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| Martine
and Peter putting booties on |
After
the start, on the Yukon River |
Why that many injuries? I would love to have an answer to that question. For me it is a mystery.
Camping on the Chain Lakes
It is really too bad to have such a disastrous result with all the support I had this year. Handlers, sponsors, supporters. I had everything to have a good year. Thanks to all of you who followed my team this season. I am very sorry it turned out that way.
Are you ready? (February 9, 2007)
Finally, the answer is yes! Today, last day before the race, I trained all the dogs, just a short run to try to take some of the craziness off the dogs for the start tomorrow. Also, it was a last chance to see if any dog has a problem and unfortunately, the day before the race I loose yet another dog! I was worried about Merengue for the last little while and finally today I could see that she has a little bit of a shoulder problem. Not very serious but I will not take a chance with such a dedicated dog. I also lost another dog yesterday, Muffin, an experienced leader that is always ready to go has a minor shoulder injury too. I took her to town yesterday to ask one of the Quest vets’ opinion and he confirm that she has a sore muscle. I will miss her a lot, especially since I lost Decaff too last week. I now have only 2 leaders left, Ruth and Logan and maybe Harper that will be a good leader if he survives the first few day. It’s not much but it’s enough to believe that I can do it! All these injuries took a bit of my enthusiasm away but I know once I’m on my way with my little dogs, I will be happy again. With all the nice cheering messages I received over the last little while, I can only think that this is possible!So I take off tomorrow, in 15th position, around 11:42 Yukon time. Ready for a new adventure! Carpe diem!
The vet check (February 5, 2007)
The vet check is done ! All 16 dogs that I brought passed the test! I was quite relieved! It is always funny to see how much each dog weighs. And I thought I had a small team! The first dog on the weight scale was Merengue at … 52 pounds! I couldn’t believe it! Same with Fiona! Even the little girls Salsa and Rumba broke the 40 pounds mark, at respectively 45 and 42 pounds. I was stunned! But some of the big males were lighter than I thought. |
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| While
waiting for our turn |
Checking
Fiona's teeth |
The vets check if the dogs are healthy, if they have a fever, any injuries, foot cracks, bad teeth, stiff muscles and joints, etc. Then they inject a microchip in their neck to be able to identify each dog during the race. Some dogs seem OK with all these procedures, but others, like Fiona are almost in a panic, she even peed on the floor! Even Mac, doing his 4th vet check is still not very happy. It was a nice occasion to see other mushers and friends who were there to help with the vet check.
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| Shrek
on the scale |
Djembe
gets her microchip |
Now that we only have a few days left before the start, I still have to pack all the stuff I need for the start and for Dawson. A few short runs with the dogs and rest as much as possible. I also enjoy the warmth from the woodstove even more! Then I have to decide out of the 16 dogs which 14 will be part of the team on February 10.
I do not really know what kind of performance I can expect from my dog team this year ! The dogs did really well in training but injuries always make me nervous. Especially since the trail is supposed to be hard and fast. It will be a challenge for dogs like Muffin and Harper, 2 leaders that do not have much speed. Then I have a bunch of young dogs, Salsa, Merengue, Fiona, Rumba, Maracas, Djembe, Paila and Shrek. Young dogs, especially males, loose weight more easily and have the tendency to have swollen feet and also get discouraged more easily. Djembe is a really hard working dog but she may exhaust herself because of that. Paila is hard to fatten up but she has a very tough head. Maracas doesn’t always work as hard as her two sisters, but she LOVES food. Shrek is another one that is hard to put weight on, but he works really well and stays happy. Rumba was off for almost a month but now she seems OK and she loves food and is a happy dog. Salsa is a superstar but she had a stiff shoulder after the last long run. Finally Harper was also hurt and had a month off but he seems OK and since he is a leader and is 4 years old, I will take the chance to put him in the team. That’s my question marks, but other dogs, like Maceo and Rye did so well during the Copper Basin that I count on them to stay healthy all the way to Fairbanks, and the same goes for the veterans Mac and Mask. But we never know what will happen and we can only hope for the best.
As per the trail itself, I am always happy once the first day is over with. Less traffic, dogs are not as crazy anymore. The challenge between the start and Braeburn is to find a good place to camp. Then between Braeburn and Carmacks, it can be a neck-breaking trail if there is no snow. Some sections are a lot of fun to drive but with a somewhat fresh and large dog team, it can be tricky. And there is a series of lakes and portages that can be full of slush and glare ice. Then from Carmacks to Pelly, it is the first time we see jumble ice. It can be quite difficult and sometimes painful! Once in Pelly, the next challenge is the Pelly River, again because of jumble ice. Then we are more in the bush, which I prefer. Then I can make a fire!!! There is also a lot of slush and glacier on this section, but it still is one of my favorite. Long climbs that keep me warm!! Then we get to Dawson, which is always a good thing. Rest, as much for the dogs as for the mushers, in a warm place, with lots of food, and friends. Dawson-Eagle is the section I fear the most. Cold, cold and cold. And the Fortymile River is not just cold but ice cold with sometimes overflow. Then the Taylor Highway that never ends and American Summit with its legendary storms. Then a long cold descent to Eagle. But that checkpoint is really nice and the rest more than appreciated. From there, between Eagle and Circle is another 160 miles on the Yukon River where it is never warm. And this year there is apparently a lot of glare ice. If it’s windy, it may not be a lot of fun. But luckily there are a few good places where to stop, Trout Creek, Slaven’s., just the names bring back some good memories. Once in Circle, it feels good to know that ¾ of the race is over. From there it cold again on Birch Creek, until Central. From Central to the Chena Hotsprings, it is the last big challenge, with Eagle Summit and Rosebud Summit. At least the up hills keep me warm, but storms are always a possibility. And finally we get a last mandatory 8 hour layover and the last 100 miles until the finish, with a mix of euphoria, exhaustion, of “I have enough of this” and “I don’t want it to be over”. But no matter what, once we are at the finish, the feeling is amazing. (I just re-read what I just wrote… Well, of course there is all these bad sections, but there is also amazing places, and moments that make it all worthwhile to run this race! We are crazy, sure, but not that crazy! Each section has beautiful areas and some moments cannot even be described.)
Thursday we have the meetings and banquet, where we draw our bib numbers, I don’t think I will have a chance to update my website before the start. But I would like to take this opportunity to thank my handler Gaetan for his help, which allowed me, amongst other things, to spend time updating my website. Thanks also to my sponsors and to my family who is “happy not to be running the race” but support me unconditionally, my friends, and everybody who encourages me one way or another. Hoping this will be a good race!
The last week (February 2, 2007)
Now that the food drops are done, it is a big relief and I only have to train, and prepare a few more things, but most of the work is done. Unfortunately the last few training runs were pretty costly in terms of injuries. After Torpedo and Donkey, Farquaad and Mambo have shoulder injuries, 2 other dogs that I was hoping to race. Farquaad seems to be OK now, but he weighs more than 60 pounds and I will not take the chance to load a big dog like that if he already has a potential shoulder problem.Then about a week ago, we finally could run on the Canol. This is where I used to do most of my training runs, but the road was plowed by a mining company until Christmas. It snowed lots over since and there is a good trail. I was super happy to go there especially since we had lots of moonlight recently. To see this trail again, with the long hills and beautiful scenery was awesome. The dogs looked really happy too and we camped at Quiet Lake where there is a shelter to warm up. But on the way back, it got colder and some of the dogs who had lost hair on their wrists during the Copper Basin (some dogs loose hair, others don’t…) lost even more hair and now I have to put gaiter on them when I run them in the cold. One more thing to worry about!
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| The
Canol Road |
One
of the few flat sections on the Canol Road |
A few days later, I trained again on a shorter distance and I tried a new type of gaiters: with a disastrous result. The gaiters rubbed the skin and it got irritated. Of course these things had to happen on 2 leaders and one of the best dogs. It was heart breaking since I need these dogs so much, especially with all the other injured dogs I have. So now it is like a race to heal these dogs before the race starts…next week!
Camping on the Canol Road
And to top it up, I ran again on the Canol Road this week, under the real full moon this time, it was amazing, and the dogs were really doing well. I even had Salsa in lead on the way up, and Rumba on the way back. This little girl really surprised me. So the good news are that Rumba and Harper seemed recovered from their injuries and although they don’t have the miles I was hoping for, they may end up in the team since I have to leave many other ones at home. But on the way back, another big loss: Decaff, another leader got hurt on this hard packed trail. I knew the trail would be hard on her, but I know the Quest trail will also be hard so I had to try and see what would happen. I saw what happened but it is very sad.
Training close to home
So the night before the “vet check” where we bring all the dogs we plan on racing to see if they are in good health, I have quite a different team than what I expected. Sometimes it is for the better but still, it is quite disappointing, and worrisome. But I am not giving up as long as I have 2 leaders and a few other dogs in the team!
Other than that, it is time to finally take it easy (for the dogs, handler and musher), rest and relax, because once the race starts…
Djembe
The "food drops" (January 26, 2007)
The food drops are ready ! This is all the things we will need during the race. We have to bring everything to town two weeks before the race starts. We have to put the dog food in plastic bags, one bag of meat and one of kibble per meal, then there is the snacks: fat, tripe, fish or meat. And for each checkpoint I send dog blankets, plastic runners for the sled, booties, batteries, oil and ointments for the dogs, and my personal food. This year I sent homemade bread made by a friend, with molasses and butter, dehydrated meat that another friend prepared for me (it takes a while to chew and it helps me stay awake!!!), cookies, sweet squares, other goodies that friends gave me, and the inevitable chocolate! I also bought 3 dehydrated meals to try out! In fact, the food drops are like a race before the race! Many things to buy, to prepare, and we have to keep the dogs trained on top of that! And of course this is when the meat cutting saw was not working and the same day the truck broke down too! Lots of little misfortunes! But it’s all done now, and tomorrow I will go on a long run with the dogs, probably the last long run before the race. Then we have the “vet check”, then some rest, the last minute things, meetings and banquet and… the start! |
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| Each
meal in a bag... |
...then
I add the dog blankets... |
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| ...and
the snacks... |
...and
it's ready!! |
Unfortunately, a few of my dogs that I was planning on racing in the Quest got hurt this week. Torpedo and Donkey, who got hurt during the Copper Basin will likely not recover on time, as I expected. It is especially sad because Torpedo and I always raced the Quest together. But such is life! And this will give other dogs the chance to show me what they can do!
We are almost at full moon now, and it is beautiful. It’s really too bad this year that we get the new moon right in the middle of the race. It will be so dark. It makes a big difference if we have the moon, otherwise, we can only see as far as our headlamp will let us. We loose a lot of the “magic”. But tomorrow night it should be beautiful!
The Copper Basin (January 20, 2007)
We just got came back from the Copper Basin, our first race of the year. It went really well, although it was a tough race. 26 teams started, only 11 finished, among them my little team who finished 6th. |
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| Almost time to go... |
It takes many people
to bring the dogs to the start line |
The first section of the trail was very dangerous for the dogs: loose snow or no snow. I had to leave Donkey and Torpedo at the first checkpoint because of minor injuries. The next section was very long and I took a break on the way to Paxson to rest the dogs. On that section, there was a lot of snow and a few open creeks to cross. But the dogs did ver
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| Along
the road to Chisto: punchy trail and willows |
Maceo
in Paxson, looking professional! |
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| Night camp on the
way to Paxson (it's snowing!) |
The rest of the race was a lot slower since we got almost 2 feet of snow on the last 150 miles of trail. But the slower trail was good for my leaders who made it all the way without getting hurt. It wasn’t cold at all and I had to work hard to help the dogs and I ran most of the second half of the race without a jacket! From Paxson to Meyers, my dogs ran really well and I even gave them a short break in Meyers because the next section was going to be long. Once in Sourdough, I finally managed to sleep a whole hour, on the straw, with my dogs!!! But when I woke up, I was totally confused, wondering where I was! I dropped Merengue who had a cut on a foot and continued with the other 9 dogs.
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| Along
the pipeline |
Trees
and snow, or snow and trees |
From there, the trail got even slower. Lots of fresh snow and it was snowing some more! The young dogs started asking themselves questions and I had to put one and then 2 dogs in the sled. We finally made it to Wolverine, but I decided to stay a bit longer than my mandatory hours because the dogs needed a full meal and a break since the next 50 miles were going to be very long. And I didn't want to ruin my Quest team. I dropped a tired Fiona before I left.
A tired but happy Catherine in Wolverine, with frosty hair!
Then my 8 dogs and I took off, and soon I had to load Salsa for an hour and a half. That really slowed us down and made the remaining 7 dogs work even harder. But eventually Salsa came back in the team and did very well, and I kept walking, running and pedaling. I had to bite snow like the dogs to stay hydrated!
Then we got to Tolsona, where I dropped Salsa and Mac who just looked too tired. I traveled the last 22 miles to the finish with 6 dogs! But we managed to pass a team and when I saw the finish line in the distance, I had a great big smile! And we finally made it and I was super happy with my little dogs who worked so hard. My handler Gaetan and Kyla Boivin were at the finish line waiting for us, and the dogs were happily rolling in the snow in happiness. A few snacks for dogs and musher and then… some rest!!
A patient handler
waiting for the team
Now I am back at home and I have to get my “food drops” ready for the Yukon Quest. This is all the food and equipment I need for the race. We have to bring everything to the Quest office on the 27th, so there is lots to do until then. Cut and package the meat, the booties, the ointments and oils for the dogs, batteries, dog blankets, my own food, etc. Luckily, I have a few friends that will help me with baking. And Gaetan is always willing to help. I also have to train the dogs that didn’t race, and of course, I dream of a day with nothing to do, to recover and get ready for the Quest!!!
But I am so happy with my result at the Copper Basin, and all the dogs should be able to do the Quest except maybe Torpedo and Donkey because of their injuries. And I have to add a few dogs to the team for the start on February 10th.
Now, I have to go train!
Chasing the moon (January 5, 2007)
It is well past 10 pm and I should really go to bed now, tomorrow I have a couple of teams to train and there is the Copper Basin coming up, which means lots of things to prepare. But I spent most of the day in town, and after I came back from supper at my neighbors’, I visited my dogs. It is just after full moon so maybe you can imagine how nice it is outside. I was not going to spend much time with them, mostly checking a few dogs that were stiff or sore from the long run we did yesterday, but then… I started petting and massaging one dog, then the next one started standing and stretching as far as he could trying to reach me with his front paws, the next one was looking at me, still, watching, waiting for his turn. They lean on me, or they stand up and stretch to almost give me a big lick in the face, the next one barks because I am taking too long to give him some attention. How can I not spend time with each one of them! They all did such a good job so far this year. Building strength, endurance, going longer, in the deep snow, or facing the wind. Trusting me, working hard, pushing their limit sometimes, always willing to go. They are amazing. And with every training run, we get closer, we know each other more and we become a team. Even dogs like Fiona, who was quite spooky, didn’t want her feet touched, she came wagging her tail, wanting to be petted. Big Charango, who was also fairly shy and quiet, looks so proud of himself, jumping all over, as if he was thinking “I can do it! I’m a real sled dog!”. |
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In a few days, we’ll be on our way to the first race of the season. It is a difficult one, because the distance between checkpoints is sometimes fairly long and the trail can be very difficult going from almost no snow, to punching trail, long climbs and steep drops, rivers to cross, etc. A lot of out of control moments. And I have to decide which dogs will be on the team. Except for the few that missed a little too much training because of injuries (Alice, Harper, Rumba), really all the other ones could make the team. Some are so young they should really stay home (Bongo, Charango, Djembe, Paila and Maracas), but it is tempting to take them too because they are doing so well! It will be a tough call, and I like them all and would like to spend these few days with all of them!!! See them perform, give them the chance to see all these new miles where they never went before. They love it, and they can then really see what their life is all about!
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I also have to say that along with great adventures, and memories that will never fade, the dogs also bring me something that I never expected to receive but that is priceless. Everyday I go to town, I get e-mails or letters from people from different places in the world, family and friends but also people I don’t even know, that also follow the races, the dogs, the stories. Some are young people, school kids sharing their interest for the dogs, others are “grown up kids” that live a very different life but share their dreams, their stories or just like to send some nice thoughts. This alone makes it worthwhile to run the race again!!! When I read these letters, it gives me a big boost of energy to face the cold, the long days, the problems with the dogs, etc. It may take me a while to answer, I don’t spend much time in town these days, but I will! And I thank you all for the amazing support.
Waw! All these words and I didn’t even start to talk about what happened the last couple of weeks!! Well, we had some good and bad moments. More injuries, but then some dogs started healing up and ran as if they never took a break. I am still very concerned about my leaders that are always pushed by the strong fast young dogs behind them and I will have to slow the team down if I want these leaders to finish the race, but it’s hard! But right now, I have 4 leaders that should be at the Copper Basin. I keep my fingers crossed.
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Just before Christmas, my handler Gaetan and I went camping with the dogs. We ran during the day, then parked the team and luckily, we had a place to warm up while the dogs were sleeping. We were so excited by the run, and being out with the dogs, that we ended up talking and laughing for hours until it was time to go again. The dogs did even better than I expected, even if the trail was quite soft and punchy. Then I ended up giving them a few days off, and even though I was not happy that I couldn’t put more miles on the dogs, it was a good thing for the young ones who needed a bit of a break.
A few days later, we tried a new trail. It was so amazing! I trained one team during the day, and then another one at night. With the moonlight, the mountains, valleys and lakes looked like a little “Christmas village”. So beautiful. The dogs loved being on a new trail and they were flying. Then, all of a sudden, right in the middle of the same trail where I was a few hours sooner, there was a big spruce tree!!! I stopped, thought I got lost and looked past the tree: I could see fresh tracks. I was on the right trail but that spruce had fallen that afternoon!!! I didn’t have a saw so we had to bushwhack in the loose snow to go around it, and eventually the dogs pulled the sled and it flew right over the fallen tree top! It was quite funny!
Then yesterday I did another long run. There was no other team on the trail that day, as far as I knew, and it was one of those really sunny days, and not cold. Just the dogs and I. A perfect dog team, a perfect day. Snow in the trees, tracks on the snow. I took lots of pictures. On the way back, it was dark and all of a sudden the dogs started speeding up. I was wondering why. Another team? A rabbit? A moose? No… The moon! The moon was rising and the dogs must have been thinking it was a headlamp or something coming towards us. They were chasing the moon!
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Yeah, dogs are funny. Gaetan went on the trail with 6 dogs yesterday to cut some branches that were in the way. He parked the dogs. Mambo barked (she loves to bark). She heard her echo. So she barked back. Heard this distant bark again, and answered. And so on. She never stopped! Funny girl.
Well, time to go to bed now. I don’t think I will have time to write more before the Copper Basin. I hope it will go well. It starts on the 13th, and this will give me a good idea of what my Yukon Quest team is made of. If my leaders manage to finish, I can hope for a good Quest. The website to follow the race is www.cb300.com. I hope to finish it, the placing really doesn’t matter this time. Another year it will, this year it doesn’t.
Injuries and other misadventures (December 18, 2006)
The last week was crazy. We trained dogs, then went to Alaska to get some supplies and meat for the races (because we can’t get meat across the border from Canada to the US to race), came back home, explored new trails, trained dogs, put another trail in, trained dogs again. Just got back at 4 am this morning and could hardly sleep since the wind was howling so bad. A big pine tree even fell down right next to my puppy pens, almost a miracle since it could have fallen on the shed, the truck, the dogs, etc. It even avoided the driveway!The news are not as good this time though. After 2 weeks off, I trained Alice and Harper on a short run just to see and they are still injured. Yesterday I wanted to do a camping run but the trail was somewhat dangerous for the dogs, and Mambo and Ruth got hurt. Ruth being one of my remaining main leader, it was a hard one to swallow. Donkey, Salsa, Paila and some other young dogs are very good in lead but these difficult runs are a bit much for young dogs like them. I can’t rely on yearling and 2 year olds as main leaders for the Quest. Right now I only have two real leaders left. It is scary. With 5 "veteran" leaders this year, I was hoping not to face the same old situation this year: a super team with no leaders. This is the challenge when you run a young team. The dogs are strong and fast but they are too young to handle the pressure of running up front when things get tough. I struggled with this for many years now (running other people’s young dogs at first and my own now) and I just can’t wait for my dogs to be 3 or more. I so want to finish the race again.
The run yesterday was good though, some dogs did a lot better than I expected. There was not enough base on the trail to set a hook, so whenever I had to stop to change booties or snack or check some dog, I was always scared the dogs would pull the hook and take off (without me). With Mac screaming to go every time I stopped, it happened many times that I had to catch the sled as it went by me! At some point I was putting a bootie back on Farquaad and they popped the hook, I got tangled in the tug line, fell on the ground, barely managed to grab the gangline just in front of the sled, and the dogs pulled me for a while like that! It was quite funny though and I managed to stop them somehow and get back on. And Farquaad had to run without that bootie!. But after that run, instead of camping and going back on the same trail, I had to call a friend late at night to pick us up. I figured I had my share of bad luck for the day but I forgot how creative I can be when it’s time to make things worse! I parked the truck close to the dogs to load up, got out, close the door (keys in), and realized the door locks on its own… I had no spare key. I felt so bad for my friend since she had to work the next day. But we managed again to get out of this one. We all drove home and nothing else happened!
For now the dogs are barking, after Yogi the bear we now have Wylie the coyote running around…. With a few pretty girl like Dragon and Maracas in heat, he guess he just can’t resist!
A week before Christmas, I am not sure when I will have time to write another update, so I wish you all a Merry Christmas!
The magic of dog mushing (December 12, 2006)
Ten dogs, twelve dogs bark impatiently. Finally, we are ready. I let go of the snow hook, and off we go! I find myself, 7 years later, on the same trails where I learned how to drive a dog team. Well, “how to crash a dog team” would be closer to the truth. Since we can’t train on the Canol Road (where we normally train, except this year a mining company plows the road and we can’t train with the sled there) we are really lucky to have snow in the mountains behind where I live.
A new trail for the dogs and for the most part for me too. It is not cold, the trail is excellent and we find most of what we see in dog races: slush, ice, steep ups and downs, twisty trails that keep us on our toes, we just can’t ask for more! Gaétan, my handler, discovers the beauty of the Yukon and a new meaning to the word adventure! During one long run, once he got to the other side of a steep summit that we had to go over again on the way back, where there is a bit less snow and more rocks that we’d like, he finds out that his brake is loose on one side! One nut is missing on one side of the brake bow. But another miracle happens: the nut is laying in the snow on top of the runner! We manage to screw it somewhat back on with a good old Leatherman, and Gaétan is ready to bravely go back down again! Another time, the trail disappeared under the drifted snow and the dogs almost went down the wrong face of the mountain. And there is more! But he does a great job and has the sense of humor that matches the job description!
The dogs came back tired from their first long runs. Two leaders, Alice and Harper got hurt but luckily the young dogs are doing well in lead.
The trails go through valleys and mountains. One morning we took off under a nice bright sun that was shining on the ice crystals that are covering the crooked branches of the stunted poplar trees, and on the mountain ridges which were drawing a bright white shape on the clear blue sky. Add to that a moose standing still in the middle of the snow covered buck brush. Of course, Logan saw it first. On the way back, the full moon illuminates the majestic scenery. The trail is covered with hare tracks and we see a few. As well as a weasel. Guess who saw it first? Yes, Logan…
The last run, a few days ago. The dogs are getting stronger and the trail is harder and quite fast. We have to slow the dogs down and hold on to the sled! We all end up at least once kneeling on the runners! We hang on going down the hills and it looks like the dogs are taking the turns fast enough to eject us off the sled! They are wild! It’s dark, no moon. But the northern lights are covering the sky. A green veil dancing, and purple momentarily flowing through it, Mambo barks looking at the sky. The last few miles are much easier and I can just relax and enjoy this perfect moment. All I hear is the dogs’ feet marking the rhythm and the sled runners gliding on the crisp snow. It is not cold and I take my hood off to admire fully the amazing scenery and feel the winter on my face. I turn off my headlamp and let the dogs guide me between the snow covered spruce trees under the green light of this fabulous sky. I think about you who are reading this and wonder how I can describe such a night with words. How many nights like this do we have in one life…
“Because we don’t know when we will
die, we get to think
of life as an inexhaustible well. Yet everything
happens only a certain number of times, and a very small number,
really. How many time will you remember a certain
afternoon of your childhood, some afternoon that is so deeply a part of
your
being that you can’t even conceive your life without it ?
Perhaps four or five times more. Perhaps not even that. How
many more times will you watch the full
moon rise ? Perhaps twenty. And yet it all seems
limitless… »
-Paul
Bowles, The Sheltering Sky
First experience
taking pictures of northern lights... |
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| From my window | ||
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My cabin, one night in December 
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On the sled! (December 2, 2006)
Yaaaahoooooooooooo!!!! This is how I felt when we took off yesterday, with 8 crazy dogs, pulling.... the sled!!! ATV runs are over for now. The switch was sooooo great, the dogs loved it, I smiled until I got cramps in my cheeks, and all of a sudden I remembered why we do all this... Because it is just GREAT! Gaetan (my handler) was following really well with another team, and I am afraid he is addicted to dog mushing again too (he used to have his own dogs). There was enough snow to run and the first down hill was just about out of control but all went well and it was also a good laugh to jump on and off the beaver dam! We finished the run in the dark, under the moonlight. Doesn't get any better than this!
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| Getting ready to go |
ATV training |
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 The boys' side (left) and the girls' side |
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| A little bit of
November sun through the clouds |
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| I stay home today... |
Well, November ended with at least one more adventure though. Yeah, when we leave the yard we just never know what will happen. One day, 30 below, we did the regular training run on the ATV, and one tire started loosing air. It was hard to drive the ATV and I had to give a lot of gas to move forward. After an hour of this, the gas tank didn't look so full anymore and the tire was certainly not getting harder neither. To the point where I realized we were not going to make it all around and it was anyway getting too hard to drive. Fortunately the "Dog Mushing God" was with us and we made it to the place on the river where it is closest to home. I left Gaetan with 16 screaming dogs, on the cold river, and walked home to get a compressor and more gas. It took a good 45 minutes before I came back, but Gaetan was still smiling and the dogs still barking. Only one tugline was chewed up (Alice, of course...) and the tire was not destroyed or out of the rim, so we pumped it up, added gas and finished the run.
November ended up being the coldest November ever in Whitehorse since they record the weather (about 60 years). And record snow fall too. We did get below -40, and it never really warmed up above -15 or -20 Celsius. But we are almost the only ones who have snow, so we really can't complain. Long runs haven't started yet because the road where we normally train is still plowed for the first 25 miles and there was not enough snow past that, but early next week, we will do a camping run. I really look forward to it. Finally!
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| My cabin and my wood
piles, under the snow |
I was talking to my mother on the phone a few days ago and we talked about RSP (Retirement Saving Plan) and how smart it would be to think about it now, but I said, of course, that I have no money for that this year (again!). Five minutes later, I was ordering $2000 worth of booties and probably almost as much worth of meat for the races... I felt bad! I guess all I will have when I retire is great memories and used booties!!!
November (November 22, 2006)
November is almost over and it's the first evening I manage to sit down and write about the exciting month we had at Winterdance Kennel!Early November, just after I fed the dogs, they just wouldn't stop barking. This is quite unusual as the dogs rarely bark except at feeding or training time. But that evening, they were very excited. I went to bed anyway and a few hours later, it started all over again. Dogs gone mad! I had to go outside, but I knew better since I had a grizzly bear in my yard last year! So I got into my car and drove the 100 yards to the kennel... It was a good idea because I had, indeed, a grizzly bear in the yard again! Except this time, he went into my shed where I stored the dog food. And happily ate all the dog treats I had and some kibble. I didn't see him that night but the tracks were very obvious... It lasted 3 nights. He came back, and ate more dog food and, well... maybe he ate enough to go back to sleep. The whole month of November was very cold so it was no weather for a bear to hang around. But it sure kept me and the dogs on our toes! Especially since I was always training, feeding and watering in the dark, my heart rate was always going up especially when all of a sudden all the dogs would look in the same direction into the bush and start barking!!! But it's been a couple weeks now and I haven't seen a single track since.
Then the dogs got their rabies vaccination so we had to drive to town. Some dogs were in the dog box for the first time. Bongo and Charango were a bit hard to convince to go in, but once in, there was no way they would go out. Vaccinating Bongo was hilarious: I was holding him head down half his body out of the box trying to get him out, but he spread his back legs on each side of the door to stay in. So the vet gave him the shot in his neck and I just had to let him go back in! Meanwhile, Maracas was totally professional, going in and out as if she did that all her life. Shrek tried to destroy my dog box, so there was no chatting any longer. We had to go!
Then training got more exciting as we started going on the lake and the river. With nothing but cold weather since November started, and very little snow at first, the ice got pretty thick. But of course it is never that simple and now the beaver dam kinda changed the training route on the lake. And of course the first time I went on, I managed to get off the dam at the wrong place, and one tire broke through the ice. But it is not on the main lake where there is good ice. It is more into a swampy area and it doesn't freeze very good there. We managed to get out and the rest of the run was good. We went back several times now and it works. There is a mix of snow, slush and some glare ice, which is good for the dogs to get used too. Then we also got some more snow and pretty soon we could be on the sled.
A week ago my handler finally arrived. The timing was good since we are training longer now and I still have to go to work most days. Good to have help with the chores! He is doing really well, the dogs love him and he helps me a lot. I can relax a bit more now!
The long training runs haven't started yet though, which is very sad since this is what I prefer. The road where we normally train is being plowed right now by a mining company. We will have to go further to train but right now there isn't enough snow to train over there on the sled. We have an almost steady north wind for 3 weeks now and it doesn't bring the snow this area usually gets. But apparently Alaska doesn't have a lot of snow neither so we are not the only ones struggling with this problem.
Meanwhile I am very excited at the idea of racing soon. Training with the ATV gets a bit boring but I can't complain, the dogs are doing well. Here is a couple pictures of the team. They don't look so disciplined on the photos but generally they are very focused. It's just hard to take good pictures with frozen fingers!!!
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Variations (October 30, 2006)
The dogs need a change once in a while, so do the mushers. Sometimes putting a new dog in lead creates some excitement, other times, it is justusing a different trail, running longer or shorter or running at a different time of the day, and it could also be a simple change in the weather. A little while ago, it was the snow that got the dogs motivated, this weekend it was the cold! The first run around 20°C below (-2 °F), the pleasure to feel the cold without actually freezing, thanks to the few extra layers of clothing! Sitting on the 4 wheeler, I don’t move much and it is easier to get cold than when I am training with the sled.Sunday morning, I got up early (I forgot to set my watch back) so I left in the peaceful early morning hours, just before sunrise. It was a change for the dogs since we run mostly in the dark these days. It was amazingly beautiful. No wind, starry sky, and the dim blue morning light. A perfect moment to witness what I call “the winterdance”, hence my kennel name. Everybody knows that dogs are moving forward, but they are not following each other precisely. They all move a little bit to the left or to the right, depending on what is on the trail. When it is quite dark, and we can only see the silhouettes of the dogs, it is easier to notice this ondulating movement that I call “dance”. So Sunday morning, since it was getting daylight, I could see that beautiful ballet! Then the sun came up and lit the snowy mountain tops and all the ice crystals on every little branch and twig. It was so beautiful, I will have to take a picture to show you next time!
Another variation, last week, was when I listened to music during a training run after a day at work. Many mushers use a walkman during the Quest, probably tostay awake! Personally, although I love music, I can focus better on my dogs, and what is going on around us, whithout music. Last year I tried once to use a walkman while training but I must have chosen a short CD and I ended up listening to it 3 times in a row! I didn’t feel like changing the CD in the cold. But last week, it was a one-hour run and I listened to the “Cirque du Soleil”. Woaw! That was sooooo nice and relaxing! I just loved it. The dogs are like little acrobats after all!
Other than that, the dogs are doing really well, they still surprise me, and they were quite excited a few days ago when I gave them so fresh new straw. It is snowing right now, big Christmas flakes, another good reason for the dogs to want to go for a run tomorrow!
Waiting for winter... (October 23, 2006)
The days are getting shorter and the training runs longer. It is still quite warm , and we got some snow about 10 days ago. This gave a good boost of energy to the dogs, and while I was training in the dark under the snow fall, I remembered why I like to run dogs so much. Still a few more weeks before the camping runs…Now the snow is all gone, and the season progresses very well, the dogs are calmer, used to the “routine”. I take advantage of this time to “test” new leaders or use young leaders for a longer distance. It is always exciting to see the young ones perform so well and dream about what they will do in the future.
The ground is almost ready to freeze for good, and I have only a few days left to fill the holes that the dogs have been digging over the last few months. Especially Fiona who beat records this year. My firewood is all piled up next to my cabin, I still have a few fall chores to finish and I’ll be ready for winter! I can’t wait for the races, the first one being mid-December.
This morning we met 2 white snowshoe hares on the trail. They must be waiting for snow really bad too!!!
First snow! (September 26, 2006)
Monday morning, there was 10 to 15 cm of wet snow on the ground! Of course, any change in the dogs’ routine gives them renewed energy, and even though it meant harder pulling, they did the training run with a lot of enthusiasm. Even the young Salsa that I put in lead that day proved that she was a real tough dog when it was time to jump in the numerous big slush puddles on the trail. Rye, my only white dog, was quite gray when we came back! It was a great run, even though I had trouble getting out of bed that morning to train the dogs. I am getting pretty tired, with these 5:00 am training runs… The dogs are doing awesome, it’s the musher that has trouble keeping up!!! But one of my jobs ends today so from now on I should be able to recuperate on weekends. Other than that, the dogs are doing really well, and they get stronger and have more stamina. I already look forward to the long camping runs! But it will be a few weeks yet.
Last weekend, I took Decaff with me to town and we went to a workshop with Wes Rau, a well known physiotherapist that teaches ways to prevent and treat injuries. It was the second time I went to Wes’ workshops and it was good to refresh my memory, learn new things and meet fellow mushers.
Training update! (September 5, 2006)
We started training!!!!!!! This is sooooooooo much fun. The first morning, I harnessed 16 dogs, and I had forgotten how crazy they can be. But it was great to be out there, even for a short run. I was happy to see that my leaders remembered their commands pretty good and the young dogs also take turns being in lead for short distances. My youngest dogs, Paila, Djembe, Charango, Bongo and Maracas are absolutely outstanding. They are very focused, and they make my day… every day! I am very proud of them.Now we increased the mileage a little, but it is still warm even early in the morning. We had lots of rain recently and it creates some puddles on the trail. Again, I forgot how much most huskies don’t like water, and this week, I had Charango and Bongo trying to pull backwards not to get their feet in the mud! They get used to it very quick, but at first it is funny because they start backing up 100 feet from the first puddle…
The morning runs are very much enjoyable. I love to start in the dark and as we come back home, we get more daylight and the gold, orange and green colors of the leaves come out, and add to the fresh smell of fall. It is just …magical!
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| Happy training! |
Next season! (August 2, 2006)
There was frost on my windshield this morning as I got into my car to go to work... A sure sign that fall is coming soon! Which also means that I am really looking forward to the training and racing season! The dogs had a very quiet summer so far, but at least the weather never got too hot or too dry. But they broke records digging holes!!! From my point of view, it was one of the best summers I had, working lots but really enjoying it. A summer of field work, just like a dream! |
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...at work!!!! |
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Well, now let's talk more seriously about the coming year... Saturday is the first day to sign up for the Yukon Quest. So... I will sign up! Yes, it is still my dream to find myself with 14 of my dogs in the immensity of the Yukon and Alaska, under the northern lights and starry nights of February. Breathing the cold air, feeling the freedom and laughing from exhaustion with the Quest people.
Well, for now I have to go back to work, but I will try to keep you updated throughout the training season!