I just noticed that there was not a roll call thread for our trip to Churchill. Who will be joining us on this wonderful adventure?

I saw on Ngaire's website that there are still two rooms available. We could always use a couple more couples that loves to drink, check out the wildlife, drink, play pooch, and drink.

We will even take Cal and Lehigh grads! :D

Roll Call:

Susan
Arlene and Marc
Pat and Ray
Marcia and Diane
Lynn

We're booked...did someone say drinks? Pooch?Bears?...Count us in.

Hi.

diane and & are onboard.

Marcia

I need major Pooch lessons.

Lynn (kirky5) is on. Too bad she can't bring Snowe White with her.

You'll love Pooch, Diane. It's a lot of fun. Crystal was the Pooch winner on the last leg of DC.

Any Poochers on MOOSE? We can find a window-side table in the Observation Lounge to play and watch the wonders of Alaska!

I've only played Pooch twice but it is FUN. If you've ever played bridge it might help. Also, Ralph & Mark will get Texas Hold'em game together (my favorite more than POOCH) maybe you can do both.

Yes, I am officially on Polar Bears. Seems impossible to be thinking of cold when I leave for Egypt on Weds.
Lynn

Never played bridge or chess. Checkers it is for me. But I'll give it the Pooch try

I think it is time to see if anyone else will join the roll call. We have 5 rooms accounted for, 2 available, so that ,I believe, leaves 3 rooms of mystery guests.
Lynn

Unfortunately Marc and I have had to cancel this trip. We are bummed to say the least. :mecry: :mecry:

We have been wanting to do this for at least 5 or 6 years, and have had this booked twice and now canceled twice. His schedule in his new job here makes it impossible for us to go. We will be following everyone's every post and picture though....

So so sorry. I had been forward to meeting you

What a bummer. I was so looking forward to meeting you and Marc. I hope everything is alright.
Lynn

Arlene sorry for you both but, as you said, the old "work schedule" intrudes at the darndest times ...

Indeed it does... Oh to be retired....

Still I cannot be too sad as we are still able to do so much traveling this year... it is just that some of it isn't when we wanted it to be.

:app: :app: POLAR BEAR EXPRESS :app: :app:

The check has been sent

The flight has been booked

Maybe it's time to start a new roll call:

Pat and Ray........RPM
Lynn...............kirky5
Marcia & Diane.....coffeecup
Susan

The way my work-month has been going, I'm so psyched for this

Anybody else?

I'm psyched!

Marcia

This is probably the most inactive escorted tour ever on LCT, so I thought I would post just to see what everyone is thinking about it.
Marc and Arlene, I am sorry you had to cancel. I was really looking forward to meeting you.
Diane, I just started a new knitting project, but I will not be bringing it, because it is a complicated pattern. I may bring an ongoing project to use up old yarn.
Marcia, Pat and Ray, looking forward to meeting you.
Susan, I will find out who you really are, rather than just a voice on the phone, or a picture...and get to meet your husband.
To everyone else who is not listed, but going, we will have a lot of fun. It will be a very different vacation .
Lynn

So ready for this.
Lynn--only bringing knitting if it fits in my carry on. No checked bags this trip.
By the way--love the Snow White pix

I am planning to do the same...only carry on bags. But I figure we will only need a limited wardrobe and I will wear a lot of the heavy stuff.
Lynn

Hi.

Can't wait to go! Just got the information and am so, so excited!

Marcia

I promise those of you that are going will LOVE this trip. It is so amazing to be in such a remote area too, I felt quite priviledged to experience this area of the world.

You have the same guide we had, Steve, and he is great. Very down to earth and friendly we all really liked him a lot. Extremely accommodating too a liquor shop run is NO PROBLEM.

It will be COLD remember that, gloves, hats, and boots with heavy socks etc. It warms up in the Tundra buggy but then when people open the windows to take pictures of the bears that COLD rushes in. The school bus you use for transportation is a little chilly until the heater gets going.

Gypsy's cafe where you will eat. YUM YUM. Best place in town bar none.

We had a few guests last year in our group as we did not fill up the tundra buggy, one was a professional photographer. He had been in Churchill for about 3 weeks going with different operators. Not as much to test the operators just to get space on the buggys as he wanted to spend the entire season there for photograpy and booked quite late. Some of the outfitters he went with where the least expensive and some quite a bit more expensive than this company.

He rated Steve the best guide, the type of tundra buggy we had as the best, Gypsy's as the best place to eat by a long shot. He liked our motel said there was one other as good but no better. He said if he came again he would book the entire season and try to get Steve for every trip.

So on good authority you are going to get the best experience possible. Writing this I find myself WANTING TO COME. Why cant I be in two places at once?

Have a BLAST and I wish you some SUN DOGS. Steve will explain.

Information booklet arrived this morning....Have to rethink protection for cameras.

Just realized I don't own a parka, just a winter car coat....but it does have a hood.

Getting excited as well and looking forward to meeting you all.

I think your coat will be fine if you layer under it. You're from Canada, so you know what you're in for.

Yes but remember I'm from Southern Ontario, and not a true Northerner.
I actually found my Mukluks that Ray bought me about 35 years ago...Think I'll bring them just for the fun of it.

I checked the average temperatures for the dates we will be there. The weather channel says the average high is 25 and the average low is 13 Fahrenheit. They showed a picture and the body of water has not frozen over as of yesterday.
Lynn

Ngaire, how did Ken handle the possible condensation problems with his camera?

We will all be toasty unless it's windy. Then, get those scarves up and around!

To the few Polarbearites among us:

See below:

http://www.polarbearalley.com/

The credit for this find goes to Marcia and her great detective skills

I cannot believe this trip is almost upon us....where did October go?
Lynn

I still wish we had not had to cancel this one! I will be waiting for "sea" mail on this one!

It will be up to Lynn, Pat or Ray. No laptop for me this trip.

Sorry, but no Laptop for me on this one either.

Todays temperature is around 36 degrees F...Thats nice weather.

It is forcast to be around 23F on the 29th. Sure hope they get some snow.
Bought me a pair of mitts that have the fingers cut off so it's easy to take photos.

Getting cloaser to the day I bring out the luggage.

Was happy to learn there was a liquer store there so we can pick up a pint of rum in case it gets too cold out on the Tundra....Nothing like a sip of pure rum to warm you up all the way down to your toes....guess scotch/and or brandy would work just as well....Hot chocolate would be ok in a pinch,LOL.

Hot chocolate with peppermint schnapps will keep you warm. :D

We hope you have a wonderful trip and take some wonderful photos. Looks like we will wait for the reports until after you return.

cocoa with everything in it!

I have a basic cannon camera and I bought a lens to hook onto it. Have to figure out how to use it now.

this short 5 dayer sounds like it will be filled with full, full days

Who'se going to drive the tundra buggy like Linda did in the pictures?

Would you trust a "Krazy Kamikazi Kanuck" behind the wheel? (love alliteration) <img border="0" alt="[beer]" title="" src="graemlins/beer.gif" />

Can't think of anything greater!

I will do anything!!! Even though I am a klutz, I enjoy trying new things!
However, I cannot find my weatherproof pants!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Lynn

LOL,I never owned a pair of those.... what are they,Rubberized ?

Current temperature in Churchill is 26F. and lite snow

It should be around 22/23 F. and a bit sunny when we get there....hope there is NO wind. Pat

They are more like ski pants...outside fairly waterproof and then padded throughout with fiberfill, to keep you warm. But I just found them 5 minutes ago!!!!!
Can't wait to meet you Pat and Ray, and everyone else!
Lynn

LOL guess you can tell I don't ski....Looking forward to meeting you all as well.

I just stole one of my son's jeans with felt lining. He wears them to the Packer games, so I think they'll do fine.

If the weather stays in the 20s, and the winds are low (a big if), hopefully everyone will be comfortable

When does everyone arrive Wednesday?

OMG, you all start your POLAR BEAR journey this week. Do have the best time and we want pictures and stories on your return!! Keep warm, y'all!!!!!

Have a wonderful time!!!!

We will miss meeting everyone and enjoying the bears and the snow.

Now if I could only figure out how to work the new lens for my camera

We are arriving on Wed. around 12:15 noon on Air canada...this will be my first time in Winnipeg,or in Manitoba.
Now the only places left in North America will be Alaska and Saskatchewan.....Oh and Vancouver Island.

Had to go out and buy winter boots today that I can wear with a pair of socks. My other winter boots are fit to wear nylons or thin socks.

Brought up the bags today...excitement is growing....camera is ready,including those large plastic bags to keep camera in.

Forcast in Churchill looks great, let's hope it stays that way.

Marcia is arriving sometime around then, so you may run into her in the shuttle

Diane, I am not arriving, as you know, until 5:32pm! I will just have time to check in and relax for a few minutes before dinner.
Lynn

Well it's finally here....POLAR BEAR time.

Boarding passes printed off.

Winter boots,scarf,gloves,etc in bag.

Talked to Winnipeg...no snow yet....so going in with shoes on.

Looking forward to meeting you all.

Bon Voyage, you lucky BEARS!!! :bv:

Bon Voyage!!

I sure wish we were on our way there too :mecry: :mecry:

Any way please send lots of "sea mail" and pictures and have a wonderful time :bv:

What a great bear picture.

Looking forward to meeting everyone. Silly, though, I will miss my own polar bear of a dog. My son could care less if I'm gone (or secretly cheers) but that dog--I'll have to pay when I return, even from 5 days.

They say the internet is spotty at best and cell phones may not work, so who knows about pix until we return

As long as you see bears, have a fantastic time and we have bear photos after you all return, that's all that matters. Have a great trip.

Would love to be going with you! Have a great time!!

Well it's 5:18am here and we leave for the airport around 8am...time enough to have some coffee and toast before we're picked up.

Betty I will take some BEAR photos just for you to make up for the ones you missed in Alaska.

I called the Aurora Inn yesterday to check on the snow situation....guess what....hardly any snow there and temperatures will be in the 34F range till Sunday.....then dropping to 24 F...BRRRRR!!!
About 6 to 8 inches of snow forcast in the next 3 days.

I said to Ray gee,those temperatures aren't that bad and he said don't forget the weather can turn on a dime up there....don't think I'll need my bathing suit .

Time to start singing "North to Alaska",ooops ,guess that should be "North to Churchill"

You all have the best time!!!

To: Polar Bears

From: Teddy Bears

http://www.jacquielawson.com/viewcard.asp?code=1947018432161&source=jl999

So cute Ray!! :app:

We were originally signed up for this so can bear-ly wait to hear all about it and see your pictures. Have a great time!