What

Nice trifecta in this beautiful photo: great views, freshly groomed trail and flying Zorro.

Perfect :)

First tracks on the freshly groomed nordic trails high up on Peak 7 of the Breckenridge
Nordic Center. 

Today's video clip has all kinds of interesting action. We start with Zorro and I flying around the freshly groomed terrain as we wind through curves leading to the trailhead to complete our run.

Next, as we approach the trailhead, I start slowing before the last curve so I can scan the terrain through the trees. Why scan? Well, this trailhead is known for having loose and often ill-behaved dogs. We put up with this annoying trailhead because the rest of the terrain is so fun; we just slow down, scan for bad dogs and avoid them when they are there. Anyway, all I saw was a single person walking down the trail with no bad dogs in sight. But, still, as we complete the turn to begin the final straightaway, I snowplow to rescan once more for bad dogs (the bad ones are typically lurking in the trees and will jump you). No dogs in sight so I let Zorro restart. But, as we approach, I suddenly notice the person on the trail is carrying a dog. Carrying?!?! What the **** is that? Anyway, no interest in finding out what the deal is with this large purse dog; so Zorro and I get under control and then fly by.

Finally, we come upon little Jack and Nancy waiting for us at the trailhead. "Hi Jackie!" we say as we continue by to finish at the trailhead gate.

So, here we go: fly then pause, scan, assess then fly again. Wheeee! Zorro is so good at listening to ignore and go on by!

[watch on youtube if no video loads below]

I love this clip of Zorro as we fly by the lady and the large purse dog:

"What the hell is that?!?! Keep it away from me!!!!" declares Zorro looking at the weird
purse dog and leaning right to make sure it stays away :)

Seriously, carrying a dog that large??? Note that the lady did not pick up the dog because she saw us coming, she had been carrying it since I could see the trailhead approach from before the last curve in the trail. Thus the label of the "largest purse dog".

At the trailhead to rejoin with little Jack. Look who has learned to look at the musher (and not the treat hand) at the end of the run!!!! Good boy, make eye contact and you get lots of accolades (and end of run pork treats too)!

"Hi!!!! I learned that 'eye contact' is good!!!" says happy little puppy Jack.

Fun shot of Zorro paused with me at one of the warming huts on the nordic center trails:

"No really - 'warming hut' - what the **** is that?!?!?!" smirks silly Zorro who has never been
cold in his life.

A fun, fun day on fast & freshly groomed nordic trails: 9.1 fast miles traveled with 750 feet of elevation climbed and a top speed of 23 MPH.

2017/2018 Season to Date: 28 days on the trails covering 202.8 miles with 17,400 feet of elevation climbed.

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