Big Congrats to all dogs from E-litter on their fourth birthday!
torsdag 1 maj 2014
tisdag 29 april 2014
lördag 19 april 2014
torsdag 27 februari 2014
Håkans' reflections after Amundsen race 2014
Back home and again very impressed with what the dogs have performed at Amundsen Race - 300 km in just over 35 hours, and only around 2,5 hours after the last Husky team! In other words an average speed of 8.4 km / h. in quite heavy trails and too high temperature in the sun.
I have received a great ego boost by reading all the congratulations and happy posts in FB, about what the dogs and I have performed at Amundsen Race - Thank you and please forgive me if you do not recognize my humble personality in a few days
I started with 11 dogs and had predetermined to take out both Arija and Bielka after the first leg ( 88km ) - Geist our youngster, just under two years, was in the team the first two legs in order to get some experinence and to learn how to relax next to other dogs at check points.
The first 35 km on leg two, the dogs ran the fastest I have ever experineced with Samoyeds - they kept a steady ground speed of about 13 km / h, interspersed with repeated tempo increases that sometimes lasted nearly 3 km. I felt I had to brake them down of concerns that they would otherwise become totally out of energy - but as soon as I eased the brake carpet, Corona started the team at a high speed again .
I had chosen to go out on the route without booties - a misjudgment that I correct after about 35km and about 10km ahead of next CP the high speed that the team had performed resulted in loss of energy and low speed. The last 10km of the leg was very slow so average speed dropped to " modest" 8.1 km / h
After 17 kilometers of mushing we were only 3.5 h after the best swedish Siberian Husky team, and I regretted not having driven the dogs wiser during the leg.
Geist was still in the team during the 6-hour rest period, and this time , he lay down and rested most of the rest. After the rest, he was put out of the team and taken car of by handlers Johannes Klang and Janne Spasic, even Delta was taken out of team when she showed signs of lameness during the last part .
So left in the team for the last 130 km was now 7 dogs - Corona, Birk , Corall , Appa , Etna, Ergo and Deimos . Very surprisingly, we were NOT last team out to the 70 km long and hilly leg "Storå Brännan 2".
There was an Alaskan Husky team which we had helped to the checkpoint when they got parked on "the mountain" the musher of this team had hoped to be able to latch on to us yet another leg to eventually reach the ambitious goal ... - it didn't work out so well for them, and after a few hours of mushing, it was, as usual, just me and the dogs that wound up in the light of the headlamp against the darkness where King Bore a bit unnecessary, had dropped around 3 cm of snow that made the sled slid as Norwegian Olympic ski ... But it did not matter for all 7 dogs struggled valiantly in the hilly trail and we now had a generous driving schedule of 10 hours per leg to reach the target - the banquet.
At the top, after just over half the distance, a strong southern wind which combined with few warm degrees, had packed fresh snow so the trail down hill towards the end of the leg, was actually quite okay.
Now, we had just over 10 hours left for the remaining 65 km. This felt good, so light of heart, I went to sleep for another 1.5 hour - at the last rest period I had slept for about 2.5 hours ,that is, I had slept totally around 4 hours the last 2,5 day and night.
When I had stretched and put on dry socks and dry shoes I went to the dogs and was delighted that the chill of the night had made the trail harder.
I put booties on the dogs and so we were off again. The first 5 km was uphill and I walked beside the sled and contributed to the team, but very often I had to jump on to the sled since they went to fast for me - it was not appreciated by the dogs when their musher, with over 90 kg continually jumped on to the sled.
The last 20km went over the lake Ströms Vattudal - I stopped and removed the dog booties so that the dogs would get better traction on the ice ... unfortunately Deimos slipped anyway, and stretched left foreleg - far too good trimmed claws. After several attempts, I got him in to the sled bag but his patience is at par with my so after a half hour ride, I gave up - I had met my superior. It was clear that Deimos had to go with the others across the finish line, and we glided gently, majestic, contented , heroic and satisfied ... the final goal in Strömsund - and I thought I heard how the dogs thanking each other for their cooperation while they wondered if the old man on the sled was less heavy a few years ago - proud they were how ever to have completed 3 Poladistans 300, 1 Polardistans 160, Femund 400 and to be able to put Amundsen Race 300 to their credit - and mountain tour in 1800 kilometers I remebered them - but that, they said was vacation dad, but next year we want to run a combo vacation..... But that I will write about another time so I believe I need to cancel the biking tour from Gibraltar this spring.
I have received a great ego boost by reading all the congratulations and happy posts in FB, about what the dogs and I have performed at Amundsen Race - Thank you and please forgive me if you do not recognize my humble personality in a few days
I started with 11 dogs and had predetermined to take out both Arija and Bielka after the first leg ( 88km ) - Geist our youngster, just under two years, was in the team the first two legs in order to get some experinence and to learn how to relax next to other dogs at check points.
The first 35 km on leg two, the dogs ran the fastest I have ever experineced with Samoyeds - they kept a steady ground speed of about 13 km / h, interspersed with repeated tempo increases that sometimes lasted nearly 3 km. I felt I had to brake them down of concerns that they would otherwise become totally out of energy - but as soon as I eased the brake carpet, Corona started the team at a high speed again .
I had chosen to go out on the route without booties - a misjudgment that I correct after about 35km and about 10km ahead of next CP the high speed that the team had performed resulted in loss of energy and low speed. The last 10km of the leg was very slow so average speed dropped to " modest" 8.1 km / h
After 17 kilometers of mushing we were only 3.5 h after the best swedish Siberian Husky team, and I regretted not having driven the dogs wiser during the leg.
Geist was still in the team during the 6-hour rest period, and this time , he lay down and rested most of the rest. After the rest, he was put out of the team and taken car of by handlers Johannes Klang and Janne Spasic, even Delta was taken out of team when she showed signs of lameness during the last part .
So left in the team for the last 130 km was now 7 dogs - Corona, Birk , Corall , Appa , Etna, Ergo and Deimos . Very surprisingly, we were NOT last team out to the 70 km long and hilly leg "Storå Brännan 2".
There was an Alaskan Husky team which we had helped to the checkpoint when they got parked on "the mountain" the musher of this team had hoped to be able to latch on to us yet another leg to eventually reach the ambitious goal ... - it didn't work out so well for them, and after a few hours of mushing, it was, as usual, just me and the dogs that wound up in the light of the headlamp against the darkness where King Bore a bit unnecessary, had dropped around 3 cm of snow that made the sled slid as Norwegian Olympic ski ... But it did not matter for all 7 dogs struggled valiantly in the hilly trail and we now had a generous driving schedule of 10 hours per leg to reach the target - the banquet.
At the top, after just over half the distance, a strong southern wind which combined with few warm degrees, had packed fresh snow so the trail down hill towards the end of the leg, was actually quite okay.
Now, we had just over 10 hours left for the remaining 65 km. This felt good, so light of heart, I went to sleep for another 1.5 hour - at the last rest period I had slept for about 2.5 hours ,that is, I had slept totally around 4 hours the last 2,5 day and night.
When I had stretched and put on dry socks and dry shoes I went to the dogs and was delighted that the chill of the night had made the trail harder.
I put booties on the dogs and so we were off again. The first 5 km was uphill and I walked beside the sled and contributed to the team, but very often I had to jump on to the sled since they went to fast for me - it was not appreciated by the dogs when their musher, with over 90 kg continually jumped on to the sled.
The last 20km went over the lake Ströms Vattudal - I stopped and removed the dog booties so that the dogs would get better traction on the ice ... unfortunately Deimos slipped anyway, and stretched left foreleg - far too good trimmed claws. After several attempts, I got him in to the sled bag but his patience is at par with my so after a half hour ride, I gave up - I had met my superior. It was clear that Deimos had to go with the others across the finish line, and we glided gently, majestic, contented , heroic and satisfied ... the final goal in Strömsund - and I thought I heard how the dogs thanking each other for their cooperation while they wondered if the old man on the sled was less heavy a few years ago - proud they were how ever to have completed 3 Poladistans 300, 1 Polardistans 160, Femund 400 and to be able to put Amundsen Race 300 to their credit - and mountain tour in 1800 kilometers I remebered them - but that, they said was vacation dad, but next year we want to run a combo vacation..... But that I will write about another time so I believe I need to cancel the biking tour from Gibraltar this spring.
måndag 24 februari 2014
Finish Amundsen race 2014
At 12:03 the team passed the finish line. Seven weary Samoyeds and a tired samoyedmusher who now gets a well deserved rest.
Happily, it turned out that the team gets a SM-bronze medal in the long distance for pure breed - we had no idea!
Happily, it turned out that the team gets a SM-bronze medal in the long distance for pure breed - we had no idea!
 |
| Just some minutes after passing the finish line- samoyeds are smart - they immediately knew that now we are allowed to rest. |
Last day - Amundsen race 2014
About an hour ago I spoke with Håkan on the phone. Right now they are on the last leg with seven of the original 12 Samoyeds, which he started with. He is very pleased with how the dogs worked through the entire race. The tracks have been soft and the contour interval has been great.
The seven dogs that now are left in the team are working hard and just as usual rushing in wild gallop when a squirrel suddenly appears on the trail- these wise Samoyeds have always saved energy to hunt.
The plan for the race that Håkan had done, has been followed and he expects to finish at around 13 o'clock today. It remains basically about 20km trail on a lake, a mental challenge for the dogs.
The team came in to CP Storåbranna 2 at 0:49. There, he took the last mandatory rest period of 4 hours and left the CP at 5:09 for the final leg of 60km.
Now we are looking forward to the finish!
The seven dogs that now are left in the team are working hard and just as usual rushing in wild gallop when a squirrel suddenly appears on the trail- these wise Samoyeds have always saved energy to hunt.
The plan for the race that Håkan had done, has been followed and he expects to finish at around 13 o'clock today. It remains basically about 20km trail on a lake, a mental challenge for the dogs.
The team came in to CP Storåbranna 2 at 0:49. There, he took the last mandatory rest period of 4 hours and left the CP at 5:09 for the final leg of 60km.
Now we are looking forward to the finish!
söndag 23 februari 2014
Snow- fall and raising temperature afternoon day two Amundsen race
When the rest was over for Håkan and the dogs it had started to snow and the temperature had risen - not the conditions that makes it easier for a tired team.
At 15:16, they left CP2 Storåbranna 1 after the mandatory six-hour rest period for the next leg of 71km. Delta and Geist were so tired that Håkan let them finish their journey at Storåbranna and instead be well cared for by John and Jamie. The other dogs were in good spirits and relatively keen to go on.
Now they strive on until Storåbranna 2 where they have another 4 hour mandatory rest before the final leg to the finish, the shortest leg - 60km.
Keeps my fingers crossed that the seven brave dogs that are left in the team will hold out until the finish and that the weather is on their side.
At 15:16, they left CP2 Storåbranna 1 after the mandatory six-hour rest period for the next leg of 71km. Delta and Geist were so tired that Håkan let them finish their journey at Storåbranna and instead be well cared for by John and Jamie. The other dogs were in good spirits and relatively keen to go on.
Now they strive on until Storåbranna 2 where they have another 4 hour mandatory rest before the final leg to the finish, the shortest leg - 60km.
Keeps my fingers crossed that the seven brave dogs that are left in the team will hold out until the finish and that the weather is on their side.
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