– It will be another trip that will demand everything from me, Jens Kvernmo told news about his new adventure. On Friday last week, he started from Ogndal in Trøndelag on the almost 1,200 kilometer trip to Alta. Along the way, he and the dog team will mostly drive in Swedish wilderness, before the team crosses Finland and enters Norway again. This week, Kvernmo felt the forces of nature on the way to the big goal, the Finnmarksløpet. In the Swedish village of Jorm in Jämtland, the adventurer and the dogs had to seek shelter from the storm. They happened to end up at a farm that gave them shelter on Wednesday afternoon. – Now the whole gang is in a barn, says Kvernmo, who adds that it was very windy on the next mountain they were to pass. There it was blowing up to 50 meters per second in the throws. BAD WEATHER: This photo is from one of the first days of the trip to Kvernmo. Then there were also storms which gave them extra challenges. Photo: Jens Kvernmo – I’m glad we didn’t stay there. Then we could have been left standing and it could have been a disaster. ADVENTURE: There was a little more excitement than desired for the adventurer Jens Kvernmo on the expedition from Trøndelag to Finnmark with dog team. They were met by the storm, and have now had to seek shelter in a barn. Photo: Private Sweden’s Meteorological Institute (SMHI) on Thursday issued a red danger warning for a hurricane in the west of the county of Norrbotten. On Thursday, a new wind record had already been confirmed in Stekenjokk, a mountain area located near Trønder’s Røyrvik municipality. 51.8 meters per second in average wind is the highest speed measured in Sweden. On the farm, the dog handler and the dogs have been well looked after by the Swedish family who opened the barn door for them. – I have been fed several times a day, says Kvernmo. Afraid of cows Jens Kvernmo’s dog team mainly consists of dogs unknown to the adventurer. He has his own Alaskan clouds, Bamse and Tarzan. In addition, he borrows ten dogs from dog runner Steinar Kristensen from Alta, who last year came second in the 1200 class in the Finnmark race. – We have never been on a trip, I had not learned the names of all the dogs before we started. We are actually completely unknown to each other, says Kvernmo. Trønder believes it will be a very nice and exciting process to get to know the team. – When you drive new dog teams, you notice when the time comes that you merge with the dogs, that they recognize you as leader. DOG TEAM: The husky Emma and the rest of the dog team, together with Jens Kvernmo, had to seek shelter from the storm in a barn in Sweden. But Emma is afraid of cows. He and the dogs have already had several experiences together, because already on day two they were met by a storm. – So it has been a really tiring journey, says Kvernmo. So far, there are lively dogs in the pack, but Emma, who is one of the dogs in the pack, is not very excited about either the shelter they have been given – or the storm raging outside. – She is terrified of cows, but doesn’t want to go out either, laughs the adventurer. NEXT STOP: Jens Kvernmo leaves his home place here and started the journey to Alta with the dog team. Photo: Tariq Alisubh / news From 600 to 1200 kilometres, the Hundespannet and Jens Kvernmo are hopefully ready for the start of the Finnmark race on 8 March. Finnmarksløpet is Europe’s longest dog race, with three classes; junior, 600 kilometers and 1200 kilometers. The longest class goes from Alta to Kirkenes and back. Last year, the well-known outdoorsman participated for the first time in the 600 kilometer long class in the Finnmarksløpet. He was then the first to drive to the finish line with a full team. – It was a fantastic moment and very emotional. So there were some tears on the river, Kvernmo then said. With that he secured qualification for the 1200 class. Last year, Jens Kvernmo drove to a 15th place in the 600 class. Photo: Finnmarksløpet Completely unknown dogs During the also 1,200 kilometer long route north, Kvernmo has set out several depots with dog food and other things he might need on the trip. If the trip is not stopped by the storm “Ingunn”, the plan is to stop at famous people along the way. But he is prepared to manage alone in the wilderness for a long time. – We have equipment to be out for up to four days. So there will be a load of 100 kg. In a team of twelve almost completely unknown dogs, Jens Kvernmo is now on his way north. Photo: Tariq Alisubh / news Jens Kvernmo will drive with the dog team from Trøndelag to Finnmark. The plan is to mostly drive in Sweden. – Very unusual, Finnmarksløpet’s communications manager Trond Anton Andersen thinks Kvernmo’s run-up to the dog race is “really cool”. – I admire that he does it. I’ve never heard of anyone doing that. It is very unusual. Andersen has full faith that Kvernmo will reach the starting line in time – if the extreme weather does not prevent him. For 13 years, Trond Anton Andersen has received all the dog teams that reach the finish line during the Finnmark race. He thinks he will also take on Kvernmo this year. Photo: Hanne Wilhelms / news – I also have a very strong belief that he will be able to complete the 1200 class at the first attempt. He does not believe that the Trønder will care about the table and where he is in the race. – What I expect from Jens is that he will drive in a rather cautious style. At the same time, he has good dogs. This year too, I think he wants to bring many dogs to the finish line, says Andersen. Envious Hundekjører Inger-Marie Haaland won the Finnmarksløpet longest distance in 2009 as the first woman. In 2012, she repeated the feat. The experienced dog walker says that she herself has dreamed of driving the dogs north many times, and must admit that she is envious. – I don’t really know if I would take it as a prelude to running the Finnmarksløpet, but the fact that he is doing it is very, very exciting. I’m sure he’ll have a great time. She believes it is a particularly nice charge since the trønder does not know the dogs from before. Haaland believes he can expect the same conditions as during a long dog race. Because it can also be windy on Finnmarksvidda. Dog handler Inger-Marie Haaland won the Finnmark race in 2009 and 2012. This year she will be on the sidelines. Photo: Allan Klo / news – You get a bit of everything. You get mild weather, cold, lots of snow, hard-packed snow. You get good tracks and you get no tracks. In that sense, it is extremely good preparation for both the dog handler and the dogs. The risk of injury increases on such a trip, but Haaland believes that you can prevent a lot if you take the right precautions. – The dogs are also hardened through such a trip, she says. I think he will reach Last year’s winner of Europe’s longest dog race, Petter Karlsson, cruised to the finish line after 6 days and 19 hours. Although it is the same distance that Kvernmo will drive from Trøndelag to Finnmark, he believes that four weeks on tour will be just enough to reach the start. Jens Kvernmo hopes that he will arrive in time to be able to drive out of the starting area at the Finnmarksløpet this year as well. Photo: Hanne Wilhelms / news – But it completely depends on the weather and the weather. If it’s hard and nice, four miles every day is nothing. If there is a lot of snow, heavy driving and bad roads, then four miles can be very far. – What do you do if you notice that you don’t make it to the start in Alta? – That is a good question. I haven’t decided on that. I think I will have to make that assessment along the way. On Friday morning, he makes the choice whether the journey from the barn continues towards Finnmark, or whether “Ingunn” ends the adventure for this time. – We take one day at a time, says Kvernmo from the barn in Sweden.
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Jens Kvernmo drives 1,200 km with a dog team – had to seek shelter in a barn during the storm “Ingunn” – news Troms and Finnmark
