We just can’t seem to get enough of it. The training or the media? This evening we were present to start with a training again. The local television station wanted to make broadcast item about the training for our expedition. Of course we were willing to let ourself go with tyres, glacier rescue and a nice “abseil” session from one of the nearby bridges. We just can’t seem to get enough of it. The training itself wasn’t that hard. The hardest part was probably to walk home with the tyres behind us. The broadcasting will be somewhere next week so keep on checking the site as we will update this regularly.

While the rest of the team has vacation, Henk-Jan, Sanne and Edwer are dragging tires in the streets of Utrecht on a rainy day.
We also had an appointment with an news reporter.
Henk-Jan gives his tires to the news reporter, but after a couple meters he gives the tires back. “It is heavy” was his reaction.
From now on we have weekly tire-dragging training.

This morning I had an radio interview with the local radio station. RTV Utrecht. They wanted top know a it more about our training and specifically the training with the tire dragging. This is always a strange sight. To see a group of people walking around dragging tires. The interview lasted a few minutes and I was able to tell about the expedition. But also told some information about the documentary and off course our involvement into the HIER climate campaign. RTV Utrecht will keep track of us and we will have coverage on the radio station on some more occasions.

We have just had one of our monthly meetings. During those meetings we discuss just about everything. We have a whole list of items that has to be done before departure. Of course all in their own time. Depends on the planning. The list is now about 60 items. Things like: “route on Greenland”, “Sort out the food”, “Fixing sponsors” to things like:”Arrange a meeting with a dietitian”, “Take a photo course” and “find sponsors”. They all seem like lose ends, but at the end of the day, they will all meet. And on the first of April 2008 we will be ready for departure. We just have to do a lot of work. Well I think the first day on the ice, we will have a rest day. Man I am exhausted already…

The final website for the project is online at www.project66north.com. Thanks to Raymond Koome for making this happen. We are really satisfied with the result. This website will be updated regularly. This will also be our means of communication when we are on the icecap.

Together with Edwer I have just finished a session of tire pulling. We have walked through the surrounding’s of the village of Harmelen. It’s remarkably how many remarks one gets from by passers. thinks like:” you’ve forgotten your car” and “It’s easier if you put the tires on their side”

Anyway, we have finished a small track of about 7 kilometres. It’s just good to get started with the traiining this early in the season. With the pulling of tires we will simulate the same motion and resistance as if we were dragging our sledges over the icy slopes of Greenland. At the end of the training we were rather exhausted and one thing is for sure, we have to do this more often…