A Brief Update
Good People,
Just a brief update on the expeditions standing.
I am currently in Fairbanks Alaska taking stock of the situation, getting reconnected with every one and events over the last month or so on this side of the expedition. After regrettable delays with the Russian visa yet again this winter, some had questioned whether it was worth the expense of a return to Russia for the short window of opportunity this spring. I say absolutely! Any given opportunity should be taken. Progress is progress and is the priority.
One of the expeditions top priorities right now is resolving or improving our ability to progress in Russia. This is largely a visa issue right now. Inquires by my father in the UK have lead us to a contact with the Russian authorities who have explained their regret for the current situation but cannot help any more regards the visa situation. However, there is talk of the possibility of obtaining Russian residency as a way to circumnavigate the visa issue. This now becomes our priority. the unfortunate poor relations between the UK and Russia at this moment where also commented on, and clearly don’t help our situation.
So I like to think of these delays as nothing more than that, just delays. The expedition is posed like a coiled spring right now. As soon as the solutions to these challenges are found, we lead forward on the home run. The worst case scenario, meaning we are unable to secure residency, simply means we are forced to demonstrate patience persistence and fortitude. In the mean time we turn problems into solutions and adapt to our circumstances. We are going home people, don’t doubt it, don’t question it and don’t lose faith. Securing residency means we are granted first three and then five years in country, in a two phase process. Clearly resolving the current problem.
I am posed to strike for the Kolyma Highway or ‘Road of Bones’ connecting me with the net work of roads and paths that take me home, removing the environmental constraints.
On this side of the pond. I would like to welcome ‘5.11 Tactical’ onboard who have offered to sponsor the expedition and we are working on those details at this time.
My good friend Ramey Wood, who has been committed to the expedition for three years and has helped in countless ways, and im sure many of you know personally, is taking a break from the expedition to put more time into personal developments. We thank him for his outstanding commitment to the expedition and hope to see him back soon. To that end, I will be taking over those commitments and dealings of the expedition from Ramey. So I will be contacting you all soon to touch base and I hope we can ease into this with the minimum pain. Again, if anyone has any concerns or questions give me a call on the above phone number.
I will keep you all abreast as the details develop.
Best Regards
Karl Bushby
Karl back in Russia
Karl returned to Russia on 16th April 2008 and by the end of April, using various means, he had made his way to the Dvoynoye mining camp and the start of the new walking phase. Delays in obtaining a visa meant a late start this year and although the snow and conditions were good at first the snow quickly began to melt and by the time he got to Bilibno on 18th May, Karl was dragging the sled over dirt. Consequently, there was no chance of getting it to Cherskiy. There was also the 90 day visa condition to consider and so he had to make the return journey to Anadyr and then the US, arriving in Nome on 26th May. The main aim now is to find some way of extending the amount of time Karl is allowed to spend in Russia, before Karl’s proposed return next winter.
A letter from Karl
What would it take to forge an unbroken footpath from the bottom of South America back to London? This, remember, was the question that gave birth to this expedition. Nearly ten years later and we are still learning what this question entails. Over the last few years we have learned very interesting lessons while traveling through some of the remoter parts of the world. Political challenges combined with very real environmental ones and just how they can impact on an expedition like ours.
Given the apparently slow progress of the expedition since I arrived in Alaska in 2004, some may see this as falling short of the objective. I would have to disagree and ask you to take into account the overall purpose of the expedition. The fact is, by the very nature of the extremely challenging and unique self imposed rules, our core values, we face unique problems.
Most recently, these problems have been a combination of limited finances, national / regional politics and limited seasonal travel. Our ability to synchronize these elements has not been very effective, and recent fluctuations in the political picture have only compounded the problem.
There are other considerations that must also be taken into account. Risk taking, or pushing the pace outside what can be reasonably or safely planned, is all very adventurous and makes for great stories. But in the real world it’s a very serious subject. I’m no stranger to taking calculated risks, but as the expedition becomes better established I’m increasingly aware that I’m expected to perform in a more responsible manner. This point was brought home in Alaska a year or two ago when, after crossing Alaska, I requested the support of a helicopter on two separate occasions. The first was a false alarm, but unavoidable given the circumstances. The second, Dimitri Keiffer and I needed to be picked up 28miles out to sea and brought back to shore having been blown out on coastal ice during a 36hour storm. This led to negative press in Nome that also found voice in Fairbanks. The media implied that our risky behavior was endangering the lives of others. The expedition was forced to think about damage control incase our relations with Alaska did not recover. Next, of course, was the controversial entry into Russia.
Right then, what will it take to forge an unbroken footpath from the bottom of South America back to London? It requires a very steady hand. I’m required to tread softly, and not rock the boat anymore than necessary. The last thing I need now is to make a risky move and bring similar attention to myself in this part of Russia. It would take very little to get barred, thus putting the expedition in very hot water.
All these elements play a part in how I make decisions on the next move. At present it’s painfully slow and frustrating. This year has once again placed a number of obstacles in our path, some new, some old. The sudden arrival of new visa restrictions this winter by Russia, first delayed, then forced me to rethink the long term plan, whilst all but killing my hopes of getting back in time to be able to implement my plan on the ground. Once again the weather has left me stranded in Anadyr and the aircraft to Pevek simply sits on the tarmac as what limited days and weeks we have slip away. With the late arrival of the visa I even considered the option of postponing the return to Russia until next winter, so concerned was I about the cost. However, in the end I decided to return and get as far as I could before the break-up of the ice. It’s cost us thousands of dollars to get back to this point.
I have about 900 miles of open arctic /sub arctic tundra and river systems to traverse before I reach the Kolyma Highway. This large graded track between Magadan and Yakutsk, known as the ‘Road of Bones’, in effect connects me with home. During mid to late May comes the ‘break up’. This is the snow and ice melting and turning solid ground into water logged marsh and deadly, fast flowing rivers filled with massive boulders of melting ice. Planning become guesswork at this stage as movement is an unknown factor, if at all possible, in this environment. It will be late January before the rivers are again frozen to a safe thickness. The Russian authorities require sound plans and are very concerned about letting people travel alone without local escorts. So far they have allowed me to travel unescorted and I don’t want to be the one who might mess it up for others in the future.
It’s true that, while this section of the expedition bares virtually no resemblance to the journey north through the Americas, the aims and objectives have not changed. We play with the cards we are dealt and do the best we can to ensure the expedition arrives home leaving behind an unbroken trail of footprints. We are learning what that means in todays world and the adventure is taking on some odd forms. It’s not just the simple task of one foot in front of another, it’s all the twists and turns, pitfalls and victories that make this story one of a kind, a fascinating journey through the modern world, spanning almost a decade….so far.
We are getting there!
We are getting there! The last few days have been very busy trying to tie down all these floating elements, get everything to where it needs to be at the right time and making sure I have the right cash in hand. We got lucky with the flights, the flight to Pevek was delayed due to bad weather in Pevek. This has afforded me the time I need to get everything squared away this end and it’s been a bit of a Chinese puzzle, largely due to the language barrier, but I’m getting better at it.
At the moment all my equipment and supplies of food and fuel are waiting in storage for the flight to Pevek, paper work done, including that needed for the fuel, which is always a headache. Remember the plan now is just to push for Cherskiy as we cannot get the supplies from here into the next Region unless everything is rerouted via Moscow and requires agents in Moscow to reroute. There are two flights to Pevek, one passenger, that I will fly on, and one cargo with my equipment. Which one flies first we don’t know, nor when they fly. Right now we hope the flight will leave tomorrow Saturday 26th weather dependent .
We got plum lucky with the sled been flown into Anadyr. A problem with the paper work meant I had to pay over $400 on to receive the sled. After working with customs agents on Russian paper work for 1hr 30min the stone faces customs boss turns up quickly looks over the paperwork turns to me and tells me just to go and wishes me good luck, to the disbelief of the other customs agents who looked at each other confused. We dodged that bullet, looks like we have friends. Also spent last night in the hotel kitchen with the FSB officer who interviewed me and Dimitri in Laverentia after the crossing and two of his friends doing the vodka thing a very different setting from when we last spoke very interesting night.
So far the cost to get to this point from Alaska $2,300 (not including supplies and equipment)
Getting along very nicely with every one this time around. No word on Dimitri yet. Weather about as predictable as a woman, clear skies and sun today, windy, bitter cold, yesterday snow storm white out.
Karl
Russian visa - regulation changes, delays and complications
The expedition has been using multi entry year long business visas for the last couple of years in Russia, but at the same time crippled by the very restrictive special travel permits required in the Chukotka region. Now, as we are about to leave Chukotka, the Russian Government has recently changed its visa procedure and regulations. This created a delay in obtaining the visa for my return trip this winter. The year long visa now carries a restriction only allowing a traveller 90 days in country within every 180. So 90 days in, 90 days out over the span of the year long visa. We explained our case and requested that the expedition be allowed to remain within the country for the year’s duration.
On April 8th, I received my Russian visa with the 90 day restriction. Given my starting point for the next leg and the time of year, (even without the visa restrictions), things are far from ideal. The added restrictions grossly complicate the situation.
This coming Monday I leave for Nome, Alaska. On Tuesday, April 15th I hope to catch a flight to Anadyr. That’s not a guaranteed flight. The flight is chartered by ‘Kinross’, a Canadian mining company with mines in the Chukotka region. The flight manifest is controlled by them and their staff get priority. I get a seat if one becomes
available. All going well I leave on that flight, arrive in Anadyr, Chukotka then ship supplies to two waypoints. I then rely on a flight from Anadyr to Pevek. Not the most reliable. Remember it took a whole month to get a flight from Pevek to Anadyr last December.
Let’s say the flight leaves Anadyr a few days after I arrive, that then gets me into Pevek around 20th. Another day or two to get back to the start point, so around 22nd I can expect to pick up the trail again, (best case scenario). If they cannot get me on the flight out of Nome, and I will not know until the last minute, then I’ll have a chance a week later.
My start a point is currently approx 900 miles from the Road of Bones (Kolyma Highway). By mid May I can expect to see the beginning of the ice break up. By the end of May everything will very quickly be returning to water, and I will find
movement increasingly more difficult, if not impractical. By this time I hope to have reached the village of Srednekolymsk on the Kolyma River. This puts me in the middle of the wettest region at the worst time. Progress grinds to a halt at that stage
and planning becomes a guessing game. I will forward extra supplies to the next waypoint at Zyryanka, in the hope that enough snow and ice remains for me to
make it to that last waypoint. By then we’ll be into June. If I can’t make any walking progress from Srednekolymsk, I will have get to Zyryanka by some other means as I will have start my journey out of Russia from there.
Note from Russian contact in the region;
’There is no summer road or route from Srednekolymsk to Zyryanka. In the summer time they have two kinds of transport only, by air (which is very rare) and river (Kolyma River). The winter road (”zimnik”) “Srednekolymsk - Zyryanka”
will close at the end of April. This region has many small rivers and marshes making it extremely difficult to travel on foot. The best way is by the Kolyma River. Before the middle of May it’s still possible to travel by foot on ice all the way down to Zyryanka. The Kolyma River starts to melt in May. Navigation opens in June’.
There are a number of problems here. Getting supplies to those locations could be a very real challenge and plans could fail at any time. Getting out could be harder then getting in, and I must be constantly aware of timings and visa restrictions. Travel and conditions on the ground are very unpredictable. The overriding factor is that around the end of May I have to start the process of pulling out.
Beyond that, the next return to Russia and that region can only happen when I have conditions that allow me to progress. This would be once the rivers have frozen
again, not before late December. This also requires a new visa. It would not be worth re-entering Russia during the months of October / November through December. The expedition must also pay close attention to the crippling cost of each successive return and exit from Russia.
The following winter will see me reach Susuman and the Road of Bones or Kolyma Highway. From there on things hopefully get easier. Initially, we hope to convince the Russian Government to ease restrictions and obtain a year long business visa, escaping the 90 days in 90 days out that will make for extremely slow progress, even if we could afford to keep it up. If the authorities insist that the latter ruling must apply to the expedition, then I cannot expect to reach the border of China until the end of 2010, best case, or early 2011, pending funding.
Waiting for permit to re-enter Chukotka
Well, February has come and gone and unfortunately Karl is still in Alaska. The extensive preparations for the return to Russia are now complete and he is only waiting for the six-month permit to re-enter Chukotka (which is expected soon), and the one-year visa. Regrettably it appears that the goalposts have been moved for obtaining a visa and it’s going to be a more complicated than on the last couple of occasions. The ‘beast’ will be sent ahead separately to meet Karl at the end of this next leg. Karl in the meantime will set off with his sled, walking out of the Chukotka Region and down towards the road system (the Kolyma Highway). The pressure is on now to gather in all the required paperwork and get back onto the ground in order to cover the required distance before the winter snows and ice thaw. With the sled and enough of the winter months left he should be able to make it to Bilibino within a week and reach the ‘Road of bones’ before the snows run out.Once the thaw sets in the area will be criss-crossed by wetlands and unbridged rivers.
Recently Karl has been down to Portland, Oregon and Sun Valley, Idaho to give a series of lectures at venues and schools. The trip was organised by companies supporting the expedition, Zamberlan footwear and ESS (Eye Safety Systems). It was an ideal opportunity to spread the expedition’s profile, raise necessary funding for the return journey and make new friends and contacts. Could we just add a few words that may hopefully rectify the misconception that the breaks in Karl’s walk across Chukotka are unnecessary rest periods. The plain truth is that if you want to walk through that area then this is what it takes. That’s the reason it’s hardly ever visited by outsiders. As expeditions go we are extremely limited by the fact we have only Karl on the ground, no backup team and very tight budget.
Karl renewing his passport in Fairbanks
Karl managed to get a flight from Chukotka (Anadyr) on the 13th December, having spent a month making his way back from the furthest point along his route west (Dvoynoye mining camp). Bad-weather and cancelled flights have meant a lot of sitting about waiting. He is now in Fairbanks, Alaska where he will renew his passport, 1 year Russian visa, and six-month permit to enter Chukotka. Then, with his refurbished winter supplies and equipment he will hopefully be able to return to Russia in late February 2008. Karl will then make his way back to Dvoynoye Camp to continue the route west. With the sled and enough of the winter months left he should be able to make it to Bilibino within a week and reach the ‘road of bones’ before the snows run out.
Karl depleted of food and gas
I found camp Dvoynoye having depleted all my gas and food. From here I need to switch focus and start thinking about getting back to Alaska with sufficient time to obtain a new passport, new visa and propusk (permit) then return with enough winter left, (hopefully late February) to allow me reach the ‘Road of Bones’ before I end up dragging my sled in the dirt. Yes, I’d have liked to have made it to Bilibino but in the grand scheme of things I guess I can suck it up.
I was beaten up pretty badly the first day out of Komsomolskiy. Lost the sled due to the lack of snow and pulling on snow/ gravel mix. Strong windstorms battered my tent and a broken tent pole had me positively worried. I had enough fuel only if rationed it to half a tank per day. Normally in winter I use one tank every day, in summer it’s one tank every week. I found it all but impossible to use only half a tank a day so soon ran out of fuel. Finding open water and getting wet boots, which needed a lot of work to just get them usable, did not help with the fuel situation let alone my feet or sense of humour. The morning I made for Dvoynoye camp I was out of fuel and food with all my hopes pinned on a less then certain grid reference. A second tent pole had been broken and I felt just one storm away from a disaster. I got lucky with the weather however and after that first night never encountered another bad storm. Temps dropped to -30C and below so it got a little rough at times. Deeper snow on the higher ground held me back now I no longer had a sled. Struggling to get the tent up with torn gloves left me with blistered fingertips the night before I reached the camp. Luckily I didn’t get frostbitten, but it had me worried for a while.
All said and done its time to get the right kit, and get back in time to try catching up on lost time. With a good sled, the equipment and right time of year I can make, Bilibino in 5 or 6 days. At Dvoynoye I faced a long wait for the last convoy to travel on the 29th before this road is closed for winter. My friends in Pevek stepped in to help and the Kinross Mining Company has let me jump one of their helicopters ferrying stores from Dvoynoye to the main project Kupol Mine. In the next day or two I hope to hop another chopper to a town with an airport, could be Pevek or Bilibino not sure yet. From there I will fly to Anadyr then back to Alaska, hopefully before the end of November.
Karl’s sled wrecked
In a sat-phone call from Karl on Sunday 4th Nov he stated that the sled that had been made in Pevek for this next leg had been virtually destroyed by the end of the first day. Pressed for time, he had left Komsomolskiy hoping that the snow would be deep and firm enough for the sled to run smoothly. However, it had not been and the rough dirt-track wrecked the sled. Left with no option but to backpack everything yet again, Karl found that on reaching the high ground the snow was considerably deeper and this slowed his progress, taking four days to cover what he should have done in one. Temperatures have now dropped to -25C and there are strong winds. He has calculated that he will not be able to reach Bilibino before he has to start thinking about leaving Russia for Alaska in order to renew his visa and permits. While he still has a reasonable amount of time in hand its best to make a move, we know from experience that it’s easy to get marooned for weeks in various places and to outstay the visa and permits could mean not being allowed to return. Consequently, he will get as far has he can for the next week or so, hopefully reaching a remote mining station, where he will finish this leg.
Karl heads to Bilibino
It’s believed that Karl left Pevek / Komsomolskiy on Sunday 28th October after the start being delayed for a number of days because of bad storms. The next leg will take him 500km to the town of Bilibino. While in Pevek Karl has been extremely well treated by the townsfolk, especially the representatives of the Bema Gold Mining Company who gave him a place to stay and also allowed him the use of their workshop to build the sled he will use on the next leg. Karl stated that the snow was beginning to settle nicely which will allow the sled to run freely.