Monday, March 28, 2011

Trails


Our trails are still 'there', but ice and grass patches, not for safe travels. We've had a couple of below zero nights in last week, but meltdown will be active with days in 40's this week. Don't think we'll make our record of usable trails until April 9th, but we'll see.

We have a new young handler interested in summer work, the dogs will love him. In the meantime, it's that transition time of year.

Photo: Buddy (14) and his deer pals.


Straw bale count: about 50 for the winter, down from last year, milder winter this year, but we'll still be raking up 50 bales.

Monday, March 21, 2011

Coveted, well deserved awards to Aliy and Allen

SPKennel, Aliy Zirkle and Allen Moore won two awards this year, possibly the most coveted
of all... Aliy the Seppala Humanitarian Award, the second time she's won this prestigious best dog care award, and Allen the Sportsmanship award for literally saving Karin Hendrickson's
ice when she was suffering from hypothermia on the sea ice... he hooked her sled, dogs and all
to his and took them to the checkpoint, White Mountain. SP Kennel, Two Rivers, Alaska
represents the very highest standards in mushing with dogs. No wonder their dogs love them!!
(and we love their dogs :)

More lightning and thunder!

Is it the super moon? Last night the dogs endured a second round of thunder and lightning.
We brought Lillen inside as she would not eat or drink. The display of lightning was like fireworks, lighting up the snow and resounding , almost like echoes. I did walk out to check
and the dogs settled down to see me walking in it. Now we're expecting 8 inches of snow...
feels like Mother Nature has a lot of fury this spring.

Saturday, March 19, 2011

Trails

While we can still say we have a trail, it is partially melted down and ice. Seems like the winter went by way too fast. And today I'm 70, wow! aging as fast as the snow is melting!

Friday, March 18, 2011

Thunderstorm, Hail, Meltdown

After a very warm, sixty degree afternoon of meltdown and messy pens draining mud and straw, we had an unseasonal thunderstorm with lightning and hail. Lillen, who has rules,
pouted in her house, clearing expressing that the storm was not within her expectations. She rallied an hour or so after the storm.

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Aliy finishes in 11th

Glad to see Aliy Zirkle finish in 11th into Nome. On the final stretch onto Front Street, she passed Dee Dee Jonrowe. There had been a photo finish just prior with Ken Anderson seizing
9th place over Jesse Royer who then placed tenth. Aliy's dogs looked happy and healthy
and they charged toward the arch. Great year, Aliy. It was her second best finish time, in a fast year. John Baker beat Martin Buser's record time by three hours, which shows how fast the trails were.

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Wintersong, Glory, lead soloist

Glory leads the song in the first pen as she heals from her surgery.

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Hopscotching Mushers

It's great to watch this year's race and the leaderboard keeps hopscotching... right now Buser
shows to be in 'lead' out of Nikolai but there is a pileup of mushers into Nikolai, some who have
camped enroute, so the leaders will change again soon.

At home we took Glory in for a check up today, they left her surgical drain in. And, we discovered a tumor on Frita... not a good year for dogs, but mostly aging related illnesses.
Frita will get her turn at surgery soon.

Iditarod, Day Two and all

Iditarod is fast with good trails right now. Aliy is in/out of Rainy Pass and into Rohn. Allen
is out of Rainy Pass. Mackey and Neff are just six miles ahead of her at this moment.

And we are about to get dumped on with heavy , wet snow, six or more inches. Glory goes
to the vet today to have her tube removed and then we will start to tame snow, hopefully.

Monday, March 7, 2011

Iditarod Commentary, Joe Runyan

Alaska Dispatch has Joe Runyan doing commentary, www.alaskadispatch.com
Only thing I don't like about Joe is that he tends to see only males in his observations!

Friday, March 4, 2011

Iditarod Watch

Bib numbers were drawn at the Musher Banquet last night in Anchorage, for the Iditarod Start.
Aliy Zirkle drew bib no. 18 and husband, Allen Moore, drew bib no. 5. We'll be watching the race via GPS Tracker on www.iditarod.com.

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Update, Glory


Beautiful Glory's tumor report came back, not good... hemangiosarcoma, grade 3, aggressive. As I write this she is singing her beautiful multitoned howl in the pen next to the house. Her prognosis is not positive, but her personality is an A plus. The kennel's happiest dog is how our veterinarian classifies her. We love you, Glory, sing on!