How It All Started - Part 6: The 2008 Season

    The last installment of "How It All Started" ended at the 2007 season - my first season of racing my own dogs so we'll pick up where we left off. Of course, summer time is a "down time" for mushers so I kept in touch with those I'd met, asking all the questions I could think of and studying all the Seppala Siberian information I could get my hands on...pedigrees, documents, history - I loved it all! Of course, I did learn a lot about Alaskan Huskies too, but at this point I never dreamed of trading my "pretty Siberian's" for high-strung, crazy-fast Alaskans (don't laugh too hard, but I would never have believed you if you told me I'd be running a team like I have now...made up of Alaskans).

    One thing I have to say about writing "how it all started" posts: I'm surprised how much I've apparently forgotten! The years and seasons of mushing almost seem a blur of excitement at first, but sitting and writing it all down makes me remember so many good times...I will have to dig for pictures because now I remember moments that were captured in pictures, but can't remember the year and wonder where the photos ended up - so there may be some backtracking in future posts as I come across more "history." I hope you enjoy all this as much as I enjoy writing it for you!

    But back to where we left off...

    My mom thought she would get enough dogs to run her own team as well, and it taught us a lesson about purchasing good dogs. You get what you pay for and just because a dog has good bloodlines, doesn't mean it can perform. However, at the Seppala Club "fun race" in the spring of 2007 I happened to obtain one of the best Seppala's I would run - a dog named Nanook - and out of my mom's purchases we got a female named Vixen. These two dogs would join Wonder, Quest and Chase as some of the core dogs of my team for the years I ran Seppalas. You may recall Nanook being mentioned back in the posts when I got Saxon - he is related and part of the reason I've been thrilled to have him on my team (and doing so well!)
    Training was different this fall, because my brother and I purchased a 4-wheeler and we were training 10-12 dogs. This was where I first saw the difference between a good sled dog and those who run, but don't work hard.
    Thanks to CKC's generous sponsorship, again, I was able to do a few extra races. We headed down to Frog Lake, Oregon and competed in the 6 dog class with a team consisting of the above mentioned dogs and Kowtoo - a dog from Doug who had been hit by a truck the year before and whom I had obtained to rehab. He was a big dog who would always have an "off" gait, but he loved to run and worked hard. He loved to sit and watch folks!
 
    We ran Conconully again, placing 3rd this time but replacing Nanook with Nala - a shy female who didn't look like much but always surprised you!

Coming into the finish - Vixen and Chase in lead, Nala is in swing and Kowtoo in Wheel.

The CKC sponsored mushers - Steve, Doug, Amy, Me and Vicky

WonderWoman and Chase

Nala and Vixen 

Kowtoo and Quest 

Of course Priest Lake couldn't be missed and I think it rained...a common occurrence in early February in my neck of the woods.

    Then came the wonderful first litter in February 2008. Moonbeam had three females - Athena, Atalanta and Aravis. These girls were out of Nanook and if you've followed my blog for a while you probably recall that I had the pleasant task of watching two of Athena's litters over the summer for my friend Hannah. These dogs still impress me and I love how the Seppala / Alaskan cross is working - with Athena's daughter Ethel having had a litter not long ago, I hope to persuade Hannah to let me have a couple!
    I had a blast with these girls, although I only kept Athena, and gained confidence by raising Athena and going through the puppy stages with her - including harness-breaking.

Athena in 2009

Harness breaking the "A" litter: 

Vixen and WonderWoman

Moonbeam

Athena and Atalanta

Quest and Ruby