Rob DesLauriers  John Falkiner  Frederik Jacobi  Kit Katzenbach  Ace Kvale  Kasha Rigby  Scot Schmidt  Jim Zellers

Ace Kvale

Hear Ace's Call

Kasha Rigby

Kasha Rigby: Hi Mountain Zone, this is Kasha. We did, we have had such a brilliant day. We woke up on the Katun River this morning and cooked and drove here and arrived right around dusk, just past sunset. At this — I don't know — this spa in this crazy town... outside of town.

We had to hurry, hurry, hurry to get to dinner. First we thought we were going to take a sauna. So, we get there, and we take a sauna, and first thing I know, I'm getting dressed and someone is yelling at me. And I think they're yelling at me to hurry to get to dinner, but they're yelling at me because I'm putting my clothes on — and I should be going to have dinner in my towel, I suppose. So, we all went, all 12 of us, having dinner in pretty much togas, sheets and towels and just a bacchanalian feast of fish and meats and potatoes and every bit of fruits and vegetables, things we haven't seen at all the whole trip.

So we sat down, we ate. Then they yelled at us to get in the sauna, then they yelled at us to get out of the sauna and start eating again. We just finished saunas, huge meals, couple of hot cups of tea. And we have a super early start tomorrow to get back to Moscow, and we'll talk to you tomorrow.

[Party sounds follow... the passing of the phone.]

— Ace Kvale and Kasha Rigby, Mountain Zone Correspondents

EXPEDITION DISPATCHES