"Training opportunities"

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Another glorious weekend with the dogs, and our friends. Tara and I tried to run together for most of the Sweetwater challenge, and on Saturday we had a good time, just taking our time and enjoying the deep blue sky, white snow, golden sunlight, and of course, the dogs! Had some great "training opportunities" getting over a deer carcass on the trail, then what looked like another deer had exploded on the trail further on. The dogs that knew better couldn't stop the younger dogs that didn't...so we had tangles, and mouthfuls of fur flying and tugs of war going on with deer parts all over the place! But, as I said, training opportunities are how you have to view this stuff. Everytime I get on the sled, I expect a good run...but, life being as unpredictable as it is, that seldom happens. SOOO, you can look at it as "S--t happens, and why does it always seem to happen to me, waah waaah wahhh!" or, as a training opportunity. I prefer to consider it as the latter, not the former. Dean said something this weekend that sounded very wise..." one problem at a time." This was as our truck and dog trailer were stuck on the glare ice of the outbound driveway...and then Ted noticed a ticking in the engine...so that took the guys (Thank you for the GUYS!) to figure out, then fix it...then Tara, Dean, Ted and I spread straw from one of the empty dog boxes, sand, leaves and whatever we could find under the trucks tires to try to get up the hill. It worked, and we were on our way home. :(

It was a really interesting group...alot of laughing, good natured ribbing, (Yep, I think my brain has enough endorphins for a while!) It was fun meeting new mushers from other states, admiring each others dogs, and swapping dog stories. Tara and Dean, Patty and Demos shared the lodge with all of us, and we ate, and ate and ate, and hung out. Such wonderful people to spend time with, and they were very tolerant of Ted's new party game, "wear the drunk goggles and pick up this coin!"

Most of us were laughing, and eventually, everyone joined in. Tara, Janine and Karen are now the designated drunk drivers...(they did the "best" on the tests....NOT that any of them would ever drink and drive!!) Ted is always the teacher, and loves to hook up anyone that will allow him to with his "fatal vision" goggles, and other fun stuff. Not so much for the learning part of it...more for raw entertainment!

Rick and Linda, as always, put on another successful event, and made it possible for all of us to be out on those gorgeous trails. The weather was awesome, sunny, cold (especially on Sunday) and it looks as though that may be the last time this season for us to be on the sled. It is supposed to rain and warm up toward the end of this week, so our last race with MUSH will probably be cancelled. I hope not, but we will have to see what happens. The event next weekend is more of a fun thing...the Far From Nome last race of the season for MUSH. Sleeping bag start, poker runs, and just being with the MUSH "family" one last time with the dogs. If it goes off, I would love to have my daughter and granddaughter come so they could take photos.

Think there would be lots of great opportunities for interesting shots!

Howard Meyerson from the GR Press was in Baldwin at the Sweetwater Challenge to do a story on mushing. It will be in the GR Press next Saturday. He also took a video that can be viewed from the mlive site...not sure when that will be up. Check it out, if you are interested.