It’s been crappo weather, and the trails have suffered. Even the snowmobilers are staying home. There has been rain, freezing rain, snow, and temps from +10 to +45F within the past two weeks. There is very little snow cover, and the ground is very icy. We wear metal studded climbing cleats while feeding the dogs, to try to keep from slipping.
We’ve had a little new snow, though, so decided to go out. We went out for our 7-mile route tonight. Ilana with 6 dogs, Greg with 8. There are some fairly minor hills. Going down, we needed to stand on our brakes, to try to dig into the ice under the snow. Going up, the dogs would sometimes slip and the sled would slide from side to side. It’s a lot like spring downhill skiing, when there is a lot of ice on the hill.
We got to the second biggest hill on the trail, which really isn’t that big. Maybe 80′ vertical in 200′ horizontal. Greg’s team, in lead, started slipping on the way up, and Greg got off to push and was also slipping. Then, the whole sled and team was sliding backwards down the hill. Several of the dogs splayed out on their tummies. A few kept trying to run, but were only slipping. Ilana came charging up to the right, started to slow.
Then, Wayne and Stella, Greg’s lead dogs, decided it was time to say “Hi” to the other team. They went right, crossed Ilana’s team, and started back down the hill. Idjits, we have idjits for lead dogs.
We then spent 20 minutes untangling everyone at the bottom of the hill, and Ilana’s team led on the way home. We did not try to finish the loop.
Wayne kept wandering back to the sled, rather than keeping his line out straight. Finally, Ilana put Phanty in lead. Phanty! Well, he did well, and (as chase team) brought the stinkers back home.
Where’s the snow???!!!