Our first outing of the year went amazingly smoothly -- no falls or big tangles. One of my goals this year is to get better at staying on my feet during the first minute of the run. That's when the dogs take off like bats out of hell and, of course, when I'm most likely to think not so great thoughts like "Oh - dear - oh - no - oh!" SPLAT! (so eloquently phrased in an old Mushing magazine article). It was only toward the end of last season that I discovered the trick of holding onto the line when greater stability is needed, and it really helps at times like that.
To Lucy's dismay, we didn't come across any fresh deer tracks, or, even better, actual deer. Still, she's quite a happy, carefree skijor dog, enjoying the forest and the chance of coming across interesting smells. Walter on the other hand is more serious and somewhat concerned about what's going on behind him. Neither one, however, needs any encouragement to pull!
Here's a short video from today. This is the main drag up the middle of the area. A bunch of smaller, more interesting trails branch off from this trail and that's where we often come across the deer/rabbit/etc. tracks.
Conditions: Nice and fluffy but with a bit of a crunch underneath.
Weather: Cloudy, -6
Falls: 0
Kms: ~4.3
2 comments:
Very cool video. How do you manage to shoot video and hold the ski poles and not kill yourself?
Tip #1: Do not attempt during first couple of minutes.
Tip #2: Hold onto the line like your life depends on it.
Tip #3: Think happy thoughts that have nothing to do with falling and that have equally nothing to do with not falling... "Hmmm, what shall we have for supper tonight" is a good one.
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