Looking forward to meet warmer climate soon

Published on 21.06.2011 - Climate Neutral Pole 2 Pole

Nilson's Itinerary

Ernest Nilson has just started his bike trip to the great South (see our map) that wild stories come up and anecdotes are being told in his blog.

The story of the toe...

Let's begin this serie with the story of the toe. Ernest on 13 June : "... I must say that one of the most interesting memories from this place (He is speaking about Inuvik) was an old man named Inok who told me a story about a town called Dawson where a hunter gave his lost big toe to the local bar. They still have it today and you are supposed to drink a shot with the toe inside. Well…, I don’t know about that. I am passing by this town in a couple of days and it will be interesting to see if there are backgrounds to all these stories. ... "

And three days later, Ernest writes from Dawson city : "... I must say that this is an interesting place but I don´t think that I will ever leave my heart here. People do leave their toes though. One man donated his frostbitten toe to the local bar and now you are supposed to drink with the toe in the glass….otherwise you are not a true Yukoner. ..."

Dawson City : one leaves his heart there as the locals say

On 16 June, Ernest bikes happily on the famous Dempster Highway and is suddenly litteraly attacked by millions of mosquitos. "The mosquitos are moving over me like a giant black cloud", he writes. "I remember when I made a documentary about the Artic for Discovery Channel in 1998. Me and the scientists used to have a Mosquito-contest and a Russian professor won with 54 in a one hand clap ! ..."

The famous Dempster Highway

An angry moose

Five days later, while byking gently on the bitumen, the swedish adventurer has to face the meeting with a moose. On 21 June he writes : "... The moose came running up from the forest and started to run after me like he was protecting something. I started to bike like crazy ´cause they can be pretty aggressive if they are not in the mood. And he was NOT in the mood for the moment. After 100 meters I stopped and so did he. He just stood there and looked at me and then he went into the wild again. So I turned around and started to bike back again and he came back. What have I done this moose? He stood still and I tried to squeeze in between the trees and the moose and I managed to get away from this evil creature. I did not get any really close photos but I got a few from distance. Well, now I can add to my CV that I have been chased by a moose. Everyday there are new problems and solutions coming up. If it´s not breaking ice it’s an angry moose! ..."