North Wapiti Siberian Husky Kennels
2002 - Tales from the Trail

September 17, 2001

Training Run

The following pictures document a 14-mile training run done September 17, 2001.

Run1 – First things first. Before the dogs are readied, the quad (or 4 wheeler to you Americans!) is tied off and the ganglines stretched out.

Run2 – This board tells who is running and what position they will be in for that particular run. Today, just the team in blue is running. The board is written in my shorthand, so to translate, the team today will be:

Camilla   Kaylinn
Oreo       Freya
Butch     Grover
Orion      Mannie
Draco     Smiley
Cassie    Chester

Run3 – Next the dogs are brought up to the ‘ready chain’.

Run4 – Once all the dogs running that day are on the ‘ready chain’. Harnesses are laid out.

Run5 – Camilla and Kaylinn are hooked up first. The leaders are expected to hold the lines tight while all the rest of the dogs are hooked up.

Run6 – We are now all hooked up and ready to….

Run7 – HIKE!

Run8

Run9

Run10 – For the first bit our trail winds in and out of our land. The trail we are on here is on government or  ‘green’ land, but the fence to the right is ours.

Run11 – This particular spot through the pines is one of my favorite places on our property!

Run12 – The trail winds around and comes within sight of the house and dog yard again.

Run13 – and then goes off our land and heads towards…

Run14 – the DRIVEWAY!!

Run15 – The best part about the hill on our driveway is the view from (almost) the top.

Run16 – Almost to the top!

Run17 – At the top of our driveway the road hooks up with the highway and we swing a hard left into the ditch.

Run18 – Thank goodness the ditches are wide and safe!

Run19 – Time to stop for a water break. I carry modified milk jugs on the back of the quad to water the dogs.

Run20 – Leadership has its privileges! Camilla and Kaylinn drink first.

Run21 –

Run22 – By the time the break is done, the dogs are barking and ready to go again!

Run23 – I love this part of the ditch with the tall, swaying grass!

Run24 – Out of the ditch and back into the woods.

Run25 – Down into the valley and through the meadow.

Run26 – A quick break for praise and pats!

Run27 – The team moves strongly through the trees.

Run28 – The trail spits us out onto the road, heading into the town of Perryvale.

Run29 – We head into town through the ‘back door’, the old CN Railway allowance.

Run30 – Here we are – the Perryvale Country Store.

Run 31 – Not many Post Offices have dog teams parked outside the door these days!

Run32 – Patty gets my mail for me – a package from Cabelas. YEAH!!!

Run33 – The dogs patiently wait.

Run34 –

Run35 – Draco gets a quick visit from a friend.

Run37 – and we are off. (Okay, this wasn’t quite that smooth. The leaders split around the metal post they were tied off to and got the team into a big tangle – but pride prevented me from taking that picture!)

Run38 – Back up the dump road. Notice how the team runs tightly along the right hand side of the road. This is so traffic can easily pass us!

Run39

Run40 – Back to the meadow, where we take another water break.

Run41

Run42 – Grover and Butchie catch their breath. Grover is, of course, my main leader but he rarely runs lead on training runs.

Run43 – Orion takes a break while Mannie munches on some of the wet grass.

Run44

Run45 – The climb out of the river valley. Look at Cassie, the little gray girl in wheel digging in!

Run46 – Back along the ditch.

Run47

Run48 - Now we turn down the neighbors road to head back towards home

Run49 – The dogs love the drop back into the valley! The pictures really don’t do it justice – it is a pretty steep hill!

Run50 – Into the green area.

Run51

Run52 – 14 miles after we started, we pull back into the yard.

Run53

Run54 – They all know they have done a good job.

Run55 – Now it is reward time – thick, meaty soup!

Run56 – Cassie and Chester dig in.

Run57 – Miss Liberty, 14 year old kennel matriarch, does the dishes. Thanks Libby!

Run58 – Orion and Mannie know what is next …

Run59 - …frozen fish snacks!

Run60 – Time to put the dogs away. Most of the ‘A’ team, especially the leaders, are very reliable off leash and after a run simply get turned loose to run back to their houses when they wait to get their chains put back on. This is Cassie, although she ran in wheel on this run, she is doing exceptionally well in lead. Watch for her to be a key leader this winter!

Run61 – First in, last out. Camilla and Kaylinn patiently hold lines tight while the rest of the team is put away.

Run63 – Draco relaxes in his house.

Run64 – Okay – the truth is coming out. Grover, main leader and generally Wonder Dog, doesn’t work for food nor money nor love – he works for belly rubs!!! After every run, before he is put away, he flips on his back for a belly rub! Who could resist???

Run65 – Camilla waits on her house for her chain to be hooked up.

Run66 – Harnesses and Ganglines are rinsed and hung to dry.

Thanks for joining us!

Karen's Diary

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