Trail Happenings

Lots of stuff still going on around here, work and mushing related...

Seems like forever that I was able to get my guys out on the trail just for us to have fun and train. Saturday was a nice run, the sun was hidden most of the time and the temps were hovered between 15 and 20. Trails are looking a bit interesting with all the wind we have been having. Its nice to see them ride above the crusted snow just before I come behind to break it up with the sled. I tried walking ahead on it to show the leaders were to go and broke through quite a bit.

Most of the trail was like that but we did do some trail breaking and some exploring at the beginning. This team has gotten so strong, especially in the first few miles, that I might have to come up with a different training strategy taking tugs off some when we start. I haven't had to do that in a long, long time...

The trails are still pretty slick and fast though we did get a dusting of snow last night. That will help provide some resistance to slow them down a bit and maybe offer more control from the mushers point of view! Its very strange to speed around a corner, runners sweeping off to the side and leaning into the corner as if we were sprint racing but that is how the conditions are, very, very slick...

Since Thani was doing so well keeping up with the team I decided to give him Griffin's harness and let him work. He did great but was a bit tired on the way back as were most of the dogs.

I didn't have batteries in my GPS so we didn't get an accurate record of miles or speed. When I came back to check the map it looked like a 16 or 17 mile run. Total time out there was about four hours including loading, unloading, hook up, etc... Was VERY nice to be out there for a while.

Next time we get out will hopefully be tomorrow for a 20 miler. If they do well for that I'm hoping we can run around for a 25 before the snow is gone.

The highlight from this trip is continuing to see Juno blossom into a great leader. We were coming down off a hill exploring our first unknown trail and it was really steep, so steep that I could barely slow the dogs down with my break.

I gave the 'gee' command when her and Reba started going left. Giving the command again I saw something click in both her and Reba independently and they both turned right in unison just as the sled was half way down the hill.

I slowed as much as I could but we were still going pretty fast. I watched the rest of the team line out beautifully each dog missing trouble spots in the gangline that could have caused a tangle. They lined out perfectly giving no reason to stop to fix problems.

The team is sure coming together well now... a wonderful cohesive unit...