Day 8
Distance traveled: 51.1 km
Position: N45° 43 E098° 30
The wind tunnelled thought the mountains all night beating on our tent, keeping the three of us awake. It was a tail wind, and when the sun came up we launched our smallest 4 meter Ozone kites and left the mountains behind us. However as the terrain flattened out at the edge of the foot hills the winds increased, to the point where the gusts would rip the kites our of our hands. In the valley to our right, dust devils whirled looking like mini tornadoes.
Once again we rolled up our kites and pulled our buggies. Earlier in the trip we had to pull our buggies because the terrain would not cooperate, but today, painful we pulled them across great kiting terrain. The winds were way to strong even for our smallest kite, so we put our heads together and came up with a alternative plan. Out came the leatherman and we butchered our spare line, re-rigging our smallest kites onto very short two meter lines. And away we went, into the night till it became two dark to travel, and our bodies were sore. After over a week of hard work and slow progress it feels great to be making miles forward.
The air is dryer, and the terrain has been showing less signs of vegetation. Dust has managed to get into everything we own. But ahead of us lays flat slightly rolling terrain as far as we can see. And just beyond, about 75 km away is a river were we can refill our water supply and attempt to scrub some of the dirt of our bodies.
Sarah
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