Back to Alaska
26th May 2006
Karl and Dimitri have at last made it back to Alaska after experiencing some problems trying recover their equipment from Lavrentiya to Anadyr. There is also some equipment which was left behind in Wales that needs moving back to Fairbanks. Karl will then have to carry out a thorough kit check to assess just what is left and then, what will be needed for his trip through Siberia. Dimitri is also in Fairbanks but is to return to Seattle shortly. He’s planning to partake in the ‘Yukon River Quest’ kayak race in June and then possibly an expedition to Siberia in December. K &D are also planning a drive down the Alaska Highway in the next day or two to meet up with the indomitable Rosie Swales, who is running eastwards through Alaska at present.
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To Matt the loser who posted previously.
How can a little blogger like you even comprehend what these two have done recently? I personally do not know Karl Bushby but have spent the past 6 years putting Dimitri back together for his adventures. I suppose you will argue that those who scale Mt. Everest didn’t really do it because they have Sherpas. It is all semantics with “continuous:” and that is all you seem to be able to latch onto. Then you try to compare it some guy walking across America.
Maybe you didn’t know that Mr. Keiffer ran across the Sahara Desert last year 350 miles in 11 days! Oh and by the way it was “continuous”.
Oh, yeah and then he returned home so I could rehabilitate him so he could do the Iditarod in Alaska. Approximately 1100 miles in 41 days. Oh yeah did I mention “continuous”? Oh and that was without a sled dog team and pulling a sled by himself.
Maybe one of his next adventures will be to drag you by your feet through the Sahara Desert, swim with you on his back across the ocean and then drag your sorry ass across Alaska. Then maybe you will learn to have some respect for those whose lives are different than yours and mine.
Got any idea what the body goes through and endures with that much “continuous” wear and tear on it? I do because I have to put him back together all the time.
So if Karl is walking around the world and Dimitri is off doing adventures maybe you can find it within yourself to appreciate these amazing things and maybe learn from these types of individuals.
It is astounding what humans can do with their physical, physiological, mental and spiritual components.
Perhap Matt you will end up winning one of those Darwin awards and we will all come to appreciate you for one of the lesser species of our planet.
If you can’t walk the walk, don’t talk (pun intended!!!).
To Matt the loser who posted previously.
How can a little blogger like you even comprehend what these two have done recently? I personally do not know Karl Bushby but have spent the past 6 years putting Dimitri back together for his adventures. I suppose you will argue that those who scale Mt. Everest didn’t really do it because they have Sherpas. It is all semantics with “continuous:” and that is all you seem to be able to latch onto. Then you try to compare it some guy walking across America.
Maybe you didn’t know that Mr. Keiffer ran across the Sahara Desert last year 350 miles in 11 days! Oh and by the way it was “continuous”.
Oh, yeah and then he returned home so I could rehabilitate him so he could do the Iditarod in Alaska. Approximately 1100 miles in 41 days. Oh yeah did I mention “continuous”? Oh and that was without a sled dog team and pulling a sled by himself.
Maybe one of his next adventures will be to drag you by your feet through the Sahara Desert, swim with you on his back across the ocean and then drag your sorry ass across Alaska. Then maybe you will learn to have some respect for those whose lives are different than yours and mine.
Got any idea what the body goes through and endures with that much “continuous” wear and tear on it? I do because I have to put him back together all the time.
So if Karl is walking around the world and Dimitri is off doing adventures maybe you can find it within yourself to appreciate these amazing things and maybe learn from these types of individuals.
It is astounding what humans can do with their physical, physiological, mental and spiritual components.
Perhap Matt you will end up winning one of those Darwin awards and we will all come to appreciate you for one of the lesser species of our planet.
If you can’t walk the walk, don’t talk (pun intended!!!).
DO NOT EVEN WASTE OGYGEN AND BRAIN CELLS RESPONDING TO THESE PEOPLE.
I AND MANY OTHERS AND ESPECIALLY MY CHILDREN LOVE TO READ AND HEAR ABOUT THESE GREAT GUYS.
KEEP IT UP, MANY PEOPLE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THE GUTS AND TIME AND DETERMINATION TO DO A FRACTION OF WHAT THESE GUYS DO.
Been keeping up here for a long time. Quick comment — the “Just In” on the front page has got to go, esp. when the site (understandably) doesn’t get updated in a while. Thanks.
To add to Gary’s comment. I live and work in Wales, AK. If it was continuous and with no planning Karl and Dimitri would have died! Since being there I have seen many try to attempt the crossing, both planned and unplanned … all have failed! All those that came before these two had media, private choppers, and money that seemed endless. They failed, and they planned and had nothing but the best (equipment).
Matt, life is about planning your next step. Even the link you have about the man walking across the US. He stops and seeks shelter when the weather is to an “extreme” (although nothing can compare to what those two endured on the frozen ocean).
As Gary said a body must mend. Heck they have to get all the proper paperwork in order to cross Russia … give the guys a break. After meeting both Karl and Dimitri for some time they are not about freeloading. They are focused and living a dream. If you question any of this … just hop on a plane, fly to Wales, Alaska and start walking … there is still some shore ice. Lets see how far you get before you quit. My guess … you wouldn’t last a day without training and preparing your body for such a task.
As one other person wrote … you have no clue. Think about this … Why did Karl and Dimitri succeed where many more have failed? Planning and learning from what went wrong with other expeditions! If you have never planned anything it takes time, and if you have never dealt with Russian bureaucracy … it is not fast by any means.
To EL: Does Dan Richard still assist/house the expeditions at Wales?
Yes, him and his wife are still the people to go to on that, however Karl and Dimitri stayed at the school.
You can read Dan at: http://www.alaskdan.com
EL, why do you think Karl and D. made it across, whereas others did not even come close?
And why do you choose to live in Wales? Because the weather is lovely 2 days a year? (I love Wales, but also like plumbing, and the ability to drop a piece of paper outside without it being instantly hurricaned into the distance.)
To Karl/Keith: If K. and D. were to do it again, starting March 17 in Wales, what would they do differently, in a physical sense? Maybe backpacks would be more practical than sleds?
Bob,very briefly I believe they would take less equipment than they started with this time, bearing in mind the stuff that they left on the ice to lighten the load. At one point when things were desperate they abandoned the one remaining sled and made back packs to carry just enough equipment to survive on while making a break for the Russian coast. However they found that climbing over the broken ice with weight on meant that an injury to ankle or knee seemed almost inevitable, so returned to the sled. The ideal seems to be sleds with light loads.
Keith or anyone who can help me reach Karl. Looks like i have an article for FHM with him. I need to talk to him ASAP though. Call or email me! Thanks
–Shanti
shanti@shantisos.com