The Ice Run

The Baikal Beach Boys chillin'.

The trials and tribulations of The Ice Run typically result in un-containable bouts of elation. Team "Today in Siberia" are loving every minute of it. 

An update from event manager Katy keeping it chilled in Russia:

Katy: Updates from the start line: So all teams made it to the launch party, a rather stunning set of wood cabins on the northern shore of the small sea. This after a sojourn at the Irish Pub, which rescinded its declaration that is was definitely closed, at the sight of 22 hungry filthy Ice Runners.

Vlad and Alex proceeded to go the wrong way from the Bar and headed east. Across the small sea. They did a good 50kms of Ice Run solo before noticing (presumably) that the party was on land, and they were not, and turning back. A magnificent solo drive up some fairly hair-raising cliff-top tracks was rewarded with a bowl full of still warm mutton and a wry back slap from all the other runners. Those lads.... Still - at least we know the trackers are working.

The launch party was well received; a beautiful Buryat feast with hot wine and then vodka in ice glasses, just to confuse the hell out of everyone. Toasts were made, to the lake and the mighty motorcycles, those most mercurial of team-mates. Then the human teammates got naked and proceeded to banya the hell out of each other. All the national stereotypes regarding attitudes to public nudity were reinforced and celebrated, the Europeans leading the way.

This morning teams make their final preparations for the Ice Run proper. They have jumped cracks, ploughed through deep snow, skated helplessly across the clear black ice, and marveled, slack-jawed (assumed - you can't see their jaws, ever) at the magnificence of their surroundings. They have navigated solo (mixed results), had stuck breaks and fixed it on their own.

This morning we lose Vladimir our Ural mechanic. There endeth the "supported" section. From here, they know where the spare parts are, and they know where the finish is. The rest is up to them. Frankly, they looked a bit shell-shocked this morning...I'm blaming the banya.

Also, if you have been following on the live tracking, bear in mind that most teams haven't had trackers switched on most of the time - we are all desperate to conserve battery. They have 3 days without power now, so please note that is folks drop off the map, it's most likely their batteries went flat, not that they fell into the lake and were never seen again.

Beata and Pawel....chillin', literally. 

Ole and Yvette checking themselves out on the ice. Looks thin, doesn't it?

Chris and Sam from Icy Dead People getting the hang of things.

A suitably chilly start greeted the Ice Runners this morning. Camping overnight on a not-so-balmy beach last night has left them refreshed and ready to take on the day.