Walk to Tuk'!

 
"I walked to Tuk!" is the slogan of the 2013 Mackenzie River Walking Challenge (slogan from the website pictured on the right). "Form a community, schools and workplaces team," advises the website ( Challenge Homepage), "and together ‘walk the distance’ of the Mackenzie River from Fort Providence to Tuktoyaktuk. Teams have from January 7 – March 4, 2013 to collectively walk a total of 1658 km." The Challenge is organized by NWT Recreation and Parks Association (http://nwtrpa.org/rpa/ ), and sponsored by local businesses, including First Air which has donated a flight to be won by some lucky draw participant.

It's quite a distance, and one a person couldn't do as such, certainly not in winter but not in summer either, although it might be possible to boat it, I suspect (but don't know).

My team - "The Arctic Plodders" - is organized by my sister's friend, librarian Erin. Walking achievement is submitted in time rather than distance. The goal, of course, is health, accepting the premise that activity leads to health and that walking is a great activity. I concur - the walking for my almost daily errands amounts to at least 20-30 minutes, sometimes an hour if I go out several times. I suppose that if one can have something against Yellowknife, it's that everything is so close by it might be difficult to get in the requisite time!

The Challenge seems particularly keen on Nordic walking, and the website shows groups of hardy folk poling steadily on snow-covered paths/roads. I do have some poles (ski poles, but hey), and should dig them out. I've found that walking in the cold - even in the -30s - is really quite pleasant, for the most part, as long as one dresses the part.

Should be fun to track the hours and "walk to Tuk!"