Hello
7 below here this morning (-22°c) .
Yesterday I created a new album in  our galery just for the "snow training" photos

06-07 Training Photos

Enjoy....

Wednesday, November 08, 2006 7:35:02 AM (Alaskan Standard Time, UTC-09:00)     

Today we went for a 35 miles run with on of the two team of the main adult dogs.

We had 16 dogs with Loly and Yankee in lead and they did an outstanding job opening the trail in the tall grass in the swamps.
It took us about 6 hours total, with 1h30mn stop at the turn around.

here's some photos:
  The 10 mile lake.

  Swamps near the river.

  Jacques checking the dogs at a short stop.

   Yankee and Loly

    Smile for the photo



I will upload photo in the gallery tomorrow probably, I also took some movies today so I have first to compress them to put them on line.

Tuesday, November 07, 2006 9:19:53 PM (Alaskan Standard Time, UTC-09:00)     

The temperatures dropped few days ago it is about 0f at night at home and 10 above during the day. Sunny and beautiful we just wish for more snow.

We are training study on 20 miles and soon we will start going 35, we just have to go check the "lake".

Sunday, November 05, 2006 5:01:35 PM (Alaskan Standard Time, UTC-09:00)     

the race web site has been updated with distances for the 2007 Race as follow:

2007 International Pedigree Stage Stop Sled Dog Race

Friday January 26:
Jackson Hole, 3 miles

Saturday January 27:
TRAVEL DAY to Lander

Sunday January 28:
Lander to Blucher Creek check point, 48 miles
Blucher Creek to Irish Canyon, 28 miles

Monday January 29:
Cora to Pinedale Stage, 34 miles

TUESDAY JANUARY 30:
Big Piney/Marbleton Stage, 64 miles

Wednesday January 31:
Alpine Stage, 60 miles

THURSDAY February 1:
Kemmerer Stage, 53 miles

FRIDAY February 2:
Bridger Valley Stage, 45 miles

Saturday February 3:
Park City, Final Stage 17 miles

For more info go to the Wyoming race web site

Sunday, November 05, 2006 7:32:38 AM (Alaskan Standard Time, UTC-09:00)     

Yesterday Memphis, Keops and the Jewel pups went for a walk. Keops love to run and love the snow, here's some photos of him yesterday playing and running with the puppies.

Saturday, November 04, 2006 7:51:34 AM (Alaskan Standard Time, UTC-09:00)     

Well Memphis was hurt almost 4 weeks ago, she was on "total" rest until today various friends vet (real dog mushing vets) recommand a Rimadyl treatment to help. So I follow their advices.

Today we took the Jewel pups, Memphis and Keops for a walk.

She was AMAZING, 200% energy and unless you know about it NO SIGN of injuries or sournest in the leg. I am very happy and I will keep on taking her loose for about 2 weeks and then if all look good see on harness.

Friday, November 03, 2006 5:27:31 PM (Alaskan Standard Time, UTC-09:00)     

This morning we finally got cold temperature, it was 1 above at 6:AM. The lake may be frozen enough now and we may be able to use our winter trail soon.

Friday, November 03, 2006 10:14:34 AM (Alaskan Standard Time, UTC-09:00)     

ARGOS and ORACLE

They are now 3 years old and dogs I really like. They are easy to work with, quiet and you don’t “see” them much, they do their job, eat, drink, camp good and is nice to work with. I really like them.
Oracle only had a little problems with is “male parts” last winter so this spring he loose them and the problem will be “history”
Argos finished Iditarod last March, he raced in France with me and then in Wyoming with Jacques. As a yearling he raced Oregon and Wyoming. Oracle also race itn France with me the Wyoming with Jacques he took the start of Iditarod but he got dropped in Rainy Pass due to a little shoulder problem.
Only problem with those two is like their dad they listen when they want, we turn our dogs loose everyday before and after training when we hook them up and remove harnesses , let say they check everything before the decide to come back to their dog house…. They are both super nice and DON’T FIGHT… they are almost the only male we can put together in one kennel and don’t worry about arguments.

Their mom was a female from Joee Redington Jr that we lease for breeding and their dad is Risk one of our main race dog that we recently sold to Stephen in England.

They are both on training and on the main list for the MAIN RACE DOG…

Thursday, November 02, 2006 7:21:29 PM (Alaskan Standard Time, UTC-09:00)     

LOLY

She is now 4 years old. She is Jacques favorite dog. She was a single pup from an accidental breeding. Her mom was an outstanding leader for us. Her dad was ¼ saluki cross.

She is a very good leader, very very good on command. But so far never made the Main race team. She works too hard and get hurt, she always recover and manage to run in the B team.

She loves to come in the house but she is not clean and ALWAYS pee somewhere… and can’t just lay down quietly she has to get into trouble.

She is a very funny dog and a nice leader. She is Jacques’s dog for sure.

Wednesday, November 01, 2006 8:07:17 AM (Alaskan Standard Time, UTC-09:00)     

Today we started to go 20 miles we trained 46 dogs total today.

The adult dogs do the 20 miles in a little over 2 hours and my Yearlings 2hr 25mn... long and slow going but good work out.

Monday, October 30, 2006 5:22:09 PM (Alaskan Standard Time, UTC-09:00)     

This Week End was the ADMA Symposium. We had a booth to present the Antipode sleds. I had one Squall (new sprint sled) and one Sluidjack (Mid Distance) to present.

People were happy to know that the old "EXTRAPOLE" compagny was back.

Here's some photos:

This Evie (Wwendy's daughter) and Keops watching over my sleds...

Katahdin booth, Our friend George handling the symposium while his wife Sarka is in Europe with their two daughters.

Our booth of the ANTIPODE SLEDS.

Ivana and her booth for the Manmat Harnesses.

The beautiful Jewelry that Wendy make.

Sunday, October 29, 2006 6:51:41 PM (Alaskan Standard Time, UTC-09:00)     

Winter is here, well we knew it was coming but it is HERE for sure, yesterday we had snow flurries all day which gave us about 1 inch of snow.

This morning 5f (-15) I guess I can really put away rubber boots and all the light temperature clothes and get parka and snow suit out of their storage boxes!

Here’s a link to the NOAA (National Weather Service), they are like most weather service not right all the time for snow fall but let me tell you if they tell you it is going to be cold, IT WILL and I mean Alaska Cold  like 30 below and colder THEY ARE NEVER WRONG FOR THE COLD !!!!

This week end is the International Sled Dog Symposium organized by the Alaska Dog Musher Association;

 I will be there with a vending booth to present the new ANTIPODE sleds. I received the sleds couple days ago and go them ready yesterday for the show…

Our handler is also arriving tonight so busy week end ahead of us for sure. Between the booth and introducing the handler to our kennel, the dogs and how things are done here...

We look forward to have a handler to help us with the daily chores and training of the dogs. Also if he motivated it is always great to teach/Share your passion with someone. We will see how things go.

Friday, October 27, 2006 6:23:52 AM (Alaskan Standard Time, UTC-09:00)     

SMALL EARTHQUAKE

This morning while I was drinking my coffee, a noise that is now familiar to us of “kind of a truck or train hitting the house” then the all house shakes… EARTHQUAKE.

Each time it scares me to death and I am ready to run outside.... But is was a small one.

Well we are in a state where Earthquake are very frequent since we are the “end” of the San Andreas Fault!!! We get some bigger than other, in November 2002 we got a 7.9 Magnitude and it was SCARY big time….

Today it was only a 3.1 but it felt stronger just because it was very close to us.

Check the link below for info on earthquakes.

This a great site, the Earthquake of this morning was register onlie not even 10mn after it occurs...

For info and photos of the 2002  earthquake of a 7.9 Magnitude  go to the link below:

Nov 3, 2002, Denali Fault earthquake

Wednesday, October 25, 2006 6:37:14 AM (Alaskan Standard Time, UTC-09:00)     

Winter is coming we had couple inches of snow couple days ago and this morning was cool 20f (-7°c).

here's the view from our deck at lunch time:

Dogs enjoyed the cooler temperature. I guess I can get my real winter clothes out and winter boots.

Keops was inside watching the dogs in the kennel, laying on the "cat tower" under the sun:

Tuesday, October 24, 2006 1:14:41 PM (Alaskan Standard Time, UTC-09:00)     

Here's list of the races we are so far sign up for:

Jacques:

Early January 2007: La Grande Odyssée (France)

     March 2007 : Iditarod

Magali:

   Starts 26th January 2007: Wyoming Stage Stop (Wyoming)

We also sign up on team for the kennel for the Sheep Mountain 150 in December 2006, but we are on the waiting list and we didn't decide who will run if we go on the confirmed list.

Jacques didn't notorized his paperworks yet to enter the Wyoming race but he plan on racing in Wyoming.

Now let's hope we have one (or two) handler to help us train this winter. And take care of the kennel when we are away racing.

After Wyoming I will decide what I want to do with the Yearlings may be some long Sprint (Rondy, ONAC, Arctic Circle) if they seem good enough and I have a pair of nice leader two or some local mid distances races....

Monday, October 23, 2006 4:38:55 PM (Alaskan Standard Time, UTC-09:00)