Great Day

The rain didn't hurt too much other than the gates (chop chop) and the trails hardened up nicely.

Skinny got his run with the snowmo (line is looped to shorten it, he's wearing a Man Mat harness ), 20 of the dogs got runs and I even got a short xc ski run in. Calendar like field photos for sure.

It will get a bit chilly this week but love it for setting the trails. Come run with us!

Rain :(

Well, it is raining on our great trails. The plus side is it will harden them up. The gates I chopped yesterday will be just ready to be chopped all over again this morning.

Our weather can't even get into the ballpark in comparison to the weather on the Gin Gin, though. We have wind, but it sounds like they have typhoons and frigid temps. Hope the mushers and dogs are all OK.

Side note: AMY/KEN , send me your new email :)

Photo: Buffy watching Frita's kids finish breakfast...l to r, Buffy, Yepa, Frita, Yuki (back).

These dogs combine some great Alaskan heritage. Father of Yepa and Yuki (Martin) was on Aliy's YQ champ team. Father of Buffy is Skinny , YQ leader (Louden, Zirkle); Mother of Buffy is Iditarod leader, Liller (Butcher kennel).

Gin Gin Race, Aliy and Allen

Tomorrow is the Gin Gin race out of Paxson, AK. They have separate divisions for women and men. Allen just won the 50 mile Winter Solstice in Two Rivers and we'll be watching both Aliy and Allen in the Gin Gin. Whew, they are busy! Check out: www.aliyzirkle.com
or scroll to their blog for great updates by Macgellan.

What do you mean, we're retired?

\





Photo:
Sherpa (left),
Skinny, Buddy, l to r

"Don't we get a vote?"

Skinny and Buddy look on as Sherpa takes her free run. Unfortunately Skinny can't free run because he goes for four hours, always ending up in the same place, waiting on the road for me to pick him up in the truck.

Yesterday was the first time I've run a dog with a snowmachine. It's too dangerous with the ATV now, so with short time before Christmas Eve dinner, I put a long lead off the Ski Doo.

Skinny is such a pro, stayed lined out and ran at a good clip. We hope he can run in the first team on Friday.

Merry Christmas !

Christmas comes and goes so quickly! We had Christmas Eve with my son's family... so much fun through the eyes of children.

Three dogs celebrated inside with us, Skinny, Buddy and Sierra.

The weather outside is....

Kind of crazy weather, one day wind and minus thirty windchills, next great snow, then back to the frigid stuff. It is all coming together here, although we are slow this year! The dogs are free running and still using ATV for some runs, although a bit more challenging now with deeper snow.

My son has been prepping trails and we now have a great wide hardened base. All in time for Merry Christmas!

Photos: Buffy and Rosie in their morning 'race'. And, the resident deer family.

Sheep Mountain 150

It was great to 'watch' the Sheep Mtn 150 this weekend in AK. Allen Moore placed 2nd with the SPK A team , behind Jessica Hendricks, also of Two Rivers, by six minutes. Aliy ran two year olds and placed 12th, cooling it with the two year olds. GREAT JOB!! (and after some truck trouble enroute).

Meanwhile, back at this 'ranch' it rained on the nice snow base yesterday, but this morning it's back to snow and WIND. We will start trail running soon!! Got both machines going yesterday and ran the icy trails. Dogs free ran as if they were let out of school!

This morning will be spent replacing icy straw in their houses.

On with it!

Trails are lightly snow covered/slippery for ATV, but finally the rifle season has ended. Black powder is still on, but we feel safe to fun our own trails. It feels like winter this a.m. at nine degrees. (nothing compared to Fairbanks!)