Toby/Jude in lead, Queen/Quick in swing, Quinn/Volchok in wheel

Talkeetna Mts. from trail behind the house.

Temperatures continue to hang around the -20F mark in the mornings, afternoon temperatures around +10F. Seems most of my neighbors are trucking their dogs to hilly trail in the foothills of the Talkeetna Mts, about 5 road miles from here. Those folks are on ATVs and most are going between 14 and 20 miles. We are continuing to run small teams on sled, 5 and/or 6 dog teams. Little trail resistance, so constantly standing with half a foot (sometimes using both feet) on runner and heel on spikeless ribbed mat  to have the dogs feel resistance. Since our fall training was compromised we are not at the mileage our neighbors are doing. Hopefully we can continue to avoid the temptation of traveling with the "pack", so to speak, and continue maintaining mental independence geared towards where we feel our crew is at.

 

I took my first spill of the season slewing a corner, got a bit to cocky hooked a runner, and bloop. Was a bit of cause for concern going through tight trail in the woods as I fortunately  fell to the inside of the trail and the runners to the outside. If a crash were to have followed I'm sure we would have safely glanced off the spruces. After the initial intrepidation of seeing the woods coming at me as, dragging down the trail a feeling of we dodged  one ensued and my cockiness/ego quickly reduced to the back burner for the remainder of the runs. That eye-opener will now keep me more cautious. Of course my grip on the driving bow will intensify and undoubtedly my knuckles will now get colder quicker. White knuckles??

 

A couple years back, on a fall chasis training run, I pulled the tie down knot from the hook-up pole. On this particular occasion I didn't get the snub line completely secured and a part was dragging as I was securing the line. Wouldn't you know it, the line got caught under the back tire. How it all happened I'll never know, suffice to say there was a sudden "painless" jolt to my gloved hand. Going down the trail, I took may hand off the steering wheel and, whoa, my gloved first finger had taken a "gee" at the joint. Geesh. Nanoseconds of thought, doctor out of the question, hec we were just into the run, so, hit the brakes, flipped the line-lock to lock up all four wheels, grabbed the end of my finger with my other hand and gave it an emphatic jerk. Finger got back in place but the joint continues to be a tad larger than the others and for that first year was a pain in the #*&%@ as my finger would always get cold which has since gone away. With the cocky tip-over for whatever and however a couple fingers were sprained and I swear it is more bothersome  than relocating my finger a few years back.