May 13 - Devlin:
 
 After a hearty breakfast and last minute bike checks we set off from Eagle Plains for the Yukon/North West Territories border. This lies just inside the Arctic Circle and as you can imagine is pretty cold. It was way up on the Wright Pass, as far north as we could get by vehicle, where we unloaded our new bicycles and tentatively set out across the alpine roads. The wind was strong and it was a surprise to feel that Arctic chill we thought we left behind. Fingers started freezing again and layers of clothing were piled on. The cold however could not surpass the splendor of this wilderness. The mountain scenery was something out of a movie. Snowy mountains and tundra valleys, the smell of spring in the air. This was the beginning of another 6 months. If we start like this, the experience is going to be incredible.
 
 
May 14 - Heidi:
 
 Today we cycled a good 250km between us. The time on the bike is a lot like the time spent on skis . . it just flies! Before I know it, Jay and I had cycled 35km! The scenery was gorgeous as we cycled by a partially frozen stream and the wild forest. The Yukon makes me feel alive, with its wildness and ruggedness. The sky is so open and wide and it seems to have no limits. As we were deciding upon a camping spot, I noticed a grizzly bear!! It was the first animal that I've spotted first and my excitement level was just about sky high. Though this grizzly didn't put on a show like our first polar bear or the black bear the other day, it was very incredible to see, as it sauntered into the forest.
 
 
May 17 Renaud:
 
 We arrived yesterday in Whitehorse, capital of Yukon with about 22,000 people in this province that has 30,000 all together. And today we are rushing from one presentation to another. Our "Challenge to Change" workshop has been shared with 300 teenagers twice, plus 20 in the afternoon and about 30 people in the evening. The answers are really positive and it is even more obvious when we can talk with people or students after the interactive talk. Naoki with his little English managed to have great responses with funny examples and basic words, and the pledges we collect are really interesting. Just hope people will follow their pledges and dreams. Anyways, its good to feel that people are following us in our journey and message, and that it is really possible to inspire people through the stories and pictures we share. Adding to that long day, we've had a few interviews with local newspapers and the province's CBC. One of the articles has been picked up by Canadian Press and might come out in national papers: the story is going on!!!
 
 
May 18 Dylan:
 
 Takhini Hot Springs cleanup Close by the steaming pools of Takhini Hotsprings we found ourselves hunched over on the landscape piece by piece plucking trash into large bags. The reason: an old dumping site from the construction days at the Alaska Highway which in recent years has become a dumping site for anyone wishing to have a convenient place to get rid of some extra garbage. The word that repeatedly bombarded my thoughts as I methodically dropped piece by piece into our provided bags was convenience, items of convenience. The majority of what I picked up were things used day to day to cater to the privilege, convenience and luxury of this society I am a part of and whose conveniences I have indulged in many a time. Plastic spoons, mini-ketchups, coffee creams and plastic cups were all testament to make the expected convenience that is ours. I kept asking myself why I need these things and to what purpose they served other than to help me continue to be in a hurry when it is demanded. No answers came easy. I hope I have more answers and ownership of my own part in this over these next few months.
 
 
May 19th Devlin:
 
  After a great time in Whitehorse, it was time to head South. We made a presentation at a school that offers programmes somewhat different to your normal school. They have courses like Experiential Science and Outdoor Education. Some of the students then joined us to cycle out of town for 20km. This was a great experience for all and a chance for the kids to get a taste of what we do. Mercedes also arrived to join us after her trip back to Argentina and we are all stoked to have her back. With our team complete we set off on our relay to do our 350km for the day. On my 36km stretch, I had an excellent game-viewing, seeing a herd of elk and two black bears. It really is a privilege to see these animals in the wild and walking around so freely. Something we dont get back in South Africa.
 
 
May 20th Mercedes:
 
  I woke up in the middle of a forest, feeling the sun warming my face. Like others on the team, when the weather is fine, Id rather sleep outside. I spent a time enjoying myself, listening to the wind crossing the trees and laughing with a duck while it was trying to compete with the river, swimming faster than the current. This land is so wonderful: white big mountains, pine and aspen forests, different sizes and forms of lakes sometimes frozen, narrow creeks, wild rivers and many picturesque towns all around our route. With luck you can see animals like caribou, black and grizzly bears, deer, squirrels, rabbits, lynx, birds . . . I missed those feeling sharing these little things every day with nature makes me feel alive, strong, happy and grateful to the world. I said I missed because yesterday I got back from Argentina where I stayed for two weeks for a family emergency. It was difficult to leave the team, but much more to come back in that situation. Thanks to my family that helped me a lot. Many reasons make me feel the most lucky person to be part of this expedition, and now my father gives me the most important one for being here: he believes in me.
 
 
May 21st Heidi:
 
  What a day! With the rain pelting down on most of us as we cycled, today was unlike any previous day. The first 15K of my 45K bike ride was on a dirt road. Dirt + rain = mud. And lots of it!! At first I wasnt too happy about all the mud drops on my jacket, pants and shoes but then I really began to enjoy it. My wheels would spray up mud droplets, despite our mud protector on the bikes. I knew it was getting pretty bad when I licked my lips and could feel the grit of dirt between my teeth. But what fun! I was absolutely covered by mud! After another 30K of biking on pavement, most of it washed off from the rain though. Added to fog, this water made the landscape absolutely breathtaking. Instead of primarily evergreens, today there was kilometer after kilometer of beautiful spring trees. The light rain and the fresh light green of the leaves made me feel completely alive. The team had another first experience today as well. At one point we had to turn left to continue down towards Kitwanga. Both the vehicles made the turn but the cyclist failed to. Poor Jessica! She headed off in the wrong direction for 30K! Luckily she found out and hitchhiked the 200 K to Kitwanga. Weve definitely learned the importance of map reading and being aware while biking.

May 22 - Jessica:
 
  Well, we were up bright and early this morning. 4 am wake so that we could get on the road by 5. Why ? Well, we had 810 Km to travel today, 90 Km each. We were curious as how the day would work since so far our biggest day has only been 45 Km each. Twice as much distance meant much more time and although everything ran smoothly, and we didn't lose anyone, it still took about 17 hours. By 10 pm we arived at our original training site, THe Hills Health Ranch, fully aware that the next few days would be hard in the office, not on the road.

May 25 - Renaud - 100 Mile House:
 
  So, we've been in our "house" for 2 days now: that's the feeling I get when I'm back at the Hills Health Ranch in 100 Mile because that's where we met and started building the team. Those few days we'll spend here are not really rest. This would mean having "non pole to pole" activities. I've never had that for now for the last 3 months, but for a few days it was a choice. Anyway, we had a free day which means for me "do whatever you want in the order you want but for Pole to Pole". And today we made two presentations: high school and elementary school. Then we helped to clean the park around the creek that flows through the city. And finally we had a meeting with the people at the office. As it's one of the last time we'll be able to do it, we sat down to talk about how to communicate and organize all the events and presentations we'll do en route. After the dinner at the Hills, we met again to speak about our travelling method as we enter more civilized places. Because for now, it was not far from absolute wilderness. Here in 100 Mile, there's more trees, lakes and fields than buildings: cow's paradise and they take the space! But in a few days we'll be in Vancouver. I'm both scared and impatient to see how I will react to all those people after three months in another kind of world!

NORTH POLE TO RESOLUTE BAY

TRAINING CAMP PICTURES & REPORTS