Graduation!

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The day has finally arrived! Seven years, three states, two universities, and 25 dogs later, I have finally earned a Bachelor in Business Administration Degree in Accounting from the University of Alaska Fairbanks. I know over a million people earn a bachelor degree every year, compared with the hundreds of Iditarod finishers ever, but for me, earning my degree was an enormous challenge. When there's a world of adventure and unexplored wilderness, it's hard to buckle down and put your nose in a textbook. You could say I was easily distracted. Luckily, I have amazing friends, mentors, and family members to put me on the right track and help me excel. The opportunity to further my education has truly been a privilege and will open so many doors in the future. I could not be more grateful for all the amazing opportunities I've had. So thank you to all that have helped me accomplish this goal!

Tangles

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In Two Rivers, there's an extensive spiderweb of trails that criss cross through the Chena River Valley. Mushers, snowmachiners, and skiers all share the trails and help maintain them for the benefit of the Two Rivers community. Today, Amanda Gecas with Boundary Kennels and Shaynee and Jeremy Traska with Howling Ridge Kennel joined me for a tour of the east side of the trail system. What a blast! Even though I'm supposed to be the guide, I have a habit of taking wrong turns when I'm leading other teams, and sure enough, today was no exception.

Turning around a dog team is not as simple as it seems. A team of twelve dogs, lined out and focused straight ahead is a beautiful sight. Trying to turn 180 degrees while maintaining that same order and structure is another matter all together. Think of a tangle of yarn. Or a ball of spaghetti. As the team folds in half and the wheel dogs are by the lead dogs and each dog is faced in a different direction and some dogs resist the turn while others too eagerly charge ahead, cutting in front of the next pair of dogs- you think you're doomed.  Yet then, like the magic knot that disappears when the magician pulls either end, the line straightens out and everyone faces forward and you smile in disbelief. Or sometimes it doesn't and you're left with a ball of spaghetti. Check out the video below from my 2012 Iditarod starting at minute 4:55. You'll get a glimpse of the ultimate dog tangle. 

Amanda and ryne

Shaynee, Amanda, and jeremy. 

The team. 

ACE Photos

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ACE Race

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We just returned from the Denali Highway after competing in the Alpine Creek Excursion Race. Wow, we so enjoyed the wonderful hospitality, gorgeous scenery, fun mushing, and time with friends. The race consisted of a 55 mile run from Cantwell to Alpine Creek Lodge, followed by a leisurely run back to the truck the next morning. Riley and the yearlings split the run into two 20-25 mile runs with a campout in the middle. All the yearlings did exceptionally well and can add this race to their racing resume, bringing in the red lantern. Ryne and the adults placed 3rd and ran straight through to Cantwell. Katy and Sally stepped up as the speed leaders, although their passing manners need some improvement. Pictures to be posted tomorrow! 

Alpine Creek Excursion Race

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The first race of the season is finally here! Two Ryno Kennel teams are heading down to the Denali Highway to run in the Alpine Creek Excursion Race. The race begins at the start of the Denali Highway on the Cantwell side and runs to Alpine Creek Lodge 65 miles down the road. We will stay the night at the lodge then run at our leisure back to the trucks the following morning. The teams are comprised of:

Ryne: Ham, Katy, Cartel, Fire, Sally, Niagra, Kindi, Supai, Rucu, Derby, Fez, Perm

Riley: Drake, Coot, Eider, Brant, Belle, CJ, Lefty, Fenton, Snuff (Riley), Silk (Riley), Brodie (Riley), Neptune (Riley) 

Derek: Iron Dog

WOOHOOOO!!!!!

Sleds and Snow!

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Over the past month, we've  been alternating between sleds and four wheeler training, with the bulk of training taking place on a four wheeler for better control. Lucky for us, this last snow storm dumped enough snow that we can finally take out "real" teams! The other night, sixteen dogs and I broke trail for a nice long training run! Just in time for our first race this SATURDAY!!


Kennel Innovation

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Mushing is a sport filled with ingenuity. There is no book, "Mushing for Dummies" or a how-to video on Youtube to demonstrate fixing a gangline or repairing a harness.  And oftentimes, even if it is a standard problem like a flat tire or dead battery, it's combined with -40F temps and a pullout 100 miles from the closest town making your standard how-to guide worthless. Which brings me to my main point, mushing is filled with ingenuity.  Unlike other sports with extensive rules and restrictions, there are few regulations in regards to sled size, design, or structure. While there are some rules (your sled can't have a sail on it), there is still ample room for innovation and experimentation. Many mushers design and build their own sleds, ganglines, truck dog boxes, tie outs, and other mushing equipment, making for a sport that encourages thinking outside the box. 

Innovation is not just for establishing an edge over your competitors, but it's also required just to live day to day in a dog kennel. As the saying goes at SP Kennel, "it's never easy." Luckily Derek is exceptional at solving almost any strange problem that comes our way. For example, the record setting rain this last summer raised the water level to the point where it was spurting up the dog posts. Before freeze up, this was not really a problem, but as the temps got colder, it froze the swivel in place. Derek's solution? Build a portable airplane engine heater with an extension to send hot air down the dog post. An hour later, we were back in business. 

Neighbors Campout

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One of my favorite aspects of living in Two Rivers is being surrounded by folks that love dogs, love mushing, and think that spending a Sunday on the trail trumps video games and movies (maybe not football games but that's what 4G is for). This past weekend, Riley and I took the dogs on a campout and met up with other local mushers  Matt, Joanna, Chase, and Spencer. By camping next to other teams, it allows the young dogs to get a better idea of the checkpoint atmosphere and hopefully prepare them for our first race in a week and a half. That's right- Alpine Excursion race is on December 6th! Fingers crossed for more snow!  

Dog Party

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After a run yesterday, the squad came inside for a little relaxation and bonding time. As you can see, Katy, Sally, and Cartel immediately took to the couch. Those girls know how to get comfortable. Niagra preferred to stay to the outskirts where she could lay down without getting tramped by playful Fez and Rucu. Derby curled up behind the couch. Supai just laid down in the middle of everyone, and Fire and Ham stayed close to get as many rub downs as possible. Add Stormy into the mix, and it was a full house. Yep, my childhood dream: a house full of dogs. 

Speedy Hookup

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Last year, I briefly experimented with a GoPro camera during hookup. What resulted was 40 boring minutes of harnessing dogs, booting dogs (TANGENT: there's a verb not in the dictionary- bootying? bootieing? the verb describing putting booties on dogs), and preparing the team for a training run. As you can see from the video, outfitting a team can be quite a process! With a little iMovie magic, I've shortened the clip to a high energy three minutes. Be forewarned though, the footage is a tad bumpy, so I wouldn't recommend watching it if you can't handle roller coaster rides.