, Canada Goose’s offerings were almost too warm to wear for anything more than standing around in the woods or on a frozen lake..."

[MinorRoadsKill]

Winter has been reinstated.

The weather is looking perfect for our Saturday trip up the ice road. Sunny, High: -13C, Low -16C, wind of 10knots (12mph). Hard to ask for better. Great driving conditions.

However, at the southern part of our trip, winter is still canceled: 10C and rain on Wednesday in Carp. Too warm for my ArcticMINI sweater, which had better arrive by then.

Unless the outlook changes, any of you considering a gander at the Winterlude sculptures can forget it. All that will be left is twisted, melted lumps of ice.

[MinorRoadsKill]

Quote: Originally Posted by wilsonrabbit (original)

Anyone wearing this?

Nope, but if you guys will spring the C$1000 for it, I'll wear it.

[squid]

Warm wear for sedentary activities: slanket vs snuggie ?

I'm sticking with the traditional snorkel parka.

[squid]

Aerial photos sound like fun.

Yahoo is telling me the snow will not melt:
6 to 10 Day Extended Weather Forecast for Ottawa -weather.com

[blalor]

I've been wanting to build a KAP rig for a while, now. I'd love to see one in action!

Does Attawapiskat rhyme with brisket? Or more like "whomp a skat"?