Let's Go

First tracks all morning long in French Gulch! Sweet!

Laying fresh tracks in 2-3 inches of fresh snow as we run out the French Gulch Trail.

The conditions were beautiful in French Gulch this morning. New snow and not another soul had been out on the trail yet! As this trail is very wide, we had fun being first tracks both out & back in the gulch. No need to reuse the tracks you set on the way out when the trail is wide enough to lay fresh tracks both ways!

Our "out tracks" to the left as we move to the right for freshies on the way back.
If the snow was deep, Zorro, Jack & Rudy would reuse the track we set on the way out; but
with shallow new snow it is more fun to be first tracks both ways!

Now, on to the comical points of the morning's outing. If you recall, the last two times we have skijored as a trio, I have used the word "polite" to describe both youngsters Jack & Rudy. Well, polite only lasts so long... :)

We are at our turnaround point of the outing and, well, it takes a while to turn a set of skis around. My pals don't care, though. If your volume is up high enough you can hear both Jack & Rudy complaining and protesting about how slow I am in turning around. Then, once my skis are lined out the correct direction, the three simply TAKE OFF. They are supposed to wait for my verbal release, not just take off when they see it is possible. So much for that trend of politeness we had going. Sled dog monsters! :)  It's also fun to watch how this video unfolds. Jack starts far right to enjoy the freshies while Zorro & Rudy begin in the track we set on the way out. Zorro quickly notices it is not deep and Jack is enjoying fresh tracks so he slides over with him. Eventually Rudy notices the same thing and he abandons our set track to move over to the fresh snow with his bros and off we go (the rest of the day all 3 stayed in the freshies).

[watch on youtube if no video loads below]

Second comical point of the outing. At our turnaround point and Rudy notices there is a narrow single track going off from the main trail and wants to go that way. Jack is oblivious to this single track as he ALWAYS rolls snow angels at any stop. Zorro notices Rudy has discovered a new trail and wants to inspect too.

"Hey, we can continue this way! Can we, can we?" asks trail inspecting Rudy.
"Hey kid, what did you find up there? It that a set trail?" says Zorro coming to join Rudy.
"Huh? What trail? We stop, I roll!" adds goofy Jack.

End of the day's run and look who rediscovered their politeness, nice!

"End of run treats! Yum!" says Zorro taking a piece of pork from my hand.
"Look how polite & patient we are waiting our turn!" state Jack & Rudy!

First tracks all day in French Gulch and the end of Jack & Rudy's run of politeness on the trail :)  4.2 miles traveled with 400 feet of elevation climbed and a top speed of 20 MPH.

2018/2019 Season to Date: 41 days on the trails covering 220.1 miles with 19,600 feet of elevation climbed.

Buddies

Having a ball running the trails with our dog team buddies from Good Times Adventures this morning!

Sprinting along the trail with an 8-dog team in front of us. Love to run behind and keep
pace with the dog teams!

We had lots of fun encounters with dog teams from Good Times this morning. A busy (but very fun) morning on the trails for sled dogs! We had all kinds of encounters from the chase photo above to...

Pausing at an intersection of trails to let a team go by...

"Hi friends! We'll be right behind you!" declare Max & Zorro to the team crossing
the trail in front of us.

Executing a tight "on by" with another team on the trails...

"Hi buddies... Coming through!" say Max & Zorro to the oncoming team.

To another fun game of chase. Watch closely and you can make out the sled team on the trail in front of us as we fly along the terrain behind them. The team comes to a stop near the end of the video so polite Max backs off to a gentle trot (whereas 'never say slow' Zorro keeps on trucking :)

[watch on youtube if no video loads below]

Finally, for the comical story of the day. We are paused as there is a sled team stopped just around the corner (to the right) on the trail in front of us. There is also a team stopped up to the left behind the trees; and, finally, there is a team stopped behind us. Since these are tours from Good Times the teams often stop for the guides to give instructions to the mushers. You cannot see the other teams; but Max & Zorro knew all were there. As usual, Max lost patience with all this stoppage and started bucking and singing his Siberian "Let's Go!" chant....

Bucking bronco Max jumping and yelling, "Let's Go!"
Even Zorro is a mini bucking bronco fed up with such stoppage ;)

Max's chant got dogs from all of the other 3 teams to start bucking and singing too. It was now a 4-way chorus between Max and the 3 teams when suddenly (typically quiet & focused) Zorro even joined in the chant! The tourists loved seeing all these sled dogs doing the Siberian "Let's Go!" chant lead by lead singer Max!

"Let's Go!" joins Zorro with Max in the 4 way chorus!

A lot of fun dog sled interactions on the trail this morning! 9.4 miles traveled with 1100 feet of elevation climbed and a top speed of 24 MPH.

2015/2016 Season to Date: 99 days on the trails covering 840.0 miles with 90800 feet of elevation climbed.