That envelope contains (half) a payment for a brand new, custom made Arctis dog cart. AHHH! I've wanted one of these rigs since I first started mushing, but a brand new one (plus shipping it across the country) isn't cheap. It was hard to justify the expense, when I accumulated two (mostly) functional rigs over the past few years.
After acquiring my fourth dog, I could safely say I'm in this mushing thing for several years to come. As I mentioned, I have two rigs already, which work. But, there are a few reasons why upgrading makes sense:
Consolidating Equipment - The 90 pound dog cart I currently have does not fold up. I cannot mount it on my bike rack. In order to transport it anywhere, I needed to buy an 8' long trailer and ramp. This currently sits in my garage 99% of the time, taking up space I'd rather use for my truck. The Arctis folds up and easily loads on my truck's hitch, so I won't need the 90 pound cart or trailer.
Safety First - My existing rigs are old. The 40 pound cart is older than I am. It's a typical Chambers Rig, with a strange bar for steering. It works well enough, but it will never compete with bike-style steering. The 90 pound cart has better steering, but I could use something with better brakes. The Arctis has better steering and even better brakes: hydraulic disc brakes and a 4-prong "digger" earth brake when I need to get off the cart.
Mush with Friends - My cart will come with a detachable "jump seat". While this probably won't get much use with a three or four dog team (except for short runs around the neighborhood), I plan to hang onto this cart for a long time. One day, when I have more space, I hope to run with five or six dogs. Then a passenger will be able to go a lot further with me - and I'll have a comfortable place for them to sit.
Construction on my new cart doesn't begin until November, so the bulk of this season will still depend on my current carts. I may even keep my lightweight rig for races -- I haven't decided yet. Still, I look forward to optimizing my dog gear collection and putting many, many miles on three shiny, new tires.
Last week, I started the annual prep for fall training. I cleaned the cobwebs off the dog carts, fixed a broken wheel, and repainted all the scuffs from last season. I've added a pair of "headlights" as well as a small cargo bag near the handles (shown on the big cart above). All are easily detachable, so I can transfer them to whichever cart I'm using.
This will be a transitional season for my team. For the first time, I hope to run with four dogs. Willow will be old enough to start some light training by the new year, and I'm counting on Dexter to put one more season in. I'm not sure if we'll hit our usual 150 mile mark this year. I plan to take things slow. I don't want to push Dexter too hard, nor do I want to overexert Willy before she's done growing. It might mean a lot of bikejoring with Denali and Knox, but we'll see what happens.
For now, it's still almost 80 degrees out, so we'll live vicariously through our friends up north who have already started their season.
Willow has been with us almost a week and a half now, and she's fitting in very well. Dexter took to her instantly, and has been the most tolerant of her puppy antics. Knox loves to chase her and pin her to the ground, but so far he's managed to be relatively gentle on her.
Denali was the hardest to crack, despite being related by blood. She still grumbles if Willy gets in her face, but she's been playing with her a bit, here and there:
So far, Willow has been a breeze. She rarely has accidents inside, and when she does, they're usually my fault for not hurrying up and getting her outside. She's super friendly and sweet to everyone she meets. I was worried my house would be in chaos, but she acclimated herself to our routine instantly. When the big dogs nap, she naps. When they play, she plays.
The big news has finally been revealed! This weekend, I'm bringing home the fourth member of my ragtag team of ruffians. Presenting the new little lady:
(All photos belong to Jaye of Sibersong!)
Her name will most likely be Willow; Willy for short. She's actually Denali's niece, also bred by Jaye Foucher of Sibersong Sleddogs. You can check out her ancestry here. She's sure to be a great addition, both in harness and out.
My non-musher friends may want to know, "Why another dog? Are you crazy?"
Well, yes, of course. Any suburban musher is definitely crazy. But the real reason I'm adding to my team is so I can retire Dexter. I'm hoping he has one more season in him, but beyond that, I don't expect him to keep up on longer runs. Denali and Knox have no problem running eight to ten miles at a time, while Dexter loses enthusiasm after two or three. I don't want to force Dex to run beyond his limits, nor do I want to limit the youngins.
It will be hard to leave Dex behind because he still acts like a nutjob when he's on the drop line and for the first few minutes of any run. But I know he'll ultimately be happier going for leisurely hikes and imprinting his dog-stink into my recliner.
Two weeks ago I visited the very green and blue Pacific Northwest. Next week, I head out to the Southwest for a completely different landscape of desert and red rock.
I'm so thankful that I have a job that allows me to go on these adventures, and also pays me well enough so that I can afford them. And let's not forget my Mom, who's always willing to watch the dogs and drive me to various airports at all hours.
After I return, I'll be sticking around the Northeast for awhile. I'll close out the summer with lots of dog-friendly camping, so don't worry -- this blog will have dogs in it again, I swear!
Summer means lots of walks around the local park. I confuse a lot of people by returning with a different dog each time they loop around the lake. All three are getting much better at loose-leash walking, but I'm still not daring enough to walk them in pairs.
A great big thanks to Rob Gillette for supporting my little sled team through B.A.R.K! Be sure to visit his website and ‘like’ his Facebook page, especially those of you in the NJ-area with athletic working dogs.
