Breaking Trail

Got the dogs out today on a tough, tough trail. Taking the slough is fun but our first passes of it can be quite challenging. Honestly, I really don't know how they do it. The leaders make the virgin path seem so effortless. When they need a hint on where to go I get off the sled and try to walk ahead of them... I emphasis the word try!!

Its really difficult to accurately describe but imagine if you will, walking through four foot tall grass, all of it covered in snow, trying to make sure the snow doesn't get on your mittens or anything else that it can melt into and chill the skin and keeping mittens dry is all the more challenging when you cant the see the ground and have to step blindly onto uneven patches never knowing where the holes are (and there are MANY!) that will at least challenge your balance and at worse dump you right on your butt.

Oh, did I mention all the dogs around you asking for direction, giving kisses and getting in the way? How about Griffin, who has the freedom to wander where ever he pleases but is insistent on staying right by my side or making a bed in the only place I am able to walk!

Needless to say my ankles are quite sore tonight but my hands have thankfully warmed back up nicely. When I get back to my sled I am stunned that the leaders take charge of the trail so easily. They bound through the terrain like fawns while I can barely stand up in the stuff! How do they do it?!?!

They did their job a bit too well today, we missed our turn off and they were going so well that we broke out the ENTIRE slough. That is a run that takes at least three passes to complete. Not anymore! :)

Nita did great with her team and we are all getting everyone up to proper speed and strength. It will soon be time to add the fosters in and stretch my team back to normal at 11 or 12 dogs. We have already prepared a heavier sled for Nita so her next run will have eight instead of the six she ran today.

We will do a trial run on Friday with those numbers and new equipment just to make sure we have everything together and safe then I will bump my team up on the next run and add two more dogs to our mix. It wont be long before all the working dogs are on the trail doing the same miles, speed and weight.

Now, to get creative about gear for the sled bag! Ive barely tapped into my winter survival gear that I always carry with me on the trail but with these babies being so strong I need to start adding weight ASAP! Once we get a good trail I will have Miriam come out with us again... that will help.

And our snow conditions should greatly improve after tonight. Its coming down heavy and more than a few inches of accumulation are expected...