What Do We Do Now?

So...we tried to get into the Copper Dog 150 in Calumet, Michigan....1st team on the wait list....but is looks like the remaining teams that are signed up are all showing up. Sigh...a 150 miler would have been a good way to end the season, and a road trip where we could stop on the way back to see our friends Ann Stead and Jamie Nelson (and run a few days on Jamie's wonderful trail system!) would have been fantastic. We were also incorporating a visit to Maryann and Jim of Prairiebilt Dog Sleds on our return visit, need to try out some prototypes and talk sled design for our upcoming adventure. Side note-for those of you that have never driven a Prairiebilt sled-these are primo distance sleds IMO, and in the opinions of many others too. 

So, since we're not heading east we thought about going to Idaho for the Stanley Sleddog Rendezvous, but that is a lot of hassle for 60 short miles. Other than that, racing season is over...

But back to What Now?? We have tons of snow here, more than anywhere else in the state, maybe anywhere else in the lower 48. Our trails are actually all snowed in right now due to it snowing 13 out of the last 14 days. We took a week off after finishing the last two back-to-back 100 mile races, the musher and her handlers needing the rest much more than the dogs did. The team is at an average of 2800 miles for the season so they are well conditioned and really don't need a ton more mileage this year.

We ran short miles yesterday and today, and tomorrow the goal is to re-claim some of our snowed in trail system.  After that? We could aim for more training rather than mileage...we could head down the hill and have some longer runs on the quads...try to work out some of the bad habits that the team picks up over the winter. Or maybe another long run is in order, with some winter camping? Start March out with a nice 100 mile camping excursion......while we still have 6' of snow out here.  Or maybe what we need to do is stay closer to home and get Peter out more with his own small team. Hmmm...decisions....

Signing off...TB