BHP Billiton Rock and Ice Ultra
At Trout Rock Lodge
Rob Howard / 27.03.2008
After a night spent on the ice at Baker Island, day 5 was the second part of the racer’s journey along the shore of Great Slave Lake and their destination was Trout Rock Lodge, which offered the welcome promise of a warm room, a seat at a table and a beer to end the day. Today was also the shortest day of all at 24km, and there was a thin layer of high cloud to reduce the snow glare, so all-in-all conditions could not have been better. There was no wind and at the end of the stage there was even a broad and firm track for the final few kilometres, made by the track vehicle which is run out of the lodge.
This amazing machine is a Hagglund BV206, a Swedish military all terrain vehicle which lodge owner Ragnor (himself a Swede) uses to ferry customers to his lodge for fishing, shooting, retreats and aurora viewing. It’s said to be the most versatile vehicle in the world, is amphibious, and had no difficulty ferrying the media across the snow and ice to meet the racers. It must have been quite a surprise for them to see it roaring towards them with the roof hatch open for photographers covering the race.
The race has now settled into a pattern which seems unlikely to change and once again the positions were almost exactly as they had been the day before, with Greg McHale running away with the race out in front and Dennis Colburn staying ahead in the ski competition. Behind Colburn in the ski race is British racer Jay Goss, who says he has done some ski training in the military, both otherwise is completely new to X-country skiing. He is certainly enjoying the scenery and the solitude. “There are times each day when I’m on my own and it’s totally silent,� he said. “And this is such an incredible place, I’m even wondering how I could get a job here!�
Others are not as happy and for Danish racer Marvin Overgaard the race is turning into a nightmare – and he’s suffering for his determination to finish. Already in pain from an injured knee he arrived at the finish complaining of eye pain and being unable to see at times, and now has a bad case of snow blindness. For a long time he lay on the floor of the lodge with his cracked and haggard face covered, but the pain was such he couldn’t rest. When he rose to his feet he was unsteady and his eyes were screwed tight shut.See All Event Posts
