Final Gold Run

Rudy had a lot to say at our turnaround point of the outing this morning :)

"Woo! Woo! Did you hear me, I said WOOOO?" sings wooing Rudy.
"Does he ever NOT have something to say?" asks mellow & quiet Jack.

Today was our last skijor at Gold Run Nordic Center for this season as they close tomorrow. I swear Jack & Rudy got the memo, as they were tearing it up sprinting around the nordic trails today!

We started on the upper Preston Loop. There was a light layer of new snow on a day old groomed trail. Since this trail gets light usage, a dusting of snow over a day old groom is quite perfect conditions. See for yourself:

I told you, the kids were tearing it up all day long!
They are FLYING in this photo!

We then transitioned onto the main (and very heavily used) trail. I was originally fearing the condition since this trail gets a lot of traffic and the upper loop had not been groomed yet. But, what did we find? Well, low & behold, a freshly groomed lower trail. We were shocked and ecstatic to be first tracks on the fresh groom!

The hover huskies catching air being first tracks on a fresh groom!

Once I saw that we were first tracks, I immediately thought, "Could it be? Could it be? Could we get to play our favorite game at nordic centers: Catch and Pass the Groomer?" Well, sure enough, Jack & Rudy slung me around a few bends in the trail until finally it was Catch the Groomer!

We did it! We caught the groomer! Jack & Rudy love doing this.

As I've described many times before, the groomer drivers know us and will stop to wave us on by when the trail gets wide enough to do so safely. So, we hung behind the groomer for a few moments until the trail widened and the driver stopped and waved us on. Oh boy: Pass the Groomer!

Passing on by! What fun for our final skijor at Gold Run this season!

Now let's put it all together in today's video highlight: 1) flying along being first tracks on the fresh groom; 2) catch the groomer! 3) wait, wait; 4) pass the groomer! 5) FLOOR IT once safely on by. Wheeee!

[watch on youtube if no video loads below]

What a wonderful outing for our last skijor at Gold Run Nordic Center this season, right guys:

"We LOVE Catch and Pass the Groomer!" says the happy kids.

Today's tally: 6.6 miles traveled with 400 feet of elevation climbed and a top speed of 24 MPH.

2024/2025 Season to Date: 88 days on the trails covering 682.9 miles with 65,200 feet of elevation climbed.

Classic

Love how skinny Jack can fit in a classic ski track to roll a snow angel!

That's classic Jack :)

While Jack is known for his skijoring POWER, he is also a skinny guy as you see above. There's a LOT of power packed into that skinny frame!

This morning was a gem of a day, especially for April! We started out laying fresh tracks in a light layer of new snow in the Dry Gulch backcountry:

Laying fresh tracks! Wheeee!

We then found ourselves first tracks on the freshly groomed upper trail at Gold Run Nordic Center. Sweet!

The hover huskies catching air as we are first tracks on the fresh groom!

We were doing a short outing today, so we only spent a short distance on the upper loop trail before transitioning onto the main trail. But, what did we find on the main trail? Darn near PERFECT. Only one other skier with a dog had been on the trail since the fresh groom. That's pretty much still "first tracks" :)

If you look closely, you can see a set of dog footprints in front of and to Jack's
right. The skier had used the classic track (you can see the ski pole holes on each
side of the classic track). This was about as close as you can get to being first
tracks on this popular section of trail!!!!

So much fun footage from today's short outing. What to feature in the video? Hmm, how about the counterpart to the prior photo as the GPS registered us topping 23 MPH along this section of trail. Come along, watch the fun and enjoy the light snowfall coming down around us. Whee!

[watch on youtube if no video loads below]

What a classic day!

"Ready!!!" says the happy kids perched atop a snow wall awaiting
end of run treats.

Today's tally: 4.3 miles traveled with 200 feet of elevation climbed and a top speed of 23 MPH.

2024/2025 Season to Date: 87 days on the trails covering 676.3 miles with 64,800 feet of elevation climbed.

 

April Snow

Off we go!

Starting out the day with fresh snow on the Sallie Barber Mine Trail.

This time of year, ALL new snow is welcome snow! We know that April signals the season is really winding down (although we'll skijor as far into May or even June as the snow allows). So, every day that there is new snow is a celebration! Today we had fresh snow to enjoy on the Sallie Barber Mine Trail. What fun!

Talkative Rudy is really a funny, wooing comedian out on the trails. When we pass other skiers, if they say anything, Rudy will almost always answer. Typically it is a "Hi" or "Morning" or "Looks fun" or some short comment like that. Well, Rudy takes all addresses as needing a "Woo" response. Such a funny kid.

This skier said, "Morning." as we were approaching. Talkative Rudy
responded with a "Woo" back to acknowledge the greeting :)

We did a short outing at Sallie Barber Mine this morning. But all outings are fun outings and all climbs to the mine must be celebrated with snow angels, silly kids.

Jack enjoying a roll in the snow.
Rudy getting a face full of fresh snow during his roll.

Now for today's video fun. Come along and watch as the clip starts with Jack & Rudy patiently waiting for me to turn around on my skis. Once turned, all it takes is me to mutter a simple "Ok" and the kids TAKE OFF! They know what to do when they get the verbal release to GO :)

[watch on youtube if no video loads below]

As I said, they know what to do :)

Flying along, wheeee!

A short outing, but all outings are fun outings, right guys?

"Yes, we had a BLAST!" says the happy, happy kids awaiting
end of run treats.

Today's tally: 4.1 miles traveled with 400 feet of elevation climbed and a top speed of 22 MPH.

2024/2025 Season to Date: 86 days on the trails covering 672.0 miles with 64,600 feet of elevation climbed.