Today an unexpected bounty of snow allowed Team Nookies to make a paper run - our own mini Iditarod which also started today. I wasn't quite sure about the coverage under the trees so I used my old heavier sled figuring it could take some gravel scraping.
It was snowing really hard during the entire run. Trask, Koyuk and I had a blast.
The snow was quite wet and heavy but it barely slowed the dogs, even on the uphill sections.
When we got home, Dave noticed that the powerline over the pond was missing. As it turns out, it was probably buried under the snow about here.
My niece is teaching her students about the Iditarod and wanted pictures of Team Nookies in action. I just kept clicking away with my camera as I bounced along. Since I'm wearing gloves and hanging onto the sled, until I get back - or in this case - until I get electricity, I never know if I have any share worthy photos.
Some areas in the deeper trees were a bit bare but the sled just scraped right over the mucky gravel.
I stop and tie to this tree to keep the dogs from heading out onto the main road while I cross to grab the paper and/or mail.
Not exactly what you want to see when on the runners. This predicament was preceded by a squirrel in the ditch drain pipe just left of the address sign and followed by me being drug behind the sled because I couldn't jump on fast enough after untangling Trask. I really don't know how the Iditarod mushers do it when I can't just jump onto my sled as it passes and I only have the speed and power of two dogs. I would be toast just going out the curving starting chute with 14 dogs and a heavily loaded sled.
Going across the worst of the bare patches. The dogs looked back because of the extra drag on the sled. Obviously I wasn't holding up my end of the forward propulsion.
All downhill from here.
A very fast run back across the buried powerline.
Almost home.
Reward time for their mile run.
Trask with the sled.
Within minutes after I got the harnesses off and the dogs indoors, a utility truck arrived to fix our power outage.
In all, four utility trucks and crews were needed. The line was downed off three poles. The four big trucks with dully tires did quite a number on my once snow covered trail. The poor sled was left on an island of slush and coated with splashed mud. Electric power versus a snow covered road to run dogs on - difficult trade off.
By the end of the day, I had cleared about 10" of snow off the kennel roof; played with the dogs; shoveled a path from the wood pile to the house and brought in wood; played with the dogs; drained deep ditches of muddy water left from the utility trucks on the soft roadbed and played with the dogs.
In all I soaked four coats, two hats, three pairs of gloves; boots and a pair of snow pants. Everything, along with a soaked Trask, were put by the fire to dry.
We are now cozy and warm after a really fun day.
Going across the worst of the bare patches. The dogs looked back because of the extra drag on the sled. Obviously I wasn't holding up my end of the forward propulsion.
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