Camp Out

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This weekend, the Ryno team headed out for another campout, but this time, we camped 'race style.' We selected a nice warm spot in the hills, pulled off the side of the trail, laid down straw, and rested for a few hours with Amanda Gecas and her team from Boundary Kennel. All the dogs settled into the straw (Amy took awhile to settle down-she was just so excited) and were resting like pros. As I sat by the fire, watching closely, I thought, "wow, these guys are natural campers!" Not ten seconds later, Katy stood up and her harness slid off her shoulders onto the ground. Yes, Katy aka "Scissor Teeth" had stealthily gnawed through her harness as she appeared to be curled up sleeping. Well, I guess that's why we practice! After a few hours, we bootied up and hit the trail for another run. The team was stronger on the second run than the first! Even though we had one harness casualty, the double run and campout was a success! 

What are the pups doing while the big dogs train? Watching football with Derek. 

What are the pups doing while the big dogs train? Watching football with Derek. 

White Mountain Camping Trip

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    This weekend, we loaded up the truck and headed to the White Mountains for the first camping trip of the season. Camping trips are perfect for switching up the training routine, exploring new trails, practicing passing and camping, and just enjoying the wilderness! Not only are camping trips exciting for me as a musher, but they’re also invigorating for the dogs. New smells, new sights, new experiences- the young dogs LOVE it. 

    At the trailhead, we met up with Amanda Gecas and Boundary Kennel. Amanda and her team were joining us on our trip into the cabin. Recall how excited the team was at hook up in the prior blog post, and now times that by two teams! I like to believe that harnessing two screaming, young, wildly enthusiastic teams right next to each other is organized chaos; however, at times it was probably just chaos. Patiently, we hooked up the teams and set off for the cabin. On the trail, the two dog teams had lots of practice passing snow machines, dog teams, loose dogs, and each other. Once at the cabin, we unhooked our teams, fed dinner, and picketed them off the gangline with lots of straw. In a race, the dogs will sleep on the gangline in harness. However, the youngsters aren’t quite trustworthy yet to sleep on the gangline and not chew harnesses, tuglines, necklines, or worst of all the gangline itself. Ryno Kennel yearlings are perfect, but not quite that perfect. 

    After a beautiful clear night, we fed the dogs breakfast, cleaned up camp, and hooked up the teams for the return trip. As we cruised along with the sun rising and the moon shining bright, I realized how incredibly lucky I am. To live in Alaska, to have the support of wonderful friends and family, to spend my day with such incredible dogs, I am eternally grateful.The first camping trip of the season was a huge success. 

First Cold Snap

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We've had our first cold snap of the season here in Two Rivers! Lucky for us it only lasted a couple days since our bodies haven't hardened to the cold yet with the abnormally warm autumn.  Don't worry, the thermometer is broken. It was only -35F or -40F. Sounds toasty compared to -55F right?

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So how do we stay warm at -35F? During training runs, the dogs wore new jackets from BECKER SEWING AND DESIGN!!! Thanks Tupper for making a set of AWESOME dog jackets!!

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UAF Nanook Volleyball Team Visits Ryno Kennel

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This past weekend, the Ryno Kennel athletes were spoiled rotten when the Nanook Volleyball Team stopped by for a visit. Thanks Sam for the awesome photos! Go Nanooks! 

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Yukon Quest Fundraiser

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This Saturday evening, I had the privilege of being a part of the Yukon Quest's annual fundraiser- Bunny Boots and Bids, a beer and wine tasting event. Mushers from both the 1,000-mile and 300-mile races wear tuxedos and serve hors d'oeuvres as guests mingle and check out the beautiful silent auction items. Later on in the evening, it was time for the live auction of priceless items like a custom-painted toilet seat cover, a cheesecake (went for $300), and stays at mushers' kennels. It was a blast to visit with fellow mushers as well as mushing enthusiasts. Thanks so much to all the volunteers that made this event possible! Can't wait for the race itself!

Amanda Gecas, Matt Hall, and Ryne (left to right) 

Thanks to Amanda (left) for convincing us to take this photo.

Sled Time

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There's a reason it's called dog sledding and not dog quad-ing---- sleds are SO MUCH BETTER than four wheelers.  

That's right, Two Rivers was just covered with a hefty blanket of snow meaning it is time for the sleds! Today I took out two 6-dog teams on the first sled run of the season. There's not enough snow quite yet to take out a full team, so for now we'll stick to 6-7 dogs. Pure Bliss. 

Also, I found these photos of the evening sky before a storm from a few weeks ago.