The Dogs are happy, the Musher is happy & the Handlers are happy! Snow finally arrived on Saturday Morning making for great running conditions on the trail.
It was a very mixed week here with frigid nights, warm days, rain on Friday & snow starting early Saturday morning . The snow continued throughout the day into the evening resulting in a total accumulation of 3" of the white stuff.
We were able to get in 4 training days this week with Saturday being the best on the snow. During the week, we had to moderate the speed due poor trail conditions. However, on Saturday, we were able to let the teams open up for a great spirited run. It was great to see the dogs able start running to their potential & to be able to work on their speed program.
The puppies are growing rapidly & are very energetic. It is interesting to see them developing their individual personalities. They love getting the attention from Michele, Ben & myself.
With the cold temperatures earlier in the week, the lake was freezing great with 3" of clear ice close to the shore. However, with the warm weather on Thursday & Friday, the lake started to get slushy. Now with the new snow, you can see numerous wet spots. The forecast for the coming week is colder temperatures & only a few flurries. This should help the lake to develop thicker ice.
Until next week.......

Yes, more changes here at Miortuk, Ben Armstrong has joined the team for this season. Ben arrived Thursday evening via Iceland. Welcome aboard Ben!
Good week for running dogs as we finally surpassed the 100 mile mark for this season. The ground is now frozen early in the mornings, so we have delayed or training runs to late in the day. The dogs are now running the 4.5 mile trail without a rest break. They are arriving after the run still full of energy & no signs of fatigue. The photos above are showing the progression of the dogs basically from early conception to two & half years of age. It is amazing the change that takes place in a short space of time.
The puppies are doing great, eating lots of food, playing hard & growing rapidly.
We have experience below freezing temperature all week resulting in the lake freezing over on Wednesday Night. Still no snow & nothing to speak of in the forecast for the next 14 days.
Until next week......   

Yes, the puppies have arrived here at Miortuk Kennel & are adjusting well to their new home. There are some new photos of them on the "Puppy Page".Their names are Sam, Merry, Frodo & Pippin as this is the Hobbit Litter! Again, I would like to acknowledge & thank Valerie & Laurent Gonsolin for their support & trust with these wonderful puppies!
This was a good week for training, getting in four days of running. We also experimented with some different dogs at the Lead position & moving dogs from from one team to the other team. We also reintroduced the two yearling males back into the team & they are doing good. The photos show Indigo running lead with her teacher Angel. As you can see from the photos, she is doing great! We also switched her to run, on Friday  with Max in the Lead position. Here too, she did great!
The dogs are now doing the 4.5 miles with only one stop @ the halfway. 
Today, we are getting freezing rain. Not a great start to a new week. However, the forecast is for better conditions starting Tuesday & the balance of the week looks good.
LET US TAKE TIME TO REMEMBER THOSE WHO FOUGHT FOR OUR FREEDOM ON THIS VETERANS DAY!
Until next week..........

Wet week here with lots of rain from Hurricane Sandy. However, we can't complain as the effects here were minimum especially compared to the people living on the Eastern Seashore of the USA.
We were only able to get in three training runs due to the weather. Thursday & Friday, we trained in the rain and it was very messy. The harnesses, ganglines & our clothes were covered in wet muddy/sand. The dogs are performing great and are looking real strong. With their better condition the speed is increasing & the run rest intervals have changed to 3 minute runs with 1 minute rest. Probably starting next week, we will run the 4.5 miles with only one rest stop.
Next week, we will be bringing the puppies here from Valerie & Laurent's. They are growing and are now exploring around their habitat and eating solid food. There are a few new photos on the Puppy Page.
Until next week.......