Here we go!

From February 27 to March 7, On the Tip of the Toes Foundation will hold its first expedition of 2009. This expedition will take us to the Triton territory in Haute-Maurice. Preparatory meetings are over, and group energy can be felt everywhere. Indeed, one thing is for sure: this expedition will be filled with positive energy and laughter!
Our 8 adventurers are:

Courtney Cunningham from Ontario
Danika Puhlmann from Alberta
Karollane Daraîche from Quebec
Mathieu Nadeau-Lacombe from New-Brunswick
Melanie Novelli from New-Brunswick
Michaël Brouillard from Quebec
Scott Randall from Quebec
Simon Langevin from Quebec

Teenagers will be accompanied by outdoor and medical professionals from On the Tips of the Toes Foundation:
•    Héléna Longpré, Operations Manager at On the Tip of the Toes Foundation.
•    Jean-François Dubé, Operations Assistant at On the Tip of the Toes Foundation
•    Étienne Beaumont, guide for the Foundation.
•    Nicolas Tremblay, physician
•    Nancy Cloutier, nurse
•    The Excursions Triton team
•    The Aventure Inukshuk  team for the dog sledding portion

Nature, wide open spaces, and the beauty of frozen lakes are all part of the great treasures of Québec.
Territoire du Triton in the Haute-Mauricie woodlands is where we will discover together the world of dog sledding. For five days we will live alongside the dogs, and be responsible for their well-being. Every evening, after about 40 kilometres on the trails, we will warm ourselves by the fire and share our meal. We have the privilege of sleeping in a trapper’s camp and we will have a few warm nights in an arctic tent.
This expedition will also give us the opportunity to learn about snowshoeing and the life style of our ancestors. We can surely expect campfires, open air and snow filled pathways!
So, follow us on the On the Tip of the Toes Foundation blog and don’t hesitate to send us some news!

Last night, February 26 
Héléna, Jean-François and I are waiting for the impending arrival of the teenagers. They are coming from Calgary, New Brunswick, Ontario and Nova Scotia. They are beautiful, first because they are embarking on such an adventure, and because, for the most part, it was their first time alone on a plane. Mathieu is the first one in. With a shy smile he says hello with a solid New Brunswick accent! Wow! After a few minutes it seems were in the Maritimes. That is the nice thing about meeting new people. We’re still at the airport and yet we have the distinct feeling this will be fun. A bit later, the girls arrive. They too are a little shy, which is usually the case at such meetings. No matter, everybody is happy to be there. After some small talk and lots of laughs, we’re on our way to the Youth Hostel in downtown Montreal. We’re off! February 27 in the morning In the Montreal jungle, way too early and without any form of guilt, the sun calls us out of bed. The big city is already active and soon we’re on our way to the train station. Slowly, the group comes together. Scott, our young participant from Montreal, tells us about his city, the Bell Centre, and the latest news about the Montreal Canadien. At the station, we meet with the rest of the participants. All goes well. Everyone is looking forward to leave for Triton, the famous venue of our expedition. After the usual salutations, we’re on our way. What a sight! There goes the “Triton 2009” team. They come from different places; they’re all different, yet without a doubt, they are one in this expedition. One by one they board the train followed by a mountain of supplies. In a loud metallic roar, the train surges forward.  In the passenger car, the scene is perfect. Mathieu dazzles us with his magic tricks. Mélanie quickly jots down her first impressions in her notebook for fear of missing something. Mickael has already settled in and engages in a game of “Rock, Paper, Scissors”. No doubt, this is bliss. Slowly and simply, the day goes on. At times, there is laughter and action, followed by quiet periods of reflection. There is a guitar in the baggage. Obviously, it is a matter of time before it comes alive. It is raining when we arrive at the old train station at Triton. Jean-François, ever the optimist, is quick to convince us it is liquid sunshine. In any event, we’re fully equipped to face much worse. The rain recedes under the smiles of our troop and there is like a film music score in our good mood. At long last, we get to the cabin and our adventurers warm up in this wooden palace. The local team greets us warmly. The food is delicious and the atmosphere is reminiscent of the banquets in the Asterix comic strip. After the meal, we are told the meat pie was made with bear, moose, deer and hare meat. No matter, our adventure promises to be grandiose. For the time being, we listen to the wind blowing though the large spruce trees. Once again, as I look at those smiles, I believe I am witnessing true happiness.  After a rather busy day, the team rapidly goes to bed. Never had I imagined that “adventure” could be so sweet. Happily, tomorrow promises to be serene.

February 28
Slowly, the group wakes up. We have a busy day ahead of us. I’m reluctant to open the drapes for fear the weather could be the same as when we arrived. I finally do it and I hear a teen shout: “The sun is out!” What a relief! Adventure can be very nice even in foul weather, but I believe we all prefer a nice sunny day. As we approach the dining room, we can smell breakfast. We find eggs, bacon, cereal, toast, etc, enough to please even the most finicky. Most are still sleepy and don’t quite realize we’re in a very special place. Through the window, we see the lake asleep under the ice, guarded by a battalion of conifers at attention. A beautiful sight indeed! Next door, in the kitchen, our hosts are busy preparing the day. They will take advantage of the fair weather to dress up the dog sledding trails. The teens don’t quite realize how much work goes into the preparation of our trek. The territory is huge and our expedition will last five full days. But, for the moment, we must get busy. “Great adventures require great preparations”, as the saying goes. There is a lot of material and information to share with the group, and we must set some time aside to catch a bit of to make this morning perfect.
It’s now instruction time! As we translate from one language to the other, Anglos and Francos take a refresher course in each others’ language. What a sight! Scott and Mathieu are quite fluent in both languages and soon they become interpreters for the others. Simon turns out to be our resident clown. He is quite at ease in this unfamiliar territory. As you can imagine, an expedition of this type requires a lot of material (clothing, accessories and food). Jeff and I model the various pieces of clothing as we illustrate the best way to wear them. The whole experience soon turns to chaos, but apparently the information has been well understood. But there is more to it than this. After a while, we sense some members of the group are overwhelmed and need to be rescued. So we decide to go outside. This is where nature kicks in. The breeze is cool enough to get us moving, the bright sun lights up the snow all around us, the smells of wide open spaces remind us the city is far away, and soft and appeasing sounds create a perfect harmony. After a while running around, the group warms up. Already, we can see that the group is getting closer and it believe you me, it will only get better. At this point, we decide to play a daring game, to test the confidence of our teens. Each participant in turn drops off a small balcony, back first, into the arms of the rest of the team. It’s like falling in a cloud, or in Jell-0 (according to the teens). Karolane tells us she’s afraid of heights, but soon she courageously jumps with both eyes closed. The group catches her and her broad smile eloquently says how proud she is to have confronted her fear. We have here a group of fighters and their courage is inspiring. I wonder if they realize how strong they are?
Time flies when we’re having fun. All too soon we’re back from a snowshoe ride and we realize the afternoon is halfway gone. Time for personal reflection. Mélanie attends to her writing, while Courtney is deep into her book. The boys play cards or chess and Danika chats with Héléna. Let the good times roll, as they say!
It is now getting darker and the stars come out above our heads. On the horizon, various shades of darkness outline the tops of the giant spruce. The silence is strangely noisy as if the ground under our feet was whispering some approaching thing. We go out in the moonlight and suddenly, as ghosts in the night, the dog teams arrive. There are tens of them with many sleds. Yet, all we hear is the wind howling. What an unbelievable scene to see nature in its deep beauty and comfort. We eagerly greet each of the dogs. They are the comfort we were waiting for. Each Husky has a name, some are funny, others more mystic. We have to go as dinner is served and the dogs must rest.  Tomorrow, we will get better acquainted with them. We have to rest, as tomorrow is the grand departure. Our minds still full of images, we congregate in the living room before going to bed.  Time to reflect on the day as we hold our first group meeting. Each participant is asked to tell the group why they decided to live this experience and express their fears on the eve of the expedition. It is an emotion-filled moment, yet quite positive. After only two days, I see before me a united team, more so that most friendships. I am at a loss to describe their sincerity, but one thing is clear: each one of them chose this adventure to push their limits, and already they have shown their incredible courage in admitting their fears while not showing any weakness. Each expedition reflects those that compose it. In this instance, I believe it will be nothing short of magical.

March 1
Adventure has its very own way to bring us face to face with ourselves, to show us what we are made of. Sometimes, without prior notice, it makes us give our best. This is what I am reminded of as I watch them bring their luggage on the balcony of the Batiscan (the cabin where we slept last night). They don’t seem to be too nervous. Rather, they are excited to see the dogs again, as we hear them howling even inside the cabin. It is quite a ruckus, as there are about 50 dogs expecting us near the lake. We rush through the last pieces of French toast, which are carefully dunked in maple syrup (a must!). Étienne and Simon are the kings of the gluttons, devouring French bread plus fruit, plus yogurt, plus litres of juice! No guilt there, as an expedition ensures that we will burn off tons of calories. After a last check-up to make sure we don’t forget anything, we leave the comforts of the Batiscan. See you in five days! Our hosts at Triton, Nicolas and David, make sure every things goes smoothly while they take every occasion to play tricks on us. What a happy pair of woodsmen!
We’re headed for the pack where the mushers will greet us. (Mushers are the people who look after the sled dogs). We are greeted with warm smiles. Their passion is obvious. It is fascinating to see that they speak the dogs’ language. They each sport a beard and seem naturally immune to the cold. As our friends at Triton, the Inukshuks mushers seem to fuse with nature. They are for real! We are each assigned a dog and we slowly learn to befriend them. Courtney seems to have a particularly strong bond with them. The dogs sense this and pay her in return with their kisses. Scott is simply fascinated by the huskies. At first glance, their kinship with wolves is obvious. They are strong and totally at ease in the cold. Their eyes are blue or brown; some of them have one eye of each colour. One of them, Kovou, is basking in the sun with his eyes closed. No stress for this dog! Frisky, on the other hand, is fidgety and anxious to get on his way. The mushers tell us how the dogs simply adore pulling the sleds. It is their work, but they love the action.
One hour passes as the sleds and the dogs are readied. We use this time to familiarize ourselves with the dogs and the operation of the sleds. Our departure is surreal. The teens are divided in teams of two and look after their own sled. The mushers are interspersed among the teens for security reasons. David is at the back on a snowmobile, far enough not to interfere. Strangely, there is little sound. The runners glide on the snow and strangely we seem to be flying over the ice. As we glide in nature, the sleds are in a single file. The dogs follow the lead sled, or at least its scent. They progress with disconcerting assurance as if they knew these lakes. Leading the sled is fantastic and much easier than I had anticipated.
These teens are indeed lucky to be here and experience this wonderful contact with nature. Little by little they open up. After nearly 20 kilometres on lakes and mountains, we come to the log huts where we will find warmth and quiet for the night. They date back to the early part of the century and yet they are still very sturdy. The smoke rising from the chimneys augur well for the delicious meal ahead. On arrival at the camp, the teens warm up for awhile before helping with the routine baggage. Soft and comfortable spaces are dressed up for those dogs most sensitive to the cold (a carefully made small fir bush bedding area). The dogs must have a good night’s sleep, as they are our only means of transport during the expedition. At nightfall, our rosy cheeks are tired. This will be our first real night as “coureur des bois”. Our adventurer friends are surely very proud of themselves. They show no obvious signs of fear or loneliness. Being together makes them strong. They seem well adapted to their new lifestyle. During the night, as I feed the woodstove, I watch our good friends asleep. I am indeed lucky to be here.

March 2
An out-of-control dog pack howls us awake this morning as if to remind us we’re far from home. Each one of us would rather stay put in our sleeping bags than confront the cold of winter this morning. Nevertheless, it is good to see everyone around the table enjoying a hot coco. The team is now in expedition mode. We’re all in the same boat. Far from our loved ones, from our homey comfort, facing the cold, most of us are struggling to adapt. We’re in this together, facing the challenges of nature and adventure. Our teenagers for their part are united by their battles against illness. They share the closeness of those who understand and respect each other. We’re already a close group.
In an expedition, there is a mandatory schedule. We are run by daylight. We must factor in many tasks such as the meals, packing, taking care of the dogs, harness them and carefully hook them to the sleds, dress properly and ensure everyone is OK, manage our personal effects and make sure we’re not too cold or too warm… In short, an expedition is a giant headache, but let me tell you that it is well worth it.
The day starts with a bang. The dogs are well rested and full of energy. As we are crossing a lake, they can run as hard as they please and burn all that energy. At times, we mistakenly believe they resent pulling all that weight, but it is not the case. These dogs are real machines and when they stop, they keep asking for more. We are quite happy, and our cruising speed is good. The tracks in the forest are a little more technical but all we have to do is reduce our speed. Our teens are enjoying themselves and guide their sleds like pros. Karolane laughs all the time and Simon, her team-mate, seems to be a born adventurer. Mélanie teams up with the attractive Mathieu who behaves like a real gentleman. He takes care of her every need. Courtney is my team-mate. What a girl! She is courageous and a fighter. It is a real pleasure to talk with her and share our dogsledding adventures. These memories will last for years. Scott is with Nicolas, the team physician. Nicolas is full of fun and quite guileless. He is quite funny and takes every opportunity to practice his French. Then, there is Danika and Mickaël. They struggle a little as they shift from one language to the other. Mickaël carves beautiful turns on his sled. A real musher, he is. As for Danika, she talks a lot about her family and how important it is in her life. She is a happy girl. And the rest of the team is aboard the other sleds. Héléna sports rosy cheeks. Her laughter and charm have seduced the group. Jeff is the team clown, but when the need arises, he can be dead serious. He looks after each of the teenagers with great care.
After a hard day’s work in the trails and turns of all sorts, after crossing God knows how many lakes ever so beautiful, we finally arrive at our camp. Surprise! There are no huts and no camps here, only Arctic tents. This will be the ultimate test for our friends. Despite the heat in the tents to cut out the humidity, this is quite the challenge, at minus 15 degrees or less. Time to show courage and resistance. After we set out our luggage and makeshift beds, we congregate around a campfire to relive our day. Lights out, we dive into our huge sleeping bags. Our toques anchored solidly on our heads, we’re headed for dreamland deep into the Canadian cold. Good night, dear team-mates, you are wonderful. Without any hesitation or nervousness, eyes close and snores invade the night.

March 3:
Quiet morning in the camp. Not a stir outside. Not surprising when the thermometer hangs around minus 27. Let’s call this the challenge of the cold on Triton Territory. No way to back out or drop out because we don’t like the situation. We must look ahead, summon up our courage and be on our way with determination!  For even better results, you can call upon your team-mates and feed on their smiles. Smiles are abundant in this group. They’re free for any and all to take. Doesn’t do much for freezing toes, but it helps and gives us strength.
Harnessing the dogs was a real pleasure as the sun decided to come up and bring Celsius up with him. We look like yaks, but that ball of light invites us to get on the move. A difficult day waits ahead with no less than 40 kilometres on dog sleds. A sudden stop signals that there is trouble ahead. Indeed, a small problem. The rope between the dogs and a sled broke off and the dogs are loose! Whoa! We catch up with them a little further ahead and proceed to repair the problem. A little later, we stop again, this time to modify the dog teams. The Montreal Canadiens are not the only team in need of substitutions. This is our routine. Sometimes difficult, sometimes cold, full of unexpected problems, but I can tell you that every time we look into the eyes of our teenagers, we see pride, as big as the planet, as if they wanted to shout: “I did it!” What a team of champions!
We end our day at Lake Biscuit in a huge cabin (with an enormous fire place). This will be real comfortable.  We earned this rest! The guitar is fidgeting, knowing someone will finally pick it up. Thanks for reading us, the youngsters love it. We think of you and love you.

March 5:
This morning we wake up with a feeling of “déjà vu”. Could be because it’s our second night at the Biron. It is quite comforting to wake up surrounded by wooden planks. I come from St-Raymond and I recall that this cabin once belonged to Henry Cayer, a successful entrepreneur born in St-Raymond. What a coincidence. It’s probably been awhile since the cabin was the site of so much excitement. Last evening was quite enjoyable, like the ones before. Our fingers plucked the guitar strings and our most courageous singers entertained us. The atmosphere was as warm and comforting as the fire in the huge fireplace. The mushers and the strong men of the Triton treated us to songs from distant countries where they knew how to party. The teens joined Jean-François in another type of songs, yet just as entertaining. Some were making notes, others, feeling nostalgic already, were taking in the celebrations with a heavy heart. Adventures of this nature are filled with such happiness; we’d like to hold on to it. But, such is life. Every expedition must come to a close and, this morning, March 5, we harness our dogs for the last time. I can tell you this is not easy. Our expedition is not over yet but the “dog sledding” part has come to an end. A lot of us are sad and we hug our dogs with tears in our eyes. Before leaving, the mushers pay us a vibrant tribute and we return the favour with huge hugs as we thank them. They went beyond the call of duty, these guys. Adventure often puts us in contact with wonderful people. In this case, we will long remember their smiles, their generosity and their joie de vivre.
The last few days, rather nights, were difficult for the dogs that endured -25 to -30 degrees. They had to call upon their reserves and they will appreciate being back home. The kennel is ready for them and, you can bet your bottom dollar they will have a well-deserved day off. The sun is out again, and as a bonus, the weather is warmer. We feel like “beach boys” on vacation. Back in Batiscan, we take one last meal with our humble mushers (Coco, Sam and Hugo). Then they leave for home, in the distant Duchenay area. As for us, we get a well-deserved afternoon of rest. It may not seem like much, but a few kilometres running behind a dog sled and some short nights make this rest quite welcome. This is a great time to play hide and seek like when we were kids. Simon, Courtney and Danika are particularly adept at finding good hiding places. During the evening, a few games of “Loup-Garou” and we’re ready for bed. Scott and Karolanne can’t stop giggling and Mélanie, Mickaël and Mathieu treat us to a fashion show. That was a great evening! But, time for bed! Tomorrow we will participate in the Triton Club version of “The Dog Who Stopped the War”. Can’t wait!
We wish to take advantage of this blog to salute the young people who follow our adventures from their hospital bed (Jessie and Joël) or who are fighting their illness. We’re so happy to know you follow our adventure. Jessie, thank you for you kind words. We hope that you will get well and that you’ll be in a position to join us in a future expedition. You are tenacity, courage and perseverance incarnate and please remember that each day, we felt your presence at our side. We think of you. Thank you for being there!

March 6:
It’s hard to wake up and not be nostalgic today. For sure, we will stay in the present and enjoy this last day together, but we cannot pretend this is just another day. After one hundred and sixty kilometres on dog sleds, our minds are full of images of dogs racing on the snow. The blue skies and the freezing cold have given way to grey skies, fine hail and warm weather, quite a contrast with the last few days. We are a beautiful team. There is a common bond of respect between the members. At breakfast, there is much kidding and lots of knowing smiles. Mornings at Batiscan are moments of grace as we slowly awake with a hearty meal. The wooden environment is calming. Virginie, one of our guides, cleans the table and showers us with her good humour. Héléna tells us to get ready to go play outside. We’re going to snowshoe to Inusite (an Indian camp) near the seigniory at the far end of the lake. The teens dictate our tempo; they shove each other in the snow and tease each other. We’re warming up for the great snowball fight planned for this afternoon. They trip each other up and plan their strategy for our version of “The Dog who Stopped the War”. As the proverb goes: “Revenge is a dish best served cold”.  This keeps us in the present moment and makes us forget that our wonderful adventure is coming to an end. The fine hail soaks us like rain, but does not dampen our pleasure.
Lunch warms up our hearts. It time to gather energy for the moment of truth. The Triton gang, Nicolas, Davis, Rémy, Cyril and Martin, have devised a Machiavellian strategy. The teens are impatient. I don’t know if their energy comes for the pleasure they enjoy, but the teens are very excited. Finally, the battle is engaged. Ski goggles and snowshoes are used for protection. There are people running left and right, hiding behind snow banks or surging straight ahead to gain ground. There is energy everywhere. Then comes the time for a well earned rest after all the excitement. We take our last dinner together. During the evening, the entire team convenes in a circle to share experiences and talk about things we learned. There is a lot of emotion in the words of our wonderful team members. Even the most hardhearted can’t hold back their tears. These kids are an unbelievable inspiration. Their approach to life is surprising and so mature for their age. Mind you, they have come a long way and this adventure is nothing but the continuation of their perseverance, their courage and their tenacity. We see in these kids a strong and honourable incarnation of the best adventure has to offer. The adventure at the Triton was a rite of passage for many of us. Now, it is up to each one of us to continue on our way and our own adventure. No matter what, life still is the grandest and most beautiful of all adventures. From now on, we can live as in those stories we’d like to write.
Thanks for having been there with us. It was an honour and a pleasure to share this On the Tip of the Toes adventure with you. See you at our next expedition. So long…