Dog Days

We left off last time with the plan for me to go back to the school to finish up the dog sled rides for the kiddies. We returned last Tuesday and did just that. I changed my plans a little as the dogs got too hot in the late afternoon so I planned an earlier arrival as well as I made a loop for the run around the play field instead of having to run back to the truck and then physically lift the sled and turn it around by hand. This way I just ran a circle for 2 hours and didn't have to lift and turn around my sled once..MUCH BETTER. It seems all the kids enjoyed the rides and some even came back for seconds.

Taking A Test Run With My Dad

I have done 2 runs since then; one on Wedensday and another on Friday. I had asked my hubby if he could get the GPS set up for me so I could make a map of my trail and see exactly how far it was. I not only got the GPS but I got him along for the ride. We took Thunder, Jazz, Lucy, Fox Trot, Siboon and Prophet and away we went. Roger rode in the sled for 10 miles, okay I let him manage the sled from the runners for a few miles too.

Enjoying The Ride =)

I was pleasantly surprised at the GPS stats when I returned home. Our trail was a total of 17 miles long, the dogs travelled at an average speed of 13.6 km/h and that was with an extra person for 10 miles. Oh I should point out that a large portion of my trail runs along side roads so Roger got out and ran home which by road was only 2 1/2 miles from the house but by dog sled it was 7 miles just in case you thought I may have left him stranded. Friday the team consisted of Jitterbug, Ochocco, Cha Cha, Jazz, Siboon and Lucy. My niece Jonnie, son Gage and daughters Aimee and Darian all wanted to have a ride.

We're Ready =)

Darian harnessing Jitterbug

My mom, Grandma, came over to watch us leave the yard and pick up the little ones once they were ready to get out of the sled. We hooked up the dogs loaded everyone up and left the yard at a blistering pace of 22.5 km/h according to the GPS stats.

My two little people rode with me for about 3 miles and then my oldest daughter switched places for a short 1/2 mile run...of course Aimee had her butt planted in the sled bag for our whole 19 mile run.

The little ones..and Aimee of course

Happy Rhonda with some Happy Riders and even Happier Dogs =)

Mom and Her Girls

We added a new loop that I hadn't yet run on because I needed to do some digging on a rough driveway crossing. Dropping 3 feet off hard packed snow doesn't feel to good and getting back up it is even more fun. GPS stats were close to the same as they were Wedensday with an average moving speed of 13.4 km/h but it got so warm today the dogs needed more breaks. On our new loop of trail we stopped for a good long while in the shade and unhooked all the necklines so the dogs could have their freedom to roll in the deep snow to the side of the trail. I went to the front of the team and laid on the trail with my leaders for a bit.

Me with Leaders Ochocco and Jitterbug...I switched leaders quite a bit on this run but Jitterbug was my one constant..she was also paired with sister Cha Cha

and her other sister Jazz.

It was a most beautiful weather day for us humans but sled dogs do better in -10 Celsius and lower. All this means for me is I have to get my butt out of the yard earlier so that most of our run is over before midday.I must say that my plan to only take 6 dogs at a time is working out fantastic...I feel more safe and have confidence that I can hook down and deal with a problem in the team without worrying and 6 are tougher than I thought they were. Taking Roger and I for 10 miles proved that. Hope you enjoyed the pictures and now here's some video from our dog sled rides and the past 2 runs

.....See You On The Trail.....

Dog Sled Rides at the School

A couple of my favorite parts of my trail...sorry about the jiggly video had to grab the sled with both hands and for the "great" timing of my wheel dog. As I tell all my riders "Everybody Poops".

Please Mom ?

This is what I hear at the end of a very interesting conversation with my daughter as she arrives home off the school bus on Wednesday evening and tells me that the next day at school is Winter Carnival Day and she has this great idea. Her idea is for me to bring the dogs to the school and give the kids rides in the sled as part of their Winter Carnival Day....I know....it was great that she gave me some notice. The next thing I know she is tilting her head, smiling and giving me those puppy dog eyes and saying..yes you guessed it...Please Mom. Oh Boy. I agree under a few circumstances..I have to go check out the school yard and see if there is even a good enough place for us to run the dogs and second I have to talk to the principle and make sure it's all okay as far as liabilities go. The next day I went and checked everything out and it looked good. Home again, Home Again I go to load the sled and the dogs. The dogs are a little confused by this short ride in the dog box but excited because they think we have travelled there for a race..Boy are they in for a surprise...and then we wait...and wait.....and wait....finally the kids are all done their Winter Carnival activities. The grade one class comes all giddy for their rides, including my own young one..my son Gage. I only hook up 4 dogs as I don't want too much power on this little tiny trail and I take 4 kids in the sled bag. Grade 2 comes next and I cut the kids down to 3 and then grade 3 now I am down to taking only 2 kids at a time as the dogs are hot and tired. That is it for the day and I am rescheduled for Tuesday to finish the rides. All in all it was a lot of fun and the kids enjoyed it and I hope we will have time to give everyone a ride who wants one. We are going earlier in the morning so it's not so hot and I think maybe I will hook up 6 this time around so I don't have to switch the dogs so much. I also had another successful 6 dog run on Thursday it was a beautiful day for me to be out but it was a little warm for the dogs. Crossing my fingers that my hubby will agree to come with me with 8 tomorrow; I have a long list of people who want rides and I would like to experiment on him first. That's All For Now.

.....See You On The Trail.....

This is what it's all about....Just me, my dogs, a beautiful day on a great trail

School Day

Back On Track

The Dog Truck..Thanks to my dad for the new Dog Box

Okay...so no excuses I just have not been making the time for my blog lately and I apologize. In the past month we have had some great successes as well as some dissapointments but it seems we are back on track for now. Here's what you have missed..in January we travelled to Elkford B.C for our first race. I entered the 10 dog with a 12 mile trail which seemed just perfect to get out feet wet. It was a long drive, thanks to my hubby for driving, with some interesting scenery and weather, we drove south of Black Diamond, AB and the wind was so strong we had a hard time keeping the truck on the road and even came upon a Semi Truck that had been blown right off the road. The first day of the race was nerve racking, exciting and warm. Aimee raced in the Junior division about 1 mile with leaders Ochocco and Thunder and she did an excellant job. My class was second to last so I had alot of the day to visit with and help other mushers. Finally it was our turn and off we went down a beautifully groomed wide logging road trail. We had a few hiccups right off the bat when I pulled over to let another musher past me and his dogs passed on the wrong side and then decided to jump over my team...he got them sorted out and then my wheel dogs tug line busted...but all in all the run was a great one with beautiful views of the mountains and my dogs rocked at the headon passes. The second day was much the same but cooler and I managed to shave 9 minutes off my day 1 time.

Leaving Day 1

View from the Runners - Day 1

Darian decided she needed to run with Aimee in the Junior division and so we enjoyed watching that. In the end I was voted most Sportsmanlike Musher and received $204. What a great experience.

Darian's run with Lucy and Mari

Aimee's Run with Ochocco and Thunder

My husband and I then jetted of to the Dominican for a holiday in the sun and enjoyed our time there immensley. We did lot's of tours, snorkeled and relaxed on the beach and then.....Back to Reality. The kids lives get busier every year with 4-H, Highland Dance and this year Basketball so it took me awhile to get back in the swing of things..when I did was I in for a surprise. Crashing my sled became a regular occurance and I even ended up chasing a run away dog team 2 miles after my gangline busted right behind the wheel dogs...so a new plan was formed. I made a new 6 dog gangline and finally had a good run. Aimee joined me and as nervous as I was leaving the dog yard I knew it had to be done or I may as well sell the dogs. 6 dogs turned out to be the magic ticket..very easy to control and just enough power to make it fun and now I can enjoy the new sled, that I was considering selling and buying a smaller one. I am back "REALLY" enjoying the dogs. I took all the girls the other day and had Jazz in lead the whole way...every time I put her in lead I am amazed and have to remind myself that she is only 1 1/2.

Aimee snugged in the sled bag on our 3 hour run

View of a musher from the sled bag

View of the dogs (all girls) from the sled bag

Today I ran the three boys with Lucy, Jazz and Fox Trot..halfway through the run I switched Lucy out of lead for Fox Trot and was again amazed..I have not put her in lead since fall and she is another one that just loves to be up there..Those little girls are quite amazing and I hope their future keeps looking so bright. I think that brings you all up to date and my goal is to be better at keeping this updated.

So till next time

...Happy Trails and Wagging Tails.....

Video from Day 2 of the Elkford Race

Head On pass with Deana Wanamaker and an old flipped over car.

Video that Aimee took on our run the other day....