We are continuing to keep the dogs in race readiness for an upcoming race in the middle of March. In order to get to this race, we need someone to come here and look after the dogs that will not be participating in the race & hopefully still good snow conditions for the race to take place. 
The series of photos here was supposed to be a video record of the training run. However, the camera man (me) forgot to take the action cam of photos & change to video. It was a great run, with some narration, that this team of 8 dogs completed in 34 minutes. This 10 mile trail is hilly, with some beautiful forested trails. I tried again to take a video on Fridays run, however the battery (which I fully charged before the run) didn't function. I wish this (In)Action Cam was as reliable as my dogs! I will try again on the next run.
Both teams of 8 dogs are turning in the same times with some of the fastest training runs of the season. I am so happy with the progress of these dogs.
It snowed up here on Friday night into Saturday morning with the accompaniment of high winds resulting in another 8" of snow plus drifting. A good job for the plow truck today.
This is also an exciting time in the Mushing World with the completion of the Yukon Quest, the current running of the Fur Rondy in Anchorage and the start of the Iditarod & the Can Am Races next weekend.
Until next week........

Yes, we were due too a relaxing week after a very busy weekend at the race in Woburn. The dogs enjoyed relaxing in the sun with nice warm temperatures.
We ran two teams of 8 dogs on Wednesday for 10 miles with each team. They were nice easy runs & the dogs really enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere. 
The Spring birds are returning & the forest is filled with their songs. 
On Saturday, Charlie ran a small team on the 4.5 mile trail doing her first solo run.
She did great!
Then on Sunday, Marie-Claude & Jo-Annie were here & also had the opportunity to their first run with a dog team. We had a great visit over the weekend with many laughs & a wonderful spaghetti dinner on Saturday Night. On Sunday morning, we had a big Quebecois breakfast & then out to run the dogs.
Until next week.........

We had an exciting weekend attending the race at Woburn, Quebec running in a 12 dog race/2 day race of 12.3 miles/day. The trails were hard, fast & immaculate. They had one of the best groomed race tail that I have ever run on. I am so proud of the Miortuk Dogs experiencing the quickest runs I have so far ever experienced. On Saturday, even with blowing by a turn & going off the trail and the correction to get back on the trail, the team still averaged 17.38 mph for the 12.3 miles. Then on the Sunday, in -19 Celsius + high winds, we averaged 18.19 mph for the same 12.3 mile trail. INCREDIBLE! I have never in all my years of mushing/racing gone so fast many times the speed over 21 mph. The first 2.5 miles was a strait speed trail causing me use the drag mat on the first day to slow the dogs being afraid I was going out too fast & blowing the team for the last half of the race.  Overall, the trip to & from the race, the stay @ the motel, feeding & watering, the dogs were fantastic causing absolutely no concern. Please keep in mind these dogs are not used to travelling & living out of the truck. Charlie did a magnificent job handling for dogs & me. I also had a great couple here looking after Charlot & the balance of the dogs that stayed at the kennel. 
All in all it was a great weekend.
The photos here are of Halona demonstrating her desire to start running with a team at 7+ months of age. I am really excited at the prospects with these puppies for next season.
Until next week.........

On Friday, we experienced the dreaded action that most Mushers fear "a close encounter with a skidoo hitting your team while training". On the homeward part of the run , we were met head-on with a skidoo(dragging a cargo sled) travelling at high rate of speed on a very narrow trail. Luckily the area was an open area were the visibility was good enough to give the skidoo driver enough time to slow down the skidoo and safely pass the team. It was a terrible site seeing the skidoo & cargo sled swerving all over the trail as the skidoo driver hit the brakes to stop.
I could envisage the dogs being hit and I was unable to do any thing to prevent it. As it turned out, no one got hit and both the skidoo driver & I were shaken up over the near tragedy. 
The dogs continue to run well & we are now preparing the team for our next race at Woburn, Quebec on the 11th & 12th of February. This is a 12 dog team  race over a 12 mile coarse. 
We have had more snow this week making the forest a visual Winter wonderland. 
Until next week.......