These Boots are made for walking....

I left late today, last minute details that always seem to pop up. Perhaps I dragged a little slower because Gus was being buried today....Gus was adopted by my grandma Clara, long story.  Anyway before I left I had to say see my mother and father.  I was a bit frustrated that I was leaving late but that all dissipated once I saw my mom and dad.  Seeing them before I leave is always a must.  I hugged my mother a little longer than usual, trying to absorb some of her never ending strength.  Before I give my Dad a hug he asks if I need money, thankfully I don't.  As I prepare to leave they both reach for their cameras....something I remember from our early elementary school days, pictures before we leave.  I am a little sad as I stop by at my sisters home, I knock on the door knowing she is probably fast asleep.  I am happy she answers the door.  She is looking amazing even though she has been ill this past week and I've woken her up.  Quick hugs and I am off to Paula's, her truck is not there and I am surprised as she must be off on some exciting adventure...at the casino!

As I leave M'chigeeng I am mentally reviewing the list in my head, I can't remember if I packed my passport, I pull over and check my bags.  Its there.  Soon I am on the road again, I realize nearly an hour later I have forgotten my moccasins and swimsuit bottom on the couch...along with my towel.  I still need to pick up my socks and return the jacket that I won't need.  Before that however, I am going to have breakfast with my grand babies.  Breakfast is over way to soon and I am back on the road again.  I am making good time and am in and out of MEC in no time flat. Miraculous actually since as my daughter can attest, I can spend hours in that store.  I'm running low on time and have to make the decision as to the quickest way to the airport.  I opt for the 400/401 soon I am racing down the highway.

Once I get to the airport, I pull into an empty parking lot.  I pull out my bags and redistribute my belongings.  20 minutes later I am pulling up to the valet parking and on the shuttle to terminal 3.  It isn't long before I see Shelagh and more of the JIM team.  Its brutally hot and I am sweating like there is no tomorrow.  I take some time to clean up a bit, get some supper than its off through security.  Soon I am standing with the remaining JIM team members from across Canada.  28 in total, 3 are already on their way or in Iceland waiting for us.  I turn toward the window and watch as I see my bag being loaded onto the plane our boarding call is made and we line up.  I find my seat the reality that this is really happening is beginning to sink in.  I make small talk with Shelagh for a bit and am out before we take off.

I wake occasionally throughout the flight checking our progress on the screen before falling back to sleep.  I wake 20 minutes before landing, raise the window blind and am treated to a bright red/pink sunrise.  Soon I see the shore line it looks like muskeg...then rock.  We land with a slight bump, there is nothing surrounding the airport...its the middle of  no where.  We disembark only to have to go through security once again.  I take my boots off, open my purse and spill my water out of the jug.  It isn't long before I am changing my Canadian dollars to the Icelandic Korons.  I feel rich as I hold 17 5000 korona bills in my hands...little do I know how quickly these money will disappear.

The group is led to a chartered coach which takes us through the countryside to our hotel in Reykjavik.  We are all left to our own devices until the first meeting then the welcome dinner....I opt to SLEEP!

The Plan

Tomorrow is the day! Actually I can't really believe this day has come....quick someone pinch me!  The excitment is slowly building...it will hit me full force once I pass through security and the guards tell me to drink my bottle of water or spill it.

The plan for tomorrow is wake at 6am have a quick visit with my mama and papa at 7am...and off to Sudbury where I will have breakfast with the two greatest grandkids in the world.  Dylan and Zaagaasge.  Then off to Toronto...my flight leaves Pearson at 9:15 or there abouts, this means I have to be at the airport 3hrs before hand to meet with the rest of Team Ontario.  My flight will arrive in Reykjavik Sunday morning at around 6:25am.  We will be met at the airport by a driver and taken to the hotel where we will check in upon arrival.  There is an information session at 5pm with the mountain guides then a welcome dinner at the Nauthoil Restaurant.  This means I will have an entire day to walk along the ocean shore and check out the seaside lagoon.

Take those people out of the pic and put me in there, that may be me on Sunday :) before the big hike.  So Monday morning will be the last you will hear from me for 5 days.  This is what our itinerary looks like:

Monday July 15th-Entering the volcanic Landscapes of the Highlands
Tuesday July 17th-Hiking into the Colourful Rhytolite Mountains of Landmannalaugar
Wednesday July 18th-Access the Hrafntinnusker Plateau
Thursday July 19th-Crossing the inland Dessert of Maelifellssandur
Friday July 20th-Hike into the Lush Porsmork Valley
Saturday July 21st-break camp at Langidalur and return to hotel.
Sunday July 22nd- Awards Dinner @ Fjorukrain
Monday July 23rd- Depart Reykjavik 3pm arrive in Toronto @6:55pm

I'm sure I will enjoy me hotel after the trek, showers are $5 US for 5 minutes on the trail...I'm cheap :)  Check me out tomorrow night when I will have pictures of Team Ontario departing Pearson.

Did you know there are 20hrs of daylight in Reykjavik right now?  I'm taking my sleeping mask...think I'm gonna need it  :)

Packing for Iceland :)

48 hrs till take off.  I am feeling the pressure of having everything test packed and weighed.  18kg is what I am allowed in my duffle bag...NO SUITCASES....duffle bags are highly recommended.  I told you about the duffle bag I was thinking of getting, well I purchased it, its in the black bag.

Here are the items to go into the bag: Sleeping Bag

and now the sleeping mat and pillow.  The sleeping pad is supposed to measure from my head to my bottom...but because I am short, it nearly fits!!



Deflated Size





Full Sized



So now I have my sleeping bag, pillow and sleeping mat in the duffle...still room for clothes, these are my neoprene socks for the glacial river crossing we will be doing.

Clothes: 3 under garmets, 1 under armour shorts, 1 under armour tshirt, 1 pair quick dry pants.

Long johns!!!

Swimsuit-for healing lagoons

the bag...still missing: towel, 3 pairs of wool socks, toilet paper and duct tape......I ran out of money for my socks. :(  Now for the daypack.

and....everything that is going to fill it...still need water bottles and water shoes.  Plus I am missing 1 mitten :(  thank you mama mafia for the rain suit....it smells like you :) that will comfort me when I am crying in pain and yelling at everyone to wait up! LOL

Rain suit, World Youth Day Bandana, Wet Wipes, Batteries, Hat, Mitt, Passport, Sunscreen, Power Bar, Safety Kit, Medications, Toiletries and Oh and the camera.  Test pack is done...now I have to weigh it all!

It's a GO!

The final roadblock to my going on the Iceland Trek has been lifted.  I thought I would be overjoyed and ecstatic but that wasn’t the feeling I had, it was more like a feeling of ok, I got myself into this and there is no turning back now…I guess my biggest fear is that I am  not going to be able to keep up.  Partly because everyone at the Ontario training team meet was so fit and skinny! Then there is me, round and well, not as fit as they are.  Even though I have traveled overseas before and completed 20km days walking through the cities of Madrid, Koln, Bonn, Brussels and London often in heat that would kill you....….well it’s different.  I’ve never doubted myself or my abilities as much as I have now.  I knew I could raise the money and somewhere in the back of my brain I know I could complete the trek.  What I can’t really count on 100% is my body holding up.  I’ve been ill so much lately and it’s not just the arthritis.  I guess this is where they would say mind over matter.  I have to make up my mind and just do it.

Today I saw my Rheumatologist, at my last appointment I had 11 out of 18 joints in full flare up.  Today I had two (hip hip hooray!) but the two joints are in my feet, specifically the 2^nd and 3^rd toe joints thus the injections.  I have been given strict orders to stay off my feet for 24hrs absolutely NO walking but I had to do some so I very carefully walked on my heel and when standing stood like a flamingo, plus I sat as often as I could.  I HAD to walk, because I still had to purchase gear for the trek. 

My daughter and I drove to Barrie and went to Mountain Equipment Co op (MEC) where I was able to purchase my hiking boots, daypack, shirt and pants and pillow (a real necessity if you ask me) all for a measly $486.00…(remember everything is supposed to last a life time J ) Truthfully, I almost fainted at the price of everything…especially the $140.00 dollar jacket that is supposed to be wind proof….I think that one is going back, even though the colour is fabulous and it fits like a dream.  At Sport Chek I was able to get a pair of under armour shorts, no luck on the sports bra’s….Kat says go commando.  I am still waffling on getting the North Face duffle/backpack at Romakos.  It’s got a 42L capacity is water proof and in my favourite colour of late-neon green.  The downside…its $99.00 plus tax but…it supposed to last a lifetime right?  If I buy it I will pass it on to my granddaughter Zaagaasge, who seems to be a real risk taker and may have inherited my adventurous spirit  J I still haven’t decided but I did buy a beautiful puma duffle bag in baby blue…which I think will clash with my neon green daypack….Kat say think practicality not fashionality…teehee, I just want to match a little bit!

Ok so you all remember the list I posted before, here it is again this time the bolded words are the items I have…um two days before takeoff and I still don’t have everything.  This list has two purposes; one to show you how little I am taking and two to show me how far behind I am on packing J 72hrs till take off! 

• Hiking boots
• Underware 
• Wicking T-shirt
• Long sleeved shirt
• Long Johns
• Light wool sweater or fleece-
• Trousers -have to get these hemmed.  Mom??????
• Rain jacket with hood Thanks MOM!!
• Rain Pants Thanks MOM!
• Mittens
• Hat or Balaclava
• Daypack
• Sleeping Mat
• Sleeping Bag
• Towel
• Toothbrush/paste
• Sunglasses
• Sunscreen
• 2 pairs of neoprene socks
• Liner Gloves
• Socks-
• Rivercrossing shoes
• Travel sack-
• Water bottle-two collapsable water bottles-may get another one...hmmmm.
• Sun/rain -I gots my Tilly!
• Camera-need batteries and memory cards have to remember to pick up

So according to the list I am not doing bad...maybe.  Stay tuned and watch me pack tomorrow!

The Time Draws Near

With all the drama of the missing money and missing forms plus my health issues there has been a real question as to whether I am going to make the Iceland Trek or not.  Well, the missing money was found.  The mystery of why the JIM Manager was not responding to my emails was all cleared up. **note-she was not on vacation or away ill....for some strange reason some of my messages were sent to her junk mailbox.  I think there is a lesson in this, always check your junk box and if your emails aren't being recieved call them. :) and instead of tracking down the forms I just called and left my credit card info.  So now it looks like all the barriers have been cleared.  With the exception of my medical clearance...which even though its been a rough couple of months I am still on the clear for take off list.  Final decision is Wednesday.

I was at a loss as to why some trekkers had already had their bags packed and I had yet to recieve my packing list...turns out it was in a newsletter I did not recieve but Jeff our fearless trek leader was quick to respond to my paniced call.

The packing list:

Hiking boot- I'm going to wear these on the plane cause if my luggage gets lost at least I have my boots!
Long sleeved shirt-thermal underware (hmmm thought it was supposed to be nice there)
Long Johns-again....getting scared its gonna be a cold one out there.
Light wool sweater or fleece-the fleece I have.
Trousers (2nd layer---I was going to bring my clam diggers, guess thats out of the question!!) Strong, light material that dries quickly, wind resistant and water repellent---do they make these kinds of pants in my size???
Rain jacket with hood-ummm, how many pound is this gonna be? Will a garbage bag do? LOL
Rain Pants-arrrg do they not realize I am not a small petite qwe?
Liner Gloves-umm getting worried again.
Mittens-really worried
Socks-got these-need one more pair- BUT 3 pair for 8 days????
Hat or Balaclava-guess its gonna be cold out there!

Other Gear

Day pack-to carry rain gear and food. 30-50 litres-approximate cost $129.00CA
Rivercrossing shoes- while I was away meeting the team a dog ran off with one of the shoes I was drying off.
Sleeping mattress-got it, cost $95.00 gonna last the rest of my life apparently.
Sleeping Bag-got it, cost $189.00 its down and it better be damn warm another thing that is going to last me the rest of my life..or so they say.
Travel sack-which is not a suitcase but a waterproof duffle bag that is less than 18kg when filled. $99 plus tax-still have to buy this (insert sheepish grin)
Towel-am not purchasing a teenie tiny towel for 40 dollars, just taking one of my old, old, old beach towels that is light but still absorbant and dries quickly.
Toothbrush-I remember buying these chewable toothbrush balls in the UK-I wonder where those are.
Sunglasses-got em.
sun protection-got it-thank you Lawerence/Marie Memorial Golf tournament
Water bottle-two collapsable water bottles-may get another one...hmmmm.

Other Optional Gear

Walking poles-nope not gonna get or take these-my wrists won't allow it.
Neoprene Socks-got em have to keep my feet and ankles warm or I am done for.
Gaiters-needed for snow-God Please don't let it snow while I am on the trek...Thank you.
Pen knife-no knives for me...I am sure someone will have one :) I'll just make friends and borrow.
Sun/rain hat or Cap-I gots my Tilly!
Camera-need batteries and memory cards have to remember to pick up

Hmmm, notice there is no soap, shampoo, toilet paper, wet wipes, personal medications (which will end up costing me about 2lbs!) and no mention of underware? What kind of trek is this? Oh yes....showers at base camp cost $5 US...when we were in Germany, we went three days without a shower...wet wipes were our friends...ok gross I know.

Keep looking back as I prepare and pack for this wonderful adventure!  I will also be carrying with me a beautiful notebook which I recieved from my daughter on mothers day.  I will be blogging up to the 15th of July after that I will not have access to the internet as I will be out in the wilderness of Iceland.  I will journal each morning before the day's trek and again each night before I go to sleep reflecting on the days activities.  When I return to the hotel on the 21st I will begin to transcribe my journal into this blog with the pictures I took along the way.

Clara