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News from the expeditions
Uganda 
Ararat
Da Capo
Se7en Summits
Everest
Imperial
Redemption
Sine Metu
Nordic Fury
Excelsior
Elbrus and Sisu
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14.07.10: Olof put in an impressive performance to finish 11th in this year's edition of Haglöfs Åre Extreme Challenge. Lacking interesting "weekend warrior" activities in Nairobi, Kampala and Accra, Martin is instead biding his time by pumping iron and working on his tan, while on his current 2 year assignment in Africa.
14.04.10: Olof and Petra have just concluded the final stage from Pucon to the Pacific coast and thus completed their 1500 km expedition. With the last (and remaining) of their loyal companions sold, the pair is now relaxing in a befitting manner at a luxurious resort in Argentina, where their sore bodies are finally receiving the treatment they deserve. Congratulations on a job well done!
09.04.10: A Walk On The Wild Side - So it was finally time to cross the Andes. And as usual the problem was not snow-covered slopes, severe weather or destroyed paths, but rather the usual curse of bureaucracy. Some diplomat had apparently seen it fit to implement crazy bans on the import of Argentine horses into Chile. It is strictly forbidden. Geht nicht! So we did as we always do. Found a huge national park as far as possible from the beaten track and regular border crossings, gave extremely vague route descriptions to the park warden, entered into a valley on the Argentinean side and hoped for the best while steadily riding westwards. With a little luck and intelligent (well) guesswork we finally found a narrow and winding path, presumably used by other happy entrepreneurs looking for a tax exempt way to transport goods between countries, and could within a few days of stealthy riding, descent down into the green valleys of Chile without having had neither our horses shot nor our passports stamped. We are now relaxing in Pucon with a bit of climbing and hot springs before we begin the last week-long stage to the Pacific coast through the lush and green (finally!) valleys and fields of Chile.
24.03.10: We thought that the dry and hot countryside would disappear when we came to the Rio Colorado. We were wrong. It would get worse. Much worse. The river could not be followed so we were once again banished to the La Pampa, with the difference that the temperature was now hotter than the 40 degrees we had previously experienced, there was even less for the horses to eat (after a while they began to eat shrubs), and further between fresh water (sometimes over 40 km). Small rivers with salt water passed us at times just to add to the annoyance. Lots of cow carcasses lined our path, the results of the recent extreme drought. Had it not been for the deeply Christian and extremely friendly families that populate this part of the country at irregular intervals, and gave us food, water, and shelter, we had seriously considered giving up, if only for the horses sake. After a week, and a final ironic rain and hail storm (during which we were awaken in the middle of the night by the tent suddenly sitting in a river large enough to have been plotted on maps of central Sweden), however, we came to the oasis Gobernador Duval and then the green valleys surrounded by apple orchards leading to Neuquen.
The friendly people in Argentina deserve a chapter of their own. We have never been in a country where people are so genuinely helpful, friendly and where you feel so safe. Interestingly enough, our view is not shared by the Argentines themselves. People we encounter constantly warn us about thieves and bandits, people stealing horses to eat them, and telling us that there are dangerous areas ahead of us. In Chinchinales, an idyllic little village, we were forcibly removed from our optimal camping spot on the river, and instead placed on a dirty courtyard at the local police station, so that the local authorities could guarantee our safety. On the direct question if the area is dangerous, the answer is consistently no, but people always add that the next village is really rough and dangerous. Feels a bit like camping in Ockelbo and being warned about being mugged in Sandviken, where it is very "rough". Not to mention the dangers of visiting Gävle...
Well, at least riding the last bit into Neuquen was a dream come true, full of grass and water. We arrived in the city after riding through rush hour traffic (Neuquen is a large city) and found that our cowboy clothes were suddenly quite inappropriate with the local city dress code being pover-striped ties and suits.
After giving away a rather "spent" horse, and having bought not one but two new horses (the first only lasted a day), we are however on the move towards the Andes, which we have heard so much about but yet seen so little of. We'll be following a small river to the west (riding in the riverbed. Softer for the hooves, and more grass for the horses).
Things are beginning to become routine. In theory: Get up at seven, fix the horses, eat, break camp, and load everything, ride from 9 to 1 (just over 20 km), unload everything, water the horses, chill, ride again from 4 to 6 (just under 20 km), set up camp, watering and feeding horses, eat ourselves, and crash before midnight. Not so tough. The problem is that the days never go as planned. Horses "break down", loose their "shoes", dump our baggage, saddles fall to pieces, having to cross a river (difficult when one of the horses is hydrophobic, forcing us to cover his eyes, begging and threatening); our planned riding path is crossed by fences (those damn fences! Everywhere and with no way through, which frequently and considerably complicates our lives), or that we get lost. Often all at once.
We have now traveled ~ 700 out of ~ 1500 km. We hope the remaining distance will be filled with grass, mountains, and cold beer.
Cheers
/Olof and Petra
02.03.10: Olof and Petra have posted a blog entry about buying four horses in Argentina last week, before setting out on their 1500 km journey across South America and the Andes. Read it on the Swedish Outside Magazine website by clicking here.
25.02.10: After several trials and tribulations in Argentina, Olof and Petra have now bought four horses and began the trip towards the Pacific yesterday with a 30 km warm up. Already somewhat sore and having experienced their first close encounters with the ground, the expedition begins in earnest today.
21.02.10: On Thursday Olof and Petra left Stockholm for Argentina, where they will be spending the coming two months riding across South America. The route will take them approximately 1500 km from coast to coast across Patagonia and the Andes. Keep an eye out for updates here on the site as well as a full report in the Swedish Outside Magazine later this year. Rather than exposing his backside to two months of torture, Martin will head south this week and give a talk at Nova Television in Bulgaria (someone has to pay the bills).
29.01.10: Last week Olof gave a talk about (telemark)skiing on some of the world's highest mountains to a group of loose heel fanatics in Fjätervålen. Almost exactly one year ago, Martin (apparently unsuccessfully) spoke to the very same group about the many advantages of the alpine style over the Norwegian abomination... Right now we are however packing our skis and gear into the car for a well deserved two week holliday in the Italian alps. See you out there!
18.01.10: Martin's girlfriend Maria reached the summit of Aconcagua last Thursday. Mocking the rest of us, she did so both fully in charge of her faculties as well as without having to surrender to the lure of the magical diamox, nifedipine and paracetamol pills. To find out how we fared some six years ago, read the story here.
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