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Published: February 24th 2016
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We had quite a day today!
After breakfast we got dressed in full winter gear and headed out in the falling snow to the snomobile center, just a short walk from the hotel. There, after standing in line in a small, crowded shack we got helmets and face masks. After trying them on, and a final pee break, our large group was divided into three smaller ones. Each group got a local guide and instructions on driving a snomobile from said guide (nothing too complicated), and we saddled up.
Soon we were off, driving through the snow.
I was very happy to learn that the snowmobiles have electrically warmed handlebars! Ethan, sitting behind me on the machine wasn't so lucky, so every time we stopped on the way I had him remove his gloves and defrost his hands on the handlebars.
We rode through forests and clearings, and crossed roads and ski paths. Very quickly I felt quite confident on the machine, so I would slow right down and wait for a gap to open up between us and the bike ahead. Then Ethan and I would speed through the trees! Fun!
After about a half
hour of uneventful yet exhilarating driving we rode over a frozen lake. The only way you'd know it was a lake was that it was so flat and with no trees.
We all stopped at the edge of the lake and walked out onto the ice. Our guides instructed us on the art of drilling ice and fishing through it, and we all tried it. Very soon fish started coming up on our lines. I got one, but Ethan got two!
Not to worry, after taking photos with the proud fishermen and a worm snack the fish were released back into the lake the same way they came out. I think we suffered more than they did, what with freezing extremities. After a half hour or so of fishing our fingers and toes were painfully cold, winter gear notwithstanding. The one saving grace was the hot cranberry juice, both delicious and a good finger defroster.
After our fishing experience we saddled up again and headed out over the lake. Ethan and I were on the second bike in the first group, and soon after we entered the forest the first bike (besides our guide, who led the
way) tipped over on a snow drift!
Oops!
Nobody was hurt and nothing was damaged except a little ego, and being right behind them I helped tip their machine back up. All was captured on my gopro (big pat on the back to me).
We made it the rest of the way back to the hotel uneventfully (though we later learned that another bike in our group tipped over in the same spot soon afterwards, with the same results). Ethan and I did see a snow covered sapling that looked like an elf on the way, and the scenery was amazing.
Back at the hotel we had a light lunch of salad and mushroom soup, and at four we went out for a picnic. Dror had bought reindeer hotdogs and marshmallows! He took those of us that wanted out to a kota in the forest, the kids chopped some wood and we built a fire and roasted the reindeer dogs and marshmallows.
A while later we headed back towards the hotel. Ethan stayed out to play in the snow with the other kids in the group, and us grownups went to relax in the hotel's
jaccuzzi.
Thus ended another eventful and exciting day.
Tomorrow it's dogs and deer, so stay tuned!
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