Day two of rest after a 7 day stretch of mushing madness. The dogs are so fit right now, I wish I was entered in the Can Am race. My little puppy leader, Bodhi, is doing amazing. Our last tour run on Sunday he took commands in a series that wove us through a knot of snow machiners taking up a large trail junction. Given that he is still a little afraid of snow machines, that is pretty amazing. I think my first string of 10 dogs is the best pool of dogs I have ever run! A few are getting older, next year it may be a pool of 8. So....again...I so wish we were Can Am bound! I love these guys! The second string, mostly older dogs, is doing great too.
We have given tons of people a beautiful sled dog ride or tour this winter and the dogs have met and charmed folks young and old.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Back on our home trails!
We had our first run on our old stomping grounds. The conditions were a little sketchy, the well groomed trail was hard hard hard. The bits down the center that had been churned up by snomo traffic were chunky and gritty. But it was great to be climbing up our mountain again and cruising down the pretty trails.
I ran the B team first, thinking it was going to get pretty warm. They are all fairly heavy coated. I had to put Nikka back in the truck, she was acting like she didn't want to go. The other 9 were happy on the trail, it was not as bad as I thought. I kept their speed down low. The dogs were gee'd over so hard that they were on the glare ice where no snomobiles had dared to travel (they always go down the center of the trail).
On the A team we were still short Rainy, who is still limping slightly. The other 9 pulled like crazy and I was using the drag on uphills to keep the speed down! I am so impressed with Bodhi in lead. He is a Good Boy! And really goes. Twinkle likes him too, they make a nice lead pair. But what an age difference...she is 8 and he is 3. Oh no...the "find another leader" game will be back in play soon I fear. No worries for this year though. Twinkle loves to run with Bodhi and though he is sometimes a step faster she works hard to be up front and is showing she really does know commands after all. (She had a bad year running with Tula, neither wanting to push or pull the other into a turn....)
I love my dogs!!! They are fit and ready for the busy vacation week doing dog sled tours and dog sled rides!
I ran the B team first, thinking it was going to get pretty warm. They are all fairly heavy coated. I had to put Nikka back in the truck, she was acting like she didn't want to go. The other 9 were happy on the trail, it was not as bad as I thought. I kept their speed down low. The dogs were gee'd over so hard that they were on the glare ice where no snomobiles had dared to travel (they always go down the center of the trail).
On the A team we were still short Rainy, who is still limping slightly. The other 9 pulled like crazy and I was using the drag on uphills to keep the speed down! I am so impressed with Bodhi in lead. He is a Good Boy! And really goes. Twinkle likes him too, they make a nice lead pair. But what an age difference...she is 8 and he is 3. Oh no...the "find another leader" game will be back in play soon I fear. No worries for this year though. Twinkle loves to run with Bodhi and though he is sometimes a step faster she works hard to be up front and is showing she really does know commands after all. (She had a bad year running with Tula, neither wanting to push or pull the other into a turn....)
I love my dogs!!! They are fit and ready for the busy vacation week doing dog sled tours and dog sled rides!
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Friday, February 11, 2011
Pam Flowers - amazing sled dog driver
I got to see Pam Flowers speak on Feb 3, second time I have seen her. She gave a presentation on her arctic expedition at Moultonboro's "One Book - One Community" kick off. SHE IS AMAZING!!! She is truly my hero. And I am so impressed with Moultonboro as a community. This year they hare having a theme "Sled Dog Oddessy", and 4 books instead of one!!!
She completed a 2500-mile dog sled trek across Arctic America with her 8 dog team and two huge sleds. This is the longest solo dog sled trek by a woman in recorded history. The first solo by a woman and the first by an American over this route: from Barrow, Alaska to Repulse Bay in Canada's Nunavut Territory.
I took the opportunity to get more copies of 3 of her books that I love: Alone Across the Arctic, Big Enough Anna and Douggie (the second two are fabulous childrens books that my little Emma LOVES).
Learn more about Pam, her books and her expeditions here: www.pamflowers.com
She completed a 2500-mile dog sled trek across Arctic America with her 8 dog team and two huge sleds. This is the longest solo dog sled trek by a woman in recorded history. The first solo by a woman and the first by an American over this route: from Barrow, Alaska to Repulse Bay in Canada's Nunavut Territory.
I took the opportunity to get more copies of 3 of her books that I love: Alone Across the Arctic, Big Enough Anna and Douggie (the second two are fabulous childrens books that my little Emma LOVES).
Learn more about Pam, her books and her expeditions here: www.pamflowers.com
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
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