ByDog Siberians: What a Weekend!

This weekend was our club's annual (9th) sled dog race, the Darby Dog Derby. I did not race this year as I was the race Marshall.

It sure was another great year with more excitement than the race officials would have preferred but all issues (loose teams) turned out as best they could. On Saturday after the pee wee race (which Isis and Tank did great in! pulling little kiddos up the trail for their first rides, Nicki and I took my 8-dog team out on the course. We did the 10 mile Sunshine run loop. When we got to our snow fencing blocking Sunshine run (because it isn't a part of our course), we tried to get around with the team...almost made it. But Buzz and Buck in wheel got caught up a bit and our attempts to get the sleds around them turned disastrous. All our efforts to be lazy didn't pay off and it ended up being more work than if we had just taken down the snow fencing then put it back up. A little further down the windy, fast trail we came upon a sharp corner. I usually run this section single sled, so I don't have problems with turns I just swing the sled out around. When I attempted this, I quickly realized the rope leading back to Nicki's sled (since we were running tandem sleds) prevented me from swinging wide. I grazed a tree which caused me to pop up on one runner. Just as I was about the right the sled, the sleds abruptly stopped (Nicki's sled had a head on with the tree...luckily without much damage: just a crack in the brush bow) and I was flung up to my wheel dogs (turned into a pretty sweet barrel roll). I had just been asked before heading out for the run, why I wear a helmet. That perfectly reinforced in my mind why I wear a helmet. The dogs did wonderfully on the run and it was without incident the rest of the way.

Also last week Toby came and ran the team with the ATV with me from the home. She took some great photos of prepping the team as well:

"Let's GO!"

Situating harnesses

Whip getting her Head-Lites collar

Buck getting his harness

Harnessing

Whip in lead

Kisses from Tank

It's tough work hooking some of these excited dogs to the their tugs

Buzz getting his few jumps in before connecting his neckline. I think it's like his routine, like a basketball player at the free-throw line spinning the ball, he jumps twice before I hook him in.

Hooking up Buzz next to Buck

Getting the last dog, Jig the other leader

Coming back to the ATV to take off

Last night Rohn and I ran the team with the ATV. Tank and Jig ran lead, until Tank became too distracted and Jig got a shot at single lead. She did okay but needs to gain more confidence in herself.