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OUR
2008/2009
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Journey Continues
October 12, 2006
This has been a very interesting fall.
Typically in August there are several days when it is too warm to
train, even the low temperature can be over 60 degrees. That didn’t
happen this August. It was cool and we never had to worry about
the heat. Then Monday, October 9th, we set a new record high for
the day of 64 degrees. That’s at the Anchorage airport, the
Birchwood airport, a couple of miles from where we train, hit 70
degrees! And for the second time this fall we had substantial flooding
in South Central Alaska. The main floods were from Seward to Cordova,
with bridges out and 70 miles of the Richardson highway closed.
Valdez is inaccessible from the ground and the Cordova Airstrip
has 3 feet of water over the runway. Crazy! We have yet to have
our first freeze and the two week forecast is not encouraging. On
the bright side, for those of us who are too poor or too busy to
vacation in Hawaii, Hawaii is coming to us. ;-)
FILE PHOTOS |
The dogs are doing well. Dijon is back
on the team after recovering from the sore left wrist. Keiko is swearing
her back leg feels fine and objects when I take everyone else for
a run and leave her to finish recovering. She will be back with us
this weekend. Mocha has been in heat the last two weeks and is driving
Bass crazy. He is absolutely convinced she is the most beautiful thing
on 4 feet. Tuesday I had Bass and Rosemary in lead with Mocha two
rows in front of wheel. Everything went well until 10 miles into a
15 mile run Bass decided to come back and visit his girlfriend. I
straightened the team out, but Bass’ heart just wasn’t
into leading any more, so I moved him back into the team, just behind
Mocha, and moved Lycos into lead. Bass acted like any 15 year old
male when the cheerleader smiles at him. Wednesday I put Bass in lead
of Leslie’s team with Mocha in my team. I went out first and
Bass was determined to pass us. About 2/3 of the way into the run
Leslie let them pass and Bass kept going for a few minutes, then he
realized that Mocha was behind him. He button-hooked the front of
the team like the guy on the beach trying to get the phone number
of the cute girl who just passed. Leslie straightened the team out
and I passed them while they were stopped. Once Mocha was in front
Bass had a clear goal and off he went.
FILE PHOTOS
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Lycos was fixed at an early age, so girls
in heat don’t bother him. We are running through the woods when
suddenly his head swivels to the right. It is a moose? Bear? Wolf?
He bounds off the trail and starts up a tree and I realize that another
squirrel has challenged his manhood. One of these days he will catch
one, just ask him. There is a good crop of grouse this year and they
are on the trail eating small rocks for their crop (to grind the food
they eat). One grouse stood his ground as Lycos and Dash approached.
Just feet from their nose he took off and flew 10 feet down the trail
to land and stare at them. Just under their nose again he took off
and flew 10 more feet down the trail. Finally, at the last possible
minute, he ran off the trail to the side, leaving a much more energetic
dog team in his wake.
FILE PHOTOS
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At the start of a run I go down the trail
50 to 100 feet and stop. This is to mimic a team going to the starting
line at a race. I want the dogs used to that and not go off the deep
end when I make them wait. Tuesday I’m stopped at my make-believe
starting line when I notice Dijon’s harness is hanging funny.
I walk up and he has lunged so hard he broke both web straps of the
top of the collar on the harness. There was no remedy but to walk
back to the truck and get another harness. Bonnie says that I should
autograph the broken one and sell it on ebay.
Wednesday Leslie is driving the second team and notices Bass’
harness hanging funny. She calls me on the radio – Bass was
jealous of Dijon’s strongman exhibition and decided to duplicate
the feat so we would know he is still top dog. Luckily Bass only got
one side of the webbing on his harness, but we are ¾ of a mile
from the truck. Leslie suggested using a neckline to replace the broken
piece of webbing and with a little finagling it worked just fine.
A lot of mushing is developing coping skills and Leslie is off to
a fine start.
We had some famous company last Tuesday. There is a touring company
in Anchorage performing the “Man
of La Mancha”. Clinton Curtis is playing the lead role and,
as a child, was one of Bonnie patients when they were living in Key
West. We had to show Clinton there was more to Alaska than downtown
Anchorage, so we invited him to ride with us on a training run. Bonnie
said he asked if he would get dirty. Those of us who regularly come
in from a run with enough mud on various parts of our anatomy to plant
potatoes just laughed. Just in case we miss a spot the dogs love to
finger paint us with their muddy feet. Bonnie found him so suitable
gear and a good time was had by all.
Keep ‘em Northbound
Eric
© 2006 All rights reserved
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OUR
2008/2009 RACE
SPONSORS
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8025 Schoon Street
Anchorage, AK 99518 |
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Dale & Patricia Keefe
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E Curtis
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The
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Have
you ever wanted to be part of the Iditarod adventure
but didn't
know how? Help support Eric Rogers Iditarod team
by joining the
2008-2009 season Rogers Rangers. Just $30 buys you
a bootie worn by the
team, a 2008 Rookie season musher card, and a signed
certificate of
membership. All funds go to support Eric's 2009
Iditarod. For your
convenience we now take credit cards through PayPal.
All donations
gratefully accepted.
Thank
you for your support.
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| SPONSOR
INFO |
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OUR
2008/2009
DOG SPONSORS
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"THROTTLE"
Sponsored by
Karen
Lederhost
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"THYME"
Sponsored by
Penny, Dennis,
& Adam Sputh
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"PLATINUM"
Sponsored by
Pat Ford
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"MOCHA"
Sponsored by
Pat Schue
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"LYCOS"
Sponsored by
Muzzy's
Place
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"BASS"
sponsored by
William
& Gary Sanders
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"WORF"
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