Barrow, Alaska Day 2

Days Walking - Negative 2

Welcome back, Ladies and Gents.

On today's program (brought to you by Trapper Stan's Superior Pomade. If you can find a creamier pomade, buy it!) we'll cover The Crew, The Plan, and The Unified Field Theory.

Yesterday I hinted at our purpose for arriving in the frozen blue gloom of Barrow, and the lateness of the supply truck. Well, the truck finally arrived, and all of the boxes are frozen to one another, and to the bed of the truck.

Anneli had the bright idea of using her steel-toed boot to break the boxes free, which did nothing. Except to crack the "steel toe" - Sketchers boots, indeed. Rolling eyes. It's all about military surplus U.S. Marines Corps issue jungle boots, mah friends. Jake it out there right now with a borrowed hair dryer, breaking the crates free one by one. Hey, if you can thaw a mammoth with a hair dryer, why not indeed.

It's actually colder today than it was yesterday, if that can be believed.

All right. The eight of us (whom you'll meet in a moment) have formed a group to take an insanely long walkabout, the longest walkabout in the history of mankind (without stopping to build a teepee, ger, or hut). We've got the tools, we've got the talent. We have pledged to walk from Barrow, Alaska to Punta Arena, Chile. Yes, the country of Chile. We're starting at the bald head of the planet earth, dandruffy with snow, and walking to a point just below the chin.

Described less whimsically, that's (giving or taking) about 15,000 miles. I told you we were insane. But it's a good insane. At ten miles a day on average, walking six days a week, that's 1500 days. At 312 days a year, it's 5 years. I'll be 25 years old or dead at the end of this road.

- - Hold on, Anneli just arrived with fresh forged goods to be unloaded, brb.

Back! - - The kind folks at Eskimo's Inc are to be applauded for their helpfulness. Not many people help you load your purchased goods these days. Anneli wants me send out the word that "Those guys kick ass!" Anneli, your message has been sent.

Now, many people would say that spending 5 years walking was a waste of time. And yet, I've been asked the "Where do you see yourself in 5 years?" question umpteen times. College applications, job interviews, etc. I can say "In or on my way to Punta Arena, Chile."

Where are you gonna be in 5 years? Working the same job, paying on your mortgage, eating spaghetti out of a can? Hmm? Soup for one, eaten over the sink with a spork! No thank you.

Why do this? Why not. It's never been done. We're funded by ourselves and a few small loans. It's surprisingly expensive to fund a long ass walking trip. But you can save some money. Especially when you're not paying $1500 worth of rent every month. Do you know how many granola bars you can buy with $1500? An eight pack at the dollar store goes for - yes, a dollar. Not that we plan to live on granola, but you get the idea.

Check in tomorrow for info on The Crew.

Litany Webb, signing off

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