A month of Adventures (Week One): The Green Mountains of Vermont

Acadia: Our newest sled dog

On August 1, 2008, Eric and I set off with the Maryland Sled Dog Adventures team for a month long adventure vacation throughout New England. Our first two weeks will be spent in Vermont followed by two weeks on the coast of Maine. Early in the morning, Eric and I loaded up the dog truck with our gear, Zoe, T-Bone, Sobo, and Okemo and headed north towards New Hampshire. As we travel and explore, we will try and post frequent blog entries on our adventures so keep checking back often!

On day one, we drove from Baltimore, Maryland to Sanbornton, New Hampshire. The trip north was uneventful and the traffic was not even bad until we hit 495 outside of Boston. Along the way, we made several stops for fuel and to let the dogs stretch their legs and potty.

In Sanbornton, we stayed with Scott and Corina Alexander at Kiana Siberians and picked up the newest member of our team, Acadia.

Acadia

While in Sanbornton, we met all of Scott and Corina's dogs, had a great dinner, and also got to meet Ali, Corina's cousin who is staying with them for the summer.

At Scott and Corina's...

Ali, Belle and the pups along with honorary sled dog basset hound, Beth

I'm a lead dog, can't you tell?, says Beth.

Look into my eyes...

McDonald's Drive Thru

It's play time in the dog yard!

Ali shows good form on the dog slide

Help! I think I may be stuck...

We hope that Acadia will be our next great lead dog. During the next year or two, we hope that our eldest and best lead dog, Zoe, will help us to train Acadia to be a great sled dog. After that, we expect that due to some arthritis in her hips, Zoe may need to retire to couch dog, harness demonstrator, and bootie demonstrator. For those of you who have met and loved Zoe, never fear, she will be along on all of our programs soaking up all of your hugs, kisses and love loves.

Acadia was born on June 1, 2008 and is now working on her eighth week of life. Her mother is Northome's Isabel, CGC, RN, SD (Belle) and her father is CAN CH Sequoia's The Memory Remains CGC, TT, AM/CAN CD, RN, WPD, SD (Orion).

Belle and Pup.

Acadia and her brother, Butters, play.

Orion

After departing Sanbornton on August 2nd, Eric and I headed north through New Hampshire and Vermont to Lincoln, Vermont in the Green Mountains where we will be staying for a week. The house we are staying in is on the edge of the Green Mountain National Forest and Bristol Cliffs Wilderness Area. It sits on approximately three hundred acres and borders another 3000 acres of wilderness and forest.

The post and beam house we are staying in

The Pond: Perfect swimming hole for the dogs

The meadows around the house

Acadia goes exploring

What are these things tied to the tree?

Nothing better than a good roll in the mud!

I wonder what is over here?

While it rained the first day, all of the dogs have enjoyed romping in the woods, going for hikes, roo-rooing through the meadows and in general...relaxing. The skies are now starting to clear, the wind is picking up a bit and we hope to get out for a nice long hike with the pups today.

Flora from one of our hikes

A sleeping Sobo

A tired Okemo naps after one of our hikes