September 07, 2018

Season Logo

September 07, 2018/ Ryne Olson

Each winter, Roxanne designs a new logo for Ryno Kennel to represent each unique race season. And this year she out-did herself again!

Roxanne is a friend from high school, and I'm always amazed with her creative abilities! It can't be easy to come up with a new design each year, but she does it.

Warning Long Tangent (I didn't start out writing the blog post with this, but as I started writing about Roxanne, I couldn't help myself):

As I look back on the past six years since having our first litter of pups (the Ecuadorians), I'm in awe of all the friends, friends of friends, or friends of friends of friends who have helped us along the way. A Durango friend designed our main Ryno logo. Another Durango friend (Roxanne) has designed all of our yearly logos. Scott Chesney, Julien Schroder, and Whitney Mclaren have given us so many incredible photos to decorate the website and share special moments from the trail. Riley, Maliko, Gunhild, Liz, and Tyler have all given us so much time and energy caring for the dogs, building our home, or improving the kennel. Not to mention all the sponsors, friends, and family who have sent notes of encouragement or just a brief email that they're following along. While I try to individually say thank you and that this kennel couldn't function without all the support, sometimes notes fall through the cracks. For that, I apologize! But we truly couldn't live this life without you all, so thank you!

Resuming Original Blog Post:

Back to Roxanne- she's designed lots of incredible logos, so let's take a look back:

Just look at that diversity! So many different styles, colors, and designs. Thank you Roxanne! With this year's new logo, what would Athlete Sponsors like to see as part of their packet? Another hoodie sweatshirt? A tote bag? A regular sweatshirt? Baseball tees? Let me know your thoughts!

Final note- While the dog portraits are complete (thank you Scott), I'm still working on updating the Athlete pages. Most of the portraits have been uploaded to the main athlete page; however, their individual pages aren't finished. Don't cheat and look at the Athlete Page just yet. I'll let you know when it's complete! Once the pages are finished, and we can start the Dog Sponsorship for the 2018-2019 Race Season!

September 01, 2018

Here We Go!

September 01, 2018/ Ryne Olson

We're kicking off the season with rainy runs and school portraits!

Scott Chesney with Tailspin Media visited the kennel last weekend to kick off the season with school portraits! The canine athletes could choose between a couch photo or a white backdrop. Getting highly active sled dogs to relax and pose for the camera is quite a feat, so Scott normally has to come back for another photo shoot to retake any images with the pups who just couldn't sit still. I imagine it must be similar to taking school photos for kindergartners! We have lots of distractions ranging from treats to squeaky toys to jumping up and down and waving our arms. The award for most challenging canine to photograph goes to.... FLASH! Flash never ever stops moving, and she likes to look everywhere but the camera. Treats, squeaking toys, sound effects like barking fox or squeaking rabbits- nothing works. She just wants to say hi to everyone. That being said, Scott successfully got a fantastic photo this year! I'll be updating the athlete pages with their new photos and bios soon, so keep an eye out! Once the Athlete Page is updated, we'll be sending out dog sponsorship information. Thank you to everyone who has expressed interest!

Vanessa sitting pretty with the white back drop.

While the dogs put up with our silly human activities (like taking photos), what they're most excited to do is RUN!!! We officially started fall training, and the teams are doing great! The yearlings fit right in with the older dogs, and there are lots of new athletes who have expressed interest in running lead. Cooke, Elmer, Wingman, Vanessa, and Yuker have all had turns running up front. We're excited for the temperatures to keep dropping and the miles to get longer!

August 22, 2018

Building, Building, Building!

August 22, 2018/ Ryne Olson

We've crossed a couple BIG projects off the list these past couple of weeks: Last Frontier Mushing Co-op Storefront Yurt and moving our old handler cabin.

1- Last Frontier Mushing Co-op Storefront

Last season, Matt and Amanda of Smokin' Ace Kennels were kind enough to allow us to run tours out of their yurt, but this year, we're expanding. Over the summer, we've prepped a new storefront location directly between our two kennels. With the help of a few friends, we erected our Mongolian Yurt in just a few days! The video below provides a visual of a few of the steps. In the video you'll see Matt, Amanda, Kelsey, Tyler, and myself running around. As they say- it takes a village! Basic steps for the yurt assembly are:

1- Build the deck (thanks Matt and Tom!)

2- Set up the door and arrange the lattice around the door.

3- Put the center ring on pillars and place it in the center of the deck.

4- Place one spoke per "x" in the lattice and secure it to the center ring.

5- Pull a white sheet around the frame.

6- Place felt insulation around the yurt. We used two layers given our cold winters.

7- Wrap the house in the waterproof outer layer and tie everything up with the three long ropes made of horse hair.

8- Wrap the house in the blue "skirt" and give everyone high fives!

Our other big project (or I should say, one of the other big projects) was moving the handler cabin. A few years ago, we built a small 12x14 cabin. This was the first cabin I helped build, so I'm rather attached to it. We considered leaving it at our old house, but we decided- when there's a will, there's a way- let's bring it with us!

The cabin itself is about 12x14, but when you add in the roof overhang, it's a hefty load. We rented a double axle trailer from a place in town and went to work with bottle jacks to hoist it up and on the trailer.

Once on the trailer, we drove the cabin to our new kennel and positioned it back in the woods. A big thank you to Tyler and Tom for all your hard work! We weren't sure it was going to be possible, but I'm so thrilled it all worked out.

The cabin is almost ready for the trailer to slide underneath.

Bottle jack supporting the front corner.

The video below is of building the cabin from a few years ago. It describes how we harvested the logs, peeled the logs, stacked the logs, and scribed between them to make the cabin.

So what's next on the construction list? Sanding the inside walls of our new home, wiring the upstairs, and insulating and sheet rock of the upstairs. And of course RUNNING DOGS!!!! We'll officially start Fall Training on September first. We've run the dogs occasionally the past week just to stretch out and keep them happy, but our real season will start in about one week. This upcoming Saturday, Scott Chesney will be taking class portraits, so keep an eye out. It's about time for MUSHING SEASON!!!!

August 15, 2018

Puppies!

August 15, 2018/ Ryne Olson

You might have noticed over the summer that we didn't have the normal "summer pup-dates." Because we had such a large puppy class last summer, we opted not to have any litters ourselves this year. However, we also like to have youth coming up through the ranks to join our team when experienced veterans retire. So....a couple youngsters recently joined Ryno Kennel! These two gals were born May 25th. They were part of a litter of eight puppies. Their mother is Atigun (Ewok's sister), and their father is Kurtis, one of Nic Petite's athletes. Ewok has been a rockstar these past couple of years, so I was excited by the pup's relation to Ewok. Plus, Nic's team had a pretty outstanding season last winter. Of course, most people probably don't really care about all the genetics and who's related to who. You just care about the puppies! So here are a few photos of the girls! They don't have names yet- any suggestions out there?

August 04, 2018

Here We Go!!!

August 04, 2018/ Ryne Olson

The first Saturday in August has arrived, and it's time for the Yukon Quest sign ups!!! We hope you all will follow along this year, and we can't wait to get started!

August 01, 2018

August 1st! And a Co-op Surprise!

August 01, 2018/ Ryne Olson

We're getting pretty excited here at Ryno Kennel- it's August first!!! Normally around this time, the weather starts to cool, and we begin to feel as if winter is just around the corner. It's not that I don't like summer, but winter is just so much better!

As the temps start to drop, the dogs' energy exponentially grows. They get sooo excited for the coming cold and bark and twirl whenever we pull out the ATV as if to say- it's time to run! I try to give the dogs as much exercise as possible. On rainy days, I've taken the pups out for short 2 mile runs down to the Chena River. We haven't been doing as many free runs and loose walks the past few weeks, because unfortunately we've been plagued by foxtails and grass seeds. Pointy seeds can work their way under a dog's skin and cause some issues, so most of our exercise has been in harness.

Overall, the dogs have been enjoying their summer vacation, and I've had the chance to enjoy a vacation or two myself! Jezzy, Sasha, and I enjoyed a short backpack trip in the Alaska Range with friends and fellow mushers, Kristin and Paige. Tom (brother who has being helping so much this summer!) and I took dirt bikes down the Denali Highway for a weekend. And the Zirkle/Moore clan and Barbara let me tag along on a halibut fishing trip in Seldovia. While I do love fishing, the best part of the entire trip was being up close to a large pod of Orcas. With these few trips and all the work on the cabin, I can say this has been one incredible summer!

So what is this Co-op surprise? Well, if you recall, last winter we began a business with our friends, Matt Hall and Amanda Brooks, called the Last Frontier Mushing Co-op. This winter, we're going to include a new aspect of "Alaskan fun"----- REINDEER! Two cows will be joining the neighborhood in a month or two, so we've been prepping for their arrival. Our reindeer will primarily be for viewing during our tours, but we've got a couple other reindeer game ideas up our sleeve. Reindeer have been known for pulling sleds...wink wink.

July 09, 2018

Construction Continues

July 09, 2018/ Ryne Olson

The past couple of weeks, Rick (Derek's dad) came to visit and helped us make significant progress on the cabin! During his visit we framed in the walls, built stairs, and insulated the roof (among other smaller projects).

First up was the framing of the walls. Tom and Rick tackled this project, framing in a small bathroom, laundry nook, and dog food prep room.

Next was the stair construction. Rick nailed up a couple sheets of dry wall along the stairwell beforehand, then we started the task of slowing building each stair. While our stairway is comfortable to ascend and descend, it's slightly steeper than standard codes would permit. Also, not everything is perfectly square, so we had to get a bit creative at times. That's a log cabin for you!

Our final big project during Rick's visit was insulating the roof. Since temperatures can get rather cold here in the winter, we wanted to make sure our roof was heavily insulated. We used R-38 batt insulation and then covered that with 1 1/2 inch foam board. There's no way the heat will escape through there! The cracks between the logs are a different story... but chinking will be a project for another day.

Most days have been gloriously beautiful with a short shower in the afternoon to keep the dust down. We've been going on regular walks with 5-10 dogs to keep them active and happy. We humans play every once and awhile as well- check out the photo of our redneck slippin' slide! Extra logs, visquine, and staples is all you need!

Stairs for the back door of the handler cabin.

Goblin, Perm, Lefty, and Katy- all fantastic leaders!

June 16, 2018

Playing, Running, and Rainbows

June 16, 2018/ Ryne Olson

Summertime = relaxation time for the sled dogs. For some, like Cartel, Jana, CJ, and Frosty, they're soaking it up! They probably nap 23 1/2 hours out of the day and would nap the full 24 except that I wake them up for meal times. For others, like Yuker, Amelia, and the African Litter, they're like that one family member on vacation who can never sit still. Every time the weather permits, we try to hook up a team and take a lap around the property. The Mario Carts and Sharks have been improving every run. Thresher in particular, loves to scream and howl as he's running!

Dr. Jeanne Olson also came out to visit the kennel and do a spay and neuter day. We're SO APPRECIATIVE of vets who are willing to travel. The dogs are always more comfortable staying at home for a vet visit. While each musher is different, we tend to spay and neuter when the dogs are older than one year and aren't top choices for future breedings. Spaying and neutering helps prevent "oops puppies." Spaying and neutering doesn't alter the athlete's drive at all, and if anything, improves it. They're less worried about looking attractive or checking out the ladies and are more focused on traveling with the team. Plus, fixed athletes oftentimes hold weight better. Not to mention, walking large groups of dogs is always more simple when they're not flirting the whole time!

We can't believe it's already middle of June, and not to wish the summer away, but we're SO PUMPED FOR NEXT SEASON! I can't wait to hit the trails and explore the north with these amazing dogs.

May 22, 2018

Raise the Roof, It's Wombat's Birthday!

May 22, 2018/ Ryne Olson

Marty on the roof with a Griff guarding the door.

For Wombat's Birthday, we raised the roof! Ok, maybe we didn't raise the roof only for Wombat's birthday, but both are true! On Saturday, Derek and I placed joists across the rafters, and then Sunday, we laid the tin. Since our driveway is still impassable for cars and trucks, our friend Marty flew his Super Cub in to help.

I have really loved learning how build. While I'm sure professional carpenters would laugh at some of our decisions, it's been so rewarding to build our own home. We're also fortunate to live around so many friends and neighbors who have carpentry experience and are willing to share their time or knowledge. Up next- windows, doors, and interior!

Since the driveway is still impassable for vehicles, our ATVs have become particularly useful. They haul groceries, lumber, laundry, dog fish, dog food... everything! However, not even the ATVs are immune to mud traps, and I have learned alot this spring about the most efficient ways to yank things out of the mud. A useful skill!

So as I mentioned, it's Wombat's BIRTHDAY! She turned three years old today. Her biggest fan, Louise, sent her bones to celebrate and included enough for the whole class! The dogs enjoyed gnawing on their treats this morning.

My little brother Tom (who will be starting his final year of college in the fall!) is spending the ENTIRE summer with us at Ryno Kennel. We're SOOO EXCITED! He'll be working in town and helping with the pups on his off-time.

And just for fun, I'll leave you with this meme. It gave me a chuckle.

May 08, 2018

Time Flies!

May 08, 2018/ Ryne Olson

I normally pride myself on keeping up with the blog, but the month of April was too fast. I truly value everyone's commitment and support, so I'll try to keep everyone better informed!

Our last expedition ended on the 5th of April. For the final night of the expedition, we stayed in our Mongolian Yurt on Trapline Mountain. The winds were HOWLING. Since this is our first year with a structure on Trapline Mountain, we don't have barriers to keep the dogs out of the wind. While the dogs are more than capable of surviving a night in 30F and 20-40mph winds, it's the end of season. Even the dogs like to enjoy some relaxation and fun mushing. Camping for 16 hours in 40 mph wind is not necessarily the most fun. Our options were to mush back down into the Chena Valley or bring every single dog in the yurt. Well, can you guess which option won? Haha- yep! All the dogs came into the yurt. It was so much fun to bond and cuddle with them all; however, the only issue is that the yurt is truly an authentic Mongolian yurt. The felt surrounding the framework is made from animal fur, and horse hide binds the lattice together. I was woken up regularly during the night to the sound of one dog or another chewing on the yurt. Of course I couldn't blame them. It's basically a big stick/rawhide chew toy. But alas, eating our yurt is not allowed.

Immediately after the expedition, we began the move from our old house over to the new homestead. Tyler and Liz had routinely dug out the dog houses throughout the winter to make sure that they were relatively easy to get out of the snow. With all the dogs now over at the new homestead, Derek and I moved into the handler cabin, which is adjacent to the dog yard. The handler cabin is equipped with a wood stove for heat, propane stove for cooking, and an outhouse. For electricity, we have a generator (which we rarely run-it's so noisy) and a deep cycle battery that allows us to charge our beloved technology, like my computer! The photo below of the handler cabin is a bit dated, and the cabin has since been spruced up with shelves and hangers. For water, we're pulling delicious drinkable water right from the well that we pounded last fall. Derek placed a pump into the well, and we fire it up with the generator about once a day for dog and human water.

Shortly after we had all moved over to the new homestead, Liz left for her journey towards her PhD and Tyler headed to Eagle, Alaska for a short visit. I also left on a two-week-long vacation to the Lower 48 to visit my family. Derek watched the whole kennel while I was gone! He's the best!

On my travels, I visited family in Birmingham, New Orleans, and New Haven. When you make a trek from Alaska, it becomes common practice to just do all your visiting in one fell swoop. I visited my Grandmother in Birmingham, attended an incredible wedding in New Orleans, and visited my older brother and sister-in-law in New Haven. I was hoping to time my visit to span Alaska's infamous "break up season," but unfortunately, I came home just in time. I loved seeing all my family, but I was ready to return to my canine family as well.

Ducks waiting for the ice to thaw in the morning.

Break up is (in my opinion) the worst time of year. Yes it's getting warmer and there's lots of sunlight, but the snow is melting (sad) and all the water just collects on the surface. Since the ground is still solidly frozen, the snowmelt has nowhere to go. If you live on a hill or slope, the water can drain downhill. You won't be left with puddles, but the ground will still be soggy and muddy. If you live in a flat area (like us), then the water creates massive puddles. Or bird sanctuaries, as I've decided to call them. So on a positive note, several different species of ducks, geese, and a swan now call Ryno Kennel a temporary home. At least until Jezzy and Sasha run them off.

With the ground being so mucky, you might wonder, what does the dog yard look like? Drum roll..... platforms! This is the first spring with the new platforms, and we all love them. At the muddiest times, we basically all hang out on them. Jezzy, Sasha, Stormy, Derek, me, sled dogs- the whole family.

Even though I'm whining about the mud. It doesn't slow the dogs down on our walks! All the dogs charge through the massive puddles or romp in the muck. Spring time at its finest!

In the meantime, we're still chipping away at the main cabin. We're cutting out and framing the windows, finishing up the rafters, and getting everything prepped for the tin. At the moment, our driveway is impassable by cars, so everything is being brought in by ATV. Groceries, supplies, dog food, clothes- everything by the ATV. Hauling a roof's worth of tin by ATV would be pushing our patience, so we're waiting for the ground to thaw, water to seep into the ground, and the road to become passable for our truck once again.

The view from the front, upstairs window.

March 24, 2018

Expeditions and Cabins and End of Season

March 24, 2018/ Ryne Olson

Spring has been an absolute blast. We've begun the move to the new property, soaked up the sun on our longer days, and met lots of new folks on our tours and expeditions.

Over the course of the next 10 days, we'll move all the dogs over to the new property. Derek and I will live in the handler cabin while we finish construction on the main house. Liz will be moving on to start her Graduate Program with the University of Miami. She'll be studying ducks in Alaska, and over the course of five years, she'll earn her doctorate. Tyler will be returning to the Denver Glacier in Skagway, Alaska accompanied by 35 dogs from Wayne and Scarlett Hall from Bush Alaska Expeditions. He'll be giving tours up on the glacier, so if you have a trip planned for Alaska, be sure to swing up there and say hi! We've had such an incredible crew this year, so a big thank you to Tyler and Liz!!