HAPPY HALOWEEN. 
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Monday, October 30, 2006
" Bailey" July 1993- October 2006
Remembering our dear Bailey. She was 13 years old when she passed. Baily had a wonderful long- life surrounded with people that loved her very much. She made us laugh, she kept us company, and she always had something to say. She loved being at Zoya's side when working inside. She had her favorite rooms in the house and her designated rugs in the cabin. Our beloved house dog and yard keeper will always carry a very special place in our heart and home. Thank you Bailey for the years of love and company. May Bailey rest in peace, we love you. She has passed Oct. 24th 2006. Zoya and John
Saturday, October 28, 2006
how we live
10/28/06
-10 this morning & all the skinny tree branches are covered in thick cold white shimmery frost. Sparkley white snow flickered like glitter in the morning glow with a ray of light beaming through the morning clouds. I looked out my cabin window to see if the light was on across the river at the Lodge. I could barely make out the bright red OPEN sign. A mean fog hung over the River for hours this morning like a cloudy shadow of sorts. The Maclaren River is slowing down like slow motion with thick chunks of river ice making it's way down into a deep winter freeze. It's only a matter of days before it's completely frozen over. Our footpath to the river for dog water is getting longer and longer as each day the river freezes.
The Moose are moving- making their way down the mountain sides for winter as the snow gets deeper in the hills. They travel for safety in numbers. Just yesterday, I was on the out leg of my 42 mile run near milepost 63 of the Denali Hwy when four large cow Moose and one large Bull crossed the trail. The Bull was big and he glanced while running by. We waited and watched in awe. They were not concerned with me or my dog team as they had lots of room to cross and move.
I've been training 8 and 10 dogteams daily on the sleds and John has been faithfully working on the cabin addition. We'll run out together with a couple teams when time allows. We're starting to segregate dog teams now as we see things come together in the teams. It's very important to recognize when a dog needs to be pulled out of one team and placed in another. Balance in team is a key ingredient to success on the trail and key to happy dogs. We're starting to see some progress in the yard with some of the recent rescue additions. Gus has really stepped up in training the last few weeks running very smooth and holding his trot nice and steady, doesn't seem to tire easily. Gus is getting along with all dogs now and can run next to just about any dog. I think he'll be ready to run the SML 150 with me or John. We'll see which team he best fits into when race time comes. Demon, his brother is still having social issues; he's taking longer than we had hoped but we will keep working with him in the yard and on the line in hopes that our patience will work it's magic.
John worked on the cabin addition today and I was the office girl working for 3 long hours inside on typing, printing, signing and sealing envelopes. My tongue is blue. We have a certain amount of day to day responsibility to those who support our Crazy Dog Kennels including corporate sponsors, kennel friends, supporting family, and Kennel/ race fans. Then there's book work, adoptions, progress reports, monthly letters, incoming and outgoing; mail to sort through, letters to answer, emails to look at, etc. And our website, so many new things to update and take off and all that takes time, too. Not enough time in a day, not ever. All I can say is that I couldn't live without Carrie Henke's creative visions. Her time and energy that goes into our Kennel logo works, cards, brochures, labels, and Kennel & race memorabilia, etc. is something out of this world wonderful. There's no way we could do a third of the work she's done and I just want to say "Thanks Carrie", we really appreciate you!" And Theresa at Daily's Web Design, she's our clever web master and we appreciate you. And Shannon Cooper's dad, Gary. He's working on Kennel sweatshirts at the moment--we're blessed with good people and important kennel support.
Time is limited and precious with two full time mushers in the house training 56 dogs and one handler-and we're 42 miles off the Hwy this winter plus another 2 hours to a town where we can buy things. Town trips are far and few between. You're out of something, you learn how to make it or you go without until the next trip in. When we go "in", it's a 42 mile trip by dogteam to the truck or a 42 mile ride by snowmachine. It's 50 miles into the house which we will use as a place to camp dogs and prepare food drops for the races this year. We use diesel fuel for our generator to power our cabin batteries to power our inverter which allows us to have light, computer, music. We have an oil stove and woodstove. We chop wood for our woodstove and for cooking fish outside for the dogs. We light candles at night around dinner time and we always make sure to save enough energy for the following day.
Our focus is dogs and the lifestyle around dogs is pretty basic. I must admit that I've come to love the simplicity that my lifestyle here offers. It makes me appreciate things I would have normally taken for granted in the past and when I am out on trips visiting outside or overseas, I find that I am humble, I am grateful and that I have changed in many ways gradually over the years. Since living this summer/fall and winter here in a small cabin in the wide open vast wilderness surrounded by very big mountains, winding rushing rivers and plentiful lakes abundant with wildlife, with my husband and all of our dogs and a few good friends near by, I've come to realize that it doesn't take more than that for me to be settled and happy. Good hot food, coffee and a shower now and then and life is grand. Trails galore, training limitless. Life is good. Living out here keeps us more busy than usual since we don't have running water here for the dogs and we don't have the luxury of our big house comforts.
We're working with dogs training them to the very best of their ability, an average 14 hours a day. We're getting water from a hole in the river right now for dogs and heating it over a barrel in which we create a wood fire in the bottom to heat the water for fish soup for afternoon brothing and soaking dog food. Pretty soon the river will just about dry up to the freeze and we'll be hauling water from a nearby lake--we'll be snowmachining about a dozen buckets back and forth for water daily, about 1/3 mile away. The dogs are getting fed a full feeding in the morning now which includes soaked Eagle and cooked salmon. Then about noon all the dogs get a nice warm fish broth with fat snacks. Again in the pm, another full feeding of soaked dog food and fish. I began testing a new product (bone and joint supplement)
on 21 dogs just a few days ago--Trixsyn. Cogent Solutions; a potential signature sponsor for the kennel. I give this product 2 daily. To learn more, visit their website.
When we run a 30-40 mile run, we bring pork fat to snack our dogs and I usually will stop about half way out on the return to snack. I ran a 10 dog team out 42 miles yesterday in very good time considering we were breaking trail and sorting our way through snow drifts and wind on the Denali. I would say that the Denali Hwy is officially closed to road traffic. The dogs are in very nice shape right now for October, both physically and mentally speaking. I think this is the best I've seen my team in years and they are all at that age now where we've been training and or racing together for 3-4 years. I've added some new dogs to the mix who all bring a depth of Iditarod experience to the team already and they seem to fit right in with my main team. Harley, Sadie, Hicks, Bridle and Donald. Sadie has been to Nome twice, Hicks, 4 times, Harley and Bridle, twice. Sadie and Henry are a mean lead set, setting a nice pace on the trail thus far.
Then we have the yearling dogs--eager to stay up with the main team but not enough experience to quite make the cut. They lack experience and that's it. They look physically ready to go and I know they will have a fantastic training season as Team B in the Sheep Mountain race with John and again, team B with me in the Knik 200. We have about 18 dogs for Team B this year. Time to go out and cut fish; 56 pieces total. safe training. happy trails.
zoya denure
-10 this morning & all the skinny tree branches are covered in thick cold white shimmery frost. Sparkley white snow flickered like glitter in the morning glow with a ray of light beaming through the morning clouds. I looked out my cabin window to see if the light was on across the river at the Lodge. I could barely make out the bright red OPEN sign. A mean fog hung over the River for hours this morning like a cloudy shadow of sorts. The Maclaren River is slowing down like slow motion with thick chunks of river ice making it's way down into a deep winter freeze. It's only a matter of days before it's completely frozen over. Our footpath to the river for dog water is getting longer and longer as each day the river freezes.
The Moose are moving- making their way down the mountain sides for winter as the snow gets deeper in the hills. They travel for safety in numbers. Just yesterday, I was on the out leg of my 42 mile run near milepost 63 of the Denali Hwy when four large cow Moose and one large Bull crossed the trail. The Bull was big and he glanced while running by. We waited and watched in awe. They were not concerned with me or my dog team as they had lots of room to cross and move.
I've been training 8 and 10 dogteams daily on the sleds and John has been faithfully working on the cabin addition. We'll run out together with a couple teams when time allows. We're starting to segregate dog teams now as we see things come together in the teams. It's very important to recognize when a dog needs to be pulled out of one team and placed in another. Balance in team is a key ingredient to success on the trail and key to happy dogs. We're starting to see some progress in the yard with some of the recent rescue additions. Gus has really stepped up in training the last few weeks running very smooth and holding his trot nice and steady, doesn't seem to tire easily. Gus is getting along with all dogs now and can run next to just about any dog. I think he'll be ready to run the SML 150 with me or John. We'll see which team he best fits into when race time comes. Demon, his brother is still having social issues; he's taking longer than we had hoped but we will keep working with him in the yard and on the line in hopes that our patience will work it's magic.
John worked on the cabin addition today and I was the office girl working for 3 long hours inside on typing, printing, signing and sealing envelopes. My tongue is blue. We have a certain amount of day to day responsibility to those who support our Crazy Dog Kennels including corporate sponsors, kennel friends, supporting family, and Kennel/ race fans. Then there's book work, adoptions, progress reports, monthly letters, incoming and outgoing; mail to sort through, letters to answer, emails to look at, etc. And our website, so many new things to update and take off and all that takes time, too. Not enough time in a day, not ever. All I can say is that I couldn't live without Carrie Henke's creative visions. Her time and energy that goes into our Kennel logo works, cards, brochures, labels, and Kennel & race memorabilia, etc. is something out of this world wonderful. There's no way we could do a third of the work she's done and I just want to say "Thanks Carrie", we really appreciate you!" And Theresa at Daily's Web Design, she's our clever web master and we appreciate you. And Shannon Cooper's dad, Gary. He's working on Kennel sweatshirts at the moment--we're blessed with good people and important kennel support.
Time is limited and precious with two full time mushers in the house training 56 dogs and one handler-and we're 42 miles off the Hwy this winter plus another 2 hours to a town where we can buy things. Town trips are far and few between. You're out of something, you learn how to make it or you go without until the next trip in. When we go "in", it's a 42 mile trip by dogteam to the truck or a 42 mile ride by snowmachine. It's 50 miles into the house which we will use as a place to camp dogs and prepare food drops for the races this year. We use diesel fuel for our generator to power our cabin batteries to power our inverter which allows us to have light, computer, music. We have an oil stove and woodstove. We chop wood for our woodstove and for cooking fish outside for the dogs. We light candles at night around dinner time and we always make sure to save enough energy for the following day.
Our focus is dogs and the lifestyle around dogs is pretty basic. I must admit that I've come to love the simplicity that my lifestyle here offers. It makes me appreciate things I would have normally taken for granted in the past and when I am out on trips visiting outside or overseas, I find that I am humble, I am grateful and that I have changed in many ways gradually over the years. Since living this summer/fall and winter here in a small cabin in the wide open vast wilderness surrounded by very big mountains, winding rushing rivers and plentiful lakes abundant with wildlife, with my husband and all of our dogs and a few good friends near by, I've come to realize that it doesn't take more than that for me to be settled and happy. Good hot food, coffee and a shower now and then and life is grand. Trails galore, training limitless. Life is good. Living out here keeps us more busy than usual since we don't have running water here for the dogs and we don't have the luxury of our big house comforts.
We're working with dogs training them to the very best of their ability, an average 14 hours a day. We're getting water from a hole in the river right now for dogs and heating it over a barrel in which we create a wood fire in the bottom to heat the water for fish soup for afternoon brothing and soaking dog food. Pretty soon the river will just about dry up to the freeze and we'll be hauling water from a nearby lake--we'll be snowmachining about a dozen buckets back and forth for water daily, about 1/3 mile away. The dogs are getting fed a full feeding in the morning now which includes soaked Eagle and cooked salmon. Then about noon all the dogs get a nice warm fish broth with fat snacks. Again in the pm, another full feeding of soaked dog food and fish. I began testing a new product (bone and joint supplement)
on 21 dogs just a few days ago--Trixsyn. Cogent Solutions; a potential signature sponsor for the kennel. I give this product 2 daily. To learn more, visit their website.
When we run a 30-40 mile run, we bring pork fat to snack our dogs and I usually will stop about half way out on the return to snack. I ran a 10 dog team out 42 miles yesterday in very good time considering we were breaking trail and sorting our way through snow drifts and wind on the Denali. I would say that the Denali Hwy is officially closed to road traffic. The dogs are in very nice shape right now for October, both physically and mentally speaking. I think this is the best I've seen my team in years and they are all at that age now where we've been training and or racing together for 3-4 years. I've added some new dogs to the mix who all bring a depth of Iditarod experience to the team already and they seem to fit right in with my main team. Harley, Sadie, Hicks, Bridle and Donald. Sadie has been to Nome twice, Hicks, 4 times, Harley and Bridle, twice. Sadie and Henry are a mean lead set, setting a nice pace on the trail thus far.
Then we have the yearling dogs--eager to stay up with the main team but not enough experience to quite make the cut. They lack experience and that's it. They look physically ready to go and I know they will have a fantastic training season as Team B in the Sheep Mountain race with John and again, team B with me in the Knik 200. We have about 18 dogs for Team B this year. Time to go out and cut fish; 56 pieces total. safe training. happy trails.
zoya denure
Friday, October 27, 2006
GIN GIN 120, Dec. 9-10, 2006
It's a Dog Race - For Women!
Thinking about the GIN GIN 120 this year?
If you have no snow or not enough, think again and think snow, mountains and
Denali Hwy for your next training run.
Pack your gear, load your dogs, fill up the gas tank and head to Paxson- make a weekend trip to train on snow in one of the best places to train your dogs.
It's worth it. You'll be glad you did it. Park your truck at Paxson Lodge or the airstrip across from Paxson Lodge and hook' em up. You can go wide open for miles and miles of open country on the Denali Hwy. There's a trail groomed from one mile into 42 mile. From 42 on, ask Zoya or John. There's plenty of snow for small teams; 8- 10 dog teams and great places to camp your dogs. Terrific resting area points are Tangle River area--there's a bridge near the campground, this is 22 miles out from Paxson Lodge. Maclaren River Lodge is 42 miles out, they are open daily from 7am to ?? Late! Coffee is always on and Hot!
Questions? call Maclaren Lodge at 907.822.5444 or email Zoya and John at zdenure@yahoo.com for more trail/weather reports.
This year the GIN GIN 120 dog race will start at Meier's Lake Roadhouse and this route adds 11 miles extra. We are starting you there because we need that extra parking space. I know this concerns a few mushers out there but please don't let the few extra miles scare you away. It's only 11 miles and the GG120 race is meant to be a tune-up race. I am thinking about ways to improve the race for next year 2007 and any imput is welcome. example: Shorten race? Lengthen race? Set it later in the season? If so, when would you like to see this race take place? etc.
We have beautiful scenic trails the pass through the AK range, easy rolling mountain terrain- road grade, great checkpoint/ food/hosts, friendly and caring vet staff, and plenty of dog rest at layover. Any other input is sure welcome! This race is for you and I want to make it the best it can be.
I welcome anyone interested in contributing gift items for our musher prizes, contributions toward the purse, etc. Please email Zoya for more details.
Thanks and we'll see you on the trail.
Zoya DeNure
Crazy Dog Kennels
Maclaren River, AK
Thursday, October 26, 2006
This morning before the snow got thick like frosting--John took out the North and Motta lead set, with Drover, Harley, Penny, Dude, Streak and Zoya in team, 20 miles. They were rocking and rolling as they came in this morning! Light winds, and 20F temps. We're able to run small teams on the sleds or a large team with a tandem sled in tow with our handler, Jason on the 2nd sled for extra brake control. It's been snowing all day with another 4 inches of powdery accumulation. Now we need things to get nice and cold so the trail can set and lakes and river will freeze. I can hardly believe it-- back on sleds again and this year we're staying at our other favorite place, our Maclaren camp set back 42 miles in the mountains off the Hwy. I would have to say that our training hasn't been better yet. We can go much further on the Denali and more trail options, earlier in the season. We're seeing some nice leaders in the making this year with Motta, North, Naknak, Fishead and Hunter really making the Leap from team dogs to gee-haw leaders. Marlin and Catania lead real nice together, learning their feet and trail commands. This is very exciting for us, to see some of these dogs make the turn within the last 9 to 20 months time. Tomorrow I will take 12 dogs, with John on the snowmachine ahead breaking trail to Moore's Mountain, 38 miles round trip. This trail leaves from the kennel with 9 miles of road trail and then turns off into the tundra for the remaining route. More soon, stay tuned.
Puppy Training! Kayak on right, running with Polar. Canoe in wheel position, with Sport. The pups are 5 months old tomorrow, and running 2 miles, 3x week. Diesel likes to be in charge, so we let him run in swing position. The pups are little fire-balls!
Monday, October 23, 2006
Driving the truck out this morning at 9am, 42 miles to the Paxson Lodge. After Oct. 1st the Denali Hwy is not maintained. Time to move the truck out--before we get buried up to our ears. I loaded up the sled and 8 dogs and John would drop us off for our 40 mile run back. He would join later on our snowmachine. More soon, on our 4 hour run back home. Zoya DeNure
October 23rd---Zoya setting up to run 8 dogs, 40 miles. Sadie in lead. Zoya holding up Henry (other leader) by truck. 26F at 10:30am.
Hello! Winter is here and this morning is the first day back on the runners! Zoya is home after 9 days back in the Midwest, and already she's packing her sled this morning for a 40 mile run with her team! Denali trail report soon! Zoya will be back to catch you up soon! From your Friends at Crazy Dog Kennels, Maclaren River Alaska. Zoya & John
Thursday, October 19, 2006
dogs, cadillacs, gravel and snow
Just the other day we were running dogs on the gravel,
A fourteen-dog string; they really could travel.
joyful to run, out for a lark,
fifteen mile runs were a walk in the park.
Just five miles from home, what should appear?
A white Cadillac; and two dudes drinking beer.
They were really moving; kicking up dust,
not wanting to pass them, I knew that I must.
I called on my leaders; Motta and Pobin so fine,
they leaned on their harnesses and really straightened the line!
The Caddy roared by, all dust and diesel smoke;
air so thick I thought I would choke.
Now there will be Cadillacs no more;
we have six inches of snow, some places four.
No longer will we have to hook in front of a machine;
You flat-land mushers are likely green......
Today we ran our first forty on snow;
dogs excited; eager to go!
Thirty miles out rolling in the snow,
each time we paused they put on a show.
On the trail we passed a big moose,
Vulka scratching and chewing to be loose.
The dogs; rescues, pups and veterans alike;
surge ahead at the whisper of "hike"
All that said, it was good to come in;
the first heavy snow seems colder than sin.
It's wonderful to see dogs so ready to travel;
Yippee! No More Gravel!
john
Friday, October 13, 2006
SLED DOG RACES, Websites
If you have any questions about which races either I or John will run this year, here's a good start--take a look at the following websites for more information.
Interested in supporting your own Alaskan dog team? Anyone can participate! Your generous contribution helps provide better dog care products, top of the line dog feed, dog booties for the races, our sled dog rescue efforts and better gear for the trail. For more details on how to sponsor a dog in my team for the Iditarod 2007--email me for more information at zdenure@yahoo.com We'll take good care of you in return with all kinds of goodies from the kennel. We appreciate our sponsors very much and we know we can't do it 150% without all your faith, energy and consideration. We love to give back to those who support our efforts! It's amazing how DOGS can bring together so many people over hundreds to thousands of miles apart. I thank the dogs each day for their unconditonal love, trust and working ethic---and I thank all of you each day for all your kindness and openess.
You can track the progress of each individual sponsored dog as we race down the trail with day to day personal updates via email from one of our friendly kennel people.
Questions about race start/finish, race trail routes and mileage, misc. details, musher entries, bidding on your Iditarider, specific dates for sled dog event...please have a look at one of the following websites. I will be back in correspondance after oct. 21.
Thank you for all your questions, Crazy Dog Kennel T-shirt orders, supporting emails and please, keep 'em coming. It's nice to hear from all of you!
This year we are triple the busy bodies we were last season, preparing for a winter 42 miles off the road system with 55 dogs, three humans--however I feel it important to keep all of our friends, family, kennel sponsors and kennel fans totally dialed in this year as we work hard to prepare for a jammed packed race season that will begin December 16th -March 2007. So, somehow I will manage to either wake one hour earlier each day or stay up one hour later each night so I can begin a monthly kennel newsletter that will include training notes from this season's progression on the trail to Iditarod 2007 preparations. It will include INSIDE kennel updates : new sponsors, bio's of individual dogs on the A & B teams, yearlings, rescue dogs, pups, stories from the trail, pictures and a few facts on sled dogs, racing and or Alaska.
If you are interested and not already on our mail-list: please send me an email with your request.
WEBSITES:
The Iditarod Race website-----www.iditarod.com
Cabela's Race Coverage-------www.cabelasiditarod.com
Sheep Mountain 150, Dec. 16-17 www.sheepmountainlodge.com
The Copper Basin 300 (Jan) www.cb300.com
Yukon Quest and Quest 300 (Feb. ) www.yukonquest.com
Sled Dog Coverage--www.sleddogcentral.com
and www.dogsled.com
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
Wind & Rain
The Denali Hwy is quiet this time of year with fewer people and more animals out and about. I forget just how WILD it really is out here in the Maclaren Valley with big game in my back yard and how amazingly alive the Denali is without all the visiting people passing through....the air is clean and cool and crisp each day and the sky has this beautiful essence with sharp outlining edges of a light blue glow right after an intense pink sunset each night.
The animals of the land are eating on the last of the hunters kills and we're finding various bones scattered here and there over the road and around the area. We're seeing lots of fresh Bear tracks, spotting mating Moose and fleeting migrating Caribou. The dog runs are never boring out in this neck of the woods. Just 3 days ago, we saw a wolf crossing our path near Clearwater Creek--the team missed it and by the time I said to Jason who was training with me "hey look", the wolf was long gone up a ridge on the side of the road. These moments never cease to amaze me --we are grateful for our day to day blessings and adventures.
We had good snow for about 5 days, enough to get our hopes up and make us think about getting out truck out in a big hurry. We took the truck up to mile 35 yesterday and got stuck while trying to drive back down the Summit. We always have a shovel in the back of the truck and with a few good digs, we were out in 5 minutes. Today's temps reached 40F, everything is about melted back down to gravel. The screaming winds and constant rain pours have made things more interesting as we train dogs daily--14 mph with 12- 14 dogs running in front of the ATV, it's all in your face....all the gravel, wind, rain and ice one could ever ask for. I've learned to wear protective sunglasses or shop glasses, good mitts and neck gaitor. Somehow I always manage to still come back with pieces of rock stuck to my cheeks. Our handler groaned something to me from the back of the ATV yesterday as we ran through miserable conditions with just 3 more teams to go out that afternoon..not hearing him well over the motor, I said "what?" and he said..." it takes a certain kind of person to do this" .." to be able to keep right on training through these weather conditions, it would be easier to put off until the weather improved."
I thought about this for a minute. Yes, I suppose this would be easier. But easier isn't going to cut it later when we're out in a race situation and we're faced with challenging weather conditions. Dogs must run through it all as we guide them to the best of our ability. Living 50 miles off the road system, we must learn to deal with the cards we're dealt at all times. To us, this is all pretty normal stuff--we train rain or shine and it doesn't matter too much if it's raining cats and dogs or cold, or windy or dark, or morning..etc...I don't even think about it anymore but maybe 5 years ago, I would have. The most important thing is ..The dogs learning, the dogs training, and the dogs well being at all times. The dogs need to be trained on the schedule we draw and sometimes we just have to deal with the cards we're dealt, we just train harder for it and work faster to get through it. The dogs seem to thrive when the going gets tough and this inspires their musher very very much.
This time of year the dogs are working harder, running longer distances and thus needing more daily caloric intake. We're cooking white fish daily adding to their morning and evening feedings.
Soon, we'll begin to add pork fat, beef, and more fish. LOTS more meat. In about 2 weeks, we'll start to put together teams A, B and C. John will focus much of his attention on my team B and once we have more snow, I will rotate teams in my daily training rather than just focus on one team. I plan to run both my A and B teams this year in back to back races through Jan. Logistically this will be a nightmare due to the fact that the other team running the following weekend will need to be brought out a day before we race from Maclaren to Paxson and the team just racing will need a day at the house before running another 50 miles back home to Maclaren. Or we may just have to camp the team at the house in Paxson-this is where the dog truck is and food drop central for all races will be staged. Tough having two home locations at times and forget trying to maintain them both year round. I love having the house and cabins in Paxson to train into..it's always nice to have something some 50- 70 miles out on a run if possible.
YUKON QUEST? Maybe. John is thinking about taking our B team (young dogs) to the Quest this year for experience only, not to race! The race would provide Great training for our young dogs and the Quest seems like the best deal in town...we will make some decisions on this subject by Dec. 1st.
happy trails, safe training
zoya denure
Friday, October 06, 2006
Sheep Mountain Lodge 150, Dec. 16-17th
Both Zoya and John are signed up to run the Sheep Mountain 150 distance dog race, hosted by Sheep Mountain Lodge. Log onto www.sheepmountainlodge.com for start up musher list.
This race will be a tune up race for the season of busy racing ahead. Zoya will take her A team and John will take the B team, the B team is simply a team that needs more experience on the trail seeing other dog teams, meeting new people at the checkpoints, and just overall: experience. Some of these young dogs have never raced prior--now are ready with a fire underneath it all and will now get that opportunity.
Zoya is hoping to include yearling dogs Storey, Naked, Bligh and Peak into the mix with either her team or John's. Newer dogs brought in last year such as Yoyo, Gus, and Demon will be looked at pretty good for this race as well. Lots of excited young dogs raising their paw each time we get ready to hook up a new team--- aprox 17 yearlings and aprox. 20 vet's.
Crazy Dog Kennels, Maclaren River
13 inches of snow
Fresh snow, 13 inches of it! Driving home from Anchorage yesterday was like any other gorgeous autumn day drive. The leaves turning color, puddles gathered from all the rain and the sun peeking out from behind the clouds--scattered across the sky. The closer we got to Paxson the more snow accumulation. We stopped by the house for a few things and again, just spots of snow here and there, enough to tease a thirsty dog musher in waiting. Back on the road heading for our winter home on the Denali, we turned left back on the Hwy and POP! Snow. The further we drove on, the more snow we drove into. By the time we reached milepost 28, we were whooping and hollering for joy. Lots of deep crusty snow. We stopped and measured 13 inches in the road. I got the camera out and I pranced around in it wanting to feel it, touch it, be with it. I love snow and seeing that we have some of it already right here made me happy like i was a kid with a handful of candies. No car is going to make this trip in. No Sir. And it's cold enough now to stick. Dogs got hooked up early this morning and we've got 44 dogs in training today. We're still training on the ATV's at this point, we need some solid snow to set the hooks into before we begin sled training. More soon....... Zoya
For a clear picture of what I'm talking about, catch a glimpse here: maclarenlodge.com and have a look on their weather cam
Sunday, October 01, 2006
the girl in her alaska with dogs.
"To be really alive means more than to be a moving, breathing, eating, drinking, and talking human creature. She who is actually alive finds the day too short for all the wonderful explorations which life offers....
She finds life itself a continual adventure, an unfolding panorama, with opportunities for pleasure and achievement at every turn. "
--Ella Wheeler Wilcox
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