Snow in the Summer

I found some snow while hiking at Mt. Rainier National Forest. Only 181 more days ‘til winter.

Mush with Friends

The dogs and I got to introduce a few more of my friends to mushing this weekend. Even though I’ve been running dogs for a few years now, it hasn’t been an easy hobby to share with others. Pulling a passenger’s weight is difficult with only three dogs, even when trail conditions are perfect. 

The trails at Six Mile Run were absolutely stunning. The thick, heavy snow coated everything like frosting. I’ve mushed and hiked here dozens of times, and it still manages to surprise me by looking completely different.

Unfortunately, the deep snow made sled rides almost impossible. Temperatures shot up today and look like they’ll be staying up for awhile, so this may have been our last sled run of the season. 

I’ll be in Iceland at the end of this week, but I’m looking forward to camping trips with the dogs as spring creeps in. Mornings will still be cold enough for some dryland runs, and I’m set on finishing our 150 mile goal for the season. Just 20 more miles to go!

On Top of the World

Coldest day of winter (so far)? No problem! 7.6 miles at Stokes/High Point State Forest.

Neighborhood Mushing

Truckin'

We’re still here, trucking along. Our first race is this weekend (the Betty Carhart Memorial Race) and we’ll be competing in the 2-dog pro bike-jor class. I’ve decided to sit Dexter out for this first race, since he’s a bit slower than Denali and Knox. Normally, I really don’t care about speed, but I’d like to see what my youngsters can do without having to keep Dexter’s pace. Should be a fun weekend!

"To Take the trail and not look back..."

“The physical domain of the country had its counterpart in me. The trails I made led outward into the hills and swamps, but they led inward also. And from the study of things underfoot, and from reading and thinking, came a kind of exploration, myself and the land. In time the two became one in my mind. With the gathering force of an essential thing realizing itself out of early ground, I faced in myself a passionate and tenacious longing – to put away thought forever, and all the trouble it brings, all but the nearest desire, direct and searching. To take the trail and not look back. Whether on foot, on snowshoes or by sled, into the summer hills and their late freezing shadows – a high blaze, a runner track in the snow would show where I had gone. Let the rest of mankind find me if it could.”

—

John Haines,

The Stars, The Snow, The Fire: Twenty-Five Years in the Northern Wilderness

Dashing Through the Snow

If you follow more than one mushing blog, you’re probably reading the same thing over and over. This season has been pretty terrible. It seems like more races are being canceled than are actually taking place. We’ve been doing runs here and there, mostly on our local trail. Trips to the Pine Barrens have been tough, mostly due to not having a “handler” (AKA boyfriend) this season. 

My newly built trailer was about ready to haul my 90-pound rig down to the Pines this past weekend, but – of course – I didn’t need it. We finally got some snow! Something like seven inches.

This was the first time I’ve had all three dogs pull the sled (last season Knox was still too little). They did great! They had no problem pulling me, but they got a workout while breaking trail and when I added a passenger to the sled. Our runs were brief with long breaks in between to avoid injury, and they were ready to run each time we hooked them back up.

I did some experimenting on the second day of sled runs. I had them run through an open baseball field to test Denali’s commands. She wasn’t really on her game, but I attribute that to her being tired and the snow being extra deep. After we broke a trail through the field, she ran it again with no trouble.

On our very last run, I bumped Knox up next to Denali. She was starting to lose focus, and having him next to her seems to spark her competitive nature and keep her sharp. Dexter still needs a running mate, though, so I don’t think I’d do this permanently. Really, what I need is a fourth dog. One day!

2012-2013 Mileage to Date: 64.35

70 Miles

Distance	Moving Time	Average Speed	Maximum Speed
1.83 miles	0:13.20	8.22 mph	12.75 mph

Our run today broke the 70 mile mark for training this season! Well, technically we were already over 70 – there’s been a run or two I forgot to record mileage for. But we’ll pretend my numbers are totally accurate. Either way, pretty damn awesome! It should be fairly easy to make it to 100 miles before it gets too warm. Not bad for my team of newbies.

The weather has been pretty decent the past few days. Nice and cold without the biting winds. The muddy spots in the woods have been frozen for a few days now, which is nice. Parts of the Northeast will be seeing some snow tonight, but I’m pretty sure New Jersey will only get a few flurries. There’s some hope for this weekend, although it could change over to mostly rain. Either way, I hope I can make it down to the Pine Barrens for a run.

Back to today’s run: it when pretty well! I found that if I become Dexter’s personal cheerleader, he runs a bit better. I yelled, “Dexter! Hike! Hike!” and waited for him to show any increase in speed/motivation. And I mean ANY. When he lifted his head and focused forward, instead of sniffing, praise. When he moved with Denali, instead of pulling away from her, praise. When his trot became a full run, praise. Repeated this non-stop for the entire run, and he seems to be doing a bit better. Or it might just be the colder temperatures that motivate him. Well, whatever it is, I’m not complaining.

2011-2012 Mileage to Date: 70.43