Americano Blue's musher/mushing chat thread

[charnic44]

Where did you get your sled? 

This is the one I have currently:
http://www.affordabledogsleds.com/dasher.htm

This is the one I'm going to get for longer races:
http://stores.adanacsleds.com/mid-distance-sled/

 

[spiritbrook]

The bit about moose territory reminded me of something I saw just the other day. We don't have moose but we do have elk and it is rutting season.

I drive past an elk preserve on a regular basis. Earlier in the day when I went past I saw that the fighting had settled and a huge bull had won the cow herd and all the boys were settled back into their bachelor herd. I decided that I would try to get some photos of them on my way home. On the way back I saw that they were easy to find but the spot closest to the highway was taken and it didn't look like I could find room for me, my camera, and my big tripod without being in someone else's way. It is posted that we stay on the opposite side of the fence from the elk, breeding season makes this even more sensible. They are both testy and spooky and just as likely to run you over as run away. Especially a bull who is just a few days past the battles. I drive a little further and hope to find a place to pull off so that I don't have to pack that tripod forever. Suddenly a couple cows heads go up and ears forward, followed by the bull and the rest one at a time. I look between me and them and see a lady walking across the field with her camera against her chest and occasionally holding up to take pictures as she still walked. Not only is she spooking the herd and spoiling the shots for other photographers, she has violated the posted, "No Trespassing" on the US Government stationery, and she might jolly well loose her life... I was mad but there was no place to turn off and let the man standing by her car know what I thought. I didn't see if they were from California. Sorry any Californians, but most of the time those dumb stunts are from there.

 

[RezChamp]

The bit about moose territory reminded me of something I saw just the other day. We don't have moose but we do have elk and it is rutting season.

I drive past an elk preserve on a regular basis. Earlier in the day when I went past I saw that the fighting had settled and a huge bull had won the cow herd and all the boys were settled back into their bachelor herd. I decided that I would try to get some photos of them on my way home. On the way back I saw that they were easy to find but the spot closest to the highway was taken and it didn't look like I could find room for me, my camera, and my big tripod without being in someone else's way. It is posted that we stay on the opposite side of the fence from the elk, breeding season makes this even more sensible. They are both testy and spooky and just as likely to run you over as run away. Especially a bull who is just a few days past the battles. I drive a little further and hope to find a place to pull off so that I don't have to pack that tripod forever. Suddenly a couple cows heads go up and ears forward, followed by the bull and the rest one at a time. I look between me and them and see a lady walking across the field with her camera against her chest and occasionally holding up to take pictures as she still walked. Not only is she spooking the herd and spoiling the shots for other photographers, she has violated the posted, "No Trespassing" on the US Government stationery, and she might jolly well loose her life... I was mad but there was no place to turn off and let the man standing by her car know what I thought. I didn't see if they were from California. Sorry any Californians, but most of the time those dumb stunts are from there.

OH 456. some people have no more brains than last years dog "excrement".
I take chances that most people wouldn't, but they are not totally uneducated guesses. I grew up in "the web of life". I appreciate my life and have a pretty good handle on this and that. I think I would not get into a middle of a herd of elk unless I had a very large and very loud high powered rifle. No shootin with a camera from them close quarters.

 

[RezChamp]

My mentor sent this pic the other day and I'm trying to buy him. Meringue is so happy the weather is cooler!!! So am I!

Oh I love race to the sky! I want to go this year so badly!

Hey Blue
OH YEAH!! Not many of them left. Me likey. He looks like my Rex. Rex is an old style Indian Dog. He(your dog) would sure get some Iditarod dogs out of Meringue eh. You gona breed them if you get him? I hope you get him.
Ya, I sure would like to go too. ....like I said before eh. There's another 1 in ???Montana??? Jackson Hole. Wyoming. A "Stage Stop" or something. Nice pix of scenery. I think it's on Sled Dog Central news.

Hey guys! Haven't been on in a looong time. News: I got 4 more dogs! Plus tie outs, houses, snow hooks, and some other small kennel gear. All for FREE! It/they all came from Kirk Barnum because he is retiring. I'm so excited for this winter. In total, I've a 7 dog team now. A 12 year old, four 9 year olds, a 2 year old, and a yearling.

Blue: You should come to Race to The Sky! I (might) get to race (very good possibility). How far of a drive is it for you? If you go, will you get to race or just watch? The male pictured above looks nice. Leader?

Rez: Sorry about your back...

I know what you mean about the roaming dogs. A new family move in next door (of the 3 houses on our road) and they have 2 German Shepards (GSD). The other house had a GSD, some sort of setter, and a tiny little Finnish breed of some sort. He looks like a Klee Kai almost. Anyways, my dogs have been getting bullied a bit by them so now they are afraid to run past them. I think I'm going to start carrying the BB gun, Probably not the 22 just yet. Race to The Sky: you should definetly come. Though, that's a long drive.

Hi Char
I'm getting around quite well already. Apparently everyone's prayers/good thoughts/positive regard are having a good effect on me. Thanx all. That with being a stubborn, tuff old SOB(sweet old buzzard) does have it's perks.
Yes even a BBgun will have a positive effect on strays/run-arounds.
I' not good with driving much anymore although I sure would love to go...and to the 1 in Wyoming. That'd be so awesome.

 

[RezChamp]

Hi everyone.
Sorry for the long absence. Computer went on a holiday.
We got a few flurries today. It'll warm for a bit, then cool off and we'll get a real snowfall that'll melt then at Halloween we'll some more snow with colder weather then by the middle of November I'll be

MUSHING

.
Gee, I really would like for my son-in-law to bring his quad so I can hoo-up 8 or 10 dogs and go for a ride instead of taking 1 or 2 for a run/walk. It's getting kinda hard on my old body. Well not really old, more well used is more precise term. I think I needa go get a tune-up and grease-job for my bones.LOL.
I got all the "parts of my sled sanded and "primer/sealer"ed. Gona paint it gloss white with a Azure Blue clear coat camo"ish" pattern. I think It'll look good with my hooks and lines.
I re-did the layout of my dog yard. I had to but new chain, quick links and swivels. Some of the ones I had were 20 years old. They would've been OK for most of if not all of the winter but I'd rather do that kind of work in the warmer parts of the year. Built some more doghouses too. I still have 2 that are 20 years old. Oil based Barn Paint. I swear by it. Anyway, just scraps I got from the landfill site. A perk of working there P?T. It also helps that my baby sister is the manager .....and she appreciates my hard work ethic as opposed to the young guys there now. Them scraps are sure appreciated by my dogs now that the "time of the cold rains" is upon us. Gota buy some wheat or barley or oat straw and a cpl of "blow-down" spruce for boughs for bedding.
Oh my ....just gtting longwinded here.
I'll check back on later. Lunch is settled.
TTFN

 

[charnic44]

Hey Blue
OH YEAH!! Not many of them left.  Me likey.  He looks like my Rex. Rex is an old style Indian Dog.  He(your dog) would sure get some Iditarod dogs out of Meringue eh. You gona breed them if you get him? I hope you get him.
Ya, I sure would like to go too. ....like I said before eh. There's another 1 in ???Montana???  Jackson Hole. Wyoming. A "Stage Stop" or something. Nice pix of scenery. I think it's on Sled Dog Central news.
Hi Char
 I'm getting around quite well already. Apparently everyone's prayers/good thoughts/positive regard are having a good effect on me. Thanx all. That with being a stubborn, tuff old SOB(sweet old buzzard) does have it's perks.
Yes even a BBgun will have a positive effect on strays/run-arounds.
I' not good with driving much anymore although I sure would love to go...and to the 1 in Wyoming. That'd be so awesome.

The Wyoming Stage Stop (IPSSSDR) now the Eukanuba Stage Stop, I really want to do the 8 dog Classic, a shorter version of the Stage Stop. Maybe next year if I've got a better team, a younger team, that is. I'm thinking about breeding the 2 year old and the yearling next year for some May/June pups. Of course the yearling will be 2 and the two year old will be 3. They will both cross well on one of the older, bigger males, I think. Anyways, Montana/Wyoming would be a long drive for you, Rez.

 

[Americano Blue]

I want to do the Jr. Iditarod. I went to a professional kennel a while back and they are trying to get more people to run it.

 

[Americano Blue]

Hey Blue
OH YEAH!! Not many of them left. Me likey. He looks like my Rex. Rex is an old style Indian Dog. He(your dog) would sure get some Iditarod dogs out of Meringue eh. You gona breed them if you get him? I hope you get him.
Ya, I sure would like to go too. ....like I said before eh. There's another 1 in ???Montana??? Jackson Hole. Wyoming. A "Stage Stop" or something. Nice pix of scenery. I think it's on Sled Dog Central news.
Hi Char
I'm getting around quite well already. Apparently everyone's prayers/good thoughts/positive regard are having a good effect on me. Thanx all. That with being a stubborn, tuff old SOB(sweet old buzzard) does have it's perks.
Yes even a BBgun will have a positive effect on strays/run-arounds.
I' not good with driving much anymore although I sure would love to go...and to the 1 in Wyoming. That'd be so awesome.

I would like to bred him to Meringue if I can get him. He's a pretty laid back dog, strong and smart. Just a too slow for the 'main team' from what I hear
'

 

[charnic44]

Me too. But for me it's almost $2,000 in just fuel and hotel rooms to get there from here. Eventually I want to do it though. I noticed there weren't a whole lot of people running it last year, around 10 or so mushers? Anyways, I have a whole list of potential races but I need a younger team. The yearling and 2 year old would be fine to run it but I don't think the 9 year olds and 12 year old dogs will be at all be competitive. With the older dogs I just want to gain experience before moving onto some of the larger races like the Stage Stop and Jr. Iditarod.

 

[Americano Blue]

Me too. But for me it's almost $2,000 in just fuel and hotel rooms to get there from here. Eventually I want to do it though.

Ah. Yeah, I hear ya.