First sled run of the season!

I took 10 of the A team dogs out on our first sled run of the season today. I loaded up the team and sled and went over to Jodi's, just across the road. We both took our main race team out for a 50 mile run. Everything seemed to go well at first. I had Just & Feather in lead, Dusk & China in swing, Booger & Tricky in team, Inu & Rocket just in front of the wheel dogs, and Jake & Taurus in wheel. I was carrying 2 bags of dog food for some weight, to help keep the speed down. We made it out of the driveway in one-piece and the run started off nicely. Then, about 5 miles into the run, I looked down and see the cross bar at the front of my sled that holds the bed up had broken...the plastic snapped in half. That left the front of the bed hanging down. Not cool! I hooked down to a tree and proceeded to tie the bed up. After a good 20-30 minutes, we were back on our way. Due to the broken cross bar, I dropped a bag of kibble off at Bill's house, to lighten the load in my sled a bit. This seemed to help, as I was able to do a full 50 mile run with the sled.

We were going to run up to Stiles Creek cabin, but didn't want to take any chances with my sled; so, we went out to the rifle range instead. The dogs ran nicely, no problems crossing the three sections of overflow (it's wet and flowing...water was above my ankles), though Colorado Creek was surprisingly nice, and then we made the turn around the range to head back. We stopped the dogs to give them a snack break. I checked/cleaned feet and we just took a break. I was trying to convince Inu that he was supposed to rest, but he just kept barking away. Dusk was also barking, so I put him up in lead to give Just a well-deserved break. We took off and I told Jodi to go ahead. Her dogs were already running 40s, while ours have done 20s on the atv for months. The dogs ran slowly for the first 30 minutes...stopping to poop and pee every so often. I was thinking that we'd never get back! Then, it was like someone threw a switch and they just took off! I was just floored; but, very happy! We caught Jodi at the road crossing where she was waiting for us (only 11 minutes...not bad!) and we headed off again. I stopped the dogs just after Jenny M creek to give the dogs a well deserved pat and checked feet. There were a few ice balls here and there. I noticed that Booger had a scrap on his front foot, and Tricky had a tiny scratch and a raspberry up inside his foot (that's where some ice gets up in there and rubs). So, I bootied those gentlemen right up and off we went. The dogs finished the run slow, but all came in looking good.

I'm very proud of these guys! To do a 50 mile run like that, and do it well, is great! We had some good overflow/ice/water to get through, the road crossing to navigate, as well as a nasty drop onto Jenny M creek (not cool with a broken sled!), several head on passes with other teams and they managed to do it all with no trouble. If we can get my sled fixed in time, we're planning another run, but this time we want to go out to Stiles Creek cabin...another good 50 mile run. I think I'll take 2 different dogs and leave 2 home, to continue with a 10 dog team. It's iffy to run them on a sled, but there are plenty of trees to hook to, and hooks are holding in certain places. Still, it's so much better to be on SLEDS!!! Wahoo!

I'll post some pictures of the run up as soon as we get them downloaded. Later all!

What can go wrong...

Took the B team out today for a longer run down around the lake loop trail. Devlyn decided that he wanted to go with, so we bundled him up and went out to harness dogs. Things went well at first, the dogs were all running well except for Wrangler. She was by herself just behind the swing dogs and appeared really unsure of herself on this run. She'd run well with Banjo on the last run, so I was surprised to see her tail flagging at me and her looking back. We stopped and I put Plato up with her, thinking that might help her confidence; but, this just didn't seem to do it. So, I pulled her back farther in the team and paired her with good ole' Achilles, a very hard working hound who is out of our first hound breeding that we did. Wrangler did a bit better after that, but was still off today. About halfway through the run, Horus popped a neckline...then Banjo did too! How crazy! And these are cable necklines...that should tell you how bad our guys chew at hookup. So, I stopped and replaced necklines...then as we got going again, Munchkin popped the leader neckline off her collar. Ok, no worries. We got that sorted out and Banjo's neckline came unsnapped from the gangline. Devlyn tried to go up and snap it back in, but Banjo was so skittish that he couldn't do it, so I took care of it and off we went. Until we hit the lake. Dutchess wanted to go to the right, even though there was a trail straight across. I went up and pulled Dutchess and Munchkin over to the straight trail, and they jumped back to the right. Up I went again, pulled them over, and off they went to the right. After about 5 times of doing this, I was very frustrated. I pulled Dutchess's harness over, plopped her back on the straight trail (a few choice words in there) and tried to go. Guess what?!? Back to the right she dove. So, I had Devlyn go up to the leaders, pull them over as I got them going. I picked Dev up on the way by and we headed off. Another musher dropped down on the lake at that point running 8 dogs and a toboggan sled. We waved and went on up off the lake. The dogs took a misturn, but this time, Dutchess listened and we got going the right way.

We headed up a ways and I decided that it had been such a screwy run, why not push it? (ha ha ha) So, I put Deez up front with Dutchess. He actually did ok, but he didn't have enough umph to get 9 yr old Dutchess moving faster...which meant that Banjo and Munchkin, the swing dogs, were running up on the leaders. I had to keep the team lined out at a slower pace. Things went ok until we passed the fenced Siberians and Deez all but climbed under the swing dogs. At this time, I just had to laugh. I patiently went up and lined him out, untangling the mess he'd made and off we went home. Then, when Manny tried to secure the front of the team upon our arrival in the dogyard, Deez did an about face, circled around BEHIND the swing dogs, ran out the other side and practically flipped out when Manny caught hold of the leader necklines. Crazy! That entire run was just a mess...but like Andi told me, that's what makes mushers better. It isn't those "perfect" runs, where everything goes smooth and the run is a breeze. It's those runs where good Ole' Murphy rears his ugly head (by the way, I'm convinced Murphey just doesn't like me!) and anything that can go wrong, will. Those crazy runs teach us to handle the unexpected, teach us to be patient, even when it's really hard, and teach us that even sled dogs can have off days.

Good news is that through all of this madness, Jenny actually let me pet her 2 times out there! After the trouble on the lake, I made it a point to walk up the line and pet each and every dog. Jenny usually shies away, but this time, she stood there and let me pet her head! I was so happy, that I gave her extra scritches. Then, a little later when I stopped again, I went up the line and she accepted her pets with the others. At home, she didn't shy away when it was time to unharness and she let me give her scritches again. Talk about progress!!! :o) So, that made the run not quite so bad.

Heading up to the Whites on Friday to run a sled. Should be interesting. Ha ha ha! Ciao!

New snow & new trails

I took the A team out for a run today. I'd planned to just do a shorter run, then head back and run the B team, but that was not to be. The plan was to run up "Oh-My-God" Hill, go up around the Fireline turn, then head back down via "Times Square" and the lake loop trail. Well, Just, who has been running wonderful lead, decided to completely mutiny today when I called a Haw. He KNEW we were supposed to go straight, and even though i walked up and pulled Just and Feather over to the left trail 4 or 5 times...each time I went back to the atv, Just had yanked Feather back over to the straight trail. Unfortunately, each time they would do this, the team yanked the atv farther and farther down the trail (I'm telling you, these guys are scary strong!), brakes locked, in low gear and all. So, eventually, we got to the point that I couldn't get the team turned, as we'd gone too far past the turn off. Grrrr! So, I decided that we'd just go ahead and see the lake trail and then go on through Times Square (tussock central....ugh!) on the way out. Not a bad idea, since I hadn't gone that way before, so it was good to do it in the daylight. Off we went. The dogs were doing a good 14mph down the trail...I was bumping around on the atv and when I called Feather on-by the normal turn, she took it smoothly and off we went across the lake. We hit the other side and I swear, we were in the spin cycle of the biggest washing machine, ever! Those tussocks are horrible!!!! But, we made it through and I even managed NOT to get thrown off the wheeler!

The run up the ridge was actually pretty nice. It's a bit narrow and twisty, with some side hills and trees...but all in all, it's a nice trail. I knew we were going to take some different turns, and since Just decided to mutiny, I took him out of lead and put ole' Taurus up there. He's not the speediest of pups, but he is a good command leader. With that, we went up to the fireline and took the haw to go back towards the barriers when low and behold (no Abbie...it wasn't the Big Guy with bells, tee hee hee)...there was a team of 14 dogs on a Sled! The other musher was just snacking his team, getting ready to go. We exchanged pleasantries...I grilled him on how hooks were holding (his 2 hooks were solid). He said he'd done an 8 hour run just yesterday out along the Winter trail and that hooks are holding alright. Both his team and my team were screaming and slamming harness, so the other musher took off and I gave him a bit of a head start. The dogs were running well, albeit a bit slow. After all, we were plowing through some fresh powder, which made for hard pulling and good ole' Taurus was manning the helm. We missed a turn coming back (musher error, totally), so ended up on another rough section of trail, before heading home. It was only 20 miles, but man, that was some rough, hard pulling and when we got in, the dogs looked great. Inu almost knocked me off my feet when I unhooked him! Jake did the same thing. I decided to let Just go and he headed to his own house. I did the same for several other dogs, because my back was already aching...I didn't need to fall on my butt to add to my misery.

I'm going to get the sled out and break the B team down into 2 smaller teams. It's kinda of hairy getting out of our yard with a sled, so I'm hoping we make it out in one piece. Would be nice, anyway! Stay tuned for up and coming adventures! (Gulp!!)

Merry Christmas and a Ho ho ho!

Merry Christmas!!!

We hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Things have been wonderful here at Running Swift Kennel and we are truly blessed. The boys got their Christmas wishes in the gifts they received from "Santa." I got a new watch that the hubby said can be used out on the trail (a really nice Indiglo Marathon watch) along with several other wonderful gifts (jewelry, comfy slippers, canisters, etc.). The hubby got his Newcastle United Jersey that I had to send away to England for (my, that was a time getting that!), along with some other Newcastle United items, nice polar fleece pants for mushing, a new heavy flannel hoody, etc. We really made out well this year! We must have been pretty good for Santa to be so kind to us.

We got another Christmas present as we were opening gifts this morning. My biggest wish was for snow...and guess what! It's still coming down, though they are light flakes.

Yesterday, I took the main team out for a nice run and boy did they run strong! They were maintaining between 13-15mph throughout the run, though on hills (we have some doozies!), they did slow to 8-10mph. Can't say I blame them, since the atv is 650lbs, plus me...that's a hefty load for them. But, they did very nicely and came in looking good. Now that we are getting more snow, I think we'll be ok taking small teams out with the sled. I'm really looking forward to it after all of the time on the atv, that's for sure!!! I'll be busy running the dogs now that I have a few weeks off from school, so bear with me on updates and such.

Enjoy the holidays and spending time with loved ones! We hope your holidays are as joyous and blessed as ours.

From: Tammi, Manny, Devlyn, Conor and all the pooches (horses and kitties, too) here at Running Swift Kennel!

Nice running

I took the dogs out yesterday and ran 2 teams of 14 dogs (wow, our dog yard sure has grown!). The A team ran very strong, with Just and Feather leading. Taurus and Plato also joined the A team and are actually managing just fine. I'm not sure how they'll do as we do our longer runs (we do varying runs to keep things interesting, especially since we're STILL on the ATV). I'm not too worried about Taurus, he's a veteran who ran both the Quest and Iditarod; so, he'll have no trouble. Plato is a young guy who hasn't really been out on any type of distance, so I'll probably drop him down to the B team and move someone from the B team up to take Plato's spot. We don't like to push our yearlings very much and usually wait until our dogs, particularly our hounds, are 2 years old before we start taking them on long runs.

The B team only ran 4 miles today. I had Dutchess and Munchkin in lead, but then about half way, I put Spike up front. That wasn't such a great idea. She didn't have a problem being there, but when we slowed down, like on a hill, she'd start messing with Dutchess. So, I pulled her out and put Munchkin back up there. She's really turned into a nice leader. I'm hoping to get her past that 20 mile wall that she kept hitting last year. She works so hard, that she just burns herself out in 20 miles. She has learned to trot this year though, so I think she'll handle the distance just fine. I had Wrangler and Banjo in the rear of the team, just in front of wheel. Banjo, while shy, is a hard charger! She laid into her harness the entire way, had no trouble with speed (I stretched them out at 16mph on a flat stretch) and did the 4 miles without a problem. Wrangler worked well too, seemed to handle the speed, but appeared a bit unsure at times. I think that with more runs/miles, she'll improve. She does have a nice gait. We'll see if she can do the distance as the year goes on.

We picked up a new guy from Andi Huetten over the weekend. Deez is a SMALL little guy, with a big heart. He is about Feather's size (she's the smallest dog in the yard!), looks just like Skuuga (all black, white front legs with little black spots on them) and is a ball of dynamite. I ran him with the B team and he seemed to be driven, except when passing other dogs. Then, he'd become unfocused and nervous. I'm sure time and training will help him with that. Remus is down in Nenana trying out life as a sprinter. He's a GREAT dog and I'll really miss his drive on the A team, but his short coat just isn't good for distance racing. Last year, he ended up with a bit of "nip" in a very sensitive area during our cold snap, so he'll be prone to getting frostbite on those masculine parts again. Ouch!!!

I'm all signed up for the Cantwell Classic, so we're gearing up for that. Think SNOW!! I really, really want to get on sleds before the races! Sheesh!

Here's Taurus. He's a Gee/Haw leader who is hanging out and racing with us this winter. He's off to New Mexico in the spring, and retirement.

Here's the dog yard. Notice how little snow there is on the rooftops of the houses.

Here's Just! He's turned into a GREAT leader! He's such a sweet guy, too.

Is it true? Are those snowflakes?

I'm fairly excited, though trying to keep from getting my hopes up before I actually see it...but it's snowing. :o) True, they are just flurries, but still, it's something. This winter has been truly disappointing thus far. I really hope we can get enough snow for sleds. I'm tempted to load the dogs and head over to the Musher's Hall just to get on a sled, even though conditions are marginal there, at best. Ho hum. Well, at least the dogs are looking good, no injuries (knock on wood!!!) and they have great energy. That's a nice gift in itself.

The Sheep Mountain 150 starts this weekend. I checked out the site and hadn't entered, because I thought that it was full. Looks like there are still a few slots open. Too bad I found out this late...there's just no time to prep for a race now. That's ok. I'm looking forward to the Cantwell Classic, which should be a blast!!

Take care and have fun all! Keep doing those snow dances!!! :o)
-Tammi

This is Wrangler. She is a recent addition and is originally from Dan Kaduce & Jodi Bailey.

Meet Banjo! She just arrived in the yard, and though shy, she's a very nice girl.

Back in training!

It's been a while, but the dogs are back in training and pulling well. All of the dogs are looking much better and the Pursuit/Momentum mix has worked wonders on those few dogs who were thin. It's nice to see these guys with so much energy! They look great, they are running well and they are in high spirits. That's what we strive for.

The Solstice is cancelled (no surprise) due to lack of snow. However, there is a new race on the horizon...the Cantwell Classic that will run from Jan. 12-14, 2007. This race has an excellent venue for the new musher, as well as veteran racers. It is a 200 mile race that runs from Cantwell to Maclaren River Lodge and back to Cantwell, all on the Denali Highway. The race will start at Noon on Jan. 12th, with a restart at Maclaren at 10am on Jan. 13th. This race should be a great learning experience for all, with some nice, smooth trails along the way. I am entering this race with the A team and hope to do well. There is a limit of 30 teams, so if you are thinking of giving this race a try, you'd better get those entries in fast!

Well, I'm off. The dogs will be running 30-40 milers within the next week. It would just be nice to be able to do it on sleds instead of the ATV. Bleh!

Lazy days

Well, almost. I've been home sick with pneumonia for the past 3 days, ugh! To me, there's nothing worse than being regulated to the couch, because you're too weak to do much. Well, I'm determined to return to work tomorrow, and training dogs on Saturday. That's all there is to it.

So, there's really not much to report. All of us are getting over illness, but the dogs have been being fed really well! I swear, these guys eat better than we do! Three meals a day, baited water (especially for the princess of the yard, Feather!), nice thick straw beds inside their houses...now, to just get them out running again. Dutchess was letting us know today in no uncertain terms that she should be running. She barks and jumps on her hind legs, front legs off the ground, at the end of her chain. She always does this when we hook up...but, today she was doing it all by herself. Guess she's saying that the vacation is over!

Manny checked out the alternate trail to the logging roads, and it is so filled with tussocks, that he said he got stuck with the atv. Though, someone is running sleds out there. We've only had about 7 inches of snow, total. By this time, we usually have about 2 1/2 feet! There isn't any snow in the forecast either. So much for the Solstice! Well, there's still hope. Some folks have said that hooks will hold smaller teams (6 dogs), so that's something.

Well, I should sign off, as I'm getting pretty tired. Check back after the weekend, to see how training goes.

-Tammi

Kennel chores

With the atv in the shop, we've been taking care of general kennel chores. I planned to trim nails and such, but couldn't find the clippers! Sad, since we have about 3 pairs floating around somewhere. Of course, we'll find them after I go buy a new pair...that's par for the course. Worming took place, we're scheduling the vet to come out, vaccinations are due, redid straw (again!), change out snaps/hooks, etc. There are many chores that need to be completed around the kennel regularly; so, we try to make the best of our situation...ie. little/no snow coupled with no atv, then we'll do those other "little" things that need doing from time to time.

Good news is that I woke to some more of that white stuff falling from the sky and about an inch on the porch. Yay!! Even though it's not much, I'll take what I can get. Doing the snow dance!! Paxson saw several inches dumped on them over the weekend, so there is ALWAYS hope.

We added 3 new dogs to the kennel this weekend. Plato comes to us from Cassia Condon, while Wrangler and Banjo come to us from Marya Lewanski. Marya took on Limo and is trying Rondy out in her sprint team. Both dogs should do well for Marya and I look forward to hearing how they run with her. I'll get pictures of our new additions up over the next few days. In the meantime, check back often and keep those doggies rollin'!

ATV troubles

The ATV is still in the shop, getting the front ball joints replaced. We were supposed to have it back to train today, but then we were told that we wouldn't get it until Monday. It really stinks that we have the dogs training really well and now we have to put training on hold. So, the dogs have had a week off now. Not that it will matter much if we don't get some snow soon. The Tune up was cancelled and now we're facing the Solstice being cancelled for the 2nd year in a row, if we don't get a fair amount of snow in the next 2 weeks. We had a teaser yesterday, but now there is no snow in the forecast, at least for the next week. Ho hum.

We have a few new additions in the yard, completely filling every available spot. Plato came to us from Cassia Condon, so he's going to give distance running a try. Tomorrow, we're going to pick up two different dogs, as Limo and Rondy are going to go a' sprinting. We have a couple of very good race dogs available, as we really want to be around 25 dogs. Check out our kennel site at www.noatak.com under the Kennel directory if you are interested in some quality dogs. Also, don't forget that the Second Chance League has many quality sled dogs just waiting to be adopted.

Wishes DO come true...

Well, it's not much, but it sure is a start! I was so thrilled to wake up to those beautiful flakes falling from the sky, creating a wonderous landscape of freshly fallen powder. The hush as I opened the door came over me, only to be broken up by the "crunch, crunch" of my footfalls as I walked to the garage.

I LOVE it when it's snowing! Thank you, Mother Nature! Now, we need a foot or so more, and I can check that off our Kennel Wishlist. :o)

Snuggles surveying the yard.

Can I mush too? Look, I got my boots on & a dog just my size....

Santa will be coming soon...

With all this talk of the holidays, christmas lights and decorations being hung from every available nook and cranny just about everywhere you look, I started thinking about our christmas wish list for this year. The holidays is a particularly hectic time for racing kennels, as not only are we faced with the long list of chores for Christmas and New Year; but, we are usually also having to prep for the start of the race season. The same is true for us here at Running Swift Kennel. So, before things get too swamped, I thought I'd share what we're "wishing" for this Christmas season:

1) LOTS of snow! Where is it? We do live in Alaska...in the Interior...so what gives?!?
2) For our troops to come home!!! It's time to let Iraq deal with Iraq and let our soldiers be with their families.
3) A new fuel line for our truck. The line is leaking and despite Manny's best efforts, he can't figure out where/why it's leaking.
4) New fur hats! Manny wore my beaver hat and stretched it out. Then, it got washed and though I air-dried it, it wasn't tanned well and is super stiff! So now we both need a new one.
5) Booties, booties, and more booties for the dogs. I truly despise sewing and these trail conditions are wreaking havoc on unprotected paws.
6) A new parka/anorak with a fur ruff. These frigid temps have made us realize JUST how important those outer layers are.
7) Algyval. At $30 a bottle, this stuff is like liquid gold, but OH so important for the dogs' muscles.
8) Lithium batteries. We usually use D batteries, but they wear out quickly and don't provide as strong of a beam of light as Lithium's do.
9) New socks! I never realized how important good, thick socks are until I was stuck in that blizzard on the mountain last winter.
and last but certainly not least....
10) SNOW!!!!!

Right now, the wish list isn't too long, and hopefully a few of those things will happen with a bit of help from Mother Nature and the Government (well, one can dream!). But, if anyone out there would like to donate to our cause in the spirit of adventure, courage and the nature of the season, we would be ever so grateful! :o)

Anyone interested in a kennel newsletter? Contact us at runswift@alaska.net and let us know so we can put you on our mailing list!

Cheers, All!

Look at them doggies go!

Here's Horus playing around. He loves to bow down at you, and then bounce away.

Here's Herod. He's such a great dog! He works hard all the time. He's getting older now and I really don't know how the races will be without my buddy.

11/25/06

I went out on a run with Manny today so that he could show me the trails/turns. What a rough trail it is!! I feel like I've been put through a rodeo riding the bucking broncs! We went up "Oh-My-God Hill" (now I know why Abbie calls it that...Gulp!) and out onto the Firebreak trail. The dogs were pulling great, the weather was clear and cold. We passed several teams, both on atvs and sleds, as many folks were out training on the hills. The view was absolutely gorgeous!! And talk about hills! It was all ups and downs...your basic roller coaster ride. I see now why our dogs are getting so powerful. They do so many hills that I'm actually worried about them running on flat trails, since the different types of running require different muscle groups.

Well, I'm off. More to come later.

-Tammi

Atvs, cold, no snow. Oh my!!

Jenny in the dogyard.

Well, the cold temps seem here to stay for a while. This is really bad news for training dogs, not to mention water pipes! There doesn't appear to be any snow in the forcast, at least not for the next week. I think Juneau got it all (3 1/2 feet of snow!). We've decided to scrap the Gin Gin 120, as I just don't want to push the dogs. Without snow, training on the atv is really rough...and while the dogs will be ready for the distance, I don't want to try it. At this point, it looks like the Tune up that was rescheduled for next Saturday is going to be a no-go, unless we get some snow by then...and the Solstice isn't looking very promising either. If that is cancelled, we're talking of heading down for the Knik 200 (thanks for the idea, Heather!). It will be a pretty easy race for the dogs...not a bad way to break in the season. Though, we'd MUCH prefer to get snow before then! We are debating on trying the Copper Basin this year. May not be such a good idea to try it with so little snow. We'll see. We're tossing around ideas, trying to be flexible and see what happens.

The dogs ran great on Saturday. Manny took them out on the Firebreak trail and he said they pulled real well on all of those hills. We sure won't have to worry about hill training anymore, now that we're running on the north side of CHSR! Lots of hills. The dogs are really powering up and getting scary strong! I took the B team out for a run on Sunday, meaning to do just a 5 mile run, since they aren't running too far (sprinters, young dogs, old dogs). Well, the cold seemed to have zapped the brakes on the atv, so when I tried to stop them to get them to take a loop turn, they pulled right through, so I didn't have much choice but to do the 7.5 mile loop. They came in looking good! I was a bit worried, but they were obviously ready for the increase and handled it like old pros. Jenny was in this team and since she hadn't been out running with us much (we just got her back about a week or so ago), I was a bit worried about her. She showed me that there was no need. Each time I tried to stop and rest the dogs, they all slammed harness, barking and raring to go. I was so impressed with them.

The cold is just not good. We went to feeding kibble in the morning and evening, with their ration of meat/fish in the afternoon. Most of the dogs are fairing the cold quite well, but we do have a few of our harder keepers looking thin. That's normal for those dogs and is why we went to the 3 feedings a day to split up the calories, allowing us to get more in them with less waste. I'm thinking of putting flaps on their houses though, as a friend said he did that with his and it has really helped.

Stay tuned and follow the further adventures of Running Swift Kennel!!

Check it!

Here's Jenny! She's back in the yard and doing very well. In fact, she went on a run on Sunday and ran like she'd never left. She sure is a pretty girl. I'm very happy to have her back with us, and she seems happy too. Especially when she's playing with her buddies!

Just an idea of how cold it's been! Here's Manny, after feeding the dogs.

Meet Jaeger! He flew in on Saturday. Boy, was he tired!

Best Buds already. Are these two cute or what?!? Devlyn and Jaeger have already become good buddies. Devlyn is very proud that he helps train our puppies. We were so sad when we lost Brennan. But, now we have Jaeger to brighten our hearts and share our lives.

Great runs and Racing costs

Training is still progressing and the dogs are doing well. In fact, we took them out on a longer run, and they came in barking! Manny plans on keeping them at the same distance for another run or two, then up them again, as they are looking strong. We can't figure it out...last week, they came in looking wiped out (rough trail and all); this week, they are acting like they are still rarin' to go after a run, even though we upped their milage by 5 miles. It's very interesting and the only thing we can contribute it to is the dog food. We made the switch to Momentum a few weeks ago and the dogs are appearing to be running stronger and faster. That's the only change we've made.

Just is doing great in lead, and has been good about making sure Dusk learns the ropes of lead. If Dusk tries to stop to pee or goof off, Just simply yanks him back on the trail as if to say, "Hey buddy, it's work time!" It is really nice to see. Additionally, we are able to rotate through different leaders, which is allowing us to not only give Riley and Feather breaks now and then, but it's also allowing us to see just how many leaders we have. We went into the season thinking we really needed to get a good leader; now, we're discovering that we have them in the yard after all. Now, if we can just stay on our training schedule, we'll be fit and ready for our first race a month from now.

The B team is behind, but that's to be expected, as they are the youngsters, the oldsters and the sprint dogs who are working on making the transition to mid distance. Munchkin is doing great in lead with Dutchess, though I really need to swap other dogs out now and then to see what other leaders we have. However, the B team is just CRAZY during hookups! They are literally bonkers. I'm hoping that as we increase the miles, that they'll calm down a bit. It is actually a pain to hook them all up, as they go ballistic, leaping and bouncing around. Plus, it doesn't help that we are down a couple of harnesses due to chewing. Grrr!!

We're currently working on gaining sponsors to assist with race expenses for Manny's qualifiers this year and his Quest bid next year. If you or anyone you know can help out, please contact us.

Here's just a quick rundown of some expenses for races:
300-500 booties per race = $300-$450 (about $1 per booty, discounts for quantity)
2 bags of Momentum= $66
50# block of meat= $25
Snacks for the dogs= $20-$80 (depending on type; fish is less, lamb snacks for when it's cold
are more)
Dogcoats (if it's real cold)= $35 each
Harnesses (for spares and to replace chewed ones) = $22 each
Headlamp batteries = $20 for 2 lithium D cells; $11 for regular D batteries
Headlamp = $75-$125
Spare runner plastic = $30 a set

Those are just the basics. Of course, then you have to take other expenses into account, such as medical supplies, gas for the dogtruck, straw for the dogs, blankets for the dogs, trail dishes, Algyval (about $30 a bottle!) for sore muscles/tendons, foot ointment, and the list goes on, especially gear for the musher. So, any little bit of assistance will go a long way towards helping us achieve our goals. Sponsors will receive regular kennel updates, pictures, their name/logo will be added to our dogtruck and patches added to sled bags/parkas. Additionally, if you can make it to the kennel, we'll take you on a tour of our kennel and go out for a sledding demonstration. Plus, you'd know that you are helping a mushing family towards their goals and dreams of participating in the Yukon Quest!

Interested in sponsoring a dog, the kennel, or in helping with one of the items listed above? Please contact us at runswift@alaska.net, call at 907-488-4679 or send us some snail mail at PO Box 10436, Fairbanks, AK 99710. We'd love to hear from you today!

-Tammi

Pupperoonis!!

Isn't he just adorable? After the horrible situation with Brennan, we ended up talking with some nice folks in Soldotna who just so happened to have had a suprise litter of Dane pups. Above is the pup we are getting from that litter. Life moves in mysterious ways and we never know what it will bring next!

BTW, we're looking for a ride for our new family member from Anchorage on November 18th or Nov. 23rd, if anyone will be heading up this way. Or, if anyone will be in Soldotna heading to Fairbanks in the next 2 weeks, please contact us!! runswift@alaska.net

Back on track

The dogs went out on a training run yesterday up onto the logging roads and things went real well. The dogs pulled strong and fast. We are discovering strengths and weaknesses in leaders...finding out who does best paired with who; which ones are strongest in different situations/conditions, who has the speed, who has the hard-headedness, determination, etc.

TRDMA had the monthly meeting last night and it was decided that the Tune up would be postponed until Dec. 2nd. This seems to be a yearly theme, as we just aren't getting the normal amount of snowfall that we used to have by mid-November. For most of us, the first time on sleds (unless you're lucky enough to have Mountain access or are able to travel) is the first race of the season. Not generally a great way to begin the race season; but, we have to work with what Mother Nature gives us.

Still planning on the Gin Gin (I hope) and the Solstice 100. Don't know yet about the CB300, as we just may not be able to get the logistics worked out (child care, house sitting, animals needing care at home, etc.) to be gone that long at this point. Don't know yet. We'll have to see how things work out and take it one step at a time. We're working on gaining sponsors for next year's Quest bid, so any and all suggestions/help would be greatly appreciated. It's hard to field a Quest team/race on just a teacher's salary. :o(

Thanks for all of the support from everyone who stops in to check out our adventures. Drop us a line and let us know what you'd like to hear about, and I'll work on it. Cheers all!

-Tammi

Rough runs

Hey all,

Well, the cold temps have been great to freeze the bogs, allowing us to use our other trail access...or so we thought. The trail was so rough with stumps, roots, sink holes, ruts, etc. that the dogs came back just wiped!! Poor Feather dinged up both of her wrists and came in looking like the losing end of a horror film. Yikes! Manny said it was so rough that he felt like he was in the spin cycle of a washing machine! He said we'll need about a foot of snow before it's safe enough to take the sleds on without busting them up. Yuck!

I took the dogs on an easy run on Sunday, to give them a break and just have a "fun" run. Then, I ran the second team...holy crapola, Batman!! They were NUTS!! It's always a zoo hooking up the second team, because these are our young dogs, our "sprint" dogs who we are training for mid distance, and the remaining race dogs. We took off like a shot, they loped the whole way (except for the steeper hill) and didn't need to stop once. They came in barking! I guess that would've been a great sprint run. ;o)

We're hoping for more snow soon, to get the sleds out. At this rate, the Tune up will be postponed if we don't get about a foot in the next 2 weeks. My first sled run may just be the Gin Gin...IF I feel the dogs are ready for it. We'll see. I still have a month left to decide.

The TRDMA meeting is tonight, at 7:30pm at the Two Rivers Lodge. Come on out, as we'll be gearing up for the races to come. :o)

We'll miss you, Brennan...

On Monday, in a fluke accident, our 7 month old Dane puppy Brennan, broke his left hind leg above the stifle joint. He was coming out of his vari-kennel and somehow cracked his leg on the inside lip, causing a spiral fracture. It was a clean break with no bone fragments, just above the growth plate, so no worries there. We took him straight to the Mt Mckinley’s office (unfortunately we couldn't get hold of our first 3 choices of vets) to get xrays. They took 2 xrays, and gave him some morphine for pain and iv fluids. After looking at the xrays, the Dr. wanted to do surgery to put a rod in the leg. Now, this is a growing Great Dane...so if they were to pin/rod him, it would interfere with the growth of the leg. After saying this to the doc, she agreed and said that no matter what, the leg wouldn't be "normal". We've had BAD experiences with pins in growth plates, ending up with crooked legs/short legs before. So, we said absolutely no rods or pins. We discussed casting or splinting. She said casts aren't a good idea but a splint would be a viable option, as we could keep him quiet and we've had experience with this before. Shoot, when I was young, we had a doberman who broke his rear leg in the same place and had a cast on all the way up to his hip. Anyway, the vet said they'd keep him overnight and then talk with their Ortho vet in the morning to do the splint.

Manny had to call the next morning to find out when we could pick our pup up. They said they wanted to pin his leg and that it would be $2300. At this point, our bill for 2 xrays, pain meds/iv fluid and 1 overnight stay was over $600. Now, we've been going to Mt. Mckinley Animal hospital for 7 years when we can’t get in to see Dr. Jayne, have given them thousands of dollars, yet they wouldn't work with us. When Manny asked the vet to splint the leg so we could bring him home and that we would handle it (I was in the process of trying to contact Cort Zackle), the vet refused and said that he'd release him to another vet, but that the other vet (Aurora) would "tell us the same thing". Then, he went on to state that the soft bandage on Brennan's leg wasn't stable enough to move him. So, again, Manny asked him to splint/stabilize the leg so we could move him and was told no. Basically, we were told either pay this money and have them do a procedure we did NOT want done, or put our dog to sleep (of course, not in so many words). Manny said he really didn't feel he had a choice, authorized the euth and by the time I tried to call McKinley within 5 minutes of the decision to euth, they had already put our pup to sleep. Now, I have a bill over $700 for what I feel was basically doing NOTHING for my dog other than the 2 x-rays, iv fluids, some pain meds and of course, Killing him. We feel that they completely violated our rights as pet owners. The thing that hurts the most is that I feel the vet clinic gave us no choice and would not listen to our wishes, though we had been assured the night before that they would do exactly that. I'm just floored right now, in shock that we've lost our beautiful pup over a simple fracture. I was also expected to go to McKinley to "take care of my bill". I'm just livid, yet hurting.

I did get a hold of another vet and was told that not only was this illegal to not release our dog to us and do what we asked, but it was also immoral and unethical. We were told that we were being strong-armed into something that not only would mess up our pup's leg, but also to pay an outrageous sum for the procedure. We feel that we were pretty much forced to put our dog to sleep or pay them all this money for a procedure that we didn't want done in the first place.

Needless to say, we are not letting this go. Not only will I NOT pay this bill, but we will be contacting an attorney and contacting the Board of Veterinary Medicine, as we've been advised to do. I ask that if anyone else has a similar situation with Mt. McKinley Animal Hospital, please email me at tamirego@alaska.net or runswift@alaska.net and share your experience. I am compiling these issues to present to the board. Now, we are questioning the euthanization of our first Dane, Kaiser. We also dealt with this same vet and he told us that the dog couldn't be helped other than possibly giving him meds to extend his life "maybe" a couple of months, but that it wouldn't be good months for him. I'm finding that others dealt with the same condition with their danes/wolfhounds and their dogs went on to live YEARS longer on medication. So, this vet has cost the lives of BOTH of our Great Danes.

Feel free to contact me concerning this issue and think twice before going to Mt. McKinley Animal Hospital.

Snowing again...

The snow keeps accumulating a little each day. If this keeps up, we'll be on sleds REAL soon. :o) Manny took the team out for a longer run the other day and the dogs got their first experience with what Abbie West called "Oh-My-God Hill"...a hill that is VERY steep. But, the dogs took it in stride and had no troubles. I must say that it has been awesome having my hubby at home, being able to train the dogs full time. What a pleasure!!

I'll have to get the camera out and get some pictures of the new house, dog yard, etc. Well, I'm off. The ADMA Symposium is this weekend, so come on out and mingle with mushers and vendors alike. It's a great time and a wonderful way to gain valuable information about dogs and mushing. See you there!

-Tammi

Chowder

Chowder just came to us from Ivana Nolke. She is a CRAZY sprint dog, but what a fantastic runner! I'm hoping her enthusiasm will flow over into mid distance for us.

Yes!!! Snow!

Wahoo!! We sure do like to see that white stuff coming down. It's been a while, but it's nice to see the couple of inches that we got over the weekend. The team is coming along well. We're a bit behind in mileage, but honestly, these dogs aren't acting like it. They are coming in from our new, hilly runs energetic and ready to go! The farther out we've gone, we've discovered that the trails seem to deteriorate, but will be passable by sled. Lots of sink holes and stumps EVERYWHERE! Yikes! Well, that's ok. Manny is now home and training dogs full time, so we're seeing the benefits of that already.

The new house is going well for us, though we're still feeling out trail "issues" (yeah, in Two Rivers, Alaska, people!). The kids are doing great, Devlyn is in 2nd grade and loving his new room; Conor had some minor surgery, but is doing better and is talking like a mad man. What a magpie! We really have to mind our p's and q's around that little guy. ;o)

School is keeping me seriously busy with all of the grading and such. Still, I'm hanging in there. We're reading "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer and it has been GREAT having these class discussions with my students about whether Chris McCandless really was a kook or not. It's nice to relate their knowledge of Alaska with what others see or think.

Still hoping to do our races, though we've decided that we can only manage one team in the Copper Basin...Manny. He's the one working on qualifiers, so he'll be racing this year. That's ok, I'll get a few in as well, with the Gin Gin and other local races. We're cycling leaders in and out, and discovering some nice lead potential in a few of our newer dogs. Just has been running lead a few times out now and other than trying to bully the neighbor's loose dog (On by Just!), he's doing well. Dusk is another leader for us. Skuuga ate another harness this season (dang dog!), though she's no worse for wear. Munchkin is doing FANTASTIC in lead! I'm amazed at this girl! She has commands down and she's beating old Dutchess to the punch. Amazing. We just got Chowder from Ivana Nolke: dang crazy hound! She loves to jump and well, snout and musher's lip equals a fat lip for the musher. Grrr! Still, I'm hoping that as we get distance on her, she'll calm a bit. Will be trying her in lead soon.

Well, that's it for now. Time for After School Study Hall, so I'm off. Manny's home running dogs in the fresh, white stuff (I'm SOOO jealous!!!). Later everyone!

Training -- The Mud Flies!!

Took the A-team out yesterday on a 3.7 miler...boy did they come back muddy! Poor Booger...left a white dog, came back a brown dog! I wish I would have had the camera out, as the whole team came back just covered in mud. Manny said the dogs ran well, even through the mud and water. Skuuga didn't know what to think, as she's always been a sprint dog...hopefully she and Just will learn to trot as the season progresses. Devlyn rode along with Dad to help train. Temp was about 55F, which was a little warmer, but no troubles with the dogs. Luckily, there are plenty of mud puddles to go through...lots and lots of water with all of the rain. I'll be taking the B-team out tonight, so I'll try to remember some pictures. Luckily, I got to witness the mud soaked men yesterday; so, I'll be wearing coveralls tonight. Tee hee hee!

-Tammi

Meet Rondy, Bruno and Baxter

Rondy is a beautiful young girl with lots of speed! She is a Second Chance League Rescue. Watch for Rondy to make the team this season.

This is Bruno. He loves to "point" flying insects.


This is Baxter, king of the butterfly hunters!

Goodbye, Old Friend

Beano, 1994-2006

I received some sad news that my old leader, Beano, has crossed over. He was a rescue from AC 7 years ago. Beaner was so shy, that they didn't feel he could be placed. He had been a trapline leader all of his life until age 5, which is when we took him home. He led us on a merry chase, as we learned quickly that he could slip out of regular collars. We eventually lured him in the house with meat, and then we gave him a limited slip collar. However, soon we didn't need to worry. After the very first run with Beano, he became a different dog. It did take him a long time to really trust, and we had to teach him how to just be a dog and have fun...but he did learn that pets, hugs and kisses were great. We never did get him over the house tipping (fireworks or gunshots would set him off), but hey, that was Beaner-Boy. As he got older, he had a difficult time even keeping up with the pup team. So, when a friend needed a leader to fill in, Beano came to the rescue. He did come back after that winter, but because he just couldn't run with our speedsters, and that friend asked it, Beano went off to live at Lead Dog Spock Kennel, where he lived until his death. Beano, you were a wonderful dog and I feel privileged to have been part of your life. Now, you can run free of pain and keep up with those 'youngsters again. Love and miss you, Beaner-Boy!

-Tammi

Rain, rain, go away...

It has been pouring all night and all day. The dog yard is a muddy mess. It usually dries fairly fast, as it's pretty sandy...but it hasn't stopped raining long enough for the ground to soak up the water. Bleck! It has made Manny talk about building platforms for all of the dogs. Good news is that we got our new house!! :o) So we'll start putting in the new dog yard next weekend (hopefully) and then put up the new horse corral the following weekend. We want to get it all set up for the animals before we move in. Needless to say, we've added even more to our plate this fall...but that's ok...bring it!

I'm getting very excited about the race season. I never thought that I'd be running the CB300...so that's interesting for me. The GG120 will be my first race for the season (besides the Tune up) and will allow me to set the team up for Manny's Solstic 100 the following week. I'm hoping to get down and run on the Denali Hwy before these races, to get some quality hill training on the dogs. But, we'll have to wait and see how things go. Later all!

-Tammi

New recruits

Here are some new additions to RSK, who came to us last spring:

Just came to us from Daisy Acres, Lynn Orbison's kennel. Just is a powerhouse! I can't wait to see how he does in the main team this year.

Rocket is a 4 yr old team/wheel dog who came from Eric Butcher. Rocket ran on Eric's Quest team this year and did great! He's a real sweetheart and a hard worker.

Dusk is a beautiful 3 yr old up & coming leader from Eric Butcher. He is out of Solaris, a dog out of Susan Butcher's kennel.

Just and his buddies

Is it time to run, yet? Summertime at RSK.

Season Plans

Summer is beginning to wind down and now things will get hectic around our place. The fair is here, and I'm volunteering at the Quest booth a few times. It was pretty exciting on Saturday, the 1st day of signups! Twelve mushers signed up and today, there were at least 8 or so more. I'll be back at the booth, so I'll have a chance to look at the list of names. I was so excited after my first shift, that I rushed home to watch "6 On, 6 Off" and it just got me revved up and ready to start training. We're waiting until the temps start to cool a bit more before we begin training; but, we plan to start within the next 2 weeks. The dogs are more than ready, as are we. However, we really don't like to run when it's warm as we don't want to chance overheating the pooches. With the work schedule until Freezeup, we have to train in the evenings. This means that we have to wait until the temps get down around 50 degrees F to run. Last year, we weren't able to start until September...but we're keeping our fingers crossed this year.

Manny & I are discussing race plans for the season. We've been discussing the Quest 300; though now we're leaning towards the Copper Basin 300, as it's here in Alaska and only half the distance from home. This combined with it being during Winter Break for me at school really makes the CB more logical for us logistically and financially. The plan is to field 2 teams in it this year, which I'm all kinds of happy with that. :o) I originally thought the only race I'd get in would be the Gin Gin 120; so, I'm voting for 2 teams in the CB. Of course, I'd really LOVE another crack at the Quest 300...I truly want to do it from this side in order to overcome my shortcomings from the past attempt. Not saying that the other end isn't tough and challenging; but, after being out there and knowing that Eagle summit was still ahead, this end seems to be the more challenging of the two legs. Anyway, enough blabbering. For now, here's the line-up for the 06-07 season:
- Two Rivers Tune-up........November....Manny & Tammi racing
- Gin Gin 120.......................December......Tammi racing
- Solstice 100.......................December.....Manny racing
- Copper Basin 300.............January........Manny & Tammi racing (qualifier)
- Chatanika 200..................March............Manny racing (qualifier)

*Possibly the Percy for Manny, if time/finances/weather permit

We'll also do some smaller races in between, if we can. I love this time of year, the excitement, the exhilaration!! It gets even more exciting when you start seeing ice rinds in water bowls, mud puddles, frost on the ground. Tee hee hee! I'm like a little kid at times. Keep checking back. School starts for me in a week, and for the kids in 2 weeks; so, life is going to get very busy. However, I'll try to put updates up here from time to time. Thanks for taking the time to check in with us here at RSK. See ya soon!

-Tammi

Summertime

Lazy days for the dogs, though I've been super busy! Between those pesky grad classes for that Masters degree, family visiting from out of town, etc., I'm still waiting for vacation to start! Ha ha ha! Good news is that the rain we've been getting has to have helped the fires burning around the state. It's almost cool enough to run dogs...though with temps ranging around 55F for lows are still a bit warm for the dogs to run unless they are going through lots of water. Aw well, August will be here before we know it and fall training will get into gear.

The boys are doing well, growing and learning so much each and every day. Sometimes I wish I could just freeze little moments in time, keep that special smile, that little kiss, etc. Those moments will always be in my heart...but these guys are growing so fast. Devlyn starts the 2nd grade and Conor is already 15 months old, toddling everywhere, fearlessly climbing stairs (just about giving his mom a heartattack!) and already showing a love of dogs. Of course, his name is Irish for 'lover of hounds,' so it's quite fitting.

After losing Kaiser, a friend reached out to us in our grief and presented us with a young, vibrant, new little guy to help with the sorrow. Thus, Brennan has come to live with us and has fast declared Devlyn as his Human. This little black dynamo has us wrapped around his paw.

Pictures will follow in a bit. Gotta go get some homework done while Conor naps. Cheers all!

-Tammi

Have you hugged your dog today?

Checking in

Hi all! I know it's been a while...always a busy time of year for us, as school ends, then it's time for summer stuff. This year, I'm working on that pesky Masters degree by taking a couple of classes. These are keeping me SUPER busy, as they are 3 week sessions that meet all week for several hours a day...basically a whole semester squeezed into just 3 short weeks. Can you say, "Torture"? Good news is that kids and hubby are doing great and we are happily anticipating a visit from the Grandparents in a week.

We did have some sad events hit so far this summer. First, Dutchess did have a pup, but it was stillborn...so, no puppies. Then, we lost our beloved Great Dane, Kaiser. He had cardial myopathy, and his poor heart gave out. This has hit us very hard, as Kaiser was a very special guy who was a true "gentle giant" with our boys and a complete sweetheart. Unfortunately, Kaiser, at just 19 months, was a giant even among Great Danes and it was just too much for his heart. It is true when they say that these guys are "Heartbreakers". But, the best thing (we've been told by many) is to find a new one to love. It's hard to think like that with the hole in our lives right now. We'll have to see.

Give those you care about (including the furry ones) hugs and tell them what they mean to you. Time moves on swift feet and you never know when it will be gone.

-Tammi

Remus, Achilles, Ody, Curry & Willy during 2006 Quest 300

Booger and Feather resting at Angel Creek in the 2006 Quest 300. Feather was in heat, which earned her the spot at the back of the sled, away from the two intact boys, Riley and Willy.

Go Jenny!

Photo by Robert Drozda

Kantishna tryouts

I took Jenny to Musher's Hall yesterday to put her in with a team of SCL dogs being evaluated for tours in Kantishna. Our shy girl did really well, as did all of the dogs; so, they will all head to Kantishna in June. Jenny has come a long way in the year that we've had her, as she walked on a leash and only became scared if she thought someone was going to touch her. The whole team will be going down in June to run tours for the tourists all summer. We're hoping that the experience will aid Jenny even more in working through her shyness. She's a good sled dog and would be a great benefit to any team, as long as the person is willing to work with her. The tours may be just what she needs to help her realize that we aren't dog-eating monsters!

As for the weather, it's getting warmer, the sun is out for about 13 hours each day, and the snow is melting. Summer is on the way! After the long winters that we have up here, I'm always ready for a bit of sunshine and warmth. Of course, by the end of June, I'll be wishing for winter again. ;o) We're currently working with the yearlings and our 2 pups, putting them in harness and using the atv to work slow. The trails are disintergrating rapidly, so it's getting a bit too sloppy for sleds. The road is real icy, so we're taking a break for a bit while we wait for the roads to clear. Enjoy the sun and warmer temps all!

Valley Funale 2006

The Valley Funale was again, a fun time with good food and lots of fun. Manny ran our team in the 10 dog class, finishing the 27 mile loop in 2:11, which was good for a 4th place finish. He said that the dogs were running strong at the start, but he quickly caught his first team within the first 2-3 miles. That team had a 2 minute start on Manny, so he knew that the team was running a tad fast for the beginning of a race; he started riding the drag after a nice pass. He said he held them back until they hit the river, which was soft, slow going...at this point, he just let the dogs run and set their own pace. He quickly caught more teams and attempted a pass, but when the dogs went off trail to go around, they soon floundered in deep, soft snow. Manny attempted to walk the dogs through, but he too fell in the snow. Later, he'd leap frog with another team, passed a few more teams, ended up with a tangle after a bad pass with another team (the driver had no snowhook to hook down that team, so couldn't get off the runners to help untangle that team from our team), etc. Our dogs usually pass alright, so Manny was a little frustrated with the tangles, but all in all, he said it wasn't a big deal. I guess Manny was out there helping a few other teams when they needed it. That's my hubby though...always one of the first to offer assistance if it's needed. :o)

Even with some of the bobbles, Manny said the team ran well and looked strong. It's nice to have a decent finish at the end of what has been a rough season for our kennel. Manny will be taking this team and racing them in his qualifiers next season. They are a nice group of dogs and we're looking forward to our first season of full bore training (thanks to a new job for Manny which allows him winters off...YEAH!!).

Devlyn raced in the 2 dog and had a rough run. His dogs were fresh and STRONG! He ran Herod and Munchkin, and they were almost too much for him. The soft trail did Devlyn in, as he tried to kick and ended up on his knees because his boot punched down in the trail and he lost his footing. He held on, until the dogs hit the turn which flipped the sled. But, Devlyn got up, and ran to catch his team. He finished the run on his knees yet again, as he tried to run and help his dogs up a small hill. Those same 2 dogs went on the run for 2 other juniors, giving one girl the 1st place ribbon and the other girl a 4th or 5th place ribbon. Devlyn ended up with the 7th place ribbon...still, not bad for his rough run.

I'll post pictures as we get them developed. Now, I'm just letting my back heal, and we'll be working with our yearlings and pups until the snow is all gone. Manny plans to take the team out for a 20 miler today, to enjoy the sunshine and this great team. It's a shame that I got hurt and they got sick on our last race, as they are a nice, strong running team. That's alright...we're now focusing on next season. We are very excited to take the things we learned this year and apply them to our training regimen next season. Stay tuned for updates throughout the spring/summer/fall. :o)

Rough time

Well, the CC 200 didn't go as well as we'd hoped. While the dogs ran great in the Quest 300, the Chatanika 200 turned out to be quite different. The first section of trail proved to be challenging with winds drifting the trail over, causing the dogs to slog through drifts both while climbing and dropping down hills. There was a VERY STEEP downhill that lasted for about 1/2 mile that started well. I kept the dogs down to an easy pace (I don't let them lope downhills, which keeps them from getting injured) until about halfway down, at which point the trail was really dug up and trenched. The sled tipped to the left, which caused me to put counter pressure on my right runner. This meant I had to take one foot off the brake. The dogs sped up, which had me stabbing for the brake more, resulting in the sled tipping. NOT COOL! I was drug for a bit, but the dogs responded to my Whoas! and stopped. Unfortunately, the dragging did some damage to my back, though it didn't hurt too much at the time. We did the first 41 miles slowly, coming across the road 5 1/2 hours after the start. The dogs then picked up once they realized we were on home trails and we started passing teams that were resting. I had planned on running straight through to Pleasant Valley, only taking short breaks to re booty and to snack. But several dogs had diarrhea, and then one of my key dogs started necklining. So, I stopped and rested for 3 hours on the Chena River, about 40 miles from PV store. Only 3 teams caught me, but we didn't get in to PV until 3:48am...putting us in next to last place. I ended up having 2 dogs stop on me, though a quick snack soon had them going ok. Unfortunately, I also had a couple of dogs throw up while stopped. They'd obviously picked up a bug, which resulted in their slowing down and not being able to run straight through.

I got them all taken care of then saw to my own needs. I slept for a bit, but when I got up, my back was hurting badly and I was having a hard time moving around. The more I tried to do, the worse my back was getting. It was obvious that I was going to have some severe difficulities with the next section of trail to Angel Creek, as there were advancing glaciers and several areas of overflow/slush/ice. The dogs were not doing so well, though most did eat and drink. However, after conferring with Manny and several race folks at PV store, along with a trail report from Rick Townsend, who scratched upon reaching Angel Creek in 1st place, I made the decision to call it done and wait to try another day. Manny ran the team home, since we live just a mile from PV store. He said there were 4 dogs off their tugs and once in the dog yard, most of the team had diarrhea. Also, I have a pinched nerve and a possible herniated disc in my mid back, though we won't know for sure until my MRI next month. Needless to say, my racing season is over. Manny will be taking a 10 dog team to the Valley Funale next weekend, while Devlyn will be running the 2 dog class. I'll be content to hang out with the baby and help get my 2 racers off on their races.

Next season, Manny will be working on his qualifiers for the 2008 Quest, which he hopes to participate in. In the meantime, we're going to keep working with our team and continue with some light training through the summer months, as temps allow. We did a breeding between Dutchess and Riley, our 2 main dogs in the yard. So, we'll be welcoming a litter in 2 months. Devlyn is excited, as he's our resident "puppy manager" and loves working with pups. Needless to say, this season has been rough all the way around and just didn't pan out the way we would have liked. Still, you live and learn. There's always another race, another time. ;o)

-Tam

Chatanika 200 Preps

We're into full race prep this week...Thank GOODNESS for Spring Break! Tee hee hee! It's not just for the kiddies, ladies and gents. ;o) Manny and I took teams out yesterday to run towards Angel Creek. Definitely going to be an "interesting" trail again this year (can you say, repeat of the Quest trail 2006?). Large areas of overflow in the regular areas are not fun...to say the least. Manny hit the first patch not long after the road crossing. This area almost always has it and it's looking a lot like it did in the 2004 race (TR 200). The sleds slide to the bottom (right side of the trail) of the overflow, so be prepared. There is some slushy stuff on the other side...of course this will probably get worse by race day due to the warm temps we're now getting. Colorado Creek was frozen over, but it's pretty slick. There's one spot that the dogs have to cross that could be tricky if you don't have good leaders. They have to cross a frozen "stream" that looks inviting for the dogs to just follow. Once you get across that, it's easier to follow the right side of the trail, as there is some powdery snow that offers purchase to the dogs/sled. So far, only the first half of Colorado creek is ice/overflow. (Keep your fingers crossed that it stays that way boys and girls...just 2 weekends ago, it was waist deep, open water there!)

The next nasty section of ice/overflow comes just before the rifle range. It is WIDE open and Manny started through it on foot (hooked the team to a tree to scout the overflow) and only went partially in. It was already halfway up his calf...so, we turned the teams, as we were only going to the rifle range anyway (was just up ahead). Anyway, that section looks real bad, with a ice ledge on the bottom that I can see will dump sleds. It looks a lot like the stuff we faced on the Quest 300...and yes, it's running water. It's only going to get worse, so make sure your bring your snorkels and wet suits, folks. ;o) Yeah! Extreme Mushing Ladies and Gents! You Gotta Love this stuff! (or not?!?)

There's a trail map up on the TRDMA website (www.trdma.org) and a list of the current mushers signed up for the race. Come on out and watch the start at Chatanika Lodge, or help out at the checkpoints at Pleasant Valley Store or Angel Creek. Should be an interesting race this year! I'm off to finish my drops and then take a team out when it cools (30 degrees F right now...Sheesh!). Have a good one and I'll see ya all on the trail.

-Tammi n the kidz

Chatanika 200 training

We finally decided on who would be racing in the 200 this year. Sitting down to dinner, Manny and I were discussing the trail and the fact that there was waist deep overflow at Colorado Creek just a week ago. I told him that there would definitely be overflow/glaciers around the back of Flat Top Mt. So, he said, "That's why you'll be running the race!" Thus, Boys n Girls, that's how I've found myself entered in the Chatanika 200 for yet a 3rd time. Not that I mind! After that crazy time on the Quest 300, I'm anxious to get back out with the dogs for a great run. They deserve it, after all that they gave me. So, now I'm wondering if I should invest in a wetsuit... ;o)

The trail is in for the race. There are some variations this year, a new section added on the Fire Line trail and a change in checkpoints/finish line. We'll be finishing at Pleasant Valley Store this year, instead of downtown Fairbanks. Fine by me! The dogs and I both detest the river. Ha ha ha! All joking aside, TRDMA is a Wonderful organization of volunteers who give immense amounts of their time and effort to provide quality events for the mushing community. I have great respect for these folks, as they sometimes have to make decisions that aren't always popular, but are made in fairness to all. As such, I applaud their efforts and send them a hearty THANK YOU for all that you do! And, with over 100 members, TRDMA has grown over the years to become a solid organization. Rock on, TRDMA!! :o)

Well, I'm off to rest some more. I came down with the crud, after suffering back pain (pinched nerve in my back...fun, fun!) and a severe infection in my foot, which the doc said probably came from all that water (spent 2 days with wet feet, even AFTER switching out boots, changing socks, etc.) and the pressure of the boot on my foot. They say these things come in 3s...if so, then I should be good for a while! Ha ha ha!

-Tammi

Craziness on the Quest 300

Hey all! Sorry for the long period between posts. I had meant to call in voice blogs along the race trail, but that was not to be. I will be working on my "story" of the 300 in a bit. For now, you can read about some of my race in the article below (click on the link). It was a total adventure, to say the least. And at the time, I do admit that it wasn't much fun! But, looking back and reflecting on it, it was still a good experience to have and I was able to learn from it and will put that knowledge to good use in future races (the next one is coming in just 2 weeks!). Thank you to all of you who were following (or trying to) my progress on the 300 and were thinking of us as we weathered the storm. In the meantime, Devlyn is racing in his 2nd Junior North American Championship Races this weekend. He is competing in the 2 dog class with Lovey and Herod, two really great dogs who are fantastic with kids. Come on out and watch these kids as they have fun and compete in this incredible sport.

Link to News-miner Article: http://www.news-miner.com/Stories/0,1413,113~7244~3238939,00.html

Take care all!
-Tammi n the Houndz

The Red Baron!

Baron, our German Wirehaired Pointer pup

Preparations

I dropped my entry off yesterday at the Quest office, so that's all set. We're getting into full swing preparing my drop bags, tweaking the sled, picked up the dog coats (thanks Sarka!), lined up my fish source, and making lists, lists and more lists. Loads to do with a little over a week before the start. We've been getting a light dusting of snow today...no accumulation to speak of, but it does give one hope. I'm debating between using my sled, which is solid, but older; or using Manny's sled, which has aluminum runners, is lightweight, but VERY flexible (sometimes scary flexible!). I'm a bit clumsy with my big ole boots, so it takes me a bit to get used to different sleds.

The dogs are all looking good now, after all of those cold temps. In fact, I think the cold was a blessing in disguise, as it allowed the dogs lots of rest, which has helped to clear the rest of that bug out. I'll be taking the dogs on some long runs this weekend to do some camping and finalize my team. Not sure if I'll take 10, 11 or a full 12 dog team yet. I'd prefer to go smaller, unless we get the snow the weatherman is promising. One good thing is that the temps are purported to be warmer (in the single digits by Sunday) next week, which will be good for my guys and us mushers. However, that deep cold is always hovering during the Quest. Well, off to do more stuff. Thanks for stopping in and check back for more updates. I will endeavor to provide some voice blogs from the trail, if I can gain access to a phone. Wish us luck!

-Tammi n the gang

Follow along with the 2006 Yukon Quest! http://www.yukonquest.com
Check for updates on the 2006 Yukon Quest 300! http://www.yukonquest300.com

Brrrr

Still trying to wait out the severe cold here in Two Rivers. The mercury dipped to -50 degrees F again this morning, with many folks seeing -56F or worse in low lying areas. But, the temp has since moved up to -40F now. The weatherman promises warmer (well, -25F anyway) by Monday, and long range shows single digits ABOVE zero by next weekend. I sure do hope that's true. The dogs really need to get out on the trails...not only for training, but to get rid of the boredom of long, cold nights followed by short, cold days. No fun for any of us! Literally, the cold has 'frozen' most outdoor activities. If it would just warm up a bit more, I could get the team out for at least a short run to stretch their legs a bit. Stay tuned and think "Snow and warmer temps" (but not too warm!). ;o)

-Tamz 'n team

Deep Freeze

Just when you think it can't get any worse, the temperature drops even lower! Predicted lows for the next few days are between -40 degrees F and -50 degrees F and I know that when I left the house this morning, it was -50F. Dangerous cold, if you aren't prepared for it. And though I know my team needs to be out training, I just can't take them out like this. It would do more harm than good, so the bad outweighs the good. Hopefully some good will come out of this, by freezing all of the rivers. They've been open, which means the trail to Angel Creek hasn't been put in. However, a lot of the time, the cold creates overflow, so it could end up creating more problems. Good news is that temps are supposed to come up next week. Keep your fingers crossed and hope that we get more snow, as this cold is really brutal on water wells, pipes, etc. not to mention dog paws. Make sure your pooches have housefulls of straw, or bring them in if you have to. Don't leave bare skin exposed to the cold and be careful touching metal in this cold!! My son took his glove off to open the door, and nipped his finger. All it takes is a second to begin the freezing process. He's ok, but if he had held on longer, he could have really hurt himself.

Take care and stay warm!
-Tammi

Frigid Temps

The weather is wreaking havoc on many people with their training regimens as Interior Alaska seems to be locked in a deep freeze. Temperatures are hovering between -30F to -45F making the very act of running sled dogs become one requiring extreme fortitude, not to mention so many layers of gear that one can hardly move! The cold temperatures actually make being out in them a dangerous occupation, leaving no room for 'mistakes'. Something as simple as forgetting to secure all your clothing layers (missing that zipper that isn't closed all the way, or that leaves skin exposed) can mean severe frostbite. It goes without saying that the dogs can get frostbite as well...especially on those tender parts that may not have as much fur as other areas! Additionally, breathing in that type of cold is not good on the lungs; so, imagine running in these temps! Needless to say, this type of cold can be dangerous. Then, add a brisk breeze and the temps plummet even more due to windchill. Of course, if you are running a race such as the Quest, this doesn't stop you from making your way down the trail, but it sure as heck makes it rough. As if a thousand mile trail through the arctic wilderness wasn't tough enough, right?!

This winter is really making it challenging to run sled dogs. First, the lack of snow has made it difficult (or at the least, scary) to run more than 8-10 dog teams...now the severe cold is inhibiting regular training on longer runs, which are what the dogs need now just weeks from the Quest 300. It is at times like these that one asks themselves "Why do I do this?" But then, all you need to do is walk out into the dog yard, and you have your answer in the adoring eyes of your furkids. What could be better than a team of your closest friends, working together with you, to see what's beyond the next bend, or over the next hill?

Keep you and your dogs warm, stay safe, and remember...this too, shall pass. ;o)

-Tammi & the Fur Chilluns'

Angus contemplating the -30F Temps

ADMA Races 1/22/06

Achilles chillin’ on straw, -20F

Today found us down at the Musher’s Hall track, preparing to run the Open Class sprint race. Why a sprint race for a mid-distance team, you may ask? Well, simply put, I really wanted to get my dogs out around other teams and introduce them to whatever crud might be floating about. Our dogs have recently gotten over a bug, but it’s better to introduce them to as many different situations as possible. This may seem odd to some, but if you think about it, it’s a smart practice. Because, it is better for the dogs to get whatever bug that might be circulating the race circuit early. That way, they get it, they get over it, and it doesn’t affect them during whatever main race or races they’ll be running.

We took 10 dogs out, and I had the 1^st place position, as I was the only one to pre-register before race day. However, we did get 2 other teams signed up. Manny rode the sled up to the line, as is our tradition…but left me huffing behind as I jogged to catch up. If you’ve ever tried to run when you’re all geared up for -15F or colder, you’ll know what it’s like. Aw well, I was nice and warm at the start then. ;o) We took off nicely and the dogs were loping along well. I kept my drag down for the first 1/3^rd of the race to keep them from going too fast and getting injured. With the fresh snow we were getting, the drag mat really piled the snow up…so I didn’t even need to touch it. We were making good time, but then Ricky Taylor finally caught us at Creamer’s field. I stopped my team to allow his to pass, as he had young dogs, then we gave chase. The dogs did great, until we started on the turn back to the hall. On the turn, Riley and Feather took the first Gee (not much choice with a snow fence blocking the only other way), but then as we were heading into the second Gee that would take us on the inbound trail, Riley suddenly leaped left following the wrong trail! With the fresh snow and icy trail underneath, it took me a few seconds to get them stopped. By then, we were heading towards the 30 mile loop, instead of the race trail. I got the hook to hold and turned the team, but then Riley decided to play around and tangled the team. What a mess! Just when I was about to get them all untangled, Riley jumped back again and lit into Herod, my wheel dog. Now, this was crazy, as my dogs don’t usually fight…so I broke them up, only to find another ‘dog ball’. Well, halfway through that untangle, the next team (Carol) caught us. Her team also took the wrong turn, but then gee’d past my team, taking Carol’s sled through the brush and over some stumps. Crazy! She got by and I finished untangling my guys, and we took off. The team was really flying for about 2-3 more miles, then it was like someone flipped a switch and they just bogged down. I don’t know what was going on…but we did the rest of the run in a trot. All in all, it was a loopey run, but hey, we took 3^rd place (out of 3 teams..Tee hee hee!) and won a nice, new harness from Howling Dog. Perfect, as we needed to replace the Manmat harness that Skuuga ate.

Now, the temp has dropped to -30F and will be cold again for the next few days. We’ll be focusing on 30-50 mile runs, setting the dogs up for the 300. Just 3 weeks away, Oh my! Lots to do, so we’ll be busy going through gear, getting drops ready so we’ll know what we need to get or replace, and laying out our game plan for the race. The hubby and I have been talking run/rest schedules and what strategy I’ll be using with the dogs. I’ll be testing these out on the dogs over the next few weekends to see what schedule/strategy will fit them for this particular race. Check back often, as I’ll endeavor to keep everyone updated on our progress.

-Tammi and the pooches

"Big Will"

Willy saying, "Check it out! I can see my breath!"

Let it snow!

Well, due to the cold temps and dismal trails, the dogs have been off for a while. I'd rather skip a few days of training, than try to run dogs and risk wrist and shoulder injuries. The -30F to -40F temps are real harsh on dog feet, which means they need to be bootied. Yet, booty them, and they have no purchase on the icy trails. So, it's a no-win situation. Still, hope is on the horizon as it's been spitting snow today and the weatherman has predicted a Low pressure system coming in and bringing some of that white 'gold' we so desperately need. With the Quest and Quest 300 coming up in just 3 weeks, I'll take whatever we can get! Right now, if the trails remain the way they've been, I'll only be taking 10 dogs on the race. It's better to take fewer dogs to keep speed down and keep things safer, than to take 12 dogs and end up with all kinds of injuries by Angel Creek.

Tomorrow, we'll be heading over to the ADMA track to run in the Open Class. I have no delusions of being competitive...I'm doing it to simply get the team exposed to other teams and a race environment. They've been to only 1 race this season, and that was the Two Rivers Tune up. Therefore, it's very important that we expose the dogs to everything we can before we head out on the Quest trail. Good news is that we were able to get a couple of longer runs in and the dogs did great. Now, I need to get some more long runs and do some checkpoint practice/camping with the dogs. If the season had been going as planned, the dogs would have already had 2 100 mile races on them. Unfortunately, the lack of snow has caused several races to be canceled and botched us on training miles early on. Still, we've managed to salvage the season and look forward to competing in the upcoming Quest 300 and the Two Rivers 200 in March. Check back for updates as we progress through training. We're glad to have you along!

If you'd like to help us on our way to the Yukon Quest in the next few years, please contact us at runswift@alaska.net. We would truly appreciate any and all support that might come our way.