Today is a day to celebrate – we are now gaining daylight! Today was our first step in the right direction: one one-hundredth of a second. By January we’ll be gaining 1-1.5 minutes per day and by March there will be 12 hours of daylight.
Scott and Aaron left today for their 190 mile camping trip. We are nearing the end of training for the race dogs, with perhaps a 100 mile continuous (no stops except for snacking) run after Christmas.
In January, Scott, Aaron and Leila will be running the Knik 200 (Leila, of course, with Bill’s dogs).
Yesterday I had another adventure. I was the first one out and no one else was running. Twelve miles into the run I saw a bunch of ravens to the side of the trail, pecking at something. We were running in a rectangular swamp area bordered by trees and maybe a hundred feet to my right was a wolf kill. I couldn’t see the body, but you could see wolf tracks coming and going, where they’d laid in the trail to eat (a fair distance apart from each other) and other wolf sign. I know it was a fresh kill because the day before nothing was there.
Razz was looking in the woods both times we passed through, but I saw nothing. I’m sure the wolves were watching, though!
And now, before I go any farther, I need to finish introducing the dogs – just Scott’s athlete’s left!
First, his six adorable puppies (which are humongous now, but still lovably cute). These pups are out of Mouse and a dog from Jay Cadzow that goes back to old village lines:
- Bluegrass : He’s finally catching up to his brother’s in size, with floppy ears and a “smile”. He used to be my shadow, but now he thinks he’s ready to take on the world alone.
- Belle: Scott was going to spell it Bell
- Sweetwater: is a feisty, small girl. She has an attitude and will be a handful, but probably a good leader. I think she’s more like Mouse than you’d think at first glance.
- Harpoon: a big, white, cuddly polar bear. My “favorite” from the first. He is like a miniature Noah and has a great personality. The biggest boy and so snowy white! Sweetwater and Harpoon are quite the combo; when I was first walking the pups on leashes they were the ones that pulled the hardest.
- Yonder: has a big coat like Grizman, but is a little princess. Probably the best behaved of the pups, sweet and good tempered. She’s middle sized between Sweetwater and Belle.
- Victory: was one of the smaller pups when I got here but he’s caught up to Harpoon now! Big and brown, with floppy ears. He doesn’t realize his size and tries to be your buddy. Nice and leggy.
You’ve already met the yearlings on my team (Ruger, Razz, Rowdy and Urchin) so we’ll skip to the adults:
- Mouse: is Scott’s oldest dog. She’s from Jason Barron and has been a point dog all her life. She is feisty, but shy with people until she gets to know you. Loves attention, yet she’s so submissive that she often rolls on her back when you’re trying to harness her. In harness she’s always ready to go.
- Cujo: is another Mouse pup out of a dog from Jason Barron. He’s rather shy as well and not as smooth as Scott’s other dogs, but he’s a good leader.
- Lager: an awesome leader with a great personality. Another Mouse pup, out of Piniot (the retired old dog I’ve already introduced). He barks, loud, in your face while you’re booting him up and lunges with excitement. He’s amazing!
- Porter: Lager’s brother. Was never a great leader until this year, but Scott says he’s outshining Lager now. Not really outgoing, but always crazy to go once he’s in harness. Barks loudly like Lager.
- Pepperjack: Amazingly athletic and yet calm. He is Swingley/Buser lines and Scott got him from Ellie Clause, I think he’s seven years old. All his pups take after him: leggy and athletic.
- Nibbs: also from Ellie Clause. Scott told me he was the only dog in his team who wouldn’t lead. Well, today he led Scott’s team out on their run! He lives up to his name (one of the Lost Boys from Peter Pan) and is always happy. Built a bit stockier than some of Scott’s other dogs.
- Blaze: out of one of Scott’s old leaders, Hen, and Pepperjack. Just like ‘Pepper’, but a less reserved, dignified manner. Another leader, Scott said he and Pepperjack are his smoothest dogs. Nothing else to say: just an awesome dog!
- Flynn: Blaze’s brother. Leggier than Blaze and smoothes out the longer the runs get. He is kind of shy, but coming around. Poor guy, he lost his tail earlier this season.
- Midge: Sister to Blaze and Flynn. Not huge, but she’s racy and fast! A very funny personality, can’t quite figure her out. Young leader.
- Bonnie: A lot like mouse, just friendly and more “bouncy”. Has led Scott to the finish for races last year.
- Clyde : Bonnie’s brother. Big but he leads with Nibbs! He thinks he’s a little lap dog. You’d think a dog so big would have trouble being smooth, but Clyde proves that’s not true.
- Mambo: A bit different style from some of Scott’s other dogs, but still smooth and tough. I don’t think Mambo leads, but that may change! Very happy and friendly.
- Tango: Mambo’s brother and a good leader. Kind of an “unhappy” personality – unless it’s time to run. Has run in a few Iditarod’s.
Well, now you’ve met all the dogs. Hopefully I’ll get pictures soon…
Before I sign off I want to congratulate everyone who went to West Yellowstone – I missed being there and I hope it went well for you all!
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