I think the best way to start off a season is to go camping when the fall colors are just right and the dogs are rarin’ to go. Friday morning we finished packing, loaded the team and headed up to Mortimer campground (Wilson’s Creek area, around where I plan to hold the fun run, although I would love to change it to be held exactly AT this campground, so watch for updates!). We got there and I picketed the dogs out and started packing different little items after I souped the dogs and waited for a bit. Finally got my new cable filled centerlines from friend Dillon in CO, which I know is probably one of my best investments, considering last year Waylon chewed through two sets of mainlines. A neighbor was thouroughly intrigued by seeing sled dogs in this part and chatted and took some pictures. I thought in my head, just like everyone else, he won’t post them and I’ll never get to see them for myself. He then informed us of a loose puppy that someone most likely set out that has been wandering around the area since he has been there, about 2 days. He mentioned he had been feeding it but it never stuck around. About 10 minutes later, guess who came over? the abandoned puppy! She was gorgeous, friendly and you could tell she had ALOT of hound in her. I gave her a pat on the head and to everyone’s amazement - she never left our campsite.
Autumn
Anyways, I hooked up the dogs and we took off (on only one wheel, I might add… the dogs were FULL OF IT!). It felt so good to be back on the rig again, new brakes and lines intact. I really liked this part of the forest much better because it was flatter and had less traffic than the furthest south part of the road. It does take a while to get up here, and not to mention the gas! Our van isn’t the easiest on the wallet, that’s for sure. The dogs did excellent, I was very surprised at how well they remembered their commands. Storm got a little tired towards the end but then picked up the pace on the last mile back to camp. Calamity needed minimal ‘leave it’s’ and I was pleased with her pacing the team steadily as well. We finished it off at 4 miles, pretty darn good considering it was still a bit warm and the dogs haven’t been hooked up as a whole team since Mid march.
When we got back to camp we did typical camping stuff - walking around, taking pictures, making a fire, eating, playing with the dogs… etc. The photo guy had left and we had a new set of group campers to our right, all of them dog lovers. I don’t much care about having neighbors at all, but atleast these people really liked animals and had a longer fuse if the dogs decided to give an after-dinner howl. We both started cooking dinner (for dogs and humans) while the dogs were strewn out on the hay, sun bathing in the post run relaxation. I made them soup, with their kibble, added egg protien powder and chicken backs and boiled it over the fire. They gobbled it up happily (except gloria, who was being very picky) and laid back down to continue their nap. We proceeded on to fixing our dinner - boneless chicken, home grown potatoes cooked in homemade butter. You could say dinner time is all of us’ fav time of the evening! A hiking trail was nearby behind the back loop of the campground and it sure got it’s worth of thread that day! I met a group of hikers who told me (when they met Autumn - the abandoned hound pup) that they had fed and just tryed to catch another puppy, about the same age but way more skiddish. I took gloria’s left over dog food and walked a little ways into the woods and dumped it, hoping that maybe it would wonder down the ridge and find a good meal.
Night came and we bedded down in our matress in the van. I felt no need to really pitch a tent when I could just bring my roll up matress and sleep even more comfortably in the van. I remember dozing off and waking up at 10 pm to one of the dogs raising hell (Waylon) and I got out and sat down in the hay with them. I figured they had just seen a squirrel or something cross their yard and were just a little riled up… untill I turned on my flashlight. I saw Autumn, bounding around with another puppy, and thought that it must be the one the hikers were talking about, but wait.. they said it was black and white. This one was solid black as the night with amber eyes. I sat down and to my amazement one bounded into my lap and I hugged it, thinking it was Autumn untill I noticed this one didn’t have the tan legs like Autumn did. I quickly realised this was the OTHER sister of her, the all black one. I stroked her head and noticed the dogs were still screaming like there was something else, so I went to put the other black puppy into a crate and went back out to look.
There was ANOTHER puppy.
A black and white one, this time I was sure it had to be the one up on the hiker’s ridge and called her to me with a peice of chicken in my hand left over from supper. She was very shy, although I could see her tail wagging a little as I threw the peices down. I threw one closer to me and as she went to get it, I nabbed her by the neck. It was probably the only way I would have caught her, considering I was running out of chicken and my dogs were still screaming and lunging (it was supposed to be quiet time). I put her in a crate with her other black sister and gave them the rest of the chicken and taters. My neighbors were still up and had witnessed me catching the puppies and went back to their camp after we talked and I told them sorry for all the ruckus my dogs were making, but they were very nice and said it was not a problem at all and went back to their camp. Autumn seemed different, more relaxed.. like she had accomplished getting her ‘family’ back together. She layed down in front of the crates and went to sleep, and I crawled back into the van and did the same. I woke a few hours later to a light rain and went outside and covered the crate up. They were all asleep, curled up together with a full tummy, so I went back to bed. I set my alarm for 7 am but for some reason it never went off, but the dogs woke me up at 6:30 instead! It was like they knew what time I was to get up and get ready. I went outside and they were playing and pawing at each other, fully replenished from a good (yet eventful) night’s sleep.
The other pups
I boiled the dog’s up some soup (grounded chicken and water) and gave the left overs and some chicken backs to all the pups and got ready for the run. Mom put on some bacon, eggs and bologna and we sat down for a wonderful breakfast after harnessing the dogs. Our neighbors were awake by this time and we chatted about the newfound sisters and how terrible it is that ANYONE could set out puppies. Even worse, is that they set them out right when campers will stop coming once it gets colder, so there is no one to keep feeding them. We made the decision to take them home, take the other two girls I had found in the night to the animal shelter and maybe keep Autumn. I hooked everyone up and they were even more riled up than the morning before. It was hard getting the snubline to realese because they had pulled so hard against it, but we finnaly took off and mom took some pictures of us coming down to the bridge at camp.
I remember hearing a rustling sound as we came to a corner and looking back and seeing something completely unexpected!!
Autumn was RIGHT BESIDE MY TEAM going 20 MPH!
I tryed to get her to go back, but she didn’t listen. She was so driven, so into the moment.. it was beautiful. We stopped at the turnaround point for a break and she layed down beside Gloria in team just like she was a sled dog herself. I poured them some water and sat there admiring Autumn as she sat in the empty spot like it was destiny who sent her to be with me. Like, It was MEANT for me to come up to this exact campground, on this exact weekend, just so I would find her and rescue her sisters. More importantly, I felt like SHE was sent to be the next member of Team SouthernSpirit, without planning. About halfway through the break, she was already rested up (while the huskies were still panting quiet a bit) and started to whine like she wanted to run AGAIN! I was floored. I think at that moment I made the decision that she was going to stay with me.
Autumn (loose, on right) following the team.
We took off again and she followed us like a champ. I remember seeing her limp a little bit, but no way you could tell it by seeing her run like one of the team that day. We came across seveal trucks and she gee-over’d like she had been doing it all of her life. When we got too fast for her, I slowed down and she caught up in a split second. Looking at her stand and run reminded me alot of the Ellis’ racing hounds. This dog was totally into it.. heart soul and body.
We made it back to camp after another break in the river (warmer today) and mom came down the driveway with a huge grin on her face and yelled “I tryed to get her to come back to me, but she was way to into running alongside you… I think she was sent to be a sled dog with yours!” The dogs stopped at the picketline and I unhooked them and clipped them into their place. Autumn trotted up and flopped down in the hay next to Calamity. I told mom as I was wrapping up lines and taking off harnesses that I couldn’t beleive she had followed me the entire 5 miles, never really slowing up and whining when we stopped.
We kind of layed around the rest of the day. It drizzled on and off for a while and we started packing to go home. I gave the pups some water and tryed figuring out how I was going to haul 8 dogs back when I only came equipped for 5. I eventually settled on doubling up some of my smaller dogs and putting all three pups in one crate. We stuffed everything else in it’s place, but putting the rig back on the backdoors was a PAIN because the stupid rachet tie downs wouldnt work so we had to kind of ‘rig’ it up there.
We made it home, did what we do and put the new pups in the back yard. They bounded around in the tall grass like foxes.. it was hilarious! I could tell they were feeling comfortable and I was happy I had taken them back with me. I was kind of pissed off at the same time… trying to figure out why no one else took them back with them, or atleast Autumn, since she was friendly? and I mean, who would dump off puppies into the middle of nowhere too? I talked with my grandmother and she agreed with my original thought of that they were part of a litter that the hunter was not pleased with so he set them out. Very sad. I try not to think about it and just focus on getting them to the animal shelter (we work with them alot) and get them into new, loving homes!
Overall… this was an excellent, fun and eventful weekend. I also was really glad to spend time with mom because I know how she hates camping, especially with dogs, but she told me she had a blast and wants to (drum roll, please) “do it again before it gets too cold”! I was glad to have rescued the puppies, and hopefully found a new member for the team, even if I didn’t plan it.
of course I took loads of pictures, but I will have to post them next weekend when I have the time.
here is a link to a video I took on the first day
Hope all is well where ever yall are and many Happy Trails!
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So I reckon I can’t really complain there.
