X update (by Richard)

X contemplates the fact that life on The Cloud may not be so bad after all compared to a trip to Nome, for now at least.

Thanks Jenny!!!

I just got back from a 'ridiculous AM' run to the Fairbanks airport with Mark and Jenny.
I going to miss Mark a whole lot and will definitely be counting the days till he is back. Well, right after a few nights sleep without listening to his snoring I'll start counting down (and I know he will love having a bed to himself tonight without his wife next to him trying to cough up a lung every 5 minutes!)

We had a really nice run yesterday with Mark showing me the trails he has been scouting out while I've been taking some down time.










Just 3 weeks until he comes back!!!! (Okay, maybe I am counting down already!)


But the point of my blog today is to give huge thanks to our niece Jenny!!! I must say that both Mark and I were rather surprised when Jenny expressed interest in going to Alaska with us this year. Even though Jenny lives only 6 miles from us we really have not spent any significant time with her since she was young enough to require babysitting. Maybe that had something to do with the time we nearly got her drowned at the West Edmonton Mall wave pool, even though she insists she doesn't remember the incident!!!
Anyway, not only has Jenny been a great help, it has been wonderful getting to know her better. She is really a delightful, self confident young lady with a charming sense of humor, a strong sense of values and self worth. She was great with the dogs, a careful driver with the truck, quick to help around the house, and never once complained about anything! Basically the perfect handler!!

So, from all the dogs, Mark and myself - THANKS JENNY!!!! Any time you want to tag along with us again, just let us know - you are always welcome!!!


Jenny and her goofy Uncle Mark

About the video....(by Richard)

The stage at NorthWapiti Films.

I would just like to say thank you so much for all of your comments.

I originally filmed and sent it to Karen as a bit of fun and reminder of home
for her. Didn't realise I was going to become an International film maker !!

I can't take all the credit though. Obviously a wonderful bunch of stars
in front of me makes it so much easier. I just go out and film it, then
come home, hand it over to Kara who for the price of a couple of Dentastix
sits down at the computer and creates what you have all been enjoying.
If anyone wants to see anymore please let her know and she'll direct me as
to what she wants you all to see.

If anyone's interested in the details, it's filmed using a mini bullet camera fitted
to the driver's bow on the sled. (usually fixed to my helmet when skiing or
mountain biking), hence I can still hang on tight! I've also got a GPS data tracker and can tell you at that point we were travelling between 20-24 mph.

So for all those that think Karen's distance dogs aren't that fast - Wrong. They
can turn their little paws to anything they want. Sprint racing - no problem.

The many wonderful photographs Karen takes of her teams don't do them the

justice they deserve when you see them in action.

Glad you enjoyed.

Bye for now.

All at NorthWapiti Film Productions.

The B String

The B string back at home sent along this video this morning!! Enjoy!

Thanks for the Company!

Mark and I were off doing our 'own thing' today with our respective dog teams. He was going longer with a bit bigger team and I was going short with a team that had a few of the dogs with minor injuries and a couple leaders I wanted to put a bit of extra work into.
We (being my team and I) were not alone on our run though. Very shortly after leaving the yard this guy joined us...



For about 15 miles he traveled along with the team.





When I stopped to let the dogs roll around in the snow, he flew a bit ahead and landed on the trail to wait for us.



Sometimes he was above us, sometimes behind, sometimes ahead...


...but always around.



See him up on the left next to the really tall tree??? He never let us out of his sight.



About 4 miles from home, we came to an intersection and turned left to head back home. He 'cawed' at us a few times and then headed right. Maybe he was off to check on Mark.

I love ravens so much!!!!

Hamburger Run

Mark and I went 'playing' this morning! The event was the Two Rivers Dog Musher's Association 'Hamburger Run' (so named because the 'prize' for finishing is a hamburger at the Angel Creek Lodge).

They have a really cool 'Alaskan Mass Start' format. Dogs were allowed to be dropped around the truck, but couldn't have their harnesses on. At the drop of a hat, the musher and one handler start harnessing and hooking up dogs.


Jenny may be a great handler (I'm completely forgiving you for not being at the finish line on time today Jenny!) but she can't be in two places at one time, so she worked with me at the start and Jan's friend, Georgann, helped Mark.
Out of 9 teams, Jenny and I got my team out second or third!



My team consisted of Jinx, Bang, Tess, Rocket, Wolvie, Q, Charge and Crunchie! They were wonderful and finished the 32 miles in 3 hours and 5 minutes (including harnessing and hookup), which was good for 5th place.


Mark's team was Dasher, Spider, Hector, Runner, Barq, Irving, Bingo and Wonder. He was very pleased with his run (sorry I didn't catch his time, but it was about 45 minutes behind mine). He finished last, but prefers to note that this was his first top 10 finish in a race!!! :)

My ankle (wrapped in it's brace, in one of Mark's socks, and stuffed into my boots) held up pretty well, the burgers were indeed good and a great time was had by all!!!


Thanks to Jan DeNapoli of Muzzy Graphics for the photos!

Cabin Fever????

"Cabin Fever -
Remedies, cures and healing techniques
From time to time, we all occasionally experience some form of Cabin Fever. What do you do to combat this horrific, degenerative mood erasing dilemma?

Sometimes a cure for cabin fever will require more than just an environment re-location- you may have to prescribe yourself to some good ole fashion out-of-doors activity.
Don't let cabin fever get you down"


So, what do you all think?? Has Richard just come up with a good way to avoid Cabin Fever? Or is he already lost to the illness??