Coming Soon to BE&S!

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.

Water World

After all the rain we’ve had, the trails down in the Pine Barrens were more like small lakes. We tried a new 5.7 mile loop, which involved maneuvering through some huge puddles that just about submerged the the rig. The dogs didn’t seem to mind. Especially Dexter – he actually ran better than ever. I guess maybe he’s a Labrador mix after all.

Towards the end of our run, we caught up with Jessica’s team and Bryan’s team (fellow Jersey Sands mushers). It was nice having some teams to chase for the final stretch, and to get the dogs used to other dogs nearby. Passing is a different story, but I’m grateful to have other mushers involved in this crazy sport to train with me!