Where's our trail?

We still have some snow here and there but I have to admit that summer is here. Valo brought me a lovely gift this morning, just to celebrate that summer is here. There was a tick walking on his face! Well they may look small and cute like spider babies - but they sure aren't! They can spread Lyme disease so I'll have to protect the dogs from ticks. Stuff we use is very toxic for all small creatures and it's been very effective. I guess we just have to use that drug on the dogs again.

Here is sad Odessa wondering where is our trail!? The river is flooding and the trail we used during the winter has melted and the route is under water. Maybe I should make a floating sled?

 I guess we won't be using this trail in a while!

Last weeks of winter

Sunbathing

It's been raining for couple days so it really seems spring is coming and snow is vanishing rapidly. We still have enough snow for sledding but it's getting too soft to move forward fast enough. But the dogs are enjoying the last snow! All my dogs have black back or black stripe on their backs so the sun warms them very fast. But they have white bellies so they can also cool off quickly. They're like penguins!

Under great Northern Lights

Team by a river.

This winter has been just great. We've had enough snow and cold weather to do longer trips and the team "oldies" have been in great shape (it's true like Dr. Cooper says: "my mother had me tested".) It's not that I'm paranoid (I am) but if I have to take one dog to the vet I'll take them all and make sure they double-check our team "veterans". Poor Odessa just gave kisses for nurses when they tried to find her vein for a blood test and didn't understand she was being stung with a needle. By the way, taking blood work for each dog of a team in the beginning of the sledding season is a great idea and you can be sure to train strong and healthy animals.

We've been sledding a lot. With new trails in new places and with no trails at all. This time of year it's getting way too warm but it also has it's advantages. When the snow freezes over after having melt in the sun it's durable enough to carry the dogs and the sled (sometimes you can walk on the snow without snowshoes). This means we can go anywhere we want and the best routes are found by the rivers and frozen marshes. But you need to go out early enough or you will find yourself in the middle of the forest standing in waist deep snow because the sun melts the snow back into slush.

Unfortunately we rarely have our camera with us so I don't have too many photos. I can only describe how awesome it is to sled with the dogs at night under a starry sky when it is bright enough to travel without a headlamp. Only a quiet sound of the runners and occasional crack from frozen trees in the complete silence. Dogs running to a smooth rhythm and shadows of the forest moving slowly. And then. Mists like green shadows in the sky - the northern lights. This is it.

Beautiful forest.

The fan hitch in use when crossing over the lake Loitimo.