Happy New Year

Exploring new trails

Eric and I along with the Maryland Sled Dog Adventures sled dogs, Zoe, T-Bone, Sobo, Okemo, and Acadia want to wish everyone a very happy new year!

Retired sled dog, T-Bone, "recovering" from his big New Year's eve shindig

Okemo and Sobo slept in on New Year's day

Over the hills and through the woods

We spent New Year's eve taking the sled dogs for a short five mile run on one of the local trails surrounding the cabin. Running in lead were Zoe and Acadia and following in wheel were Okemo and Sobo. Exploring new trails is always fun for the sled dogs and musher. Frequently, "training opportunities" arise on new trails and this run was no different. Along the trail, we had to practice doing several "come haws" due to musher error and missed trail connections. We also crossed several icy patches and had to dog leg around a not quite finished bridge to cross a frozen stream. Along the trail, there were also many opportunities for the sled dogs to practice their gees and haws. The dogs also practiced running in wide open fields, something the Maryland Sled Dog Adventures sled dogs rarely get to do. Later in the evening Eric and I headed out in the snow to the Maine Highlands Sled Dog Club's annual New Year's eve potluck at Critterwoods. While at Critterwoods, we picked up a new Critterwoods snow hook for our new Outlaw dog sled which is on order and we hope will be delivered soon.

Running in wide open fields was a training opportunity

Four dog team: Zoe and Acadia in lead with Sobo and Okemo in wheel

Trail signs

New Year's day, Eric and I headed out in the snow (yes, it was still snowing!) with wheel dog, Okemo, to explore a new trail, directly accessible from the cabin on snow shoes. All told, we snow shoed about fifteen miles and saw some gorgeous trails that we are now anxious to explore with the dog team.

The cabin connector trail out to the main trails

Snowshoe Adventure

Eric and Okemo

Usually New Year's Day is spent watching a college football bowl game or two (or three or four). Since the cabin does not have television, the only "bowl game" that Eric and I watched was the Eagle Pack (gotta have a corporate sponsor) Get to the Bottem of the Bowl which Okemo won by a landslide.

Another stretch of gorgeous trail

Today (Saturday's) forecast is calling for approximately a foot of snow and wind so in addition to snow blowing the drive (Eric managed to get the carb on the snowblower repaired), we are planning on taking the sled dogs on a run on the trails surrounding the cabin and then enjoying a quiet afternoon and evening relaxing by the wood stove. This just in: Eric ran the dogs six miles on gorgeous trails surrounding the cabin. Running in lead were Zoe and Acadia with Sobo and Okemo in wheel. Eric reported that all dogs ran well including up the big hill at the beginning of the trail.

This afternoon's activities will include snowblowing the driveway, shoveling the porch and taking a nap (sled dogs and humans).

Our home away from home