AMAZING SLED RUN!!

Oh wow, new snow helps so much!! Cant set a hook in most places and where it was holding it was clearly hooked on frozen ground under the powder. Still, its not a problem as everyone was doing very well again today. Even Remus and Hera, who I took along, did very well staying put when we were stopped.

We took the old trap line trail (about nine miles) and with this powder, all my camping gear and additional weight of a 50+lb bag of dog food it was just enough to get us through and back to the truck with the pups milling around instead of romping and playing with each other. They had just enough energy to walk around and explore the parking area after we were done.

Robert was also on the trails with us but taking a different path. We always talk about doing passing practice, how we would like to try this or that but every time it seems we end up running into each other quite unexpected which, in the end, is how a musher usually passes a team anyway. No matter how we pass its always excellent training! : )

As I'm headed out Ive got eight dogs on the line with Hermes and Thani running loose, I see Robert and his team waaay up ahead and I'm thinking I can take my turn easily before he comes and we wont cause trouble but, since Spock was with us, I had to slow the team down a bit to make sure he could catch up and that left Robert waiting right at the entrance of our turn!

I started to freak out wondering what was going to happen, if it would be bad, what would the loose pups do, could I stop the team with the strong momentum they had coming right off the post? Then I remembered, the dogs could feel my energy so I took a deep breath, told myself that it would be fine, to stay calm and if anything went wrong it would be okay cause its not some musher up there I don't know, this was Robert, a dear and patient friend who Ive worked with to perfect both our teams for quite some time.

I called the loose pups back, they listened but were excited enough that they didn't want to drop completely back behind the sled. They kept their distance from the other team and Thani let out a few warning barks.

We got closer and I calmly let out the command 'haw' right before the turn... Reba, Juno and the loose pups all took the turn as smoothly as if they were a tide coming to shore... any dogs in the team who would have given trouble didn't have the opportunity with the momentum my leaders were creating... it was so incredible and so beautiful, I couldn't believe my eyes.

I had seen that type of behavior when running the team for the out of town cameramen at ADMA when they wanted us to do this or that. Everyone in the team was very patient
and listened extremely well... I thought that day was a fluke but I'm convinced now that this will continue to be the norm for us and our future. Its incredible to think that we could be this lucky after all the years Ive been working with troublesome dogs. It appears Ive finally paid my dues to the sled Gods...

When I got back to the truck Robert had left a wonderful note saying how great the pass was. I felt that same wonderful thrill all over again... then when I got home I was shocked to see that while he had his six dog team stopped (which is no small feat with our limited snow!) he also took a photo of our team coming around the bend!! It was incredible to have both views to study from!!

Thani is 'smiling' in the photo which is pretty hillarious... Robert picked up the same explaination I had for his behavior, "The way I read it is, 'don't even think about it, we're just passing by.'" Thats my Thani! Always the protector but never the instigator... just like his papa... I couldn't be more proud of them!