With the engine stopped all noise ceased, except for the quiet roar of the wind and the creaking of the ice. Mirka hurried to get off the Skidoo so she could empty her rather full bladder. She stopped a couple dozen steps away to squat on the ice, but didn’t bother trying to get out of view. Except for whiteout conditions that would make getting away hazardous, the flat landscape and slowly curving valley walls made attempting to get out of view a futile exercise.
While her parents made use of the same spot she had, Mirka took a couple sips of water from her thermos and moved around a little to stretch her legs a bit. They all took off their windproof jackets long enough to remove the outer insulating layer.