[]
But this time from a mushing rock star - Jeff King got
himself a helmet cam. He's posted some video of a pretty
amazing head-on pass involving two quite large teams on a
narrow trail: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3P3dBswYzc
Watch in high quality - he lives just outside of Denali and
it's a beautiful trail.

Speaking of pretty great scenery:
http://www.cb300.com/graphics/2009/2009%20Poster.jpg
--
Melinda Shore - Software longa, hardware brevis -

Prouder than ever to be a member of the reality-based community

On 10 Jan 2009 06:59:22 -0500, (Melinda Shore) wrote:

[]
But this time from a mushing rock star - Jeff King got
himself a helmet cam. He's posted some video of a pretty
amazing head-on pass involving two quite large teams on a
narrow trail: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3P3dBswYzc
Watch in high quality - he lives just outside of Denali and
it's a beautiful trail.

wow that's great... I can hear him command the dogs to go right when
he sees the other team! very cool.



Speaking of pretty great scenery:
http://www.cb300.com/graphics/2009/2009%20Poster.jpg


I WANT SNOW! pretty.

newfondly yours,

Nessa
----
Dog Mom to:
Hannah age 6.5 Pitador rescued age 9 weeks
Harley small shaggy cow that pretends he's a newfoundland rescued age 10 months
(Angel) Bagel went to Rainbow Bridge 9/18/08 my Newfandstuff age 8.5

In article ,
Nessa wrote:
wow that's great... I can hear him command the dogs to go right when
he sees the other team! very cool.

You can also hear the runners on the snow, which is a lovely
thing. Unfortunately you can't hear the dogs' feet on the
trail, because that's also a really lovely thing.

I WANT SNOW! pretty.

Well, snow in Baltimore doesn't look a lot like that! But
Jack is sprawled across my lap at the moment (yes, it's hard
to type) and he says he wants more snow, too.
--
Melinda Shore - Software longa, hardware brevis -

Prouder than ever to be a member of the reality-based community

"Melinda Shore" wrote in message
...
[]
But this time from a mushing rock star - Jeff King got
himself a helmet cam. He's posted some video of a pretty
amazing head-on pass involving two quite large teams on a
narrow trail: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3P3dBswYzc
Watch in high quality - he lives just outside of Denali and
it's a beautiful trail.

Speaking of pretty great scenery:
http://www.cb300.com/graphics/2009/2009%20Poster.jpg

The poster really tugged at my heart. I wanted to be there. But I know
that I really don't.

Is it pretty common for trails to be along power lines? I know it's just
everyday stuff for people who just live there but it detracts from the
romance of it for me watching it.

How many dogs were there? And what is their average speed? They were
moving right along!

Judy

"Melinda Shore" wrote in message
...
[]
But this time from a mushing rock star - Jeff King got
himself a helmet cam. He's posted some video of a pretty
amazing head-on pass involving two quite large teams on a
narrow trail:

I think it's amazing that nothing got tangled up passing. There are
many ways something like that could go wrong, but it went perfectly
right.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3P3dBswYzc
Watch in high quality - he lives just outside of Denali and
it's a beautiful trail.

It certainly is pretty. I even like the power lines, but I've got a
thing about them. I kind of miss my back yard pylon in Spencer. I took
a *lot* of photos of it. My current crush is a construction crane
across the street from the library, but it's not quite the same thing.

Speaking of pretty great scenery:
http://www.cb300.com/graphics/2009/2009%20Poster.jpg

Gorgeous!

--
Shelly
http://www.cat-sidh.net (the Mother Ship)
http://esther.cat-sidh.net (Letters to Esther)

In article ,
Judy wrote:
The poster really tugged at my heart. I wanted to be there. But I know
that I really don't.

Probably not right now, for su
http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/648784.html
(since you know Alaska, the race is between Glenallen and
Paxon and they're seeing those extreme temperatures).
But boy, that's an extraordinarily beautiful photo.

Is it pretty common for trails to be along power lines?

It is, actually, since power lines are clear cut and go for
miles. However, most dogsledding in Alaska is far from
power lines, and King happened to be training there.

How many dogs were there?

I tried to count and I think there were either 14 or 16. A
lot of dogs.

And what is their average speed?

I would guess 12mph or so. Note that few of them were
loping at any given point. That's a good speed for a
distance team. By way of contrast, check out a ride with
open class sprint champion Buddy Streeper:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBVBu...e=channel_page
(also a very beautiful stretch of trail). The difference is
that King's team races 1000 miles and Streeper's team races
usually races 20-30 (although he also does some stage
racing). Their idea speeds are very different!
--
Melinda Shore - Software longa, hardware brevis -

Prouder than ever to be a member of the reality-based community

"Melinda Shore" wrote in message
...

Probably not right now, for su
http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/648784.html
(since you know Alaska, the race is between Glenallen and
Paxon and they're seeing those extreme temperatures).
But boy, that's an extraordinarily beautiful photo.

I have been noticing that. Now, according to the Minnesotans, there is no
such thing as too cold - just not enough of the right clothes. But those
temperatures are just insane. I've heard they cancelled XC ski races
because of it. Men and machines are not meant to operate at those
temperatures.

I also have been noticing that Juneau is getting record snows. I'm guessing
it's the same weather that it making for all the problems in Washington and
Oregon. That ought to build some new glaciers!

I would guess 12mph or so. Note that few of them were
loping at any given point. That's a good speed for a
distance team. By way of contrast, check out a ride with
open class sprint champion Buddy Streeper:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBVBu...e=channel_page
(also a very beautiful stretch of trail).

Wow. That has got to be scarier than any roller coaster.

Is it necessary to train the dogs to ignore other animals that may cross the
trail just ahead of them? I'm picturing the wild ride you'd get it the team
took off after a deer. Even briefly, it would give you quite a ride over
the ridges along the trails.

Judy

In article ,
Judy wrote:
I have been noticing that. Now, according to the Minnesotans, there is no
such thing as too cold - just not enough of the right clothes. But those
temperatures are just insane. I've heard they cancelled XC ski races
because of it.

Right. According to the governing body for the sport races
have to be cancelled if it's below -4F at start time. On
the upside I understand that wood splits really easily at
-40.

I also have been noticing that Juneau is getting record snows.

Doesn't Juneau get a huge amount of snow to start with? I
remember the city's electical power being taken out by an
avalanche last year.

Is it necessary to train the dogs to ignore other animals that may cross the
trail just ahead of them?

Yes! And yes. Tangles and fights are actually not that
uncommon during passes, which is one of the reasons that the
King video is so impressive. But sure. Since it's a video
kind of morning: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQ7KjDGx5bU.
Our first few outings with her in lead, Image tried (and
succeeded in finding it wanting) to take my measure by
following deer trails through hedgerows and whatnot. Boy,
have I learned a lot from that dog.

Last weekend the dogs did great with the loose dogs on the
trail but among the things you just do not expect to run
into and that the dogs had never seen before on a trail is
horses. We encountered a couple of trail riders in the
snow. The dogs flipped out and unfortunately the snow was
too thin to be able to brake well. As a side note and a bit
of a product plug, during the attempt to find a place to
hook down the snow hook went through my favorite Carhartt
cold weather pants (which alas, are no longer made), their
thick sherpa lining, my long underwear, and into my leg, and
left 2" rips in all of them, but I was wearing a pair of
Darn Tough socks and they still look like new. I don't know
how they did that because they feel pretty soft.

I once saw some video somewhere of Aliy Zirkle talking about
coming around a bend in the Iditarod trail and finding a
bunch of bison.
--
Melinda Shore - Software longa, hardware brevis -

Prouder than ever to be a member of the reality-based community

"Melinda Shore" wrote in message
...
Doesn't Juneau get a huge amount of snow to start with? I
remember the city's electical power being taken out by an
avalanche last year.

It does - something in the range approaching 200 inches. I don't know what
the record is but I understand they are about to break it this winter. And
it's only January 10th.
As a side note and a bit
of a product plug, during the attempt to find a place to
hook down the snow hook went through my favorite Carhartt
cold weather pants (which alas, are no longer made), their
thick sherpa lining, my long underwear, and into my leg, and
left 2" rips in all of them, but I was wearing a pair of
Darn Tough socks and they still look like new. I don't know
how they did that because they feel pretty soft.

Ouch. And the product plug may have worked. I'm going to take a look at
Darn Tough socks for DH. As he (we?) get older, his feet and hands are
starting to feel the cold so socks and gloves are taking on an importance
they previously didn't have. He used to be able to work outside in sub-zero
temperatures, in the wind along the St. Lawrence river up in Quebec and
never need gloves. That has changed. Proper gear is very important and we
don't always appreciate that.

Judy

Melinda Shore wrote:
In article ,
By way of contrast, check out a ride with
open class sprint champion Buddy Streeper:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBVBu...e=channel_page

Holy F**k! What a rush that must be. Do those dogs really burn it at
that speed for 30 straight miles??