Wolves, ice and running dogs

Life is getting wilder around here every day! This morning, while taking our son to the bus for school, Manny discovered a neighbor's dog had been attacked and partially eaten in the ditch at the end of our road (15 mile CHSR). Turns out that the neighbor had let the dog out with her last night, but the dog disappeared. Manny said that it was obvious from the blood splatters around the scene and the fact that the dog had been torn up and half eaten that the wolves had been there. Another neighbor confirmed that their dogyard had gone off around 11:30pm-Midnight last night...who lives just across the road from us, along the trail. Our dogs were acting very weird late last night and early this morning as well. A lady called me to tell me she'd heard from a parent that they'd actually hit a dog along CHSR....but I'm thinking it's not the same dog. Or, if it is, the dog was injured making it easy prey for the wolves. Regardless...it's pretty clear that the wolf pack is getting a bit bolder. So, keep your pets inside and don't let your kidlings wander around after dark (just to be on the safe side).

The trails are officially ice! Manny took the team out for a good run yesterday, going on different trails. He was heading to the ponds trail, but saw that there was so much ice and overflow, that he decided NOT to chance it (didn't want to fall through rotten ice). So, he took a trail that a neighbor/musher told us about to skirt the ice...he ended up doing a solid run with the dogs up and over the ridge trail and back around the home trail. I guess the dogs were feeling frisky...he said it was so slick that they were hauling the atv, brakes on and all! He said that those dogs were running around 19mph (with the atv in gear!)....then on hills they were doing between 12-14mph. He finally got them down to about 12mph towards the end of the run by making them pull the atv by putting it in gear. Going that fast on icy trails is just asking for injuries. He said they all looked pretty good coming in, except Booger. I guess Booger decided to twist around, jump over his partner, and got himself tangled up for a spell. He was a bit tired. Just and Dusk were in lead and decided they didn't want to turn here, or take that trail there...what a bunch of goofballs! All in all, they must have been feeling good though. Those dogs have gotten so strong that they broke 2 (count them, not one, but TWO) quickreleases at the start of the run! Manny uses 2 of them, just in case one fails, the other quick release tie-off will hold the team/ATV until he's ready to go. He said the dogs were lunging so hard that he heard a loud POP like a gun going off. He didn't worry too much, cause he knew he had the back up. Then, while he was getting his coat on before heading out, he heard another loud POP then suddenly, there goes the team with the ATV! Those dogs were dragging that thing, brakes and all. Scary strong!! He quickly caught the ATV and jumped on...but whew, what a crazy run!

Back out again today with the main team. I'm going to try and head home so that I can get a run in with the B team...but it's not looking likely (staff meetings...ugh!). The dogs are coming along and we'll be upping the miles again shortly. The Tune-up has been officially cancelled, no surprise there with current trail conditions. Still, it would have been nice to have a full racing season! Sheesh! Do your snow dances and hope that the Solstice makes it this year.
=Rogue