Advertisement
Published: March 13th 2008
Edit Blog Post
Dog Camp
Brittana & Glenn in front of the the Dog Base Camp. We checked out of our hotel this morning, but before we headed home we went to Mushing School. At the dog camp we changed into some Arctic gear that our guide provided. Glenn & I were wearing parkas that made us look like we were pregnant.
First Kathy taught us how to fall from the sled. If you fall and don’t tightly hold onto the sled the dogs will leave you stranded. We stood holding the sled, and then we collapsed to the ground and got back up again. Gee, I’m so glad we
PRACTICED that.
Kathy untangled heaps and heaps of cords for the dog leads. Kathy went above and beyond her duties by teaching us that “the lead dog is the one at the front.” She was a very sweet lady, and a bit overwhelmed by all of the dogs around her. She had been mushing for over thirty years, but I think all the time in the wilderness with just dogs for company may have frazzled her a bit.
She taught Glenn & me how to put the harnesses on all the dogs. I tired to put one on backwards; luckily Glenn was by my
side to correct me. I was happier just to pet & play rather than gear them up and make them work…that entails more work for me too. Glenn was very into it though—anxious to get behind the sled.
First we went on our training run. We took turns: one of us lay in the lead sled while another was towed on another sled. Nine dogs were pulling us, which means we had a pretty decent speed. “Greg” fell off on a sharp turn, I’m not quite sure if he got up the “correct” way or not though, and then it was his turn in the basket.
I was impressed by how the dogs could crap and run at the same time. However, it’s so true about the “who farted” lead dog joke. You smell everything. Not only could they “go” at the same time as they were “going,” but it was very warm, so the dogs were munching on snow as we rode (over 20* F is a heat wave to them). Dogs are so much better at multitasking than horses.
After the training run we went out on our own sleds. Glenn rode with 5 dogs:
Gani, Lisa, Barta, Honcho & PJ; Brittana rode with 4: Forkes, Fish, Coho & Steve. We rode a bout 8 miles in total (including the training run).
On Glenn’s “certificate of accomplishment” she wrote “You’re a NATURAL! Come back and work for us” I think she just had a thing for Glenn…he did fall after all. No, just kidding. Glenn was amazing with all the dogs and the sled.
She told us about how she catches heaps of salmon in the winter and feeds them to the dogs whole. She also leaves heaps of them outside to freeze once winter sets in.
After all the excitement of mushing school we still had a six hour drive home ahead of us. On that ride home, I asked Glenn to “talk to me”… "I can’t, I’m dodging snow flakes.” Later, when it stopped snowing, “talk to me” …..“I can’t, I’m dodging bugs.” “Nice try, there are no bugs mister.” “Buggar.”
During the snow, and there was heaps of it, we couldn’t see the road. It was a complete white-out. We could only guess where to drive by the absence of trees and a few mile markers that lined
the road. We were regular old-fashioned trail hunters. We used everything available to us to find the road, including sound. Every now and then we heard a “buummmpp” (road brail) that told us to move a bit to the side. Our sense of smell wasn’t too useful though.
About three hours from Anchorage we were stopped by State Patrol because a large truck had to be towed out from a ditch ahead. Glenn took the opportunity to stretch his legs. I took the opportunity of a blocked road for a snowball fight. Glenn recoiled to the car. When he finally came back out I pointed out something on the headlight to Glenn, once I had his attention…
wham. A face full of snow for Glenn.
Advertisement
Tot: 0.182s; Tpl: 0.011s; cc: 12; qc: 56; dbt: 0.072s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb