Going to sled dogs, that is. Several guides and participants took a side trip to have a dog sled experience. One of the requirements to ride on the sled was to pet the sled dog. Nobody in our group even hesitated to comply.
A simple design. Essentially two wooden upright chairs on a wooden sled.
The lead dog is positioned first. His job is to hold the line straight as the other dogs are hooked up.
The instant that the last dog is hooked on the the line, the team is pulling and ready to run. If the musher did not have the brake on, the dogs would have left without him!
Starting with a noticeable jerk, the dogs steadily picked up speed. We moved quickly from the confines of the light forest and on to the frozen river. The six dogs did an easy jog reaching a gentle speed of about 10 miles per hour.
The sled has no suspension system except that which is a part of one’s own body. If one is not padded well in the posterior area, one will experience a very *detailed* ride over ice and snow. While the snow is pretty and presents flowing smooth lines, there is nothing smooth about the sled being pulled over a frozen river in a foot of snow.
It wasn’t long before the passengers were wishing for the comfort of Gerbings heated clothing! (But there was no place to plug in anyway.)
And while 10 mph may not seem fast, the windchill factor at 25 degrees Fahrenheit is -11 (that’s MINUS Eleven BELOW Zero degrees Fahrenheit) !!!
That explains the ice beards on the dogs and our musher after a 5 mile run.
Upon return to the staging area, we had to wait for the other riders to complete their circuit. We toughed it out by warming up by a makeshift grill over which we heated s’mores and brewed hot chocolate. Then the late morning sun finally peaked over the mountain and illuminated the stand of evergreens near our encampment.
brrr…it even looks icy cold from here! but am glad you guys are having loads of fun.