No plan survives first contact with the enemy.

I believe it was Helmuth von Moltke, the Prussian Field Marshall Who is first credited with saying that…

No plan survives first contact with the enemy

Everyone from Winston Churchill to Douglas MacArthur has since had this saying attributed to them. Whoever it was I’d like to simply reply with something I’m pretty sure came directly from the beak of Daffy Duck…

DANG RIGHT!

David and I had many hours traveling from Kristiansand to Oslo to ponder the question, ’What went wrong? David wrote a whole speech to be delivered to Trond while I just stuck to my unhelpful mantra, Too slow to ski hut to hut. Too slow to ski. Too slow…

I don’t think either David or I gave much thought as to what we would do beyond telling Trond what happened.

Our first task on arriving in Oslo was to head to Trond’s house for what I was calling, ‘The meeting of shame.’ (Also unhelpful.) Trond had invited us to dinner and I was convinced the food would be poisoned.

He is however well brought up and, despite his disappointment, he welcomed us in and poured us a beer. He had had a sleepless night, but he had an idea that would get us back on track and hopefully ensure that he gets to do the trip he retired early for.

Trond explains his cunning plan

Before I continue, let me remind you where Trond fits in.

Trond walked the first half of the Norge på langs over one summer some 15 years ago. So, when David asked if he might be interested in skiing the whole thing Trond had replied that he would love to, but that he was not so interested in the first half because he had done it.

He agreed to join our merry band at a place called Nordli approximately half way and still well over 1,000km from Nordkapp.
In order to join us for the amount of time necessary however, Trond would need to arrange to retire early. He is a partner in a law firm, so this is not quite as simple as writing a quick note on a post-it saying, “Dear boss. I quit”

So, when we told him (via WhatsApp) that we were returning to Oslo I was able to watch the colour drain from his face as he envisioned almost a year of plans crumbling around him.

When we arrived David had his say first. He spent a good few minutes beating himself up. In brief, he felt his planning had lacked a realistic understanding of Norwegian winter conditions.

My turn…

My respect for David’s skill and experience is undiminished. While I agree that I think he perhaps underestimated the skiing skills required and the need for a decent tent he certainly doesn’t need to apologise. I entered this whole thing with my eyes wide open. Besides, most of the plan has been, and still is, exceptional.

Trond looks on. I wonder if he thought, “These two are busy beating themselves up, but neither have thought what to do next.”?

Trond’s turn…

He says that perhaps he should have been a bit more pushy during the planning stages, but now it is time to approach this as a Norwegian would. He has a cunning plan.

Trond is not available until around 6th -8th February. His plan is that, between now and then, David and I move up to a place near Geilo in the mountains and spend 2 weeks or more honing our skiing without the need to carry large rucksacks. We then return to Oslo to repack and all three of us then restart the journey at Nordli.

It won’t be a complete Norge på langs, but it will still be a challenge, an adventure and a bloomin’ long way. Around 1,250km.
Additionally, we will borrow a pulk (sledge) that will enable us to carry a decent tent, additional fuel and food. The pulk will also allow us to lighten our rucksacks by around 5kg each. Trond will pull the pulk. He is an expert. We will take turns as we get used to it.

All we need now is a pulk and a decent tent. This is where Christian Eide comes in. As I said in yesterday’s blog, Christian has held the record for the fastest time skiing to the South Pole since 2011. He is an experienced ski guide, has climbed Everest, the list goes on. Anyway, he is a good friend of Trond’s and has offered to lend us whatever we need.

Trond and Christian (right) in his Aladdin’s cave of kit.

We visit Christian and are given access to his kit room. We make a pile. We eat pizza and meet his delightful family. I am humbled by his generosity.

A pulk full of borrowed kit. Thanks to Christian

Everything we borrowed including around £1,400 worth of tent.

Our new plan may mean that we do not do the complete route, but our borrowed, 4 person, Hilleberg Keron 4, kit gives us a better chance of success and a flexibility that we previously lacked.

If we can’t make it to a hut, we can put up the tent and spend a pretty comfortable night. If the weather turns and we need to shelter, we are not forced to continue in potentially dangerous conditions because we have to make it to a hut. If we have to spend days in the tent in a storm, rather than just surviving and suffering, it will be a relatively comfortable experience.
In short, we are better equipped to both continue and succeed.

Today is Tuesday 18th Jan. We have moved North to a cabin near Geilo and we have already begun our practice.

I will let you know how it goes and include some photos of the tent etc. when we try it out.