Arcticgrace

Road Trip!

I just spent three wonderful days in LaPine at the mushing weekend organized by Karen Yeargain. Chritian Hollingsworth and his three dogs traveling with me and I think it’s safe to say we both had a great time! According to Karen there was a record turn-out of about 40 mushers from all over the place- as far south as San Diego, CA and north to British Columbia (with me in the middle from Reno!). There were big teams and little teams and all sorts of rigs from ATV’s to carts to a large scooter contingent that was truly a hoot to watch! Christian got some some pictures and video which should be up on both our web sites soon, so stay tuned.

The trails were awesome as usual and we went for runs both Saturday and Sunday mornings. The weather was warm and rainy on Saturday and cold and clear on Sunday. We only did 7 and 8 mile runs because that was what I had in me, and I was happy with that. The dogs are doing great! I wanted to go a little farther on Sunday but Panda was off and I don’t think she was feeling well. She had not eaten the night before, not drank water Sunday morning and then just wasn’t pulling well. That is a FIRST for Panda so I was worried and we came in a couple of miles sooner than I had planned. I bought some ground beef and we made them all a wonderful dinner, and that seemed to take care of Panda as she seems fine now. (Of course, she curled up on the bed with me last night… along with Donner, Dweezle and Tucker.)

Going to LaPine was a good thing for me even though I knew it would take all the available energy I had. I really enjoy the OR crowd, such nice folks, great conversation and more food than any of us could possibly eat… even 40 of us! Getting out there on the trail and talking to folks like Terry Hinesly, Dan Newman, Bino Fowler - and seeing all the teams coming and going and on the trail; being part of comraderie, boy, it sure gets you motivated for the season! Despite the fact that I have so few miles on my team, my team reallly looked great, and I began dreaming of catching every race in OR and WA, running 8-mid, and training every weekend, and, and, and… I know that won’t happen, but I’m hoping it helped get me out of my “being sick” funk.

Of course Sunday after running I hit a wall, all my energy just drained right out of me and it was all I could do to get the truck packed and get back on the road. Thank god for Christian who helped me do a million chores and lended an extra hand on dog drops, feeding, everything. I forgot how nice it was to have help!!!! But I also forgot what it was like to work new dogs! I told Christian that seeing and working with him and his dogs reminded me of where I was 10 years ago trying to figure out this sport and learn how to train these dogs. I told him he had to go to Boot Camp this year if they have one in OR so that I wouldn’t have to work so hard!!! But it was nice to see, too, a reminder of how far I have come - and then watching the big distance teams, a reminder of how more still there was to learn and do!

Happy Trails everyone! Think Snow!

Kathy.

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October 31 - HALLOWEEN!

Happy Halloween everyone!

I managed to get my dogs out once more since I last posted. And then I got sick - again. I have had some health problems this fall and it seems I’m not through with them. It seems this is going to be the season that I am forced to take care of myself over and above everything else. (I was bedridden with Shingles a month ago - nasty, nasty - and because of that my immune system continues to be weak such if someone even looks at me who has a cold, I’m going to get it!) So my plans for getting the dogs out a few more times in the last week were dashed.

I did the same seven miles on this second run that I did on the first, with the same team of eight dogs. They all settled in nicely and we ran the trail in a slightly faster speed than we did before. I am very proud of them! If I could just get a couple more 7 mile runs on them I’m sure I could bump up to 9 and 10 fairly quickly. But I have to get healthy in order to do that!!!!

The interesting thing about this run is that I was training with Barbara Schaefer and her team of 14 dogs that are all training for the Iditarod. She had a photographer from Honda out there taking photo’s for an article they were writing about running dogs with a Honda ATV. The photographer didn’t mind taking photo’s of both our teams and we got some great ones of us doing a head-on pass in a beautiful valley, as well as some photo’s of my team on the trail for the fun of it. I am going to get copies of these photo’s soon and will post them on my web page. There is nothing like having someone who knows what they are doing take photo’s of your team!!! I’m sure they are going to be great, I saw the photo’s of the pass in the valley and they were really, really nice!

I am hoping to get out once this coming weekend, I think that is all I can hope for so I don’t stress myself out too much. I’m no good to the dogs if I am bedridden, which I pretty much have been for the past weekend. I hate being sick! I am definately NOT a good patient!

Have a safe Halloween, don’t eat too much candy!

See you on the trail,

Kathy.

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October 25, 2007 

Welcome to my new blog!  (And a huge thank you to Christian of Sleddoggin.com for hosting this site.)

I normally get out for my first few training runs in late August but this year a complicated job schedule and then a month of illness in late Sept kept me off the trails until just this past weekend.  I should already have 100 miles on the team but alas I have just 7! 

I have found the most important qualities for a musher to have are to be both “flexible” and “patient”.  So, I am not going to worry about my missing 93 miles, I’m just going to go for it and see how far I get before race season hits!  I have a seasoned 8-dog team so we should be able to jump right into things.

This first run we went 7 miles.  The temperature was GREAT for this time of year, about 30-35 degrees, and the sky was clear and crisp.  The hook-up went smoothly after I figured out which harnesses went to which dogs (something that takes a minute on the first hook up!).  The dogs were very excited to be out again and went roaring down the trail, but about 5 miles in I could tell they were tiring and stopped and watered them and had a little “happy” break where they all got pets and hugs (much to their frustration as they soon wanted to go again!).  But I had 8 grinning smiles and wagging tails and that is what is important.

We didn’t break any speed records, but had a good time.  The first run is always one to take it easy on, see where the dogs are at condition-wise, make sure the equipment is working right, and just get those cart-legs back again.  (I train with a heavy-duty “custom” Risdon rig, the one that weighs about 250 lbs, so these dogs aren’t pulling “light” - they are pulling that 250 plus me which is another 150 lbs!)

I was pleased how everybody ran, including the newest addition to the team: “Gypsy” - an Alaskan Husky I rescued from the Nevada Humane Society last February.  She ran like an experienced sled dog, leading me to ponder (not for the first time) why a local musher dumped her at the shelter in the first place.  I am looking forward to her being on my team this year.

Piper was the only dog who was a little “off” and I realized why as soon as I got home, she is apparently coming into season.  So I am not too worried in her apparent non-interest in working vs looking over her shoulder at the intact male running behind her.  I hope her distraction doesn’t last too long!

You will have to check out my web page to see descriptions of all the dogs, but the 8 ran last Sunday were: Angel & Panda in Lead (and they remembered all their commands!); Piper and Tucker in Point (Tucker being the lab mix); Warner and Gypsy in Swing and Loup and Donner in wheel.  That makes 6 AKC Siberians, one Alaskan and one lab.  I am learning as I go through this that it is not the pedigree that makes the dog, but rather the heart and am contemplating a kennel name change from “Arcticgrace Siberians” to “Arcticgrace Racing & Rescue”, as the dogs who seem to find their way to me are coming in all colors, sizes AND breeds (I have a rescued Eurohound right now, actually 3, but I’m rather doubting one of them - “Purple Pepper” - is ever going to leave!)

 Happy Trails,

Kathy.

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