Listvyanka and dog sledding

We were packed and down at Tatiana by 7.30 where we had breakfast of egg and toast.  Still very dark and cold, her husband was busy getting the car ready and there was much activity and a little shouting and things sounded a bit stressful. After a few minutes we got into the car while the husband and his worker continued struggling with something on the back of the car. We realised that because of all the overnight snow they needed to grade the downhill road for their return journey. At the bottom they removed it again and drove us the rest of the way to the port where the worker carried my bag onto the old ferry for me. I wish we'd taken some pictures to show how authentic it was, but sure our fingers would have frozen off. It was still very dark and freezing cold. We climbed the metal stairs and tucked our bags behind a pillar as this was still outside. Then we joined the other 8 or so people huddled in the tiny windowless cab. The one person was the fare collector, which was less than 100 rubles for both of us. Fortunately the trip was very quick, 20 minutes at most, when we hauled our bags down the metal stairs and dragged them over the car platform off the boat. It fitted 4 cars. Temperature at minus 35, dark with a slight breeze. A boat and frozen water behind us, a hill and not much else in front. It felt pretty wretched. We dragged the bags up the hill where it was obviously not the town centre as we'd expected. This wasn't one of the holiday good moments. I waited in a bus stop, while Roy went into what looked like a hotel. My toes started to ache! This was almost unbearable. About 10 minutes, at least it felt that long he came out with good news. The receptionist was friendly and said we could wait in the foyer until it got light. Relief. I took my boots off and tried rubbing my toes while Roy chatted to her. When she saw that we were going sledding with Natalie and Oleg she called them for us, and said they would come fetch us. What a pleasure.  A few minutes later Oleg arrived with a young girl in the car and off we went. The sledding was up the next valley and he took us inside to the tack room. We left our suitcases there and he took us back to the main road where there was a coffee shop. We spent the morning here, warm and fed while we waited for the weather to warm up. It was sunny, but Roy said he could only stand outside a fee minutes before it just got too cold. About 1 o clock we decided to walk back to the sledding people where there were lots of people around,  going on horse sleights mostly. Eventually the crowds left and we were given dungarees to put over our clothes.

Getting ready for sledding

Outside there was a field with dog boxes and dogs attached. Two sleds were ready with 6 dogs each. Mine had 2 at the front to and back and 2 singles in the middle. Roys team included a very cold dalmatian, with a coat on. Later we heard from Natalie via email that she is called Happy and is the Musters dog. He rescued her from his brother in law who breeds them when she got burnt as a puppy and Natalie helped cure her. She didn't like sledding at first but now does and they send her on the shorter trips. Roy said that while the other dogs looked comfortable, she turned around constantly to check she was doing the right thing. We were given very brief instructions from Oleg in broken English, introduced to our mushers (mine was called Nikolai) and then told to stand at the back and steer while the Nikolai got onto he sled seat part. And off we went through the forest towards the mountain. It was cold but beautiful and the dogs were just magic! Roy of course whipped out his camera at this point, one hand holding the sled and the other his camera. A few minutes later he tried to put his camera back only to find he couldn't feel his hand at all. It was quite a shock and he had a hard time getting the camera sorted as he couldn't let go and not steer while driving the sled. Took ages for the feeling to come back. This really is cold. Wa streaming out my eyes from the cold, nose running, icing up around my face I was still loving every second. The sun was out and we were dog sledding in Siberia. This was magical.
After maybe 45 minutes Nicolai said he would take over. I was relieved as my toes had gone from sore to numb and sitting down felt good. At the back you stand on two ski's. We stopped and rested a little and were advised we'd need to walk a bit up the hill. I got pulled a lot further than Roy but eventually also had to give the dogs a break and just use them to pull me up by the arms while I walked. Problem with this method is that while they help pull you, you still have to go at their speed, which even up a steep mountain, dragging a 200kg sled is darn fast. But Nikolai insisted I keep this method and don't drop back. Nobody warned me what an energetic experience this was.

Pulling us up the mountain

Soon Nikolai said I can sit again and was I in for a bit of a surprise. The mountain just dropped below us and the dogs went diving off the edge, full speed. Terrified the sled was going to slam into them, breaking their legs I managed to slide right down the sled with my legs falling off the side. Nicolai managed to keep the sled from hitting he dogs while grabbing my arm and helping me to hang on with one arm being my head. Trying to peer over myself down at the dogs we had a thrilling run down he mountain. Roy had worked up quite a sweat climbing the Hill and had unzipped his tops. Also not given warning, he hurtled down the mountain and all the sweat instantly froze and he was just covered in freezing ice. But we loved it. Soon after we arrived at camp.

There were log cabins and we headed inside the kitchen one to warm up. Oleg produced some vodka and we produced some French red wine. Yugh, they pulled up their noses to that! Roy had some vodka and I had a little wine. They served lovely cheese and salami on fresh bread while the young girl who came on the skidoo with Oleg translated when our sign language didn't work. She was the same girl who was in the car when he fetched us.

Warming up with vodka

 She showed us our cabin and Oleg said he'd finished in the banya and it was ready for Roy and I. It was wonderfully warm, too warm, crazy warm! We did the obligatory branch slapping (it was actually quite soft) and I'd had enough. Roy enjoyed a while longer before joining me for chicken supper. Oleg and the girl left and we finished eating. The dogs were all tied up individually to a long metal rope, each one given a jacket and bundle of straw. It wasn't enough. Happy and one other dog were the only two let loose and they were having a total party running around the forest. Between banya and dinner I went to change in my cottage and sneaked her in with me so she could warm up a little. She didn't want to leave! After dinner the mushers asked if we wanted to join them walking somewhere. Not being able to ask how far, we declined. I think they were taking Happy and the other dog to sleep somewhere else and they fetched them again in the morning. Roy and I snuggled into our beds in the forest, beautiful, cold dogs sleeping outside.

Frozen hair from banya to our cabin!