Skijoring Fan Hitch

I've been asked several times how I run 3 malamutes together. Lucky is the word that comes to mind.

Running from each dog back towards Nicki is a fixed line, individually they are attached to a central O-Ring, which is attached to a single line running directly back to Nicki.


This is a picture of the middle or central portion of the assembly. This is the "fan hitch" connecting device, a 1 inch metal o-ring purchased at the local hardware store. You can see the colored 4 foot fixed lines leading to the dogs. The one inch webbing returns to a flexi leash connected to the skier


Back at the skier we have this.


The two inch webbing is actually the shoulder strap to a duffle bag. You can see the metal O-ring again from the hardware store at each end of the webbing. The quickdraw is a device used by climbers and can be purchased at any outdoor shop that handles climbing equipment. Connected to one of the carabiners is a webbing version of the flexi leash.

The 2 inch nylon webbing goes around our waist, we clip in and unclip using the other carabiner--the one not attached to the flexi leash. We then run the belt of our back pack through the handle of the flexi leash adding stability and comfort.

This is a comfortable and convenient system we've used for years. Maybe you can find something useful here for your dog driving days.

Even on a snowy day....

it's fun to get out and run with the dogs.

Blowhard

We had a little bit of weather blow in so we stayed near home for skijoring and touring. The wind was blowing about 30 mph (48 kmh) with temps in the teens F. A great time was had by all but you can judge for yourself :)

Groundhogs Day

We celebrate Groundhogs Day like its a national holiday. Why? Its Nicki's birthday. We go out to dinner, I make a dee-licious chocolate cake and a few presents are opened. Its almost like Christmas, only different :) So while Phil is out checking for his shadow, we are whooping it up having a good time.

Sweet Day in the Mountains

We have had some good weather and captured a video of some of the fun we've been having.

Wake me up when its time for fun

If you have met Valley you might have asked about her kicked back style. In the back of your mind you were probably wondering if she ever woke up or how she might accomplish such a herculean task of moving from one spot to another. When you asked me, I probably said something like LOL "She's saving her energy up for some action". For those who haven't met her, let's just say, once she chose her spot, that was pretty much it for the day 'cept for breathing.

Well I actually captured her in motion and thought I would share that with you hehehe.

The windup


and running the line






Watch out Rocket!


Head Fake!


Tag your it



That wasn't the only time Rocket had to suffer on leash. She came after him again


and again



all day long. In fact when I let him off, he got the zoomies and struck back!




Body Slam!


I guess paybacks are hell.


Sitting Pretty,



I know its hard to imagine but seeing is believing. ;)

Moonshine

We like to make the most of things when the moon shines. to do that there is nothing like skiing on a full moon.

35th Anniversary

Its the 35th Anniversary of the first Christmas which I skied. For 36 Christmas', each and every year since the first one, I've gone cross country skiing. Always after opening presents and before dinner, its usually a couple hour event where we can celebrate the day. No Food, no commercialism but outdoors with ourselves and our dogs. After all these years, its a special event or tradition of its own. It started as a way to blow off some steam before going to dinner with some friends, when I first left home to go to college. At one point I think we had something like 30 folks skiing with us. Nowadays, its just Nicki, myself, the dogs and either some close friends and neighbors.





Two happy Christmas skiers.


Its a great time, too bad it only comes around once a year :)

Powder Burns

We had a great snow for about a week. Four five days, every day we were on the receiving end of 3 or 4 inches of fine light powder. The kind that falls at temps below 10degF or -11degC. Some folks would call it champagne powder. We'd get home from work, eat a quick dinner, harness the dogs and load them and the skis up and head to the state park about 5 minutes from the house. Going to work Dead Tired was fun.

The best was Thursday evening where it was snowing so hard the headlamp was worthless. 12 inches of powder on a hard base. I couldn't see and both Valley in lead and Rocket were pulling me out into the darkness. They stopped, I wondered why but with the headlamp on low I could see enough, that this was our normal stopping and turning around spot. They knew exactly where they were, how they got there and were ready to head home. Without them I wouldn't have known how I got there. They didn't seem to care about the deep snow, the darkness or the falling snow. They were out to have fun. Fundogs they are.

Then the wind kicked up. 55 mph winds for a few days. I am not sure where our powder went but its gone.

Our neighbor Amy slicing a turn on our new found hard snow.


And Valley disappearing in a 55 mph wind gust.


Wishing you, a very merry holiday season, and a healthy 2010.

Menage a Trois

Happy Thanksgiving!

We decided to run the dogs today before our big feed. We both hooked up the three of them and gave them a run. 45 mph winds and I am not sure if it was snowing or not, since 4 inches of snow fell last night and it was blowing around pretty good.

Here I am behind the 3.


Nicki behind the 3.


Menage A Trois

Fun Runner

Babe loves to run, even with somebody behind her attached to her on a leash. There is probably nothing more enjoyable to her.






and despite that face, Nicki is not about ready to drop.


She's a great dog to skijor with :) Looks like a great season ahead for us.

Polar Bear Dog

Rocket encounters a Polar Bear on a frigid Alaska night lit by the full moon. Malamutes were used by the Inupiat to hunt sea mammals including polar bears on the ice on the Northwest Coast of Alaska. Instincts play out in an age old tradition of Malamute vs Polar Bear.


Rocket eyes the Polar Bear and judging by the look on his face he's not happy its around.


Rocket makes the nab.


Taking the bear back for some punishment.


I have seen this behavior for decades now, the Polar Bear is doomed.


gut Shot


Ouch, that has to hurt. You can almost hear the bear bellowing.


Sniffing to see if there is any remaining life. Its The End for this bear!

Weathering Heights

We helped the friends of the Chugach National Forest Avalanche Information Center by hauling a weather station up to Fresno Ridge, pulling the old one off and putting the new one on. They made this real easy for us to do. A clap on the back to Crane Johnson.

Here's Rocket supervising our work. The main controller box also contains the temperature, humidity, and pressure gauge on on this unit. Its found in the middle of our crap, I mean packs. We put this unit on after taking the old unit off.


This is Thomas bolting the main unit on the tripod.


This is Thomas attaching the anenometer wire to the pole. We don't want anything flapping in the wind.


Taking a break after finishing the work.


Heading home. Rocket carried the tools, about 10 pounds, in his pack. Thomas and I alternated carrying the weather station up in my pack. Thomas carried the old weather station down. Thomas has the old weather station in his pack.


It was foggy or cloudy all day but only enveloped us at the weather station. Fun day, and glad we could help folks out. We'll be watching the weather in the Summit area for skiing this winter :) Now were talking fun~!

Pineapple Express

What's a funhog to do when he wakes up and finds its 61 deg F outside? What a sock in the chops. Those gosh darn blocking highs and fronts moving in from the south put an end to our early ski season. Well, we put on the hiking shoes, make up a lunch and take the dogs out for a hike.




The place was empty besides a few moose, a bunch of Dall Sheep up high, and this Raven. Just a fifteen feet off the trail. He watched us walk by. Valley was interested in him but I just couldn't see the Raven letting her sniff his rump. I don't know Ravens too well but I don't think they act like dogs very often.




The pretty girl on the last break of the day.

Mother Nature teams with Old Man Winter

Mother Nature teamed with Old Man Winter last night and produced the goods. 3 or 4 inches of snow on my deck. Well what's a funhog to do? Grab the skis, a fundog and go skijoring.







this would have lasted longer but my skis slipped out from underneath me and I ended up on my back LOL

Season opener, game on!