Time goes so fast; after a few comments about a lack of presence from myself on Facebook I realized it has been over a month since my last post! It's strange to live in a place, as opposed to visiting, because although things are different daily, it's still a seemingly repeating pattern. You find yourself wondering, is this worthy or exciting enough to post? Finally I have a story I feel is worth sharing again.
Dog Mushing 101:
Corrine, one of the other teachers here at the school has a dog sled team, I can't remember if I have spoken about this in my previous posts. For the last several weeks I have been helping her run dogs to get them trained up for winter running. There had not been enough snow to run with the sled so we had been using an ATV. This past week just enough extra snow came that we could run the dogs the proper way! So Friday after school we set out to camp which is about 5 miles away from Kobuk. To my excitement the first run of the season I would be on my own sled.
To be honest before this experience I never really understood the skill in dog sledding. I mean how hard is it to stand on a sled and have a dog pull. So I thought "no big deal, there can't be that much to it." Boy did I get a smack from reality.
With a full moon overhead and so many layers I felt like a marshmallow I set off to become a teacher by day, and dog musher by night.
The plan was....
Corrine would take the lead with her dog team of 5 and in the sled Lori, a student of mine, would ride, I would follow with my dog team of 4 and in my basket Ella, another student of mine, would ride, Erin would follow us on a snow machine, and taking the rear would be Dan on a different snow machine. Four teachers, 2 students, all geared up, gunned up, and ready to go. We would gently make our way through the forest over the tundra to another picturesque snow globe forest before arriving at camp so we could set up the tent and get the ice off the frame, maybe set up the stove and then return back home. Quick, easy, simple.
The Reality...
Dan was waiting down the trail just a bit and when Corrine, Erin, and I passed he would follow. Corrine was in front heading out of the dog yard, I was second, Erin was making sure we headed out alright before she would get on her snow machine and catch up. Corrine headed out with Lori, I started out with Ella and WHAM! Not even five seconds up and I face planted it.
Now before I started I was told the most important thing about dog sledding is; if you dump your sled or are being dragged behind DON'T let go of the sled no matter what. The dogs will not stop unless they get tangled in something or you catch them. Well that's not as easy as it sounds either. When you have on so many layers you don't quite have the flexibility or grip you normally do.
I fell, the sled turns over, Ella is dumped, the hook that you put in the snow to help keep the dogs from moving when you are stopped gets hooked in Ella's pocket and she is being dragged behind the sled. By sheer miracle after only a few feet the dogs stop. I was still close enough that Erin helped turn the sled back over and decided to have Ella ride with her. So off I go again like bullet.
About 10 seconds later WHAM! A second time I face plant it and the dogs take off, this time with no stop in sight. By this point I see Dan up ahead and begin jogging toward him. Unsure of what to do next, wait for Erin or go chase the dogs, we decide we better go try to get the dogs or at least catch up to Corrine. So off we go, we begin to climb a steep hill when WHAM! and for the third time that night I find myself face down in the snow. Dan had rolled the snow machine on its' side. So Dan and I begin to try and roll it back over. Unable to, we decide to wait for Erin. Up she comes a few moments later. I hop on the machine with her, since stopping the dogs running a muck is are priority, and Dan begins to call someone to come help turn the machine back over.
We catch up to Corrine who has, once more by a miracle, got both dogs teams stopped and is waiting on us. (Apparently it was quite the ordeal getting two sleds and 9 dogs stopped.) I get on the sled for a third time. This time more successful as we continue on the course while Erin goes back to see what's going on with Dan and the turned machine. As we go I slowly, VERY slowly get a bit more comfortable trying got push the bar break and balance on the other foot. I make the rest of the way through the forest over the tundra to another picturesque snow globe forest right before camp when, a hill to steep and a turn to fast leads to WHAM! This time the trail was narrow and the dogs had no way to get around Corrine. So it was just a matter of getting up and going again.
Finally we make it to camp: Adrenaline pumping, toes freezing, happy to be standing on solid ground! After arrival I got to experience the "joy" that comes when toes get to cold and begin to get warm again. I should have added a fourth layer of wool socks, live and learn.
It is so beautiful. Snow that sparkles like glitter, trees that look like the movies, a small little "cabin like" tent. I can't wait to stay there for a night. The ride back was somewhat less eventful, in fact it was even peaceful. I only fell off twice and both times it was on a narrow path so the dogs had nowhere to run. I woke up the next morning bruised and very sore, but wanting to run again sometime soon. All the face plants and sore muscles were worth the 80 min or so across the snow covered arctic with nothing around but nature. There is nothing like it in the world.
