Thomas Lone

For the past two years, Thomas has worked in the shipping industry, but
from 2022 he lives on adventures and lectures full-time.

Hei og hopp! Right now, I’m at my little base camp in Hemsedal
together with Jannicke and our Gordon Setter and baby Ravn. After a life in the
town I feel lucky every day to finally live in the middle of the mountains. We
have everything on our doorstep, I can put the skins on my backcountry skis in
the hallway and ski out the door. In the summer we have fantastic fly fishing
in the river and running or cycling in the mountains. When I’m holding
lectures, there are many larger towns just a few hours away, and when I want
more alpine hills Vestland and Jotunheimen are accessible. If you’re in
Hemsedal looking for something to do, give me a call and come by for a coffee!

Firstly, I am very happy when I’m on a trip! I love
challenges and have a solid dose of competitive instinct.  Ever since I left the military, I've tried to
step outside my comfort zone and push my limits a little every day to reach new
heights. It has sent me on an incredibly exciting journey!

My curiosity always hunts for new experiences, and I seek
freedom to realise my dreams. The goal is to be able to share my experiences
with others and to inspire them to achieve what they want and have a better
life.

I have several role models and many personalities who
have been decisive on my journey in recent years. If I were to choose one
person, it would have to be Erling Kagge. His ability to jump into unknown
terrain, seek freedom and versatility in harmony with nature, while at the same
time having impressive commercial flair and good leadership skills inspires me
enormously. He has shown me what is possible to achieve with my starting point,
and I look at his achievements and enterprises with awe.

ACDC - Thunderstruck

Now that I've finally got a garage, there are no longer
any limits! I've tried my hand at most things and enjoyed most things that
aren't ball sports. Because I'm completely useless there! Before I joined the army,
I competed internationally in kiting and paddling. Since then, I've mostly been
high mountain climbing, but I also spend many hours skiing, fly fishing,
cycling, swimming, running, cross-country skiing, paragliding, speed riding,
strength training and of course tire towing 😉

People often say summer is best in the middle of
winter, and vice versa! If I had to choose, I’m undoubtedly a winter person. In recent
years I have spent most of the summer in the southern hemisphere or high peaks in
the Himalayas with the temperatures well below zero. One of the things I hate
most on a trip are insects, so then winter becomes a natural choice.

I’m in Molde for a presentation. Even though Base Camp is in Hemsedal,
I’m usually out and about in search of conference halls and powder snow.

I wish I could be on the way to my next
expedition and adventure. There is little that compares to the butterflies in
my stomach and the excitement of the unknown when one throws themselves into a
new project. Fortunately, Jannicke and I are travelling to the Himalayas in a
couple of weeks.

I’m a good planner and meet new challenges with a positive enthusiasm and curiosity.
Success often lies in preparation.

I could write
long stories about countless moments in fantastic nature and indescribable
views from high mountain peaks. Nevertheless, there is a trip that sits extra
deep in the heart. Almost 2 years ago, Even Sverdrup and I crossed
Hardangervidda lengthwise with three former drug addicts from the organization
Medvandrerne. Are, Lars and Atle had spent most of their adult lives with drugs
and crime. Getting to share real travel magic with them and share robber
stories from the tent really created friendships for life. It was an incredibly
nice and meaningful experience that I hope to recreate later.

Without a doubt, Hemsedal, because it’s incredibly diverse. From our Base Camp we have the opportunity
to engage in the vast majority of activities right outside the door. In
addition, Hemsedal is a fantastic starting point with a short distance to
Hardangervidda, Oslo, Jotunheimen and the whole of Western Norway!

It often happens that I feel fear while I'm on a trip, but only a few
times have I been genuinely afraid of not coming home again. One of them was on
Denali in Alaska, North America's highest mountain. My mate Didrik and I had
climbed to the highest camp and were completely alone just below the summit.
What, according to the weather forecast, was supposed to be a moderate 2-3 day
storm developed into a powerful cyclone over the entire mountain range. We were
completely stuck for a total of 8 days in around minus 40 degrees and up to 40
m/s wind! Because of the conditions, we both knew that help would not come if
something went wrong. No one could climb up to help us and no helicopter could
attempt a rescue in such winds. In addition, we only had food for two days and
lost weight. If a gust of wind had blown a tent pole, I'm pretty sure to this
day that we would both have died. Miraculously, the tent held up, and I
gratefully landed at Gardermoen a couple of weeks later, 59 kg heavy.

Gallow humour can be good on a trip,
especially when it contributes to maintaining the positivity of the group in
the face of adversity.  I am a champion of being
positive in all situations no matter how bad things are going. Negativity just
creates a bad spiral.

NATURE!! Always.
I can name so many occasions where nature has made me a humble man. Only through hard training, solid preparations and permission from mother earth can we truly go beyond our limits in nature.

It’s best to experience the contrasts. Partly in your surroundings, but
also within yourself.

We are incredibly privileged to have such a beautiful and versatile
planet. We are extremely privileged here in Norway to be able to access and use
nature so freely all year round. To be able to do this in a sustainable way, we
must all take responsibility and be aware of the way we plan our trips. I am
proud to work with brands that take responsibility for their footprint, and ALFA
is no exception 😊

 Don’t count the days, make
the days count.

The answer is simple: ALFA makes quality products that work well on my
trips, in a sustainable way. I first caught sight of ALFA in the Armed Forces
with the legendary model M77. I more-or-less lived in this boot on trips both
that year and several after. I walked about 10,000 km on one pair, and now use
different ALFA models for all my activities.

There are so many shoes to choose between! For daily use I live in
ALFA Drift which are my comfy everyday shoes. If I had to choose a model, it
would be ALFA Juvass. This is a lightweight shoe, with good ankle support and
tolerates cold and wet surroundings.  I
use them for ice climbing, hikes into the high mountains, walking, fly fishing,
paragliding and tyre pulling etc. Very much an all-round shoe.