Training Run Part Deux

Sunday morning was cool, in the mid-forties. After the “interesting” training run the other day mushingloon.blogspot.com/2011/10/fall-training-has-begun, it was time for the 2^nd try. I really needed it to be successful and fun for all – including me!

After morning chores and coffee, it was time to load up. Oh no, I hadn’t gotten gas the day before, and my truck was on fumes. Another 15 minutes lost running to town. Foreshadowing of things to come?

Maggie standing on the top of the back seat

Co-pilot Krunchy

We loaded the trailer without incident, put Maggie in the cab, joining Krunchy, who was to be Angie’s running partner. Twenty minutes later, we arrived at the trailhead. The stretch I wanted to run is nice and secluded, going down along the river. It had washed out during the Floods of ’08, but some of it was still usable. mushingloon.blogspot.com/2010/11/new-trail

When we pulled up, there was a grader and they had cleared it and groomed it, making it nearly too perfect!

Quickly laying out the lines, I decided to give everyone another try, and put Ellen and Nick back in lead. However, after their good showing last time, I moved Maggie and Browning into swing, followed by Alice and then the brothers, Logan and Nucky. Unloading the dogs from their boxes, I discovered Logan had peeled back part of the grate covering his window, and had then tried to un-bolt the hinges!

When they all were hooked up, the pandemonium increased as per usual. I quickly pulled the snub lines, and we took off!

I rode the brakes for the first mile or so, as everyone settled into their groove nicely. I remembered NOT to talk much, although when Alice repeatedly looked back, I finally acknowledged her, and then she was fine. Women!

Krunchy waiting for us

Yee haw!

Can't keep up

We cruised along the fresh gravel trail for quite a while. My plan had been to run a mile-and-a-half out, then turn around and run back to the truck. When we got to that point, I could see Angie and Krunchy just a little ways ahead. Wanting to practice “On by”, we kept traveling towards them. Maggie pulled towards Mom and Krunchy, but the rest of the team did a good job keeping their heads down and moving right “On by” the distraction. Good dogs! Krunchy turned and ran around us, wanting to follow. I stopped so he could hear Angie calling him, and he turned to go back, so we took off. Angie said there was a good place to turn around “about a quarter-mile” ahead, so I decided we could handle the additional distance. About a MILE farther, we came to the clearing. I stopped to give them treats, but with Browning pulling aside to eat some grass, and the leaders trying to pull us onward, I decided to turn them around first. Turning my five-dog team last year had been “exciting”, so I wasn’t sure how it would go with the larger team. Taking the leaders by their neckline, and bringing them around, the rest of the team waited until it was their turn! We ended up cleanly facing the other way, with no tangles.

Break time

Back to work, riding the brake as they were once again filled with energy. They soon settled into a nice slow trot, and we made our way without incident. When I saw Angie ahead at the truck, I stopped for a rest break. After nearly 5 miles, on the first run of the year, Ellen was barking and ready to go after a 15 second break!

End of the run

I called them up, “Let’s go! Hike up! Bring it on home!” and we bolted fast – for 50 feet. Then we settled back into the trot, and made it back to the truck.

Made it!

Water and treats all around. Everyone was calm and happy and got lots of pets. After we cooled down, I unhooked them and loaded them back in the trailer. I fixed Logan’s screen, tightened bolts and triple-bolted his door! While we drove home Maggie napped, so I knew it had been a good run. Back on the farm, everyone got more treats and thanks.

I needed a good run, THEY needed a good run, and we all got what we needed. Fun for all, no injuries, and another run in the books.

Happy finish

It was a good day.

In my element

Thanks to Angie for some of the photos!

I’m a REAL musher now.

"When the cop asked if I knew what I was doing, I didn’t have an answer."

It was a nice, sunny, 27 degree day. I was replacing some chains on the new dogs’ pickets. I figured that I would do stuff with them on Saturday as a bonding exercise, then Sunday run them if I thought they were ready. I hooked Ellen and Browning to the drop chains on the truck, and they thought we were going for a run. OK, if they want to, then we’re going.

Browning, Nick and Ellen waiting to go

I got Mr. Nick hooked up to the truck as well, and loaded the sled and lines. Then I put Nick in the cab of the truck, and Ellen and Browning into the dog box. We drove to my usual put-in spot a few miles from home. The plan was to run about two miles out and then back, for an easy little jaunt.

I put Ellen and Nick in lead, with Browning in wheel. We were a little messed up, as Nick had learned some bad behavior from his sister. But I got them turned around and the lines untangled, pulled the hook and we took off. Like a rocket!

My friend Ed had warned me that I had ‘turbo-charged’ my team and that the extra power would be unexpected. Having only run Nick with Alice balking, and sometimes the little farm dog Biscuit along, I knew it would feel different with three dogs that all wanted to run. But the moment I said “All right!” the sled popped a wheelie and we flew down the trail.

It was going smoothly, I was finally experiencing a ‘magic-carpet ride’. The wind was in my face and I had under-dressed, because I was overheating back at the farm. I crouched down behind the sled to eliminate the resistance. Hey, this IS fun!

Photo op seconds before disaster

We had gone about a mile and a half, about a half-mile from the turn-around, to a waterway at the bottom of a hill. I stopped to take a couple of photos. As I was putting the camera back in my pocket, I asked them if they were “Ready?” Bam! The sled popped a wheelie and I fell off, losing my grip. “Whoa, whoa!” I screamed, but it was having no effect. They raced up the hill and out of sight. I took off running, but my heavy boots in the soft, snow-machine trail were making it impossible. I gave up and could only walk.

I knew not to panic, so I got out my cell phone, as Angie had told me many times to be sure and bring with me. She had offered to come along and drive the truck, but in typical fashion, I wanted to be able to do it alone. I called her but she was at a hair appointment, so I left a message saying I lost the team and where I thought they were headed.

I was hoping they would stop when the trail came out of the field to the road, but I knew the snow machine trail went on west, where it would come to a major highway. There, they would have to choose between going straight across it, or turning and crossing a paved road to follow that trail into town. If they crossed the highway, there were three directions they could have taken. I couldn’t tell for sure if they had even turned that way, or had headed in the other direction, but I knew that if they went towards the highway, I had to go get them before they got hurt. If they went the other way, there would be way less traffic to worry about. I hoped for snow-machines to come from behind and pick me up, but I feared if they were to meet them head on.

I had walked about .7 of a mile when a car came racing up to me. “I got them” he said so I jumped in. As he took me to get them, he told me he had seen them running down the highway towards town, and he grabbed them and someone else was holding them. They had passed underneath the overpass of a four-lane, divided highway! A nice young couple was holding them. No one looked hurt, and they were only tangled a bit, possibly from being held. I thanked everyone profusely, turned the rig around and got the lines straightened out. Ellen took us back along the trail, under the overpass. There was large gravel and it was very uneven, so I was walking and pulling the sled over it when a police officer pulled up, with lights flashing. “Are those all of them?” he asked me. I assured him that they were, and he then asked the most profound question of the day: “Do you know what you are doing?” I didn't have an answer. I told him that I had just got the two dogs and it was our first run. He went on his way, and I went on mine.

Running back to the truck

We had to cross the on-ramp and then the paved road before getting back on good snow. Ellen and Nick did a great job leading us back. There were extremely tired, and we stopped several times on the way back for short breaks.

Riding back with a combination of stress and relief

We got back to the truck without any further incidents.

Taking a well-deserved water break


A little tired out


Time to go home

At home, I checked the mileage on Google Earth and it appears that they had gone about a mile and a half without me. They ran about six miles total.

Rule #1 of mushing: Never let go of the sled. Words to live by…

Mushing Loon Kennels Grows from 2 to 5 Dogs!

In the previous post, I detailed our trip to the U.P. 200 Sled Dog races. As I mentioned, we brought home a puppy and two more sled dogs.

My friend and mentor Shannon Miller raised this beauty Maggie. She was born January 2nd, just missing Daddy's birthday!

Awe - so cute!


Mommy loves her baby!


Mags giving Daddy a kiss


The cats keeping an eye on the evil doggy...


Oh yes, she's fierce!


While there, we picked up two more sled dogs to add to the team: Ellen, a pretty little 4-year old leader and Browning, and nice 2-year old.

Sweet Ellen

She's a quiet, pretty little girl, although she will howl.

Browning


He's a barker!

Brownie checking out Browning!


They are adjusting to the change in scenery and living with new dogs, especially the 3 farm dogs!

I have not run them yet, but am looking forward to it very much.

Thanks to Jon Mattsen for the dogs, and to Shannon Miller for the beautiful and intelligent Maggie!

Trip to U.P. 200 Dog Races

Angie and & went to Marquette, Michigan this past weekend to attend the UP 200 sled dog races. We left early Friday morning for the 9-hour drive, plus the time zone change. From Madison to Green Bay, it was basically solid town all the way. Boring and similar. After we got north of Green Bay, the scenery started to change, getting thicker with woods the farther north we went. We had a great stretch along the shore of Lake Michigan, beautiful jumbled ice. There are tons of lake-side houses for sale.



Angie took these with her phone while we were driving - the view was better in person.

We eventually got to our cheap motel and met our mushing friend Shannon Miller and her friend Jon Mattsen. They were there to run the Jack Pine, a 30-mile, 6-dog race, a goal of mine. Shannon has been mentoring me, giving me advice and introducing me to other mushers. She was bringing puppies she raised to be delivered to the new owners, including us!


Excited to be at the start!

The 200 mile race starts on Friday night, so we went downtown to see the start. We met some of the "big-time" mushers and saw their dog trucks and trailers. I knew a few of the people from Facebook and/or emails, so it was nice to meet in person. There were 30-some teams, running 12 dogs. The excitement kept building until the first team took off - and then the rest of the dogs went crazy! We made our way to the sidelines - they had trucked in some snow for a 10-foot wide path down the main street. There were several thousand people lining the trail. in town, with bonfires and parties all along the trail. There is also the Midnight Run, which is a 100 mile race that starts simultaneously in another town for 8-dog teams. It was great seeing the teams start, the dogs pulling so hard that the snow is flying out behind their feet, with the mushers riding the brakes for all they got!


Going so fast they are a blur!

Saturday morning, we piled into the two dog trucks and headed south to the little town of Gwinn, where the Jack Pine starts. With a bit of a late start, and taking the longer route, we arrived with little time to spare before the race started. We helped (as much as we could) our friends get their teams ready, then lead them to the starting chute. Six eager dogs are hard to hold back, one wrong step and you could be dragged several feet! (I witnessed at least two handlers being dragged!) By the time we were in position to start, the dogs were freaking, ready to run! Countdown and away they ran! We packed up the trucks and headed back to Marquette for the finish.

Cool pier at the finish area

In the parking lot, we had 2 to 3 hours to kill before the first team arrived. Angie had our puppy, Maggie, and our new friend from Minnesota, Kathleen, was there to bring home Ginsberg. Those puppies were ROCK STARS! People swarmed all over them, took photos, asked questions, it was great!

The new moms - photo courtesy Shannon Miller

Eventually, the teams started coming in. Our friend Jon came in 7th. After 12 of the 13 teams were in, Shannon had yet to make an appearance. She was running three of her own dogs and three she borrowed from Jon, so she anticipated the possibility of problems, having never ran those dogs before. And as time went on, we started getting a little nervous! Eventually, I received a photo text from her - it was her dogs, taking a break! They had gotten tired on the mountain. The trail actually goes over the ski mountain, and many teams had problems getting their dogs to go under the ski lift. She took a break, switched some dogs around, and got some help to get them past the ski area. She was laughing and joking, so we knew she'd be fine. Red lantern to the last team to finish!

Photo text from Shannon

The next morning, we loaded up the puppy and our two new dogs, and took the long road home. It was fairly uneventful, but we were sure glad to get home!


Historic Lambeau Field

It was quite the learning experience for me, so many things that I am still in 'information overload'! I sure know many new things to try and do.

Next post: We get NEW DOGS!

Mushing Loon Trail

Here is one complete loop around my trail, 1.4 miles. shot by Angie over my shoulder on the back of the quad.

The First Run

I'd had Nicky and Alice for one week. We'd been getting along great. The weather in early May was still cool. We decided it was time for our first-ever run!
I get out the quad and the harnesses - this is gonna be great! The dogs are fired up, they want to go! I get them hooked up (Alice was a challenge, she can't stay still) at the quad, parked by the trailhead, twenty feet in front of us.

I had cut a short walking trail around an acre of mostly grass and weeds with a few trees and scrub brush - the "East Woods" as we hope it will become. It is crossed by a grassy waterway that runs a quarter mile down through a cornfield. "They will just follow any trail" I was told, and I think that the waterway "looks" like a trail. I fire up the quad and yell "Hike!" and the dogs pull completely to the side, around towards the back! So I go up and talk to them, and pull them toward the trailhead. A couple of false starts later (I am working on remaining calm) and we actually get moving! We make a fifty foot run and hit the junction with the waterway. "Haw" commands the dog driver. Straight run the sled dogs. I stop and pull them to the left. "Right here, let's go" I tell them. Eventually, we head down the waterway. Hmm, it's really wide and nothing like a trail, I realize. Part way down, we stop and I physically turn them around and we actually RUN back up to the East Woods trail! Yay, I'm a MUSHER! Sweet, this is fun! We go around the trail (they DO follow a trail) and come back to the waterway. "Haw" commands the driver, straight run the sled dogs. Time to jump off the quad and pull them to the "trail". This is a good workout for me, I'm working up a sweat already! Down the waterway, stop, drag them around, back to the trail. This is fun when we're running, but we need to work on our "Gee" and "Haw".
After about a mile and a half, I turn them around and we head back to the kennel. Hey, they'll run that way! We unhook and get petted and watered. I was a bit frustrated, I waited years to actually "mush" and it wasn't very smooth. Mrs. Loon reminds me that it is our first run and I knew that we will ALL be learning, but you know, I just wanted it to be easy!

Stay tuned for more later...

Dog Trip

On Saturday, May 2nd, my wife, daughter and I drove 4 hours to Minneapolis. Got a room and went to the Mall Of America. (Ugh!) At about 9:30pm (Central time), Nicky and Alice were being dropped off at the Anchorage airport. Got a call from Greg saying they were delivered and on their way.
They landed in Minneapolis about 5:40am, about 15 minutes early. We were at the Northwestern Cargo office at about 6:45, as they said it would be about an hour until they would arrive there after landing. After 15 (nervous) minutes waiting, they were here! I signed some papers and backed my pickup to the loading dock. Pulling up on a forklift were the 2 carriers on a pallet. We quickly loaded them into my truck. Both dogs were nervous and growling. Nothing to do at that point but get them home as fast as possible!
About half an hour towards home, I received a call on my cell from the cargo office. You "forgot" the paperwork! What, after I signed the receipt, I asked if that was all I needed. Oh, the veterinary certificates and the Pedigrees were left behind. Did I want to turn around and get them? Oh, and add an hour and a half to the 4-hour drive home for the poor doggies who have been cooped up for 10 hours already? Can they mail them to me? We should be able to...
Thanks.
After we got out of town, we stopped at McD's for breakfast, and I talked to the dogs. Nicky was a little less bothered, and he accepted treats. Alice was quite concerned and wouldn't take the treats from me. But at least they had both settled down some.
Four hours later we arrived home in Iowa. I had their chains and houses set up and ready for them. We locked up the farm dogs (see earlier mushing posts) so there would be less distractions. Then came time to reach into a kennel and grab the growling dogs by their collar and pull them out! I knew to be calm and confident and Nicky came out easily, he was glad to get out of that box. Alice was more nervous (foreshadowing) and I had to be a bit more forceful with her. Once out, they were excited by all the smells! That evening, we took them for a walk around their new farm and we all got along fabulously!

These photos are from their first night with us. You can see they are still a little uncertain...

We Get Sled Dogs!!!!!!

Mushing Loon Kennels is proud to announce the addition of two Alaskan Husky/GSP mix sled dogs: Nicky and Alice


Nicky is a nice strong boy with some leader training and Alice is a pretty little girl who just wants to go fast. Both are being worked in lead during the off-season ATV training.

Born two years ago in New Jersey, they spent the last year living and working in Willow Alaska for Mushing Magazine publisher Greg Sellentin and has wife Jane.

Stay tuned for much more about these fine athletes and their integration into our kennel in the coming weeks.

Mrs. Loon's Mushing Adventure

From the "Looney Talk" blog:

Mushing in a blizzard-Iowa style
By Angie

Saturday's blizzard was my first opportunity in weeks to take advantage of a little mushing. Brownie was already outside, on the loose. I went into the barn and harnessed up Biscuit, leaving Krunchy alone in the barn, crying to come along. No way was I going to let Krunchy come along with us. He ran half a mile ahead of us and did whatever he wanted to do. It is not fun when he gets the other two all excited and not paying any attention to me. After harnessing up Biscuit I brought the pretty vivid red harness for Brownie. She sat at my feet and let me put it on her. She usually is hard to get dressed but today she wanted to go for a run. Got everyone hitched and went to get the sled that hangs in the garage. We headed east to the waterway. There was about 4 inches of snow on the ground in places, and just covering the grass in others. Temperature was 12 degrees but falling. We saw a big green Chevy truck and thought it was Dad so we ran back home. It was not him. So we attempted for the second time to head east to the waterway. When we went about 30 yards and got to the same spot we were at when we saw the other truck, there was dad. So we ran back to the house to talk with him. Then we headed west out to the cornfield.The wind from the northwest was howling and blowing hard snow pellets into our face. I walked alongside the sled and let the dogs trot ahead not having to pull any wait. It is hard walking in the earth turned field. Bumpy and the remnants of corn stalks sometimes snags the sled. Alas, we made it to the waterway that goes to the timber. This was great, smooth sailing for the most part. The dogs were happy to run along and I would push off with my left foot keeping my right foot on the sled. Then we came to the edge of the timber. I stopped to get the newly made brake out because I knew the hill down to the river bottom was steep and fast as that is the one the Loon wiped out on weeks ago. So I checked out the new brakes and decided it would be safe and worked. SO mushing the dogs down the trail, ever so slowly we walked down the trail. The snow was too deep, it got caught up on the brake so every 10 yards I would have to stop to clear it. So much for going fast. When we got to the bottom of the hill I could see the river, the Wapsipinicon or the Wapsi as everyone calls it. IT was moving fast for this time of the year. I wanted a closer looked so anchoring the dogs I walked quietly and carefully to the edge of the river. IT has a steep bank and the edge of the river is frozen unlike the other side that was moving swiftly. I laid down on my belly to watch. I had to keep the dogs a distance from me or they would have given me kisses and licks and jumps and more kisses and licks and jumps. Biscuit loves to love. Getting up carefully, we left to continue on the trail. It is a snowmobile trail but no one had been along for weeks. The dogs did pretty good until we were on ice. Now, I didn't know how deep the water was where we were on. Usually during the winter months, the river is low and the bottom timber is dried up. But we were walking on ice. The dogs decided they didn't want to pull so much, so I ended up just walking behind the sled, laying my arms across the handle bar on the sled. The ice was cracking and we were watching closely, because the last thing I wanted to do was to fall into some waterhole that had just enough water to soak me, without drowning and I would have to walk back to the house pulling the sled. As we followed the river, I noticed we were below the level of the river, not sure what it meant but beginning to feel a little edgy. Just as I thought we were close to being out I slipped and fell. Oh shit. Was the ice going to break? That was my first thought. Quickly, I jumped up before the dogs could jump all over me. I notice the creaking of the ice and needed to get off this stuff right away. Looking to the south I saw we had a bank to go up and we would be high enough the water would not get us if there were a flash flood. We weren't in any real danger, but I think about stuff happening so I will know what to do if and when it ever does happen. Living on the edge. So there I was, just steps from climbing out of the river bottom and I couldn't climb up the bank, it was ice covered. I couldn't get a grip. I was yelling at the dogs, pull me pull me get going but they wanted to love me, kiss me, jump on me, and love me, kiss me and jump onto my face. WHY? Didn't they know we could be trapped out here, never to return until the spring thaw? After finally getting Biscuit to relax was I able to crawl on my knees and fingers to the top of the bank. And running as far as we could away from there. Walking thru yet another cornfield, partial plowed with cornstalks sticking up to grab onto the sled every twenty steps, and Brownie not wanting to pull at all now, it was still a blizzard and I was sore from falling on the ice, twice. About every 10 steps there would be a different smell. Rabbit? Deer? Fox? Squirrel? Only the dogs knew for sure and they wanted to check out every smell, one at a time. By now, the blizzard was rolling strong and I was having to just walk behind the sled. They would not pull me at all, not even with me pushing with my left foot. I had a good mile plus to walk. And I forgot to go to the bathroom before I left. I just wanted to get out there and forgot to go. Now I am a mile from home, beat up from falling on the ice, twice, and I have two dogs that only want to stop every ten steps to smell what lies below the snow. Needless to say, it was a long journey for half a mile until we reached the eastern waterway. Now, we were within site of home and I fell again. Into a big hole. I didn't see it, but it was there and so was Biscuit right on top of me. Love and kisses and jumping. Double duty for Biscuit. And Brownie didn't want to pull at all. I finally stopped the sled and tried to see what was bothering her. She let me take off her harness but in the process she began overly excited and ended up putting her mouth into my nose. OUCH! It hurt and she didn't mean to bite me, but that is what happened. So now she is loose, I am sore and have a bloody nose and it is a blizzard, and I have now almost wet my pants. I didn't have a phone with me and my husband was not around. I forgot to tell him where I was going and when I would be home. As good fortune would have it, he pulled in the driveway with his big-ass truck. He noticed my nose and wondered what happened. I told him he could read all about it on our blog. The blizzard continued for several hours, and I felt fine until the next day. Sore all over. My nose is ok and Brownie and Biscuit are ready for some more mushing fun. Tune in next week to see what happens.