That's it, here we are. Last day of preparation before the expedition! Tomorrow, will harnest our sleds and will get acquainted with our new furry companions. In all, there will be 12 teams, so about 65 dogs!
Today was devoted to preparing the six days to come. The large conference room of our hotel, the Northridge Inn, is our headquarters. This is where we take our meals and conduct our meetings.
After lunch, equipment discovery session. Catherine and Marc-Andre have prepared a bag for each of us containing the Tip of the Toes Foundation’s material that we will need. In addition to our two pairs of long underwear, we will use waterproof pants, snow pants, a jacket fleece, two jackets (one big, one small) and a waterproof jacket. We each of us identify our own clothes with different colored cords. Next, we will combine all these different layers depending on the weather conditions and the activities of the day. I would like to point out that much of this equipment was commissioned by the Québec Canadian Tire Jumpstart Foundation (sponsored by the Jonquière branch).
The next step was to test this equipment in real conditions. So, we went out for a hike with snowshoes on Lake Bernard. Some were already used to snowshoes, while for others, the experience was rather new. The challenge with our large group is to ensure that everyone is moving forward together and that the fastest take the time to wait for others. What are the results of equipment tests? Despite the wind blowing, we are well protected, just enough to sustain an effort without sweating and taking a break without cooling off too much.
After a good lunch, we spent the afternoon packing our bags for the expedition. Nothing should be left to chance, because our bags will be attached to the sled and inaccessible during the day. We must therefore think about the essential and put it in our “day bag”.
Before supper, we took a little time to explain to others our own motivations for the expedition. One thing for sure, everyone, young people and adults, are there to take full advantage of this incredible adventure, and also to meet new people. And also meet new animals, says Anthony enthusiastically. “It forces us to come out of our comfort zone,” thinks Antoine, a regular outings in Saguenay. “It’s also a way to regain the autonomy that I had been lost during my treatment,” said Colette, “and an opportunity to spend time with young people who have experienced the same trials as us,” says Tabitha. Finally, for many, this will is an opportunity to improve one’s English, or French.
We also celebrated two major events tonight: Antony’s 15th birthday, with a big cake, and the last chemotherapy treatment day for Anthony.
It’s been a busy day, but it was not over. After supper, we visited Chantal, Karly, two guides of Chocpaw Company, and Ootch (Siberian husky) that will accompany us. They told us about the techniques to harness our sleds and to control them, but that’s a story I’ll tell you tomorrow.