almost like real sled dogs.....

last weekend we had quite a bit of snowfall for a change. i was able to get them out for several four mile runs and one of almost eight miles. lost valley and castlewood were my trails of choice. i didn't have a three dog line so i left bailey off and she just ran out in front. there was about six inches of snow and i was the first one to cut through it. bailey out front worked out really well and found the trail effortlessly. she even made the right choices when i gave her gee and haw commands and the other two followed. the next day was back at lost valley. i only planned to up their mileage by about a mile, but i ended up getting lost. go figure, getting lost at lost valley. don't ask how i got lost out there, but i did. anyways, it took me through about two miles of the newer cut singletrack. i eventually wanted to take the dogs on the singletrack, but not this soon. they did really well on it. skates got spooked a couple times on the abrupt downhill sections so i had to get off the bike and walk down them slowly. oh well, we finally made it to the trailhead and they were all pretty pooped. i also had a nice crash that everyone got a kick out of at work when they saw the video. holding the handlebars with one hand and the camera in the other isn't cutting it so i'll have to buy a real action camera soon. the next couple rides were at castlewood on some singletrack and horsetrails. once again they did pretty good, but they (skates and teemu) still need more conditioning. anything over four miles and they start to get tired. playing out in the woods also got me sick, but it was just for a couple days and now i'm completely over it. they're really coming along, i even made my own gangline to get bailey tied into the action. it worked really well, but it was the wrong type of rope(polypropylene) so i ordered the polyethylene rope which should be in sometime today or tomorrow. the weather is warming up into the 40's so it looks like i'll be limited to the gravel trails to take the dogs on. it also means i may head out for some rides of my own this weekend. the race season starts in less then two months so i need to really start getting out on the road more. the trainer is getting really old!!! update: i did get out to lost valley today. i parked at the mound since the snow was propably going to be all melted and didn't want to ruin the trails. i was just going to take them for four miles, an out and back. they were a little tired and think they may need a couple days of rest. i was also able to get out on the bike for a little training of my own. i did 44 miles at a nice easy pace staying in zones 1-3. a little more biking in store for tomorrow.