20 years since the start of the Kolyma Expedition
Today marks 20 years since the Alley canoe arrived from Jocke Sundberg, a great lad who ran an outdoor outfit a called Geout. My partner Johan Ivarsson and I did a 3-4 day trip down a local river, Österdalsälven. We bought the fishing rod, a tepee that we were sponsored with from Tentipi Adventure Tents, even the rifle from Normark Scandinavia. Tickets were booked for the flight to Moscow and Magadan for the middle of July. We were planning to paddle 1500 km:s down the Kolyma River and ski another 1500 km:s once the fearsome winter arrived. It was a journey that would my life completely. As always, for better and worse.
For most of the year 2003 and half of 2004, we were lecturing, meeting the press, preparing the film for SVT Dokumentär, sending the first satellite 3 minute clips from the Arctic ever for Gokväll i SVT, a very well viewed sitcom. I did haul tyres back than too. Like 5 times. I think I am better trained today, as for specializing for hauling, but I was much stronger and fitter back than. I spent almost all my time hunting or fishing. Especially beaver.
I even went over to Moscow to meet the legendary Dmitry Shparo and his equally legendary son Matvey, and they became our logistic help. Fantastic people!
I also- as you can see- managed to add over 20 kgs of fat to bring for the trip. It took a month to get rid of it. I ate a lot of fat food as you can see. Moose especially.
I/we carried my first legendary The Explorers Club flag, the number 95 one.
The trip was a huge success, read https://www.mikaelstrandberg.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/Explorers_journal_winter_05_06.pdf and see the film here https://vimeo.com/451752697
I will write something every month, starting now, so the Expedition doesn´t completely fade into the abyss. Which is ok, but, well, maybe my daughters might read it one day….
The inspiration to do this comes from my buddy Borge Ousland he has started writing about his youth and his Expeditions….so why not.
