My effort towards cementing Canadian and American relations!!  The couple wanted to see if this big fluffy dog would pull a sled!!!  and he did.......after a fashion!!!  Sometimes he was headed in the wrong direction!!!!

Day 2 of L’Epiphanie was good – not great, but good!  The only problem he had was that a dog driver he passed, then she passed again and she couldn’t get away – so even though Randy had made up 2 minutes on her to catch her, our dogs and her dogs didn’t have enough left to pull away from the other team so it actually held Randy back from doing better (because there was 3 back and forth passes with stopping/slowing every time)  He had left out 2 dogs so went with 12 dogs – they hung in there pretty good considering the trail was mush by the afternoon when they ran – it did rain some the night before and made everything covered in ice but by afternoon it had softened and just made the trail really tough slugging!  The other thing (dog racers always have just one more reason why they didn’t do better………) is that our dogs were getting over a bout with some stomach flu and diarrhea – we think that prevented our really tough wheel dog Soldier from having enough energy to finish hard.  So Randy actually improved by one place and came in at 11^th!!!  And also won some money!!!!!  Being 11^th our of 17 is a big improvement over the last 5 or so years so we are ecstatic!!

We trained the dogs that didn’t race over the weekend today – and naturally because we tried to use dogs that haven’t led in forever, we had trouble getting out on the trail – it also didn’t help that Caleb is in heat and the leaders kept stopping and turning around to see her……..!!!!!  I ended up holding the dogs out on the trail while Randy went back and got Greg (who had led in the race both days) and we took off and did a nice slow getting-back-in-shape run.

Have to do less on the internet over the next 4 days cause I have used up too much data the first 3 weeks we have been in Canada!!!!!  So unless something noteworthy happens in the next couple of days, I will catch you up on Thursday!!

Great day to race!!!

We were exhausted by the end of the day but it was a really good race for Randy!!!  He came in 12th out of 17 and would have done better if the dog we thought was healed from and injury had not slowed him down!!!  It's much too warm today and we got some rain so it is also icy but we will see how today's run goes.  He is dropping 2 dogs so only running 12 - wish him luck!!!

What a dinner!!!

We did train on Thursday and it was pretty cold, if I do say so - and I guess I get to cause I was there!
Did a short run just to give the dogs some exercise - at this point we don't know if about half the dogs would free drop so we haven't really tried it yet - so to make sure they aren't losing muscle tone we ran them short and for fun!!  Randy is really pleased with the 16 older and unhurt dogs that ran but he will probably only run 12 or 14 (one of the little girls is in heat and not positive about 2 others and how much they are actually pulling or are they just keeping the line tight??

At 6 we were picked up by Claude and Renelle and we went to Shawinigan to dinner at the Greek restaurant that is leasing space at the "fun building" they own - it has bowling, bumper cars, lots and lots of video games, pool, and a full theatre and now...........a Chocolata franchise!!!!!!  They added on a beautiful new space with a vaulted ceiling and fire place and all kinds of sweet delights for sale.  The primary product of the franchise is a topping that you dip the ice cream into and it gets hard - plus all kinds of cheesecakes and way many calories choices!!!!!!!!!!!!  So that's where we had dessert!!!!!!!  I ordered a mini cone with caramel with sea salt.........the ordered got confused and I received a huge cone that was meant for Patrick!!!!!!  I ended up eating only a bit of it and then giving it away!!!!!

Today we have fed early and will leave for Epiphanie (1.5 hours towards Montreal) at 4 - hope finding the race site and parking goes well!!!!

 Us at the Chocolata!!!

Shows you how beautiful the space it!!

Shopping......but not really the kind I like........

Well not too much happening around here – Training Sunday and Monday even though the trail was almost, almost too icy – it was still safe for the dogs but had it been much colder it would have been very slippery.  Monday nite it snowed and Tuesday it rained – freezing rain just for fun!  So today we have not trained for 2 days but Hermel (Bellerive’s dog handler) has groomed the trail so we will probably train tomorrow – even though it’s a bit close seeing as how there is a race scheduled for this weekend at Epiphanie (About 1.5 hours from here).  It is usually a fun race for the spectators and they have a big craft fair and lots of activities – originally the weather forecast called for rain this weekend but now it is supposed to snow both days!

What we did do today was wash dishes and get ready to go buy a new generator – the one we had fit in the compartment in the front of the trailer and we bought it from Sportsman’s Guide catalogue only 3 years ago – and of course only use it on weekends during the winter when we are at a race without an electric hook-up………so………$632 later we have a new one that fits in the space and we hope it lasts longer than the old one (the mechanic at Bellerive’s business’ shop thought the armature had gone bad and it would cost as much for a new one as buying a new generator!!)  Also had to go to Walmart while we were in Shawanigin and had to go to Canadian tire to buy mucho dog treats (for the dogs that don’t love going back into their box…) and tie-downs to keep the generator on the back of the truck on the way home.

So it looks like tomorrow training, and traveling to Epiphanie on Friday!

The temperature sure is changing alot and fast....

Yesterday it was over freezing and the trail was melting down to the ground while we were helping Claude and Melanie train 4 teams  of dogs (2 6-dog and 2 16-dog) - the sun was out but it was windy so I had to dress warm - we were riding on the 4 wheeler with the winter bulldozer tracks on it and were the trail guards to block the other trails so the teams would not go off the trail onto the snowmobile trails that are all around the dog training trails.

That took until 3:30 and it was time to make doggy dinner - after that Randy went out to drag/smooth the trail twice because the temp had dropped so fast he hadn't had a chance to get too it so it started freezing in lumps.

Today Randy is working on fixing the bed of his sled where it broke into pieces at some time - it was a good thing he noticed it because it may not have held if he had to put a dog in the bag - I am sure it also makes the sled less stable steering with a big crack in it!  Then we are going to train 20 dogs as soon as he goes over the trail again to get the bumps out.  Not much else going on.......just staying warm....it is only 12 degrees today!

Training day today!!!

Went to Shawiningan yesterday for propane and food - it's nice to be familiar with the town and know our way around.......at least to Walmart!!  Then out to dinner with Bellerives at the restaurant in Charette.  It was so good to catch up on the last 9 months!!!!

Today we train all 22 dogs again - it's pretty mile temperatured at 25 degrees and a high expected of 27.  Once we are done training time to cook a turkey that got thawed since I didn't have room in the fridge!!

Here from Charette, Quebec!!!

The week is progressing nicely – no new problems and we got 3 new dogs from Bellerives – we ran them today and they did well – they had not run for 2 weeks.  Our usual dogs also looked good going only a short fun run yesterday and today – it was a bit colder today than yesterday so had to load up with another layer after the first run – we are going with the teams hooked to the snow machine so that they can get used to the trail again and build confidence.  Made pea soup today and other than training not too much accomplished.  Do still have the English speaking channel coming in on the TV so that’s a bonus!!!!

Nothing new............

Did laundry at Bellerive's house and made a delightful macaroni and cheese with ground turkey for lunch and supper!  Good to catch up on the day-to-day stuff.  Hermel groomed the trail today so maybe tomorrow training = so so so cold today - only 0 degrees in the dog trailer when we opened up this morning!!!

Daaquam race cancelled due to rain for 2 days and then blizzard!!

Mother Nature is nothing if not unpredictable!  We got to Daaquam and had fun seeing all of our Quebec friends only to awaken the Saturday morning and find 6 inches of new snow (which could not possibly be turned into a good trail for dogs to run on.....)  They did cancel the race for Saturday but thought maaaybe it could go on Sunday - well Sunday very cold and no new snow, but the race course was still unsafe for dogs so was cancelled - we drove to Charette (our Quebec home at the Bellerive's) and though it was very icy in many parts of the very hilly road, it was much less scary than Friday nite in the dark and the fog!!!!!  Got here about 4p and fed and now are ready for bed!!!  Have a good Martin Luther King Day everyone!

If it weren't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all...........

We said a fond farewell to the Waltmans and Jan Shaw Tuesday night and Wednesday showered and loaded up dogs for a planned noon departure………..well that didn’t go so well…………  It had been very cold right up until 2 days ago and yesterday was right around freezing – so that meant that (even though it had just been plowed the night before….) as we were trying to drive out the ¼ mile, curvy driveway, the packed snow started breaking up and we couldn’t even make it up the first little hill – so here we are all packed and unplugged and all 19 dogs on the trailer and we can’t budge!!!!!!  So we tried to call the guy that owns the Deer Park Lodge to come down with his tractor and nobody answers the phone…..so Ashley (Jim O’s dog handler that lives in the pole barn apartment) takes the snow machine down to see why nobody is answering the phone….(she also works there).  She finally comes back and says Ric is on his way- so a half hour later he arrives and hooks on to our entourage and we make it to the first curve in the drive……….and get stuck on the snow bank because between the tractor and the tow strap and the length of the truck it’s too long to make the curve……….so we shovel and shovel and shovel, and some other family shows up to deliver eggs to Jan and their son helps shovel, and shovel and shovel…..we end up having to dig a hole into the ground to get sand out to give the truck tires traction but it keeps sliding over into the snow bank- at long last, Ric jerks it and gets it going and pulls it out to the road!!!!!!!  It only took 3 hours!!!!!!

So we are on our way and things are going pretty good until we stop to feed dogs and I look in our “house” and see that I forgot to put the 2 gallon water jug onto the floor before we left and it has fallen to the floor and cracked and there is water all over the place!!!!!!  Can this day get any better??????

So we get to the place where we drop dogs and pull out from the gas station and all of a sudden there are red lights flashing in the rear view mirror!!!!  It’s a weighmaster doing a “routine stop” because we look like we are heavy – which we are and that’s why Randy went to the trouble and expense of having it all weighed and registered with a log farm plate----well, that’s not good enough for Ontario – they want him to have all of the CDL forms filled out (log book, daily inspection, etc.) and to have a regristration for every province that we are going to go through!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  WHAT?????!!!!!!!!  How do they expect anybody with a travel trailer and pick up to enjoy coming to visit their country??????????????  He lets us go with instructions on where to stop next and get all the forms that need to be filled out and says he could have given us a $4000 fine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  At this point I am on the verge of crazy and stressed beyond belief (Randy too!!)

The next day we travel past Ottawa and spend Thursday nite without problems.  Friday we leave for our destination (St. Just de Bretenieres in Quebec) and race – it should have taken us 6 hours but we didn’t make it there until 6 o’clock!!!!!  It was raining and foggy and no visibility all the way – miserable driving- the only good thing was we stopped at a visitor center and the lady showed us a way to go around Montreal without having to drive through the very congested city!  Oh and on top of all this, my phone won’t charge!!!!! So instead of being able to use the up-to-date maps on the phone, I am using my not-up-to-date gps that shows we are driving where there are no roads!!!!!!  When my phone was down to 4% charged, I got a message from our daughter Amy telling me to check the port for debris so I whacked it on the dash a couple of times and blew into it and miraculously, it worked!!!

So we make it to St. Just on very very bad , bumpy, crappy roads in the fog and register for the race.  Randy drew first to go out in the unlimited class – now that can be a good thing (you don’t have to pass any slower teams ahead of you…..)  or a bad thing (if the trail is crappy you break trail for everybody behind you!)

During the night I hear the downpour switch over to sleet and hail and we wake up to 6 inches of granular snow on the ground and a blizzard!!!!!  The 4 dog was scheduled to start at 9 am but they were out on the trail then looking to see how it was – they found it slushy and icy around the corners and with lots of sharp twigs/bushes sticking up in the trail – so they have cancelled it for today!!!  Will this run of luck ever change?????!!!!!!

Another very busy week (and a half actually....)

We trained 3 times last week and even shortened the run up a bit to 11 miles to try and get some speed on them.   Terrible cold!!!!  I guess it was pretty much like that every where (below 0 most mornings and some days..) but it sure makes it miserable training dogs!  Randy on one of those training runs, thought he had his face mask covering his nose but did not and then I noticed when we got back the tip of his nose was white!!!!  We went inside right away and there doesn't seem to be any damage- luckily!
We also had a big event in the neighborhood- the Tahquamenon Sled dog race - 60 teams going from 10 miles for the 4 dog to 50 for the 10 dog.  Randy was a chute judge and I just helped people get up to the line - we did go and spend about an hour at one of the corners on the race course - it is part of the trail that we use to train and goes right behind the Magnesson's dog yard - we knew that they had 4 teams in the race and thought they might have trouble getting their dogs to go by - 3 of them did not have trouble but one did.....Laura Bontrager was driving them and sure enough, they tried to go around the snow fence they had put up to block them, right through the deep snow - it was a good thing we were there to help!!!  Along with the actual race day there was a draw meeting at Waltman's Thursday nite, a pasty dinner for the bib ceremony Friday, a pizza party for the volunteers on Saturday and the awards breakfast on Sunday - all those days (especially Sunday) were pretty bad weather days to be driving the 25 miles into Newberry!!  In addition, both Randy and I had a stomach flu bug on Sunday - so I didn't even eat any of the breakfast.....

Monday we trained and the dogs were energetic having been off for 3 days!  It was a beautiful sunny day and much warmer (25 degrees felt like summer!!) - the only bad thing that happened is a chunk of ice fell from the trees as we were passing under and hit me on the head!!!! No lasting injury -just a small headache.

Tuesday was go-to-town day again- getting some mailing things in order and making a tax form copy at the library - then for a farewell dinner at Jan Shaw's with the Waltmans -

Today we are leaving for Quebec - there is a race in Daaquam which is just at the border of Maine - hopefully there will still be a race by the time we get there Friday - it is supposed to rain there Thurs and Friday!
Sad to say goodbye to all the new friends we have made here in the last 3 months - though we could tell them we will see them again in April as we will have left a lot of "stuff" (horse trailer with freezer, jeep, 2 snow machines....) here that we still need to get home!!!!

Wish us a hazard-free trip to Quebec!!!!!

 this is driving on US 2 west - you can see the snow storm that is over the northern lower peninsula in the distance over Lake Michigan

 Pictures of Lisa Janders' Christmas room

Randy dressed in the parka we bought from Jan Shaw - ready to go out and groom trail!

I have been negligent in my reporting duties……………   It’s been a long week, Friends………

Christmas Eve was lovely going to Magnusson’s for traditional Polish food (pireogies sp? And sausages from Detroit) after we trained the 2 teams.  Sunday/Christmas we went to Jan Shaw’s for leg of lamb – I think it might have been my first time having lamb- it was delicious!! Even had some mint jelly and the gravy had cherry preserves in it!

The day after Christmas we set out for Bark River (just ½ hour west of Escanaba) to get dog meat from Greg Janders, the mink farmer.  We knew if we didn’t we would be out in 2 days--  Getting there went fine pulling the horse trailer that we moved a stand-in freezer into to store the meat (though as cold as it has been lately, the freezer would more likely be keeping it warm……).  We loaded the meat (about a ton of frozen, special mixed, meat) and had a tour of Greg’s wife’s (Lisa) Christmas room – when I say that I mean the WHOLE ROOM!!!!!  The living room was full of decorations and many many of them are moving mechanical ones!!!!  I thought I liked Christmas – she has me beat!!!

So we take off at 3:30 heading home on what should have been a 3 hour trip – we get to the east side of Escanaba and Randy pulls over on the side of the road because he is seeing smoke coming off the tires!!!!!!!!!!!!  The tire is rubbing on the inside of the wheel well because the spring broke…………Now Randy had replaced a lot of the parts on the trailer before we ever left in the fall so this (just like all of our roadside nightmares…) was totally unexpected!!  As we were limping our way to a place to fix the spring, you guessed it, the tire went flat!!!  We found a place less than a ½ mile away that said they could fix it tomorrow so we verrrrrrry sloooooowly drove there (after moving as much of the meat onto the truck as we possibly could cram in the boxes on the truck!!!) and hoped we wouldn’t wreck the wheel rim!!!  Got there and decided we may as well spend the nite – got a room at the inn……….  Went out to dinner at a steak place and had an excellent meal!  Next morning we head to the mechanic shop and at 10 am they hadn’t even looked at it.  Rand volunteered to run for parts so he took the wheel off and we drove ½ hour to buy springs and a new tire.  Get back and it is in the garage at least, but now it’s lunch time……..so we go to a log cabin restaurant that overlooks the bay and have our lunch -  we get back and it’s still another 2 hours until it is finally finished!!!  So back on the road without further problems and get home after dark – and surprisingly Jim and Denise (the owners of the place we are renting) are here for the week!!! 

So now we are already to Thursday – we train dogs with Randy on the sled (he had been on the sled for almost 2 weeks at this point – had to wait till he could comfortably put the snow hook in to stop and not have it pull out.  We we had gotten enough snow that now the snow hook would not hold!!!  So in the 17.5 mile run I had to get off the snow machine, run up to the team and fix “something” 6 times – that may not sound like much but each time was a “near disaster” with the hook not holding and the team going off on a tangent on a trail newly made by a snow machine…………plus when you are dressed to be sitting on a snow machine in 0 degree weather, you have to peel layers off just to be able to see what you are doing even if it is just untangling a dog, let alone changing out leaders……which is on of the times we stopped!!!!!  I would no more get re-dressed and caught up to Randy than he would stop again and I would start the whole process over……….  Needless to say I was not happy when we were done…….

Went in and had ham dinner with Jim and Denise and Friday again and had bean soup.

I thought that Saturday’s  training would go better because we had decided that every time he stopped we would hook the snow hook into the snow machine runner – how wrong was I!!!!!  The worst time we had to stop they were going down a totally wrong trail that we had no idea where it led and was a single snow machine track through the woods – I tried 5 times before I finally got lined up for him to put the snow hook in the runner – then we had to hook the team into the snow machine by the other snow hook, undo all their tug lines so they couldn’t pull as hard,  I led the team around 180 degrees in this narrow deep snow trail, Randy had to manhandle the snow machine 180 degrees and then I got on the machine and we got them started back to the turn and on the right trail……….I hope it sounds as exhausting and stressful as it was…………..  After that mess we decided not to even train the other team….and I didn’t find out till later that Randy had wiped out in the first quarter mile only to have the dogs stop just long enough for him to jump back on the sled!!!!!  So he was sore and had not been able to see out of his glasses for most of the trail!!!! 

Saturday nite we went to Magnusson’s for pizza – it was a thank-you for helping to put the race trail in for the Tahquamenon race next weekend – so it was all dogsledding people swapping stories!

Yesterday we trained the team we had not trained the day before and I pretty much “insisted” that we use the snow machine and not the sled…….at least until we could have confidence the hook would hold and the dogs took the right turns on command.  It isn’t as good of training for the dogs using the snow machine instead of the sled, but I needed a break from the stresss…..It went better that way but we still had to stop with problems 3 times.

For New Year’s Eve we went to Brown’s (the same family that hosted our Thanksgiving dinner) with most of the neigbors – we stayed there and stopped in to Pine Stump Junction before midnite to see if there was any dancing going on, but the music was terrible………..terrrible just for old folks like us…..  We were surprised there were only 2 snow machines there because people have been telling us that there were over 100 of them parked outside the bar!!!!  Also there were 3 or 4 accidents with them (one a fatality) in the last week – so many people up here for the snow over the holiday!

Randy is out grooming the trail and we don’t know if we want to train today or not – have to go into town at some point and get more fuel…….

Happy New Year to all!!!!