Mush on...gone to the dogs

I have not forsaken my blog but I may well be going to the dogs. I hit the ground running on January 4th with a return to work and have filled the weekends in between with a multitude of Alaska winter fun. I have spent a significant amount of quality time with Ruby after all of her excitement while I was away on vacation. She continues to have her love for annihilating stuffed toys. My latest try was a Gallatin Grizzly from Westpaw Designs out of Bozeman, Montana. Within 24 hours his hind leg was amputated and just yesterday the squeeker finally came out. Now Ruby doesn't seem as interested in him. But she hasn't tore apart any of her new Zogoplex throw toys!

Alaska is beginning to "warm" up. Last year January saw three weeks straight with days -40 or colder. When I got off the plane last year on January 2nd it was -56! This January has been surprisingly warm and pleasant allowing for some outdoor fun. Outdoor fun in Alaska in winter is not complete without mushing. I have been busy teaching confirmation class at the church I found and two Sunday's ago the confirmation class and a few others were invited to my friend Gloria's house to go on a ride. Gloria's daughter and I went to Carroll together and now found each other at the same church. While only two of my students came along, we had a good group and a great time.



You can't mush without a little pre-mushing lesson in how the brakes work in case of an emergency. Sled dogs follow a few commands, "Gee" means to the right, "Haw" means to the left, and any version of "Let's go" sets them running. They don't know the words "Stop", "Slow down" or "whoa". They just run.







So if you need help the helper comes and puts one foot on the break while you swing one off. You don't take your second off until the helper is leaning over the handles and ready with their second leg to stop and hold on!









This is Jack. You may remember hearing about him this summer when my friend Megan was here. I almost adopted Jack but Jack took to getting off his chain and running the neighborhood. Jack makes a good sled dog as long as he is in the back.

I was the last person on our loop so I got to ride from the vehicle to home. About 10 feet after this picture was taken Gloria told me I wanted to drive. Not, do you want to drive, but "you want to drive". So we did the brake trade off and I got to drive the team. Wishes I had a picture but we had left everyone else behind.

One of my students took this picture as we got ready to take off. I could have road or drove for miles. A truly amazing experience I will be sure to repeat. Thank you Gloria!



This past Saturday was the kickoff for the first of two LONG sled dog races. The Yukon Quest is a 1,000 mile race between Fairbanks AK and Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada. Each year the race alternates the start and this year was our turn. 24 teams of mushers took off from downtown Fairbanks and came through on the Chena River through post. We got together for a day on the river with all kinds of fun.

The tent had a wood stove in the middle of it, we had Arctic portable grills, we had two bonfires, we had hot chocolate and peppermint Schnapps. We made hot dogs, had cookies, and all kinds of treats.

This is musher Brett Sass in the #12 start. He was behind Lance Mackey. Sometime I'll tell you what I think of Lance Mackey. Maybe next month when I'm in Nome for the Iditarod.

This weekend I am taking Ruby and we are going to Willow, AK. We are going to stay at the same cabin we stayed at in October for the Murder on the Train weekend. It will just be the two of us, my snowshoes, a camera, and a few books/journals. Should be a nice get away. Maybe I will get myself motivated to get up to date on the year.