tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-670908392024479748.post4664897575207736552..comments2024-03-26T21:10:39.866+00:00Comments on Postcard from Timperley: Friday 16 January 2009 – Deep Freeze in OttawaPhreerunnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08551842487502221703noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-670908392024479748.post-84182099450532312832009-01-18T03:40:00.000+00:002009-01-18T03:40:00.000+00:00Thanks, 'Summitboy', it's nice to know something p...Thanks, 'Summitboy', it's nice to know something productive and informative is going on at the other end of the living room!!!Phreerunnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08551842487502221703noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-670908392024479748.post-3273204305432777432009-01-17T22:38:00.000+00:002009-01-17T22:38:00.000+00:00FYI: Bate Island is in Ottawa, Ontario rather than...FYI: Bate Island is in Ottawa, Ontario rather than Gatineau, Quebec (according to MapQuest)summitboyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05679597514064451846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-670908392024479748.post-76128681501694345592009-01-17T20:23:00.000+00:002009-01-17T20:23:00.000+00:00Actually it got down to about -35C (hard to tell s...Actually it got down to about -35C (hard to tell since my thermometer only reads down to -30C). The purpose of the trip was to try out our gear for the Canadian Ski Marathon Coureur des Bois Or, which involves skiing 80km, camping overnight, then skiing another 80km. So you need to get your backpack down to a manageable weight but without being too cold at night. I discovered a few things:<BR/>- I need to make a few adjustments to my kit.<BR/>- It was too crowded in my sleeping bag with ski boots, booties, over mitts, water bottle, pee bottle, midnight snacks, phone; hardly enough room for me. I am average size but my "large" bag wasn't big enough. How do "Clydesdales" cope? I had to get rid of the ski boots and put boot warmers in them in the morning.<BR/>- At low temperatures: duct tape and foot warmers are not sticky; Thermarests do not self-inflate, unless you blow into it really hard (when you close the valve it then freezes shut); Ziploc bags do not open easily and when they do they tear; peanut butter freezes<BR/>- After you have been sitting round a smoky campfire, you smell like a kipper...<BR/><BR/>Ken.summitboyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05679597514064451846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-670908392024479748.post-54304255352879426132009-01-17T12:32:00.000+00:002009-01-17T12:32:00.000+00:00Yes, there is any amount of real snow here. The c...Yes, there is any amount of real snow here. The challenge may be to post a 'card' without any snow in view. And it does snow at -25C, as demonstrated by the further 1cm that landed overnight. <BR/>We trust that Ken is cosy in his snowed up bivvy bag!Phreerunnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08551842487502221703noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-670908392024479748.post-71770995403589070542009-01-17T07:23:00.000+00:002009-01-17T07:23:00.000+00:00Real snow! How I long for real snow. All we get is...Real snow! How I long for real snow. All we get is rain and gales! You lucky lucky people (as said in Mony Python)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com