First and Second

Fun "shot from the front" of the happy sled dogs towing me to the end of this morning's skijor run!

7 miles later and smiles all around :) Happy, happy boys!

We were first tracks on a light layer of new snow almost all morning long (a trace to an inch or so of new snow). I love how safe the trails feel with a light layer of new snow!

Laying fresh tracks in a 1/4 inch or so along this section of trail.

As I said, we were first tracks ALMOST all morning long. We were second tracks for one stretch of trail. Who was first? A MOOSE or two or three!!!!!

Look directly left of my ski tips - that is a moose footprint in the snow.
You can follow that print up the trail and see the moose tracks next to and in front of Zorro.
There was another set of tracks in front of Jack & Rudy and a third set to the left of
the tracks going by Zorro.

I could tell by the intensity of my trio that these tracks were pretty fresh. We continued cautiously along the trail following the moose prints for a while. Well, ok, I continued cautiously, my partners wanted to floor it following the moose prints :)  Then we came around a bend and the trail was completely tracked up by moose footprints. Clearly a group of moose had congregated here recently having a party on the trail. Then Zorro snapped his head to the left and I put on the brakes preparing to encounter a moose (or 2 or 3). But, alas, we did not see any despite Zorro locking into the trees to our left!

"Beep beep - I detect moose to the left!!!" says moose detector Zorro.
Look at all the prints on the trail here - moose party!

Ok, moose excitement over without a sighting (phew), back to laying fresh tracks all morning long. Come along for a peaceful glide along the trail with my three partners.

[watch on youtube if no video loads below]

We did an "out & back" outing this morning. So, that meant we had to turnaround at one point. Well, turnaround time from the kids :)

"Turnaround - roll around!" demonstrates goofy Jack.
"I love turnaround antics!!!!!" exclaims cute little happy Rudy.
"Well, if you two are going to roll around, I might as well eat a snowcone!" adds Zorro.

Finally the kids got up and we turned around :)  With a wide trail, everyone moved to the right to continue laying fresh tracks all the way back:

Our "out tracks" to the left. Our "fresh tracks path" on the right. Fun time!

A fun day laying first tracks almost all morning long with one stretch of "second tracks to a group of moose": 7.1 miles traveled with 700 feet of elevation climbed and a top speed of 21 MPH.

2019/2020 Season to Date: 36 days on the trails covering 238.9 miles with 24,300 feet of elevation climbed.