Stick around, snow!

We got a bit of rain/sleet/ice/messy stuff overnight and some of the snow is starting to melt away. We are hoping it will stick around for a few more days!

We took the dogs with us to visit some family over the weekend and had a chance to let the pups check out some new terrain. They were a bit distracted by the new territory, but did a pretty good job overall.

Calypso is doing fantastic. We are very impressed with her progress and were discussing how wonderful it is to see her grow as a sled dog.

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Morning Mushing

We took the dogs out for an early morning run. We have been giving Denali the chance to run lead a bit more. She ran lead for the majority of the run today and did a great job. Ruger does a great job in lead as well as wheel, and Calypso is doing fantastic. This week was the first "real" snow of the season, and Monday was Calypso's first time being hooked up to a sled. We are really proud of her progress.

Mushing Video - February 16, 2015

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Our First Rig Race

There are not many people who are interested in mushing/canicross in our area. However, last fall when we attended Rig Rondy in Woodstock, Illinois we connected with several members of the Gateway Sled Dog Club out of St. Louis.

This lead us to become members of the club, and we were able to attend our first rig race on the Hamburg Trail near St. Charles.

The dogs did very well with their hook-up. They listened well, and were very calm on the way to the starting line.

First, we raced with Ruger, Denali, and Calypso. This was Calypso's first race ever while Ruger and Denali have participated in various canicross races. Ruger was our lead dog, and he and Denali did a great job. Calypso was a bit timid and we found out she is scared of bicycles. After the first bike passed her, she got scared and did not want to run. However, she did finish with a little coaxing. That being said, the 3 dogs completed the 1 mile race with a time of 6:10 - good enough for 3rd place.

Next, we raced Ruger and Denali in the 1 mile rig race. They did excellent! They took first place with a time of 3:54. The volunteer at the turnaround was surprised at how fast they were moving - he tried to get his phone out to take a video and just wasn't quick enough.

This was a wonderful experience for us because it gave us a chance to learn a bit more about the dogs, including their strengths and weaknesses. We were beginning to worry that perhaps Calypso does not like to run, but that thought quickly disappeared when we took her for a 6 mile training run Saturday evening. She did fantastic and was begging for more. So, we think she was just a bit scared from her first big race experience.

We are proud of all our dogs and the progress they are making. We would never ask one of the dogs to do something they did not enjoy, so it warms our hearts to know they really love running with us.

We have a few races coming up within the next few months. We have Payin' For the Spayin at the end of February and the Jackets Dog Jog the first weekend in March (check out our "Racing" page for more upcoming events). Calypso has been training hard for these two 5k races with our friend Jamie. Jamie has been kind enough to offer to race with Calypso so she can get a bit of race experience. The two do very well together and we are hoping they both have a fun, positive racing experience.

 Finishing up the 3 dog race

Ruger and Denali ready to start the 2 dog race

Running hard!

Absolutely love these three dogs. Look at their smiles!

The kid in the car parked next to us dropped all his Chex Mix on the ground. 

The clean up crew was ready!

Exploring Denali - A Dog Sledding Adventure

I suppose everyone differs on what they believe to be an agreeable temperature, or perhaps even an agreeable season. That being said, it is incredible how quickly the human body can adapt. Perhaps we might be a little strange, but we are quickly becoming devotees to frozen lands of the world. After spending four days dog sledding through Denali National Park, our devotion is quickly growing stronger.

There is nothing better than being in nature - far away from everything. It is so refreshing not to see power lines and trash scattered everywhere. No cell phones, no email, no unwanted distractions. Just vast and untamed beauty.

Watching the dogs run is an experience in itself. The look on the face of each dog is that of sheer happiness, despite their frozen whiskers. When they run, it is sheer power and true joy. If they did not want to run, they would not run. They love it, they crave it, and they are happy to harness up.  There is a statute of Balto* that stands in Central Park in New York City. It reads "Dedicated to the indomitable spirit of the sled dogs that relayed anti toxin 600 miles over treacherous waters, through arctic blizzards, from Nenana to the relief of stricken Nome in the winter of 1925 – Endurance, Fidelity, Intelligence”. The words describing the dogs could not be more accurate.

Even more so, there is something tranquil about dog sledding - just you and your team. You must trust them, and they must trust you. There are times when you must rely on their animal instincts, despite your better judgment. There are moments where the human soul seems to transcend all bounds and combine with the strong, indomitable spirit of the sled dog.  What does that moment feel like? It cannot be explained (although I will try), only experienced.  It is an overwhelming sense of peace and strength mixed with the feeling that anything (and I do mean anything) is possible. After all, sled dogs can withstand and accomplish far more than most humans can ever dream.  Why not harness that spirit and apply it to our own lives?

*If you are not familiar with Balto's story, Balto was a sled dog who led his team on the final leg of the serum run to Nome in 1925, in which diphtheria antitoxin was transported from Anchorage to Nenana by train and then to Nome by dog sled to combat an outbreak of diphtheria. The serum run is commemorated by the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. 

Check out a video of our trip here!

 Headed out with our teams

 With our incredibly knowledgeable guide, Mike.

 Manook and Sky with Gabby and friend in wheel

Joy and Jade

 Nick and Sham

 Beautiful Jade on the river