A new year is upon us, so it’s about time for another entry. I don’t have a lot to report between our last post and now—November and December were muddy months spent on the ATV. Temperatures were above normal and we didn’t really see much snow at all. At least, nothing we could safely sled on.
Around the holidays, I took the dogs to New Jersey where we accidentally entered into a COVID quarantine bubble with my parents. Only my dad ended up testing positive and, thankfully, his symptoms were very mild. (We’re all very grateful for our vaccines and boosters.) Since we had to avoid other humans, I took my parents out to the pine barrens for some dryland rides. It was a lot of work to bring the dog truck and cart all the way down there, but it was worth it. It felt nice to be back where this whole adventure began.
Similar to last season, the first half of January was a waiting game for snow. We finally got some good storms and after a few shaky runs, we’re getting into the swing of things again.
Training on the ATV means I have complete control over the dogs’ speed. This helps keep them at a conservative pace while we increase the miles. Our first few sled runs were the complete opposite—fast as heck and short. There wasn’t a good base yet, so the drag mat and claw brake were merely suggestions. 225 pounds of dog food, gear, and me are no match for seven hyped sled dogs. We hit around 20 miles per hour, which is exhilarating, but not something my gang can maintain for very long. And since our ultimate goal is to run mid-distance, I don’t want them burning out early.
Luckily, we now have the base needed to slow the team down and even hold a snow hook, should I need to get off the sled. This is in part due to my wonderful, new (to me) snowmobile that I’ve been using to groom trails this season. Compared to my old Arctic Cat, this Polaris ‘beel is an absolute game changer. It starts up easy, runs smooth, and even has reverse—what a luxury! I have some ideas for additional trail loops I can add in, now that I’m not afraid of getting stuck out in the woods.
Today we ran six miles, which isn’t much, but we’re at least back to our ATV distance. We’ll continue to up our miles as the dogs get steadier at pacing themselves with less resistance behind them.
As for races, I can say for sure I’m ready for the Tug Hill Challenge in late February. There are a few other races I’ve been eyeing, but still waiting on details. In the meantime, we’re savoring every moment of North Country winter.
