Roy Perritt (43)
Roy has been married for 24 years and is the father of four. He lives a short distance outside Peterborough Ontario, Canada, in a log home he constructed himself.
 
In 1980 he joined the Armed forces where he served as a Combat Engineer, Paratrooper, Combat diver, Peace Keeper.

In the army he had an extensive high Artic training while building ice runways on the North West Sea Passage. With the Special Forces he went to Israel, Syria and Lebanon for peace keeping operations. He left the army in 1988.

Roy is now a professional ”canoe hiking - winter travel guide” in Algonquin Park, Northern Quebec, Yukon, North Kawartha’s, Lake Superior Region and the rivers to James Bay. He is also a government-qualified trapper and thus spends the vast majority of his time in the Canadian Wilderness.

In 2005 Roy has been hired as an Algonquin Ranger for the spring, summer and fall of 2005. Hiss duties consisted of canoe patrolling over the 7700 square kilometres of Algonquin Provencal Park.

During these patrols he does general trail maintenance, eco camping education and policing.

During the winter he lives in a small cabin with no electricity or plumbing. A unique but rewarding life style that fits into the surrounding eco system. Roy is an expert at explaining how this life style is environmentally sounder then the resource draining ways of most western world citizens.

Wilfried Van Gompel (43)
Wilfried is the kind of person who thinks all he does is “oh, nothing special”.

Besides having a demanding job and being father of a daughter and a son, he is what you call a sports freak. You name it, he has done it. Biking, running and swimming is what he most likes.

Wilfried has no outdoor experience whatsoever, but, thanks to his almost daily workouts in the gym, he is the man in shape.

The “Algonquin Winter Crossing 2006” not bad as a first experience!

Dirk Michiels (45)
Having spent his entire childhood next to a farm, Dirk was always to be found “outdoors” He was also a very devoted scout-boy, learning and practicing all kinds of skills and “good to knows”.

Dirk is a true “Bob the Builder”.
Any question about construction or renovation, ask him, he has the answers.

A couple of years ago Bert took him for a day hike to the “Hautes Fagnes” and ever since he is found there hiking whenever he can.

Two canoeing trips, one in Quebec and one in Ontario convinced him, if you are in for some adventure, head for Canada!

Although his fitness level is excellent, a three weeks hike in Nepal will serve as an extra preparation for the Crossing.

On the Crossing Dirk will definitely be the “fire starter”, once a scout, always a scout.

Ludovic Francois (40)
Ludo is passion! Whatever he does is passion. Be it biking, making music, running, or just enjoying life, it’s always with loads of energy. Nowadays biking is his preferred sport.

Although he is the French-speaking member of the team, once on a bike, he feels like a real flandrien.

He is the only one between the Belgians with real expedition experience. In 1990 he covered in six months about 8000 kilometres biking, canoeing and hiking, between Calgary (Alberta) and Anchorage (Alaska).

With his typical joy de vivre he will make us all laugh, even when things get rough.

Bert Poffé (36)
Bert has always had a special interest in the First Nations of the United States and Canada.

In Belgium “the Hautes Fagnes” are the place to be for him. “It’s a bit like Canada” he always says, “with a bit of imagination of course”.

In Europe, Scotland and the Pyrenees are his favourite “getaways”.

During his many trips to Canada he has done backpacking, dog sledding, horse riding, snowshoeing, canoeing, ...

The best memories nevertheless are those of his stay with the Atikamekw First Nation in Manawan, Quebec and with Regent Sioui (Huron) and Bob 7 Crows (Mic Mac) in Quebec.

Together with his wife, Kiki and Roy, he already crossed the Algonquin Park once, a demanding trip that took them 11 days canoeing.

The real challenge of course is to succeed the Crossing of this fabulous wilderness in the midst of the Canadian winter.

Dan Wilmore (32)
Dan is a heck of a nice guy and he certainly is in great shape (if Roy says he is, he is a hell of an athlete).

He is a very trustworthy a extremely hard worker. He has lived in a tepee for the last two springs summers and falls and is now building a cabin by hand to live in this winter with no electricity.

He has worked for the Canadian Ministry of Natural Resources since he was 17 and has travelled through out Algonquin and Ontario in that capacity. Nowadays Dan works as a Ranger and is Supervisor of the Magnetawan area.

Because of his attitude towards life Roy calls him the Ghandy man. Last but not least,Dan is an excellent violin player.