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April 15, 2011 The good news is that we ARE going to make it down to Southern California next weekend. Anyone who can make it, please come to our annual Iditarod party! I will be doing a presentation on Iditarod starting at 8:00 p.m. and everyone is welcome (free and fun!). Prior to the slide show we'll be holding a fundraiser dinner at 6:00 for anyone who is interested in helping support the team. Shoot me an e-mail for more information: intensekarin@msn.com
Also, my 2011 Iditarod story is finally done. At least as done as I can do it for now. I know it needs a couple more re-writes and is probably full of typos. But if you are ever going to see it, I just gotta get it out there. It was incredibly hard to sit down and write it out - every time I think about our race this year something inside of me collapses and shatters into a million little pieces. I apologize in advance - the dang thing is really long! I just write down everything that happened and I never know what to leave out. For those of you who don't want to wade through the entire journal, here's the short version: We had an amazing, beautiful run. It was a really easy trip - with the exeption of some nasty overflow near the middle (in which I took a quick swim). We were way farther to the front of the field than I ever expected. We left Elim in 20th place, with just 120 miles left to go. Then the team quit. I don't know why. I couldn't get them going again. The end. For those of you who like to read, go here.
April 2, 2011 I am still working on my Iditarod write up! I hope to have it finished soon. In the mean time, spring is here - it is hot, the snow is melting, and the dogs are getting restless without enough to do. There is more light everyday, and I am trying to let go of winter. I miss it already.
I am still not certain if I will be able to get time from work to make our annual spring trip to California. I am hoping to, and will keep you all posted. If it doesn't happen in April I will try to aim for later in the year. OK - everyone wants to know if we will be running Iditarod again next year. And I can't exactly answer that yet. We have an incredibly strong, talented young team, so we WILL stay in dog racing. But putting together another Iditarod year may be a reach for us next year. Here's why:
More updates soon, including my Iditarod story. Stay tuned! March 22, 2011 The team and I had an incredible race - all the way up to White Mountain, 77 miles from the finish line - where everything stopped. The dogs were energetic and seemed happy, yet refused to take to the trail. I still can't figure it out, and have no idea how to move forward from this point. To say that I am disappointed is an understatement. Two failures in a row is heart breaking.
I do need to correct some of the news stories, which reported that I was in very bad shape and almost died out there (not really what happened). And I will work on a write up of the race (which was truely wonderful all the way up to the end). Thanks to all our sponsors and fans who helped us get to Iditarod, and apologies for letting you all down.
March 4, 2011 The pre-race banquet was last night. Lots of fun and a chance to see friends and fans before the race gets underway. I drew starting number 37. As I mentioned earlier, there are a number of dogs with minor problems. I think they are all resolved - these guys are very fit and heal quickly. But I may end up sending several home earlier than planned if their injuries re-appear. I definitely won't be taking any dogs that I don't think can go all the way, but it is hard to predict what will happen.
Of course, all of the dogs that were knocked out of the line up were experienced Iditarod veterans, and most were leaders. This team is a far cry from the talented, experienced team I had last year, and I will be leaving with more un-tried, inexperienced dogs than I like. But they may surprise me. Here is the line up (in order of their location in the dog lot - that is how I think, so that is how it gets written down):
So, 2 to choose from. Not ideal, but I have confidence that they will all do their best!
February 28, 2011 I forgot to post that the drawing for the quilt was last Friday. Tracy Boyd from Mt Baldy was the lucky winner! Congratulations to Tracy, thanks to everyone who bought tickets, and a big thanks to the Megaws who made the quilt for us!
February 28, 2011 Today was a rough one. We took the dogs down to Wasilla for their pre-race blood work (an extensive panel of tests to ensure all the dogs are in top shape) and ECGs. After waiting nearly 40 minutes at ITC headquarters they came out to tell us that our appointment was set up at another location across town. This was the first I had heard of them even doing the testing elsewhere, but OK. We loaded up and moved along, arriving quite a bit late. The dogs handled the testing procedure very well, and we loaded up to head home. Alis, one of our toughest and most reliable experienced dogs has not been feeling great for a few days. She was working, but not with as much energy as usual; eating, but not with as much gusto as usual; playing, but not with much energy. Something was just a bit off, so I was really watching her. She had her heat cycle finish up recently. Occasionally the hormone fluctuations can allow a uterine infection to develop in females, and this was what I was most concerned about. These infections are very serious and can be deadly if the symptoms aren't noticed in time. But she had a normal temperature and other vitals, so I had decided just to keep an eye on her. This morning as I checked her over I noticed a small drop of discharge - not good. So on our way home from testing we checked in with the local vet clinic. It was indeed pyometra (uterine infection), and she had an emergency spay, which is the only effective treatment for this condition. Luckily we caught it before she was extemely ill, which is when most pyometra cases are brought in. She is doing fine now, and obviously that is the most important thing. But loosing her from the team was a hard blow to take (not to mention the $1,200 vet bill - ouch). After we got home, as I was unhooking the dog trailer, I jumped on the bumper to help the trailer hitch come loose. Even though we were in a flat parking area, the trailer lurched forward as it popped loose, and smashed my foot between the bumper and the trailer hitch. My foot was being crushed, and I was pinned like a bug. Luckily Seth (who has been helping us lately) was nearby and ran over to push the trailer back. The foot is ok, just a bit sore and bruised. But it was a close call and a good reminder to pay more attention! What with finishing up the testing late and getting Alis taken care of, we didn't get home until late afternoon. Along with my smooshed foot, warm temperatures, and horribly slippery trail conditions, I decided maybe I'd had enough for one day, so I didn't take the dogs out for a run. They are NOT happy about that, as they also did not run yesterday (they are supposed to rest the day before testing). I have spent the evening tightening up my sled and making repairs, which was a useful way to keep occupied, and much less likely to end in disaster. The way my day has been going, it was probably the best decision I made all day. Long relaxing run planned for tomorrow. Crossing my fingers for no more wierd problems or injuries!
February 27, 2011 Yesterday we went out for a 6 hour run. The temperature was nice, but the wind was blowing like crazy, and all the trails were drifted deeply. Good training! The dogs loved the wind, but needed a little extra help with trail finding in the deeper areas. Times like this, I really miss Angel. Times like this I also remember why I generally don't put Fly near the front of the team - he is fine when we are in motion, but managed to cause problems every time I stopped to sort things out or help find the trail. All in all, a good run and very happy dogs. Working hard to ensure I have 16 healthy dogs for the Iditarod, which starts in ONE WEEK! We had a number of last minute injuries in the past week (sigh); most of them appear to be minor, but several key players are definitely out at this point. I will post later in the week with updates on the team.
February 19, 2011 The whirlwind of food drop is over. Just about everything is ready to go. Now I have time to take the dogs on long runs. We took a beautiful trail today; south to the Kashwitna River, down the narrow, winding Kashwitna to the big, wide open Susitna River, then up over the benches and hills to Trapper Lake and Neil Lakes. After 8 hours the dogs were fresh and happy, playful and full of good energy. We're planning on doing another run like that tomorrow. The countdown is on, and by the looks of the dogs, we are ready!
February 14, 2011 Substance abuse can make wonderful people do some pretty lousy things. We were shocked (and hurt, and stunned) to find that our wonderful handler had been stealing – just minor stuff, but when you open your home and your life and everything you care about to someone, there is really not much room for any kind of dishonesty. We really liked this guy, and had already made plans for him to run our dogs this summer, and to return next winter, so the betrayal really felt awful. But that wasn't the worst part... After he was gone, we were even more shocked (and stunned, and in despair) to find that the vast majority of preparation for Iditarod food drop had not been completed. After our first races when things went so smoothly and were so well prepared, I did much less checking up. If he said it was ready to go, I believed him. Instead, things were partially done – looked good at first glance, but once I started really investigating, I almost gave up. I just couldn’t see how we could possibly get everything done in time for the required shipping date on February 16. Food drop is a colossal undertaking in a normal year. It takes us weeks to get together all the food, equipment, and supplies we will need on an 1,100 mile journey. We send out almost 650 pounds of frozen meat, all of which has to be cut up from 50 pound blocks into ¼ pound chunks. Then it has to be weighed out into 4 pound piles, bagged, and labeled. We send out hundreds and hundreds of pounds of commercial dog food, which also must be weighed, bagged, and labeled. Thousands of booties, food for me to eat, medical supplies, and everything else, all in enormous quantities; it all has to be prepared ahead of time, sorted out, and then packed into the correct shipping bags so that the right stuff is in the right place, waiting for me when I get to the re-supply points along the trail. My goal is always to have all the parts and pieces completely ready to go by the last day of January. In case we come up short or identify a problem, we will have a bit of time to respond. Even four days ago I would have put my chances of getting everything ready on time at about 50/50. We almost lost our race before we even got started. But, with a tremendous effort, and a LOT of help from friends, we managed to tie our last drop bag up last night. What a nightmare of stress, frustration, sadness, and pure exhaustion. The race ought to be easy after this! We couldn’t have done it without the help of Diana Moroney, who came out to help run dogs so I could work on my drops, and also fed us, and prepped food for the dogs for the next week; Martha Ethridge, who helped me process, weigh, and pack, fed us, and cleaned up around the house and dog lot; Amanda Olson, who cleaned the dog lot on another day, and packaged up a whole bunch of dog food; and musher Matt Hayashida, who loaned us meat when we came up short. We also received a whole bunch of moral support and encouragement from various other friends, and you will never know how much it meant to us – thank you everyone! Now we are trying to regroup and refocus. We have just a few weeks left to find that happy, confident energy we will need for the upcoming Iditarod. Win this quilt!!! Drawing February 25! Click here for more information
February 6, 2011 The dogs and I ran in the Willow-Tug 300 this weekend. The dogs looked good and were actually getting stronger as the race progressed, but I decided to scratch after 200 miles for several reasons, all related to making sure I will have a strong, healthy dog team for Iditarod. The first leg of the race was 88 miles, which is a very long stretch. The first half was on nice firm trails, but the second half was soft and very tough going for the dogs. There were lots of slushy areas, which can be hard on the dog's feet. Lots of booties get sucked off in this type of snow, leaving the dog's feet unprotected. The booties that do stay on freeze and scrape against the dog's skin, so either way their poor feet can really get sore. I planned to stop and feed the team and take a 2 hour break after running the first 6 hours. But after the first 5 hours or so the trail ran through deep snow, and there was absolutely nowhere to get off the trail to camp. I could have tried to pack down an area with snowshoes, but I wasn't sure how my knee would hold up to that kind of work. Eventually we ended up going all the way in to the first checkpoint, running 11 hours and arriving at 9 p.m. While the dogs did fine, they were definitely a little tired after such a hard run. They always bounce back after a little rest, but I didn't like starting the race out with such a demanding run. At the Yentna checkpoint I got the dogs fed, into their coats because it was getting cool, bedded down on straw, and resting quickly. I spent lots of time working on their feet, checking for splits or abrasions, and rubbing ointment on every foot. Most of the dogs ate well, and they all rested well. After 71/2 hours of rest, we left at 4:30 a.m. to do a 68 mile loop from Yentna to Skwentna and back. The dogs moved out and seemed to feel great on the firm trail. We normally stop every two hours for a quick break and snack. On this break I noticed that Cerveza didn't look very happy, and she didn't eat her snack, which was unusual for her. As we got back underway she wasn't pulling, which is also unusual for her. As I watched, she seemed to be moving a little strangely, and I decided not to take a risk. I stopped the team and loaded her into the sled. Just the fact that she was willing to rest in the sled for the next 5 hours of running clearly showed that she was not feeling well, and I worried about her all the way back to the checkpoint. It was a pretty cold run, probably 20 or 30 below because I was chilly even with all my gear on. Even hauling an extra 45 pounds, the rest of the team looked and felt great, and we made good time around this loop. Still, when we finished they were more tired than I like them to be that early in a race. I decided we would take a little extra rest, and leave after 7 hours. We got in at 11:30, and the dogs were soon snoozing in the sunshine. After I took care of the dogs and got them fed and bedded down, I arranged to have Cerveza flown home. As I was working over the dogs I noticed that Hatchet had a swollen hock, and I 'dropped' him to go home as well. I took a short nap, then got up to go start the cooker to make the next meal for the dogs. Jim Lanier, who was at the checkpoint (but not racing), said the forecast called for a dramatic drop in the temperatures. I don't like running the dogs in severe cold, even though we have done it in races before. The dogs honestly don't mind - they always want to run. But it doesn't do them much good physically. I thought about the race and what my goals were - check out the younger dogs and see how they handle racing; do several long hard runs back-to-back to remind the dogs what they are capable of; get the dogs to work hard and push a little more than we do in training; tune up my checkpoint routine before Iditarod; and have some fun. We had accomplished all of that. The younger dogs really impressed me, ate well, worked hard, enjoyed themselves, and had great attitudes throughout. This was the very first race for Hatchet and Razor, and only Spartan's second (Varan ran him in the Knik 200 last year). Based on their performance, I can confidently add them to the Iditarod team. The dogs definitely got a hard workout and really put forth a good effort even when tired. I couldn't ask for more dedicated dogs. I quickly fell into an efficient checkpoint routine, and felt very alert and focused as I quickly ran through my chores of feeding, dog care, and also making sure I ate and rested well. And the dogs and I enjoyed our time out on the trail, seeing new sites and visiting with other mushers. My first priority is making sure I have the best team possible for Iditarod. So even though I HATE scratching from a race, the more I thought about it, the more I felt there were good reasons to call it quits early, and not too many reasons to keep going. That first run had taken it's toll on their feet, and I didn't want to aggravate those problems with more long runs. I barely have enough dogs to field a full team - I already had two dogs out, and didn't want to risk any more possible injuries. I really didn't want to push the young dogs too hard on their first race experiences. Running in severe cold is not fun, and is even detrimental to fitness. The dogs had worked exceptionally hard during that first run, and were pretty tired. Even though they were bouncing back and getting stronger, my bigger goal was to keep them excited and having fun. I wanted to make sure we ended on a positive note with happy dogs - the short 35 mile run back to the trailer would really jazz up the whole team and give confidence to any dogs were feeling tired or mopey - which could really pay off if I ever need to ask them for just a little more when they are feeling like they'd rather stop. I hope no one is too disappointed with us. Overall, I feel it was a good decision for the team. 24 hours later the dogs are bouncing around and playing, and feeling really good. The extra care I took with their feet out on the trail paid off, and their feet look no worse for the wear. And Cerveza, who really had me worried, seems to be fine after getting hydrated and resting inside for a day. So that's it - a short race for us, but good. Donna Quante posted some really nice pictures - here's a link to one of leaving the start. Deja and Mercedes in lead, everyone else pulling like crazy!
January 29, 2011 Varan and the dogs just returned from a very successful trip at the Don Bowers race, where they took second place! They missed winning by only 6 minutes. Varan says if he had known they were that close he might have pushed a little harder. The race is normally 200 miles, but there was so much overflow and open water in the creeks that they had to shorten the trail to just over 100 miles. Varan took off, and finished, with 14 dogs - two fewer than the maximum (and two fewer than the Justin, who won). Here is a picture of Varan getting the team ready. Looks like Luna (in the colorful tee shirt) is ready to go!
Our friend Donna Quante also took some great pictures for us. All the dogs are pulling like maniacs out of the starting chute. Cutter, 4th back on the right, looks like he is trying to pull the sled all by himself!
The only bad news is that Flip, who has never had an injury in his life, pulled his left bicep muscle. He just needs some time off, relaxation, massage, and stretching. He seems pretty happy about the relaxation part. The teeshirt is so that the massage liniment doesn't end up all over the house.
January 23, 2011 Saturday morning we headed out for a couple of back-to-back, nice long runs broken up with a short camp in the swamp out past our house. With new snow and heavily loaded sleds we didn't make fast time, but we churned along for 6 hours or so, and were on the return trip. The fairly deep overflow on Sheep Creek was much worse on the return - 18 inches in some places, floating with slush and ice, and starting to crust over so that the dogs would slip on top of the ice, then crash through into the ice water. The sled was lurching and bouncing all over the place as it broke through the ice. I was slipping and sliding trying to help out. Right before we reached the far bank the water was so deep it was coming up over the front of my sled. I had a couple of two year olds up front; Cutter and Hatchet. I was very proud of them for toughing it out and figuring out how to lead the team across this very difficult section of trail. With just a litte encouragement they forged on and kept the team moving. It would have been very tricky for me to try to walk to the front of the team and straighten them out or lead the team across myself, as I could barely keep my footing even when hanging on to the sled. Varan's team, headed up by Deja and Suzy, did just as well crossing, and we all rolled in the snow to dry off on the far side. We took a four hour break out on the swamps - the dogs get so excited when they see a bale of straw and know we will be camping out! After cooking up a nice meal for the dogs (and finding out that we need to repair one cooker - which is why we do these little camp-outs) we stretched out on the straw to watch the stars for a few hours. We planned to run another 6 hours or so after camping, but were not really excited about crossing the creek two more times (heading out and then again on the way home), with possibly deeper water. We explored a few trails on the north side of the creek, but ultimately gave up and headed home after only 3 1/2 hours. Varan spent a good part of Sunday looking for a better way across Sheep Creek (no luck), and putting in loops out in the swamps to try to avoid too many creek crossings. Having dogs that are experienced at crossing water is one thing. Asking them to repeatedly wade through ice water for each training run is just demoralizing. Next up - Varan is racing in the Don Bowers 200 next weekend!
January 15, 2011 - a little bit later Now attempting to update using the new software. Ughhh.... So, it warmed up to -20, and we headed out for a short run before it cooled off again. (Currently -30 and dropping fast). If was a fast run and the dogs were feeling great! The crossing at Sheep Creek always makes you pay attention, and this year it has been difficult for different reasons all year. Heading north on the trail back home, the trail snakes through some bushes, then turns sharply to the right as it drops on to the creek and then proceeds up the creek for 150 yards before climbing up the far bank. Earlier this year the creek was polished glare ice, so when you dropped off the bank onto the ice you were guaranteed to slide sideways until your team could pull you straight. If you went into it with any speed things could get tricky in a hurry. Then a few weeks ago we had a heavy snowfall followed by warm temperatures. The weight of all that snow pushed the ice down, and the river water flowed out over the top. The dogs are always good about overflow, but they were a little reluctant as it got up to mid-chest level. I was too, but you can't let on to the dogs! Today the creek was frozen solid, but with a million little icecubes welded to the surface. That makes for a chattery, rough ride with lots of little jerks and changes of direction as the sled runners pinball between the cubes. I got the dogs moving slowly as we entered the drop, but you have to get off the brake through corners or you end up riding over the shoulder on the inside. So as we dropped down onto the ice, the dogs were already picking up speed, and I shot over the lip and skidded into the corner. One of those grabby little cubes embedded in the ice stopped me short, but my momentum (and my sled) just kept going. Slam over onto the ice and hang on tight. The dogs are usually good about stopping after a crash, but they were pretty fired up today. I hung on and tried to set a hook to get them stopped, but no luck on the hard frozen ice. Meanwhile my hip was grinding along, taking the brunt of a million hard little edges on those glued down cubes. I just waited it out until we hit a patch of snow, set the hook, and then flipped the sled upright. A quick little drama, and no real emergency, but I bet my left hip comes up mottled tomorrow!
January 15, 2011 Clearly I don't have this new software figured out. I am trying to use the old software to update the news page, which has been screwed up for 2 weeks. This will work. I think. Someone e-mail me and let me know if you can read this! We are working hard to get Iditarod food drops done. This morning it was 30 below - too cold for training. We race in those temperatures frequently, but it does not actually help add to their fitness during training runs, so today I have time to muddle around with this website.
January 9, 2011
Toby and the puppies, with Angel and Scooby in lead.
Happy New Year everyone! My website host just informed me that they will be migrating to a new server soon, and it will not support the program I use to create this website (which is rather outdated - still, I wasn't really expecting this right now). So instead of taking the dogs out for a long training run since I have the day off, I will be taking the day to try to learn an completely new program and trying to rebuild the entire website. There is a good chance that things will not go smoothly! This is the absolute worst time of year for me to be taking on any new projects, and needless to say I am really NOT HAPPY about it. I apologize in advance for any glitches, problems, lost content, or complete lack of website that is likely to occur in the next few weeks.
I convinced myself that I WOULD get some photos to share, and I was waiting to post until I did. I didn't. One of these days... We had a great Christmas and some really nice long runs with the dogs. Our normal crossing on the Kashwitna River is full of jumble ice. That happens when the river freezes, then breaks up and all the ice washes downstream and piles up, then refreezes into a jungle of blocks and slabs. No real way to thread a team through and around that mess, but luckily there is another place to cross a few miles upstream, so we are back in business! Sunday we went for a 60 mile run on a new trail that I hadn't seen before. It was a beautiful trail, winding through the birch and spruce, popping out into open areas, and then right back into the trees. At one point the trail took a sudden steep dive off a ridge. The team disappeared over the edge and plummeted out from under me. With both feet on the brake I was still starting to overtake the team, and it was quite a long drop down to the bottom. I was really watching my wheel dogs and working to stay off them when I realized the team had bottomed out at the base of the hill. But that was no reprieve, because the team was sweeping right around a sharp right angle turn! Just enough time to switch gears and get set for the corner, and we were through it before I realized what was happening. Lots of fun! A little later in the run I saw another drop approaching, so I jumped on the brake to slow the team up. Again they disappeared over the ledge, and I followed right behind. This time I managed to bounce over to the right side of the trail and off a mogul, so I was airborne when the dogs hit the sharp turn halfway down the hill. I think I will name this section of the trail the Roller Coaster! We returned from the run with a bunch of crazy, hyped up dogs. Six hours of almost non-stop running barely even makes an impression on these guys!
We just completed the first race of the season! It was just a fun little heat-race, no overnights or mega-miles. But it was great to get the dogs out, see some of the other mushers, and run some different trails. The Alaska Excursions 120 offers a really big purse, so there were lots of top teams there. With two heats of 44 miles, it was almost a sprint. The strength of our dogs lies not in their speed, but in their willingness to go on endlessly, hour after hour. Needless to say, this was not our type of race! But I was really proud of the dogs because we averaged almost 12 mph on both days, which is really fast for a distance team. We train around 10 mph, and in Iditarod we will probably average closer to 7 mph. Even though a 17th place finish is nothing to get excited about, the dogs had a blast and finished up very strong and wiggling all over the place. Our friend Ryan won the race going almost 15 mph average - holy smokes I think he must have melted his runner plastic!
Well, that didn't last long. Four days to be precise. They showed up, worked hard, were fun to be around. On Tuesday, he got offered a job on a crab boat, and by Wednesday they were gone. We've been putting in some LOOONG days trying to get the dogs run, get to work, and get all the chores done too. The good news is, we already have
someone else lined up, starting just before Christmas. He sounds great, has all
the skills we are looking for, great references, and has assured us he will be
here through April. Maybe I will wait until he's been here awhile before I
introduce you.
So what are we looking for in a handler? They don't need to know anything about dogs. They do need to be willing to work outside everyday for many long, cold hours. Last year I learned to be sure they actually have experience doing full-time, physical labor so that they really know what that means. They need to be reasonably fit and tough (see above). They need to be reliable, trustworthy, and generally good people - we are going to be sharing our home with them, after all. They need to be safe drivers with winter road experience, and hopefully they know how to drive (and back) a trailer so they can pick up the team after races. And they have to be willing to stay on through the end of April. This year I learned to get a real commitment on that, because leaving without notice is really a disaster for us. It is a lot of work, but for someone who wants to get involved in mushing, there is no better way to learn everything about it. Because they are involved in every aspect of every activity, a handler can learn about raising, training, preparing for races, how to race the dogs, vet care, and more. And really, as handling jobs go, this one is pretty cushy. We have a very small kennel (only 27 dogs, including pets and puppies), and really comfy set up (hot and cold running water can be a luxury). In my first months handling, I was on my own with 85 dogs, in a wood heated cabin with no running water or power. I put in 12-14 hour days doing dog care, running dogs, chopping wood, digging outhouse holes, trail work, etc. You can read more about it on the stories page - "A Day in the Life" (sorry, can't get the hyperlink to work for some reason, but it is a good read!). My second year, at the Moroneys, the house was pretty nice and much more convenient. But they were gone quite a bit, so I was responsible for all the dog care and a huge portion of the training for 45 dogs. Thank goodness Varan spent so much time there and helped out! My point is, I've done the job under much more trying circumstances, and I loved it! And we've had great luck with several handlers. We've also had rotten luck with some others, but hopefully I can learn from those experiences. Other good news - we are finally on sleds! The river crossings aren't frozen (who knows why, it has been COLD lately), but our neighbor Matt Hayashida and Varan put in a long winding, looping trail through the swamps so we can really get some miles. Off to run!
Handlers, handlers! We finally have help! Meet Rusti and Michael (not that you can see much, they are all bundled up against the cold). In just 2 days they already know all the routines, have learned most of the dogs, and have already helped out enormously. One of the fun things about new handlers is getting to know people from different backgrounds and places, and teaching them all about sled dogs and Iditarod. These two are really excited to be here and really love the dogs, so it has been a great weekend.
We have finally been able to nail down the races we plan for this year. They are;
That should keep us busy! Also, we have recently received several requests asking what the kennel could use for Christmas. Thanks to everyone who asked for it, and please remember that your support and encouragement are one of the biggest gifts we can receive. But for those of you who really want to know, here's a little Blue on Black Holiday Wish List - all things we will need for the upcoming racing season!
When it comes to weather, this last week has been a weird one. From Barrow to Kenai, from Nome to Fairbanks, from Anchorage to Talkeetna we had rain. Rain on top of snow and ice. Rain falling from warm skies to freeze immediately on the colder ground (Monday when I got up it was raining at 16 degrees). State-wide skating rink, chaos on the highways! Alaska -the only place I know where they have to close schools and state offices because it got too warm in winter. Needless to say, all of our beautiful snowy trails were obliterated, covered with a foot of slush and slop that we couldn't navigate with the four-wheeler. Rain accumulated on top of the ice in huge puddles, and creeks thawed out. The problem with sloppy wet trails is that once they freeze they pose a real risk to the dogs - they are both extremely rough and granular (think sore feet and cut pads) and very slippery in places (think shoulder injuries). Not so good for running. The dogs were getting cranky and wild - they needed to run, but the best we could do was let a few loose at a time to play in the yard. So we were really hoping for a little cold to freeze things up and then a little snow to cover the ice. And on Thanksgiving night we got our wish. In the end, we missed only 3 days of training, and are back at it. Of course, the trails are much worse for the wear, filled with deep frozen ruts, flooded with overflow (some almost deep enough to make the dogs swim,), and criss-crossed with huge frozen berms where side streets and driveways were plowed. Hard on the four-wheelers, which are encased in inches of frozen water and slammed from rut to berm. Hard on the drivers who try to navigate these trails. But just fine for the dogs, who couldn't care less, and charge happily through water and over rough trails.
Feeding time comes early on these long run days, and the sun is not even a thought on the horizon when I step outside into the crisp air. But there is no need for headlamps here. The full moon has the world aglow, and the snowy woods are illuminated. Light enough to go fetch firewood; light enough to walk out to the barn and fill the buckets; light enough to find the paths through the dog lot; light enough, almost, to read, if reading was something we had time for this morning. All is lit with pearly light, soft grays, muted blues, and deep black shadows. Birch trees sketch their branches against the sky like strokes of dark ink, and the moon is so bright it is almost too much to look at. The only color, comforting and close, is the warm orange glow of firelight in the cabin windows. The dogs rouse slowly, stretch, yawn, with softly clinking chains and the rustle of straw. Soon there is the sound of busy lapping and the quiet clink of collars on feed dishes. I make my way around the lot, cleaning up, and watching the eastern sky lighten and lift. All subtle colors - layers of dusky blue, soft gray, darkish mauve, and ah, I think, it will be one of those softly pretty mornings that rise like a whisper until the sky is light. No crimson flames and hectic garish trumpeting of the arriving sun on this peaceful, easy morning.
But no, I am lulled by the slow, quiet arrival. For the next time I lift my nose from the soft fur of a warm morning greeting, the eastern sky is ablaze, awash in color, and wide awake. And so are we, the dogs and I, ready to get going on our day.
I took today off work to get a longer run on the dogs (after our bout with the never-ending cough, we're behind in miles). That meant I had a little daylight left at the end of the day to harness break puppies, which is always a riot. Actually, the harness breaking begins when they are much smaller and they learn how to cope with being tied up. Tying them out teaches them not to panic at being constrained, and how to calmly step over or under the chain to get untangled. At the beginning they are loose in the puppy pen, and we tie them only for meal times. This way, tying up becomes something they look forward to. At some point the pups become too destructive or too feisty with their litter-mates to be free all the time. Then they graduate to the main dog lot (although we do let them loose to play for part of each day). From here, they spend a lot of time observing the main team get harnessed, hooked up, and then leave the yard. This is obviously something the adult dogs are screamingly ecstatic about, and the pups get just as excited at hook up time. Based on my experience, the pups really do learn from watching - they seem to naturally know what to do when it is their turn in a way that sometimes doesn't happen with pups who are housed away from the main team. The main goal with puppy's first run is to prevent it from being scary, and keep it light, happy, and fun, no matter what the heck is going on. So we get everything set beforehand - trail and turnaround in good shape, sled rigged up and tied off (we have just enough snow to run a small team, and I prefer the quiet of a sled for the first run), adult dogs harnessed and hooked to the line. We make sure to use steady, reliable, kind dogs up front - usually two leaders and two swing dogs to guide the team and to provide the power to pull the sled Once we are all set, then we quickly harness each pup and hook them in. One person usually stands by to keep them calm, prevent them from chewing their harness to bits, and straighten them out if they get too knotted up. Each pup is hooked in by itself - there will be lots of twisting and shrieking and scrambling, so it is easier if they have plenty of room to sort themselves out without bouncing off another dog. Pups have both a tug line from their harness, and a neck line to their collar, which will help keep them headed the right direction.
The pups are completely out of their minds with excitement, and though it's hard to focus all that energy, it is a great sign that they are ready to learn. Before they can get tangled or twisted up, we get going - very slowly so each pup has time to figure out that we are now moving forward. Often there are frequent stops to untangle a pup who has managed to twist around the gangline. Sometimes one or two pups will take a few hundred yards to decide that running in a group is fun and to get enthusiastic about moving out.
But not this time! Halo, Helix, and Harp seemed to already know what was expected, and hit their harnesses so hard I was having a hard time keeping the speed down. They ran barking down the trail after their leaders, lunging and pulling forward and having a fantastic time! The first run is very short, about 1/2 mile, and always over too soon for the newly minted sled dogs. But puppy muscles aren't up to longer runs, and we always want to keep it fun and exciting. Next time we'll go a bit farther, but for this first year we'll keep it to no more than 5 miles. They are just babies and it could harm them to ask their bodies to do more at this stage. What fun to watch them take their first steps towards their destinies. They have such bright futures as sled dogs. We'll try for pictures soon so you can all see how hard these little guys pull - just like they were born to it!
Well, not every training run is a barrel of fun, even when the dogs are perfect. Yesterday was one of those days. The run was going just fine, and we had about five miles left before we got home. It's been unseasonably warm, and there was a sticky wet snow falling. The plows were out clearing the highway, and we met up with them right as the trail lined out close to the highway's edge. Imagine this coming towards you, except in these warm temperatures, it isn't snow; its a wall of slushy ice water, grit, and chunks of ice.
The dogs and I got walloped by a wave of road slush. It was like a body slam - a lot of force behind that wave. We were all drenched and pummeled. I stopped to let dogs roll dry in the snow and scrape a 1/2 inch of slimy, gritty muck off my face, head, arms, and legs. I was soaked to the skin, and ice water was trickling down my back. I had grit in my eyes and even in my teeth. Even though it was pretty warm out, I was sopping wet and was pretty much a popsicle before we got back home. Update 7:00 p.m. - today's run was much better!
The miles and time with the dogs are starting to catch up with us. All of our free time is spent taking care of or running the dogs and nothing else is getting done. Time to start thinking about a handler, who can take some of the pressure off by helping with dog chores and even running dogs. We have someone good in mind, but aren't sure exactly when he can start. Soon, we hope! Snow has arrived, and it sure makes everything beautiful. Here is our driveway, wending through the trees on its way out to the road.
As pretty as it is, there is only about 8 inches, right on the edge of enough to run sleds on. Actually, it doesn't take any snow at all to run sleds - the dogs will happily pull them over rocks, dirt, weeds, etc. What we really need snow for is the brakes and the snow hook that anchors the sled when we need to stop. So we'll stick with the four-wheelers for a bit longer, until we get more snow, until the swamps with our sledding trails have a chance to freeze up. There are lots of things I could write about, from the types of houses our dogs live in, to how we get our pups ready for harness breaking. I want to know what you are curious about. If you e-mail me (intensekarin@msn.com) with your questions, suggestions, or topics, I will make sure to post here for you.
Happy Halloween everybody! We'll be celebrating by - you guessed it - running dogs. We're up to 20 miles now, and that takes a good chunk of time. The last, I mean the very last dog I would have suspected - the trip over his own feet, can't face forward because something might be happening behind him, head not screwed on straight, goofiest, sloppiest, socks would never match if he wore them, has to investigate every puddle, forgets to pull (although he very happily gallumphs down the trail), most annoying, scatter brained, distracted dog I've ever met - turns out he's a pretty good leader. Yes, I mean Razor, the dog we say is the least sharp object we've ever seen. I put him up on a whim, just to see what he can do, and I about fell off the four-wheeler at what he did. Put him up front and he heads down the trail with the tightest tug line in the team, magically knows his gees from his haws, passes loose dogs, and never once looks back to see who is behind him and what they are doing. He may be a genius disguised as a clown. Glad to know he is good for something. Although he is a beautiful mover and has all the athletic ability in the world, I had about given up on him due to his lack of focus. Well, boys do mature slowly sometimes.
I was recently informed that, while I provide plenty of updates on how the dogs are doing, I have been remiss in reporting on my condition, specifically the state of my knee. I had my ACL reconstructed in late May. The knee itself is doing extremely well. I have full range of motion and the joint is strong and tight. The muscles in that leg, however, take quite awhile to recuperate. The recovery time from this surgery is supposed to be 8-12 months for full use. Right now, I'd say my left leg has less than half the strength of my right. Hamstring, quads, and calf muscles are all slowly coming back. Going up and down stairs, stepping over obstacles, etc. is still a challenge. I found out the hard way that it is not worth it to push too hard, and have several times had to severely reduce my workouts to prevent new injuries. My physical therapist has been very insistent on that topic! Also, my overall fitness level has really suffered. I spent about 5 months where I was not allowed to do more than limited, slow walking. Now I am working out 4-5 days a week. I am able to run (on a nice safe treadmill only!) about a mile, but I am not allowed to work too hard. Since I usually spend my summers doing serious workouts and getting in shape, I am definitely feeling the lack. So that is a bit of a concern - to be able to compete in the Iditarod, I need to be as strong and fit as possible. But I think I will manage. I fully intend to!
Every time we hook up a team it is never just for conditioning, never just putting on the miles, although that is a very important part of training. This Saturday we worked on head-on passes with our own teammates. Our dogs do an excellent job passing other teams, but manage to make a mess when passing dogs from their own kennel. Maybe it is because they know to go right on by strange dogs, but when it is their own pack they forget which group is going which way. You'd think they would just keep going in the same direction, but no. We have had some spectacular tangles with each other. Four-wheeler training is a great time to work on these bugs, since we can easily stop and hold the teams with the machines (not so with sleds, which remain stationary only as well as the hook you manage to stomp into the ice). We also worked on gee and haw. A new section of trail is full of braided pathways, perfect for practicing directional changes. And it was time for some of our younger dogs to try their hand (paw) at single lead. As long as they work with a partner in lead, they can always lean on them when they aren't sure, and take their cues from the other dog. In single lead we ask these newer, less experienced leaders to really focus and make all the decisions on their own. It is a great confidence builder, and seems to help them solidify directional commands and some of the other responsibilities of a leader. Sunday we strung all the dogs together into one large team. The energy level and excitement doesn't just double - it goes up exponentially. So for this run we were really working on calm hook up behavior - no chewing, no twisting, no snapping at your neighbor in excitement, and also lining out during stops (otherwise known as 'no coming back to visit the dogs behind you!!' - that will make a real problem with 22 dogs.) The dogs need to know so many things that we take for granted. By being consistent and always insisting on good behavior, we sometimes forget how challenging it can be when they don't cooperate. Until they don't.... Here's a list of some of the basic behaviors that sled dogs must know (at least at our house!)
I bet there are dozens more that just aren't popping into my head right now, but isn't it amazing that so many people think that sled dogs are completely wild and untrained except for knowing how to pull. Dogs are very smart - they learn something from every interaction with their humans. Depending on what you are doing, they might just be learning to ignore you...Not ours, and hopefully not yours.
"She said Gee!" "No she didn't, she said Haw!"
Finally, back on track and getting some miles run! With the exception of Mercedes, who, after two weeks, just can't shake that cough. We are going to have to get creative to get her caught up to the team once she finally quits hacking. Angels' shoulder problem has shown up again, and we're working with her to see if we can get her back on track too. Meanwhile, the rest of the dogs are running strong and happy. Temperatures are much cooler, and that always makes for hyper dogs!
Until the swamps and creeks freeze up, we can't train on our normal winter trails. Instead, we follow the four-wheeler tracks that parallel just about every highway in Alaska. From our house we can head south where there are places to turn around for 5, 10, and 20 mile runs. Or we can head north, where there are places to turn around for almost any length of run. It is so great to be able to run right from the yard and have so many options. The paths are very smooth (easier on the four-wheeler and the drivers - dogs don't really care). There are only a few loose dogs. They happen to be pretty friendly, which makes for great training opportunities. Sometimes the path is butted right up next to the road, which can be a little nerve wracking when huge loaded semis roar by at 70-plus miles per hour and blow grit in our faces, but that is a minor problem and the dogs are handling it just fine.
It is a huge improvement over Knik, where we trained last fall. There we had to contend with tons of cross traffic, sometimes in areas where visibility wasn't great; several loose and aggressive dogs; and several loose and aggressive neighbors, some of them toting firearms. It's also much more convenient than our home in Chugiak, where we had to load the dogs and four-wheeler on the trailer, haul them a couple of miles over to the dog trails, and then unload everything, set up, hook up, and run (and then reverse the process to get home). Also, the trails in Chugiak are incredibly rough, potholed, and rutted. All of which you must traverse at the speed of dog - that is, you don't slow down for any of the obstacles, just clench your jaw (so you don't bite your tongue), hang on tight, and try not to break your teeth on the handlebars. Here's a picture of me and the team, which Varan took from the highway. Even though it is blurry, I like the sense of speed and forward motion. The next shot shows us from the back - lots of our fall trails parallel the highway but are some distance away,
Well, it seems to be the cough that never ends. Each day saw a new dog hacking and coughing up foam until every one of the 14 who stayed home this summer was struck, with the exception of Barley, Angel, and Scooby (although Angel did cough a few times today - maybe she is next). Each dog has taken at least a week to recover. We tried putting a couple back in the team once they had gone a full day without coughing, but the running aggravates the throat and brings the cough back to life.
Most are recovering just fine with some time off. Mercedes' hack got so bad she almost couldn't take a breath between coughs. She's resting inside where the chilly night air won't irritate her throat. She's also getting cough syrup to help with symptoms - she does NOT like orange-flavored anything!
And so we wait, running just those dogs that are hale and hearty. We're running just one larger team right now, and Varan has had a chance to get some great pictures. The runs are mostly to keep the dogs from destroying the kennel and keeping us up all night with their howling. Inactivity is not their strong suit. We'll stick at 10 miles until everyone is back on the team and has had a chance to get back into training. That makes us a bit behind schedule, but we ought to be able to catch up once we get going again.
Cutter just can't take a bad picture. Others can't seem to take one where they don't look silly (Sable, Scooby, Karin)
We've been slowly adding miles, and the dogs have been coming back from runs at a full sprint - time to increase the distance. Except that it seems the dogs who worked in Skagway this summer brought back a little virus. Several of the dogs who stayed home have picked up a terrible hacking cough, high temperature, and lack of appetite. They still want to run, but they sure don't feel well after. So we'll take some time off and let them recover. As much as we don't like taking time off, every virus they are exposed to now is one less to worry about during racing season. With no training runs, we've been letting big groups of dogs loose to run around in the kennel. They really enjoy that free time! Suzy spent all her time growling and barking and teasing Shotgun and Chase, jumping over their backs and leaping around in front of them. Razor followed me everywhere, glued to my side, getting in the way and tripping over me as he mooched around under my feet. Azure, Sable, and Luna streaked around the pasture from end to the other, pulling other dogs into their wake as they raced past. Spartan did drive-by charges, galloping towards me with legs flying all around and tongue flopping to the side like some demented gumby dog. Trouble poked through the bushes at the south end by himself. Scooby rolled around in the grass and laid flat out in the sunshine. Chisel buried his head in my armpit and then started pushing and twisting as he tried to worm his enormous body farther into my lap. Alis found an old leg bone and politely declined every overture from other dogs interested in her prize. There is, of course, lots of marking, sniffing, and scratching around in the grass. It may not be as good as going for a run, but loose time is still lots of fun. And it is still a form of training - socialization, getting along with others, making friendships and strengthening bonds, learning to share.
I just returned from a week in California. No, not on vacation or visiting family - I was at a conference for work. Hopefully this is the last work-trip for awhile, because I have been traveling a LOT lately; since the end of July I've been to Seward (twice), Soldotna, Ketchikan, Portland, Vancouver, and Sacramento, each for several days or more. Now it's time to focus on the team. Varan took care of everything and ran the dogs while I was gone. They sure are looking good! We are up to 10 miles now, and moving up very slowly. The dogs always finish up with plenty of energy and great attitude, and we like to keep it that way. Even though we could go farther and faster, we think that setting them up with a good solid base early in the season cuts down on injuries. And we really don't have any spare dogs. With only 23 in training this year, there isn't much to choose from if a handful have injuries that keeps them from mile-ing up with the rest of the team. Leaves are almost all gone, and the temperatures have been in the low 20's overnight. Some places even have snow already! This might be a big winter!
Everyone is home, and so happy to be back! We really missed the dogs who went working this summer! And we thank them very much for their help in paying off last year's race season. Now the serious training for NEXT season can begin. Our great friends at Pacific Tugboat Service made up these cool hats!!
They're a limited edition, and we don't have many. So we won't be offering them for sale. They'll be available only to our top sponsors - $500 and up. Want one? Here's a perfect excuse to sponsor a dog!
We have beautiful, golden fall weather - warm and sunny during the day, and chilly at night. The dogs have been romping through our training runs, enjoying the mud and crackling leaves, enjoying the wild free-for-all back at the lot, enjoying sunbathing in the afternoon, enjoying a group howl to let us know when they think it is dinner time, enjoying curling up in their cozy houses as the night frost descends. In short, enjoying life. Dogs are better at that than anyone I know. Fall is definitely here, and you can feel that winter will soon follow. But the firewood is cut and stacked in the woodshed, equipment is clean and repaired, the four-wheelers, snow machine, and dog trailer have all had their yearly tune-up. Summer projects are wrapping up, and running dogs is starting to take more of our time. I think we are ready!
First day of training, with the 14 dogs that are here. The rest will return from summer work in a few weeks. The dogs are very happy to be running again! Even Barley gets to run with the team until the miles start getting longer. As you can see, they are just fine with running through puddles.
Summer months are slow, not much news to report. Normally training starts as soon as it is cool enough in August. But this year we are holding off until later. There are a number of reasons for this. My knee could use some additional time to strengthen and recuperate before the stress of handling frantic, lunging, out of control dogs at hook up time. We always spend most of August trying to build up miles, but being foiled by the hot afternoon temperatures, which is the only time I have to run dogs. Also, ten of our dogs are working the tourist scene down in Skagway and won't return until the end of September. While they are getting some miles, there is no point really getting the rest of the gang going hard until we are all back together again. So once training really begins in mid-late September, I will really have something to post. Here's a photo of our the new sign at the end of our driveway - I took up a new hobby while my knee healed, and I'm pretty pleased with the results. Now when you come to visit you will know you made it to the right place!
OK, I admit. I should have posted sooner. I've been busy! So.... Yes - I did sign up for Iditarod again. Thanks to Ted and Joyce Griffith and Pacific Tugboat Services, who made it possible in the nick of time! The sign up picnic was lots of fun. After the picnic, several teachers who use Iditarod as part of their curriculum came to visit the kennel, along with Hugh Neff, who is always hilarious to talk with. And yes - I did get my Iditarod license plate. To date, a total of 687 individual people have ever finished the Iditarod. Of those, probably less than 2/3 live in Alaska and drive a vehicle here. Only those people are qualified to get one of these very special license plates. I don't think there is a cooler car in Alaska, maybe anywhere.
Happy Solstice to everyone. Around here, Solstice is a big deal. After June 21, the days start getting shorter again. That means winter is on its way! And that means Sign Up for next year's Iditarod is just around the corner, too - next weekend, to be precise. And while I am DEFINITELY planning to sign up and race in 2011, I might not be able to swing the entry fee just yet. So don't panic if you don't see my name on the list. We have until then end of November to get our entries in. And here's a little fix for all you puppy junkies:
Some pictures by Martha Ethridge
Knee surgery on May 20 had me out of commission - even sitting up at the computer was more than I could handle for over a week. Now that the swelling is under control, I am making progress. It is supposed to take 7 months before I can return to sports. As long as we don't consider fall training 'sports', I should be great for next season! The only exciting thing to happen during this entire time was that Deja had a pup on May 23! She was not supposed to be pregnant, and didn't show even one sign. But when she started getting restless and upset one evening, we knew what was going on. We made her a nest in the office, which she continually abandoned in favor of my lap. She was nervous and unsure, and just wanted to be with us - very atypical, as mothers tend to want to whelp in privacy. Being on my lap was a bit of a problem considering I was only 3 days post-op, so we made her a space on the couch next to me. And that is where she had her single pup, a tiny but strong male. Once she had the pup, she was instantly a protective mama, and was happy to keep him cuddled close in the office.
The pups eyes opened yesterday, the same day as the leaves finally started to unfold. Dogs are enjoying free time running around in our giant fenced pasture. Mud has mostly dried up, and I can hear 4 or 5 different bird calls from my deck. Definitely spring!
Back in 2006 when were first starting to build our kennel, before we even bought them, there was an accidental breeding between Fly and Angel. Not that it was a bad match up, but we were just getting started, and weren't even contemplating raising our own pups yet. But that litter became the core of our team. In the 2009 Iditarod, all six of them made the team, 5 finished, and one made it over 800 miles to Unalakleet. This year the five finishers made the team again, and Deja (the 6th) was ruled out only because she was in heat. So we were pretty excited to try that match up again, and hoping for a nice sized litter to keep our kennel numbers up as some of the older dogs approach retirement. Angels pups weren't due until May 3rd, but I've never seen any woman - human, dog, or horse - stick to the schedule someone else told them to follow when it comes to having babies. So we were keeping an eye on things. Angel was already established in a cozy, dry stall in the barn so that she would be comfortable and happy when it came time for her to deliver. Thursday night (April 29) was no different than any other. She wolfed down her food, just like any good sled dog should. Usually the first sign that labor is coming on will be when the dog refuses a meal, but this doesn't mean much when it comes to Angel - she doesn't follow this rule either. On her last litter, between delivering pups, she got up and went over to her food dish and insisted on being fed when all the other dogs were. Then she went back and laid down and had three more pups. So we weren't expecting her to give us much notice. Around 10:30 Varan went out to shut the doors to one of the other barn stalls. When he came back in he told me that Angel was acting really restless. So I set my alarm, and an hour later we went out to check on her. Still restless, definitely something was up. But who knows, it could be indigestion. Back out at 1:30 a.m. to check again, and there was a tiny dark female pup, latched on and nursing strongly. I sat up for the next hour with Angel, waiting for the next pup. Not that she needed my help - sled dogs rarely have any trouble whelping. But I wanted to see her pups born - I've been there for all our litters so far. She seemed to be in labor, panting and grunting lightly, but never started pushing. Finally about 2:30 I got cold and went inside. At 5:00 I went back out to check again, and still just the one pup. Angel was dozing and no longer seemed to be in labor. It is possible to have a litter of one, but I just thought something was not quite right. I called in to work and loaded Angel and her pup into the back of the car. We were headed for the vet in Wasilla, over an hour away. A quick x-ray showed one more pup, way up under the rib cage. There was no way of knowing if the pup was still viable, but it sure couldn't stay in there! There was no obvious reason the pup hadn't come yet, as it wasn't even near enough to the birth canal to actually get stuck, and Angel was full of energy, obviously not too tired to get the job done. I sat with Angel for an hour while we waited to see if a shot of oxytocin would get the contractions going again. And another hour, to see if two would do the trick. Still nothing, and it was time to get that pup out. Angel headed into surgery for a C-section, and I headed to work to get caught up on a couple of important projects. Around 2:00 the vet called to tell me that everything went great, and they delivered a strong female pup who 'came out screaming' and started nursing immediately. Angel and pups are home now, in a nest in the study. All our pups are usually bred, born, and raised outside, like the tough sled dogs they are. But with her stitches Angel needs to be kept extra clean, and this way we can really keep an eye on her. Lucky for us, all our dogs have spent plenty of time indoors and are happy to come in to visit, unlike most sled dogs who find it terrifying. Uncle Barley has been dieing to come in to visit the new pups (one of his primary duties), and Angel is perfectly relaxed about having a pitbull kiss her newborns. He is very respectful and approaches carefully to make sure he isn't going to piss off mama, but he takes his job as puppy nanny very seriously.
As you can see from the pictures, the pups (one day old in these photos) are fat and healthy, and mom is alert and relaxed.
The birch trees all look as if lit by the dawn, buds swelling with rosy color. Soon there will be the delicate unfurling of new green leaves, but not yet, not quite. The snow is creeping back on itself, revealing the dry crackle of last year's grass. Icy puddles give way each day to luscious, oozing mud. Snow buntings flock from dry patch to tree top, a frantic activity that's been absent since the winds of autumn blew them south. A few lone cranes go skirling overhead, sounding lonely and remote. Melt water trickles quietly. The sun circles, setting briefly in the north.
The fundraiser last weekend was great! We had lots of fun, saw lots of friends, and raised some money towards next year's Iditarod. So far we are just under $4,000 - and it is still only April, the first month of the 'new year'. Our projected costs are close to $35,000, so we have a way to go yet...click here for a break down of costs. For those of you who don't know, our home town in Mt Baldy California (yes, southern California!) has some of the best steep, challenging skiing anywhere. Varan and I were both pretty serious, experienced skiers, although we don't get much opportunity now that dogs take up all our time and money. BUT the snow was incredible on our trip south this year, and we got in several excellent days on super steep, fun terrain. And I got to host the fundraiser and do my presentation in a full leg splint after blowing out my ACL. It was completely worth it, because that knee has been giving me trouble for some time and it was bound to go eventually. Better now at the beginning of summer than during the training season! Surgery should happen in a couple of weeks - I don't have details yet. Shari and Andy Megaw have made another beautiful quilt to raffle off. The drawing will be held next February, right before Iditarod. See the store for more information. Last year the quilt raised almost $500! We have such awesome, creative sponsors! And last, but not least, Angel is due to have pups in early May. We don't know yet how many names we'll need, but we were thinking it would be cool to do an 'Angel theme' litter. We need your help! Send us your ideas. Names should fit the Angel theme, should be one or two syllables only, and preferably not people names. So far we have come up with:
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(By the
way, I googled this picture - I was too busy driving the team to take photos!)
Team at night
Charge!
Free
time in the dog lot 
Uncle
Barley and Halo (4 weeks)
Hellix (Deja's
pup) at 2 weeks. Eyes just opened!
Harp - hamming it up
Halo yawning
Barley LOVES puppies!
