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Random Patterns and Events
by Lynne Price
Copyright March, 2009 -
First thing to attend to were the dogs - of course! I began by learning how to extend the front and rear truck bumper rails and fasten them in place. Then came the two sections of chains with the eight sidepieces and hooks. I stretched these between the bumpers, one per side and fastened them into place. One by one, the dogs were lifted out of their cubbyholes and snapped onto this picket line. I let Rick do this, “dropping the dogs”, as getting them out of their personal cubbies wasn’t that easy for me but was routine for him. The dogs, having never met me, probably sensed that I was a bit of a ‘greenhorn’ and that my confidence and ability to hoist them about was probably questionable. I did try to help one dog Goose, out of his cubby but he stood solidly, bracing both front feet against the front box wall, looking straight ahead. ‘No way little deary’ I heard him say, ‘are you gonna get me outta this box’. This was fine, my feelings weren’t hurt, not too much anyway.
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The truck, bumper, dogs and Rick |
As Rick went along he’d explain everything. He’d explain the reasoning for doing certain things and he would share a good story along the way. He’d share little tidbits of history of the sport or of his past racing experiences. All this made sense and seemed so exciting. His love of the dogs and sport was evident. “So here’s how you do it”, he showed me. Here’s how you remove a dog from his hole. Open the door, reach in, under their belly just behind their front legs and pull them forward, front end comes out and you reach over their back and catch their back ends, then lower them down and place them on the ground. A natural event for most of you I am sure but boy, it was awkward for me. Seemed like the dogs were more front heavy and would pour out the front of my arms to the ground with a thug! I think I’d have to have a ‘mini’ sized truck with ‘mini’ sized dogs and thus ‘mini’ sized dog cubbies and sled!
Next I helped by getting the water bowls out of their own cubby and the barrel of water, which had a frozen lid. It was very sunny that day yet cold. Rick broke the seal so with scoop in hand I filled the 8 dog bowls. Rick is a very calm, smiling, personable person. He had tried to find his lost handler, he was being interviewed, and
he was lining out a volunteer dog handler, and all the time he chatted away. He had spent that morning at the grade school kids down in Wallowa. For the students, he had removed the dogs from the truck so the kids could pet them. He put his toboggan on the ground and showed them how it was used. Through out the year he saves all his worn-out dog booties for these types of occasions and each child in the class receives
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Rick and gang at the grade school in Wallowa |
one for their very own and to take home. This brought them great delight. They in return gave Rick a baseball cap from their school which he made sure he wore for the beginning of the race.
Now for the sled. Rick unleashed it and pulled it off the top of his truck. We attached the big blue sled bag that has 2 large overlapping Velcro edged top flaps and straps that secures it to the inside of the frame of the race sled. The sled, made of wood, plastic, some bolts but mostly sinew which fastens and holds it all together, a metal braking device and center drag pad, was quite light in weight, about 35 lbs. empty. There’s rubber on top of the back runners to stand on and it has a good solid driving or handle bar. The sleds are made to be flexible, not rigid, so that they can bend with the terrain and weight and to give you some control in steering the thing. I attached a pair of cutters to one side of the driving bar where they could be found quickly to cut and release a trapped dog or sled. On the other side was hung a ring of replacement necklines. To the rope loop at the front tip of the sled I attached by a single carabineer the 2 massive metal snow hook lines and the quick release or snub line, all of which wove their way to the back of the sled. These snow hooks rest securely in brackets that are on the sides of the handle bar. Also attached to this front carabineer is the main gang line. Complete with the 3 sets of neck and tug lines plus the 2 forward tugs for the lead dogs. The 2 lead dogs are attached to the gangline only by their harness, then between them is placed the lead dogs neckline. This keeps them connected to one other and keeps them from splaying out, leading the team in conflicting directions. All this gear stretches way out in front of the sled in a straight out line like a casted out fly fishing line. As when working with draft horses, all things should be in their place, laid out, set up right and ready for the work/race animal.
Rick loaded his required list of “must carry” and personal gear into the blue sled bag and packed it well. He made up a batch of kibbles with water so that it could soak during their journey to Ollocot, the
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Rick’s racing sled with the blue bag |
halfway point for the 100-mile race. It didn’t seem like he had enough personal food. Being a mom, this was of concern to me but I figured he knew his needs. He’s an experienced musher plus I hear the ‘vittles’ and care at the luxurious ‘Ollocot Resort!’ were superb. I overheard several musher’s commenting on how well they were treated and fed during this race so kudos to all the sponsors and volunteers. Also, I overheard nothing but thankfulness and positive comments about how wonderfully organized this race is.
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Lynne Price is a long time naturalist, adventurer and observer of life. She is transitioning from a life of being a supportive partner of the second oldest Zine in the nation, Moonlight Chronicles into the field of freelance writing. She definitely doesn’t have any dogs. Just 4 cats, an awesome aspen grove, pond, son/daughter/grandson, gardens, old wore out outbuildings, woven fruit trees and definitely a small cozy home, all of which is affectionately called Ruby Peak Retreat here in the valley of the Nez Perce.
A good site for Mushing Terminology, see: www.everythinghusky.com/features/mushingterms.html
See www.eaglecapextreme.com
Site about litter theme dog’s www.vernhalter.com/OurAthletes/
