Mike Horn Arctic Russia departure - take four - on bicycle!
Oct 10, 2004 11: 58 EST
Unable to sail the Corsair trimaran towards the North Cape, Mike is taking to the wheels.
"Only 600kms to go until the North Cape. Not long now and I'll be saying 'goodbye' to Russia and will be sailing back into Norwegian waters, and back where I was 2 years ago," he wrote in his last dispatch, but now there are other news:
"I'm getting ready to leave Murmansk! It's been a week since I've been here. After tapping the keel of my boat on entering the harbour of Murmansk, I needed to get it out of the water and check once again for damage. I made further reparations. The boat is now fine but the weather forecast is terrible."
"Bernard Stamm has informed me that there is a depression coming in from the southwest and winds of 45 knots have been forecasted. As my 1 year Russian visa expires soon and I cannot afford to hang around. I must get out of Russia."
"My Trek bicycle is here and I have decided to cycle over the border into Norway. Once again more problems!! The border guards said they would not let me cycle or walk over the 17 kms of military land joining Russia and Norway. The laws state that everybody must be driven across the border. Once again Sergei from 'Polar Consultancy' needed to speak with the Russian authorities and managed to organise a special permit to allow me to cycle over the border. I am now ready to leave."
"The temperatures are dropping. Zero degrees Celsius with snow and rain falling today. I'll put on some Gore-Tex layers, prepare my bike and can head away. It's 300kms on tar sealed road until Norway with a few low hills to cycle over. I think it'll take me about two days to get to the boarder."
"In the meantime, my Corsair sailboat will be taken over the border on a truck and I'll meet up with it again in Norway. I hope that the winds will abate so I will be able to use it to get to the North Cape. Over two years ago, I started the Arktos expedition on a boat from the North Cape of Norway. My dream, is to also finish the expedition on a boat with the cliffs of the North Cape as my witness. Even now, on getting closer to Norway, the scenery is beginning to look similar. Russia has been an amazing experience but I have to say I'm very excited about entering into Norway. I'll ring you as soon I get there. Get the champagne ready!"
Mike Horn, the South African who traveled around the equator in 2000, is back for another circular adventure. This time, however, Mike is in colder climates; the Arctic Circle. His plan is to travel around the Arctic, just within the Arctic Circle, by boat, kayak, ski sail and on foot. He left in august of 2002 and a team provides him with resupplies and various means of travel along the trip. Image of Mike and his bycicle, courtesy of mikehorn.com.
|
|
Feature Stories |
|
Latest News |
more news |
 |
North Pole Russia: Borneo Base up and running
Full Story
|
 |
North Pole Russia: It's over - all teams evacuated!
Full Story
|
 |
Russian Polar Borneo Station status update
Full Story
|
 |
The rules of Adventure
Full Story
|
 |
Russian frontier department angered by Cerpolex
Full Story
|
 |
North Pole teams on the ice - no rescue agreement with Borneo
Full Story
|
|
|
The battle for the North Pole - full story
Full Story
|
|
|
| OneWorld expedition: It's over Jun 3, 2005 | | Vancouver to Moscow - 1 year anniversary! Jun 2, 2005 | | Arctic wrap-up: The Single ski Weight Watchers Greenland program Jun 1, 2005 | | Arctic wrap-up: Rain and world record May 31, 2005 | | ExplorersWeb Week in Review May 30, 2005 | | 12 year old doing well on Greenland ice cap crossing May 27, 2005 | | Vagabond update - Polar bears, 200 candles and ice melting in Inglefieldbukta May 26, 2005 | | Arctic wrap-up: Polar hygiene, and Napoleon on ice May 26, 2005 | | Contact GEO hits Greenland May 25, 2005 | | Iridium: "Invalid battery - matches found, 0" May 24, 2005 |
| | Arctic wrap-up: Adventure family kites 162 km, reaches halfway point May 23, 2005 |
|
|
