But after a fun trip taking out clients for a dog sled ride yesterday I'm very happy to sit in the office with Mercury at my feet and try to catch up on desk work.This morning was so awesome. The temp right now is -2, sun just starting to fully shine, a nice spring chill in the air and so much snow still on the ground. The air around smells like frost and if it were fall I would be getting very excited for the snow to come. But with so much still on the ground maybe this means we can keep it for a little while longer.
In some places the trails are slick and fast but in others its perfect. Some spots are starting to become a bit too soft to hold a hook solidly in place but those areas are off and on.
I took the team out on Monday to do a run out at the Lakes. It was their first run after our Whites trip and after having a full week off due to my hectic schedule. Slick trails there all over so I let them have their head for speed and we did a fun, quick 9.5 miles. The pups had their first chance on the gangline, I slowed the team down for them in those moments. I would say each had about a 1/4 mile of experience, Hermes a bit less due to his sensitivity, then I let the team go again so the pups would drop back and out of the way.
When we head out at our regular pace the pups are getting so athletic that its easy for them to go into the team and bungle things up. Its great practice for all involved as the babies are learning to jump over the lines, stay out of the way of the adults and watch out for the leaders to come up behind them for a 'clothesline'!Ive found this training is crucial in their experience passing and being passed by other teams. The pups learn the safest places on the trail to stay out of the way of dogs and sled to reduce the risk of injury to all involved.
I'm hoping to have another chance to run them either Friday or Saturday. Maybe do some easy stuff, no breaking trail, just easy runs and building miles. As always everything will have to depend on my schedule as to how far and how much we can get out.
Mush for Kids is coming up so we may volunteer for that, then the Pleasant Valley Finale will be soon as well... a very fun race that I might go to. I have a few dogs who would enjoy some new race experience and some veterans who would love to get back in the game and cut loose with other teams. We'll see... I'm not positive on doing that yet but it sounds too fun to pass up.
Oh and I hear the White Mountain trails are still looking very nice... *sigh* if I only had more free time! March is the busiest month for me both with mushing and work. Have to balance the two and fit in what I can.
But it is nice to have caught up, finished some commissions and gotten a few shows out of the way. Posted here is a finished photo of the latest commission 'Fee', a wonderful sled dog, dear friend and patriarch of all he surveyed in his dog yard. He is dearly missed...
Posts
