Lots and lots of hard work

Keeping the main trails open isn't too hard to do even after getting a bit of snow. The dogs work hard and my toboggan keeps the trail nice and flat. After only a few passes the trail is much easier to work... but, forging ahead and breaking open completely new trail is a totally different story!

Yesterday Kathy and I took the team out again with both mushers on the runners. I tried to sit in the basket for some of the way but it wasn't long before the trail became bumpy or I needed to forge ahead to show the team the way.

We took our last trail cut through to our main training area then headed back down towards my old camp spot, took the Chena slough and followed until it dead ended into the forest. After that I broke out my snow shoes and put some heavy, heavy work in.

It was a nice patch of forest with little obstruction, well, except for the giant spruce that the dogs had to 'hop' over and Kathy had to lever the front of the sled up so the dogs could pull it the rest of the way over.

Snowshoeing into that area was beautiful and I felt such joy touching the energy of the mighty old trees hidden away deep, deep into the forest. Spock, Mercury and Griffin were traveling with me and it felt very good to know that a competent musher was back with my team keeping them safe while I explored.

I always worry about leaving the team and will usually let many of the dogs off to follow me instead of leaving them tied and vulnerable to a wild animal attack. But there are still a few who I cant trust off lead who must stay on the gang line and in leaving those few I fear it will make the situation worse as they will not seem as strong a force to a roving wolf pack or moose looking to start trouble. But with Kathy there I had a very calm peace of mind...

When I arrived at the Chena it was wide open with the only ice covering it being very dark and clear that the entire passage was very unsafe. Our plan was to reach the Chena and follow it back to complete a 14 mile run. Since we couldn't take the Chena and it was starting to grow dark we had to turn the whole team around and head back the way we came.

This task proved to be a bit harder than usual because of the deep snow and how heavy our sled was, a little fact that I didn't realize until we had to leverage it through all that snow. I let most of the dogs off so the few left on the line could get through the trail with relative ease.

It was very funny to see Hera's reaction as soon as she was free. She immediately went to explore a little ways down the trail then, as if sensing her tiring muscles, immediately found a snow berm and made a quick cozy bed out of the way. It was so out of the way I only saw her when I walked down the team and looked back to notice her dark shape in the snow.

Griffin on the other hand was not as efficient. For some reason every time he wanted to make his bed he would do so right beside or right in front of the sled. Not a good place when we needed to get it moving as soon as the dogs were ready and able!

The team had broken trail for quite a LONG time. There were periods where the trail was groomed previous by snowmachine but a lot of our exploration was only broken out once that year or not at all. Fortunately the trail went from easy to hard and back again multiple times so the dogs were able to keep their spirits up.

Salmon and Lucy didn't fair as well. I think the heaviest trail breaking had broken their spirits but as soon as we were on a better track both girls stepped it up again and seemed to like being back at work.

This trip was a bit too much for Lucy since it was only her second time out this year and had I known we would be doing so much work I would have left her at home. The whole trip was about 13 miles according to Google Earth. I forgot to turn my GPS on again... with all the trail breaking we did and all the extra work involved I'm sure the dogs did at least 20 miles worth.

Again they came in looking great which is amazing considering the trail conditions and that they were pulling two mushers with a somewhat loaded sled full of gear. I tried to slim us down as much as possible but the emergency equipment never gets left behind or the trail snacks.

This time I brought out salmon that we fished this summer. It was a very heavy block and the dogs dogs hauled it out and back with ease. Kathy gave out the snacks she brought at our turn around point so the fish wasn't used until we got back to the truck.

Its mildly disappointing to know we wont be able to trust the Chena as a crossing or as a passage way but knowing there are still miles upon miles of trail to work out it really doesn't make much of a difference.

Our next run will probably be to keep open the regular trails and our next run after that may involve a bit more exploration. But as I sit her typing this my body is reminding me of the break we all need right now. My legs are very sore and I imagine the dogs are as well...