Another perfect day on the trails, another perfect "end of run treats" group gathering to complete the day.
"You have our full attention!" declares the happy & focused trio.
This is the last week of trail grooming at Breckenridge Nordic Center, so we want to get out on these trails as often as possible. Our reward for this morning? Well, we were FIRST on the freshly groomed upper trails at the nordic center. Fresh groomie zoomies all to ourselves the majority of the outing! What a great day:
Beautiful freshly groomed trails.
Beautiful airborne Zorro & Jack with Rudy just a tad out of sync.
With such perfect conditions, I knew it was only a matter of time until I got a great shot of the synchronized trio. Here we go hovering over the trail...
Zorro, Jack & Rudy the Hover Huskies!
Look how high Jack is off the ground! Nice lift Jack!
How perfect were the conditions? Well just come along and watch. This is a fun stretch of trail where we can really open it up for a bit, then slow (slightly) as we approach a blind right curve in the trail and finally open it back up once we find it all clear around the curve. Watch closely and at about 38-40s into the video you'll see Rudy give me a few glances as I have slowed the speed machine to enter the curve safely. You know Rudy is thinking, "Dude, what's the deal with the brakes back there? Come on, open it up!" :)
After a few outings without synchronized snow angels from Jack & Rudy, all is back to normal. The return of the synchronized snow rolling goofs with happy Zorro interacting with me.
Ah, all is normal: goofy youngsters with happy veteran Zorro.
Nice high legs from Jack behind Zorro and long Rudy tasting snow as he rolls.
A fast day on a perfect groom: 7.1 miles traveled with 700 feet of elevation climbed and a top speed of 23 MPH.
2018/2019 Season to Date: 97 days on the trails covering 547.6 miles with 50,000 feet of elevation climbed.
Beautiful day to lay fresh tracks and take in stunning views, right guys?
"YES - fun, fun, fun!" declares the happy sled dogs at a brief break in the outing.
Today was a wonderful outing laying fresh tracks in 3-5 inches of snow atop the hard spring crust. With upwards of 5 inches of snow on top the crust, I was not sure if the crust would be strong enough to hold us. So we started on the set trail until we got to the backside of Prospect Hill. We then moved off trail and were thrilled to find the crust was solid enough to support the new snow and us. As a result, we were able to abandon set trails and lay fresh tracks any direction we chose. Fun...
Backside of Prospect Hill as we are making our own trail gliding through the fresh snow!
After touring the backside of Prospect Hill, it was time to turn around to get back to the front side of the hill where we started. With a solid crust, no reason to reuse our "out trail" but more fun to make our own "back trail". Love the shot below for two reasons. First, the pretty sled dogs still laying fresh tracks. But, second, look to the upper left and you see the path we carved in the snow in the prior photo. Always fun to see the trail you carved after you turn around.
Freshies on the way back with the trail we set on the way out in the upper left.
Back to the front side of Prospect Hill and you get great views of Breckenridge Ski Resort across the valley. Freshies & views:
Pretty shot of the sled dogs laying freshies.
Beautiful view of Breckenridge Ski Resort across valley.
Come along for a "freshies & views" video. Watch as Zorro, Jack & Rudy tow me through the fresh snow with a nice view of Breckenridge Ski Resort to our right.
Given the recent trend of snow angels from Jack & Rudy almost every outing, you might wonder about Zorro and snow angels. Well, Zorro does appreciate the occasional roll in the snow just not at the frequency of "every run Jack" or "every Spring run Rudy"; but today Zorro gave us a roll to enjoy:
"Yes, I like to roll sometimes too!" demonstrates snow rolling Zorro.
"You KNOW I LOVE to roll!" adds always rolling Jack.
"Hey, who's the adult now?" asks mature (haha) Rudy looking on.
A really fun morning laying "mid April freshies" with nice views to go along with the fun: 5.5 miles traveled with 600 feet of elevation climbed and a top speed of 18 MPH.
2018/2019 Season to Date: 96 days on the trails covering 540.5 miles with 49,300 feet of elevation climbed.
A beautiful morning for a fast skijor on excellent conditions at Breckenridge Nordic Center!
Zoom!
All three are airborne with sprint-tucked Zorro & Jack on the outsides and
Rudy the flying reindeer down the middle.
I mentioned in yesterday's blog entry that the youngsters (Jack & Rudy) needed "on by" practice with people (instead of flirting with people). Well, today they corrected me and demonstrated they do understand "on by", they were just in flirtatious moods yesterday :)
Here we go, flying on by a skier on the trail. "Hi... Bye...!"
Who says we need "on by" practice?
You might be thinking that it is cheating in the prior photo because we have veteran leader Zorro on the inside for the "on by". Of course the youngsters will follow Zorro's lead.
Well, okay then, take a look at the following "on by". Distractible Rudy on the inside with his distractible buddy Jack in the middle and Zorro on the outside.
On by we go!!!!
"Who are you calling distractible?!?!" ask Jack & Rudy!
Proving their point again. Here we go "on by" a dog with Jack on the inside, Rudy in the middle and Zorro once again on the outside.
Merely glancing at the dog (for safety as you never know what it or the owner is going to do)
as we fly on by.
The video counterpart of the prior. We were flying along the trail when a loose dog appeared in front of us. We stop and wait for the owner to get the dog under control. Once controlled, I shorten the gangline for safety and release my pals to run. We perfectly sprint on by and I release the gangline to full length as we continue flying along the trail. Such good boys!
Why shorten the gangline? Well, you would be AMAZED at the things people do with their loose dogs. You do not want to know how many people think it is ok to release their dogs to "play with us" as we are running! Think about it - 3 sled dogs who want to go attached to my waist with me on skis and you think letting Fluffy jump in the middle of our group is a good idea?!?!?!?
End of the day and we have certainly earned our "end of run treats"! So much for saying Jack & Rudy need some "on by people" practice :)
"Cannot believe you questioned us!" state happy Jack & Rudy.
"Especially with my guidance, of course they know what to do!" adds happy Zorro.
A perfect day with perfect sled dogs: 7.3 miles traveled with 700 feet of elevation climbed and a top speed of 22 MPH.
2018/2019 Season to Date: 95 days on the trails covering 535.0 miles with 48,700 feet of elevation climbed.
