Spoke with Mingo today, had an issue with the boat motor, very frustrating as you can imagine. Just another little delay. He had a great mechanic taking care of the problem, and feels comftable now that is over with. All is a working perfect, made some tests to make sure. It will be great to get in the water now as the wind has let up for now.

Hey all of you out there, I just spoke with Mingo this A.M., said he was just north of Great Falls Montana, about 2 hours from Canada. He is having alot of fun camping along the way. There were some thunderstorms and winds but it is all cool with him, he is just happy to be moving right along, More updates to come. Thanks for checking in.
Dee

I spoke with Mingo this afternoon he is very happy to finally be on his way. All his equiptment has been checked out and working properly so he feels confident about that. Just getting into Nevada near Lake Mead, says it looks like rain might be ahead. He hopes to be in Salt Lake City Utah tonight. I will update you when I hear from him.

Become a participant and supporter by helping to fund this ambitious expedition. While supporting arctic adventure and research you will receive valuable gifts from BUI. Enjoy our expedition blog, in biweekly entries, so you can follow and experience living a real life adventure. Please join Bears Unlimited Inc in exploring wild places and exploring the wild places within our souls and our dreams. Each donation helps advance this adventurous journey into this vast, remote and wondrous wilderness. While advancing my progress in the Alaskan wilderness you will receive valuable products from the Bears Unlimited Inc, book and apparel line plus professionally prepared images, expedition books and expedition videos from Alaska taken on this expedition. You will also have the pleasure of furthering our work in helping to save all bears, this wilderness and our environment. You will further be honored as BUI supporters on our expedition website and in the expedition book that will be written about this ambitious expedition.

All the funds that are collected from this offering will be returned to the individual if this expedition has to be scrubbed. That is not foreseen at this time but the complexity of this effort dictates that if serious problems arise, even at this late date, that you will receive your generous donation back .All sponsorship will be for fuel and consumables that will be used in the field as I proceed through this wonderful region.

Sponsorship levels

$25.00 Your choice of one of Attu’s Adventures books. This book will be signed by both Attu and Mingo plus a 8×11 expedition image.

$50.00 Your choice of two of the Attu’s Adventures signed books plus your choice of a BUI tee shirt or a special edition 2011 Arctic Expedition tee shirt.

$75.00 For this level of participation you will receive three of Attu’s Adventures signed books, plus your choice of either BUI or special edition tee shirts plus a 11×14 custom matted print taken on this expedition.

$100.00 Receive both Bui and special edition expedition tee shirts plus a custom matted and signed 12×16 polar or brown bear print.

$150.00 Receive both tee shirts, A signed copy of the expedition book, plus a signed 12×16 custom matted print of your choice from the expeditions film library.

$200.00 Receive all that is offered for the $150.00 level plus a DVD of the expedition. This 50 minute video will show you the beauty that I saw and the adventure that this expedition dealt to me. This is a raw and sporty wilderness that allows one to see and feel the power of Mother Nature.

$300.00 Your choice of an expedition image in a 16×24 size matted and signed by me. This image will be archival and gallery quality printed on top quality paper and professionally matted and framed. The image will be of your choice from my expedition library. You will also receive a signed copy of the expedition book.

$500.00 This is a special and very different way to support an expedition, be there. I am offering a seat on the Attu Voyager so two people can experience a true wilderness experience. Join me for 500 miles of cruising on the Yukon River from the bridge at the haul road to Eagle. These exciting 500 miles will take you through Yukon Flats National Preserve and Yukon Charlie National Preserve. You will venture north of the Arctic Circle at Fort Yukon. This is a true wilderness adventure, no hotels, no wonderful bars or restaurants, no showers, just unbelievable wilderness lands that you will never forget. If you are interested please call me or email.

All images are printed on quality photo papers and matting is professionally performed. Paper is 75 year archival. Framed images are protected behind clear UV glass

Risk is what I manage when I am in the field. In Yellowstone, on a rock or ice wall there are always associated risks. On my 2009 Yukon expedition I tore my shoulder tendons and separated that shoulder but continued to kayak over 400 more miles with a numb hand, a pain filled shoulder and a wonderful and exceptionally pleasant experience. That is risk management. On this expedition the risks are much great and the consequences much more severe than on the mighty Yukon. Cruising 5500 miles of some of the toughest territory on earth is not a matter that one takes lightly, not even me. So when I leave Arizona on July 5th I will have the highest confidence in my gear, my training and in myself. The only other thing that I need is your support in helping me pay for the $3000.00 that I will use in fuel and consumables that I need to purchase along the way.

I sincerely thank you for your support and help.

I have set my departure date as June 27. This is about 10 days later than I believed that I would go. Why the delay? No delay at all, just adjusting to ice conditions on the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas. Lots of ice still! Landfast ice breakup at Barrow is projected around the 1st of July. Then I need another 10 days to make sure that I have enough clear water to maneuver from hazards. I also have to worry about pan ice reforming. My boat will not be a great icebreaker.

I have one more major test with the Attu Voyager in the water on the 25th. She has been upgraded in many areas and all these changes have to be tested. Engine systems that were upgraded or rebuilt need to be thoroughly tested as a mechanical malfunction would be a serious and possibly fatal event. Many other systems can only be tested at the point of use and this bothers me a bit. It will be interesting as I get deeper into the journey and these systems are tested.

Logistically this is a very tough expedition. It is long, it is remote and it is bereft with unknowns. I am still unsure of how I will obtain enough sleep while in polar bear areas. How much fuel I will use and the cost? How many rubber slugs to take vs. real slugs? Will my siren based bear perimeter give me enough warning when sleeping on ice or on the barrier islands? Communications, how will this work without satellite phone coverage? In late September will brown bears bother me as they are looking for as many calories as they can find? Will my name become calories to them?

These are some of the questions that I have not been able to answer completely. These are some of the issues that I will probably not answer until the moment that they present themselves. Exciting huh! Well that is what I think too and that is why I am looking forward to this adventurous challenge.

Just prior to my leaving and after the last engine and mechanical, I will write and post a final update. On this one I will detail each system and each section of the journey. This should be interesting for anyone wanting to do a long trip and to others just watching and wondering how one prepares for a never before attempted adventure.

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