And so she woke up
Woke up from where she was
Lying still
Said I gotta do something
About where we’re going
Step on a steam train
Step out of the driving rain, maybe
Run from the darkness in the night
Singing Ha, Ah La La La De Day – U2
If you take on a big enough challenge, one that takes a long time to complete, it’s pretty easy to slip off the radar. Each day for sometime now as we get up and go on with our day and plan our summer paddling season, Renata Chlumska has diligently been working her way around the lower 48 by bike and kayak. Today I want to take time to acknowledge Renata and this amazing undertaking.
She and her partner Goran Kropp had been planning this 10,850 mile circumnavigation for some time. Life had to be good. Her and Goran had moved to Issaquah, Washington with an exciting future laid out before them. Then in an instant the world goes “freeze-frame”. In 2002 while Renata was leading a trek to Everest Base Camp, Kropp fell from a flaky basalt crack on the Sunshine Wall in Washington state.
As we all know, Renata ultimately decided to do this trip solo. In fact right this minute she is probably paddling her way east along the golf coast somewhere near Mobile, Alabama.
A circumnavigation of the lower 48 is no easy task. In fact, it’s never been done. I remember a quote from the BBC comedy “Father Ted” who when talking about a dancing priest crossing the US, said he was “only mugged every 15 miles or so”. But seriously, she will be paddling some difficult seas along the way as well as the Great Lakes, and we can’t overlook the miles of bike trekking to complete this amazing adventure. One that most of us could not conceive, let along take on. I was thinking that she will probobly put more miles under her hull in this single trip than some of us will in a lifetime. I certainly wish her all the best, today and every day to come.
Recently I had read a pretty bizarre post on Pnet regarding this expedition and was really shocked by the guys spin on things. Let’s be fair here guys, Renata is no punk. She claims a long list of solo accomplishments including:
- 1995 Project manager for the Sweden-Everest Solo Expedition 95-96. Part of the film crew in Europe, Turkey and Pakistan.
- 1996 Base camp manager for the Swedish-Everest Solo Expedition, 7 weeks. Bicycled 4000 km from Nepal to Sweden, thru India, Pakistan, China and Russia.
- 1997 Organized an expedition to Shishapangma 8012 m, Tibet. Became the first Swedish woman to reach above 8000 m without supplementary oxygen by reaching the Central summit, 8006 m. Drove a motorcycle all the way from India, New Delhi, thru Pakistan, Iran, Turkey and Europe to Sweden.
- 1999 Project manager for the Swedish Everest Cleaning Expedition. Became the first Swedish and Czech woman to summit Mount Everest. Motorcycle expedition in India, 2 weeks.
- 2000 Project manager for Swedish North Pole Expedition. Adventure consultant for Swedish Television show, 1 month. Organized and guided 2 trips to Kilimanjaro.
- 2001 Organized and guided 2 trips to Kilimanjaro. Recon on Kilimanjaro for Swedish Television. Organized and guided 1 trip to Mount Everest base camp.
- 2002 Organized and guided 1 trip to Kilimanjaro. Kenya, Ice climbing. Organized and guided 1 trip to Mount Everest base camp.
- 2003 Appointed by Outside Magazine as one of the 25 most successful female athletes year 2003.
Hopefully a few of us Wisconsinites can catch up to her when she reaches the Apostles!
So what’s the point of such an adventure? I’m not sure there really has to be one. All I can say is I can’t help but be inspired. And in our world inspiration seems reason enough! In fact, it’s a damn good reason.
- d
—————————————————–
Read More;
Official Website – http://www.renatachlumska.com/
Krusell Article – http://www.krusell.se/renata.php
National Geographic Article about Goran Kropp – http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2002/10/1004_021004_kroppclimber.html
Wenley’s July Blog – http://www.onkayaks.squarespace.com/journal/2005/7/2/saturday-july-2nd-2005-renata-chlumska.html
Get Outdoors Article – http://www.getoutdoors.com/goblog/index.php?/archives/132-Renata-Chlumska-Circumnavigating-the-Lower-48-By-Bike-and-Kayak.html
Photos of Renata provided by Björn Landerberg. Used by permission.
And so she woke up
Woke up from where she was
Lying still
Said I gotta do something
About where we’re going
Step on a steam train
Step out of the driving rain, maybe
Run from the darkness in the night
Singing Ha, Ah La La La De Day – U2
If you take on a big enough challenge, one that takes a long time to complete, it’s pretty easy to slip off the radar. Each day for sometime now as we get up and go on with our day and plan our summer paddling season, Renata Chlumska has diligently been working her way around the lower 48 by bike and kayak. Today I want to take time to acknowledge Renata and this amazing undertaking.
She and her partner Goran Kropp had been planning this 10,850 mile circumnavigation for some time. Life had to be good. Her and Goran had moved to Issaquah, Washington with an exciting future laid out before them. Then in an instant the world goes “freeze-frame”. In 2002 while Renata was leading a trek to Everest Base Camp, Kropp fell from a flaky basalt crack on the Sunshine Wall in Washington state.
A circumnavigation of the lower 48 is no easy task. In fact, it’s never been done. I remember a quote from the BBC comedy “Father Ted” who when talking about a dancing priest crossing the US, said he was “only mugged every 15 miles or so”. But seriously, she will be paddling some difficult seas along the way as well as the Great Lakes, and we can’t overlook the miles of bike trekking to complete this amazing adventure. One that most of us could not conceive, let along take on. I was thinking that she will probobly put more miles under her hull in this single trip than some of us will in a lifetime. I certainly wish her all the best, today and every day to come.
Recently I had read a pretty bizarre post on Pnet regarding this expedition and was really shocked by the guys spin on things. Let’s be fair here guys, Renata is no punk. She claims a long list of solo accomplishments including:
- 1995 Project manager for the Sweden-Everest Solo Expedition 95-96. Part of the film crew in Europe, Turkey and Pakistan.
- 1996 Base camp manager for the Swedish-Everest Solo Expedition, 7 weeks. Bicycled 4000 km from Nepal to Sweden, thru India, Pakistan, China and Russia.
- 1997 Organized an expedition to Shishapangma 8012 m, Tibet. Became the first Swedish woman to reach above 8000 m without supplementary oxygen by reaching the Central summit, 8006 m. Drove a motorcycle all the way from India, New Delhi, thru Pakistan, Iran, Turkey and Europe to Sweden.
- 1999 Project manager for the Swedish Everest Cleaning Expedition. Became the first Swedish and Czech woman to summit Mount Everest. Motorcycle expedition in India, 2 weeks.
- 2000 Project manager for Swedish North Pole Expedition. Adventure consultant for Swedish Television show, 1 month. Organized and guided 2 trips to Kilimanjaro.
- 2001 Organized and guided 2 trips to Kilimanjaro. Recon on Kilimanjaro for Swedish Television. Organized and guided 1 trip to Mount Everest base camp.
- 2002 Organized and guided 1 trip to Kilimanjaro. Kenya, Ice climbing. Organized and guided 1 trip to Mount Everest base camp.
- 2003 Appointed by Outside Magazine as one of the 25 most successful female athletes year 2003.
Hopefully a few of us Wisconsinites can catch up to her when she reaches the Apostles!
So what’s the point of such an adventure? I’m not sure there really has to be one. All I can say is I can’t help but be inspired. And in our world inspiration seems reason enough! In fact, it’s a damn good reason.
- d
—————————————————–
Read More;
Official Website – http://www.renatachlumska.com/
Krusell Article – http://www.krusell.se/renata.php
National Geographic Article about Goran Kropp – http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2002/10/1004_021004_kroppclimber.html
Wenley’s July Blog – http://www.onkayaks.squarespace.com/journal/2005/7/2/saturday-july-2nd-2005-renata-chlumska.html
Get Outdoors Article – http://www.getoutdoors.com/goblog/index.php?/archives/132-Renata-Chlumska-Circumnavigating-the-Lower-48-By-Bike-and-Kayak.html
Photos of Renata provided by Björn Landerberg. Used by permission.