Bikejoring: Back in the Game!

 So during the last run I took a pretty big spill which ended with Titan dragging the bike down a ravine.  Titan and I were fine but the bike wasn't, the brakes were completely busted and some of the other components got a little mangled.  We weren't able to do much running until I can procure a new bike, we would have to settle for long hikes instead (which are fun in a different way).  So for the past month and a half I would scour Craiglists in hopes of finding a good bike within my meager price range, while jealously following the mushing adventures others were having with their pups. Finally I found it, a used 2003 Gary Fisher Tassajara in excellent condition and at a fraction of it's original price.

Picture taken after the walk

Took the bike for it's maiden bikejor run today, decided to go on a short, familiar loop since it has also been some time since Titan ran.  The bike was incredible, though I do want to change the (original) seat out for something more comfortable.  Titan was a little distracted, but he'll start getting into the swing of things once we get a routine going. 

After the run, and switching Titan to hsi hiking harness, the hubby and I took all of the pups for a short walk.  It has been some time since they've been to this park so they all really enjoyed exploring the plethora of smells left under the leaves.  Even though it was chilly, we still had a fun time.

Below is the video from the run, I felt the song is quite fitting for this occasion. 

Northern New England Sled Dog Trade Fair & Titan's First Race

This past weekend, I took the trip up to New Hampshire with my buddy Paul to the Northern New England Sled Dog Trade Fair held at the Hopkinton Fairgrounds.  This is a big event that helps kick start the mushing season with some educational seminars, a dryland race, shopping, and crazy mushers (new and experienced) getting together to share experiences and support each other.  It was loads of fun and definitely an event I would want to go to again.

It was a weekend long event, so we drove up on Friday, camped out Friday and Saturday night, and drove back Sunday.  It was somewhat rainy all day Saturday but luckily the seminars and vendor area were inside decent sized buildings so there were places to keep dry while shopping and learning.  Did a lot of my shopping that day, picked up some new harnesses for Titan and one for Tikaani, as well as random other things I liked.  Later on, there was a raffle with loads of goodies, of which I won a lovely hand knitted wool sweater.  During the evening potluck meal, which had an absolutely lovely selection of yummy foods, I had a blast chatting it up with other crazy mushers.

Titan did fairly well, he didn't really care for intact males (shame on me for not having him interact with intact males as a pup, most of the dogs I know are neutered/spayed) but overall he seemed to have handled everything well.  He loved getting attention from all of the people and watched quietly as teams of dogs were bikejoring and pulling rigs past our campsite.  At times, more so towards the end, he did get overwhelmed and grouchy so I opted to give him a break by crating him inside the tent.  He would protest crating at first, not wanting to go in and howling once locked up, but he settled quickly and just zonked out.  This was also his first time camping, I was glad that it didn't take him long to respect the tent walls.

I have to say, the sound of the rain tapping the tent and the numerous dogs howling was quite relaxing.  Call me crazy, but it made it easier for me to fall asleep. Woke up early Sunday morning o a gorgeous sunrise and fairly clear skies.

Sunday was bustling with the excitement of everyone preparing for the race. The race course itself was very short at 0.8 miles, which made it a great opportunity for a first time race.  Initially planned to only sign up for Canicross since I had busted my bike up about a week ago, but Paul was kind enough to lend me his bike so I can participate in the 1 dog bike run.  This was the first race for both myself and Titan, and also his first time really running the area.  (I tried him with a scooter the day before, but between my lack of scooter experience and his extreme desire to get at something under one of the buildings, we didn't really get to do much.) I was nervous and excited, a million possibilities running through my head  while we waited our turn.

Even though the run wasn't perfect, I was still very proud of Titan for making it to the finish line and meeting my goal of not getting in last place.  Our time was 2 minutes and 58 seconds, which landed us in 26th place (out of 28, 1st place time being 1 minute and 27 seconds).  We probably would have done better had he not gotten the line between his legs, will have to work his ability to correct that, but regardless I think he did pretty well.

We did ok in Canicross, made me realize that I'm not very fit and should jog more often.  Titan wasn't too happy with being crowded at a mass start, but once we got going he was more focused on running than the other dogs.  He did get a little grumbly at a dog or two, but he ignored them when asked and didn't go beyond that.  Didn't really get a time on this run due to the mass amount of people crossing the finish line at the same time, causing the judges to scribble names down as fast as possible, but I think there were a few people who came in behind me so yay to not being last. 

After the race, there were a few more seminars followed by clean up and giving a fond farewell to new friends made.  Below are pictures mostly from Sunday, didn't really take many on Saturday due to rain and poor lighting. 

2014-15 Mushing Season has Begun

Now that autumn is here and the temperatures are starting to cool down, it is time to start running Titan again.  This year, my goal with Titan is to get him able to run 5 miles by the end of the season, with minimal incidents.  This will be hard since the trails I'll be using this year are the same ones we hiked him in last year, so will have to help him fight the urge to mark every tree he passes.

I have also been saving up to attend the Northern New England Sled Dog Trade Fair and Seminars, which will be a great learning experience and a means of getting new gear without having to pay for shipping.  I'm also hoping to attend, and possibly run, one of the many dryland races in the neighboring states.  Will have to see if I feel confident enough in myself and Titan to run in a new area around dogs and people he doesn't really know.


Anyways, so far we have run 3 times this season, the first 2 a short 1 mile loop while the 3rd was almost 2.5 miles.  Below are the videos from the first two runs:

Now for the 3rd run, that was quite an adventure, I'll have to remember not to run Titan by a ravine that travels by swampy areas where the local fauna tend to hang out at.  The run started out fairly good, he was screaming to go and took off like a bullet.  He listened fairly well and every time I stopped him to do something unrelated, I could practically feel the frustration in him as he wanted to keep going. 

The plan was to ride up to the dam and let him have some fun in the water, but Titan had other plans.  He was running along nicely until some major movement caught his attention, it could have been some birds or a deer or even just the sun shining off of the water, I didn't see it so I'm not sure but whatever it was it had really gotten his attention.  He took a sharp turn down the ravine, I didn't react quick enough, the bike skidded, and down I went.

Titan wasn't really able to drag me more than a foot or 2, but with the way I was laying and the steep angle of the ground I wasn't able to reposition myself to get him and the bike back on the trail.  Seeing that Titan's focus was on something in the swampy water a few feet ahead of him, I made the decision to let go of him and the bike, knowing that he wasn't planning on going far.  He dragged the bike right into the mud, luckily knocking the camera off before everything else went in with him.

 As I sat up, brushing the dirt off of myself and making sure I was in one piece, Titan was having fun splashing in the muddy water and seemingly trying to catch something (a fish maybe). I grabbed his harness, unlatched him from the bike and brought him back up the ravine.  Thankfully I brought an extra leash so I could secure him to a trees while I went back down to retrieve the bike.

Titan is wondering when he can start running again

Boy did he scream his head off when he saw me come back into view with that bike, and he screamed some more as he waited for me to sort out the bike.  Somehow Titan managed to push the front tire under the frame, causing the brake lines to twist around the handle bars, and bending some of the metal components to the point where they were useless.  I managed to get the wheel back into position and the bike in mostly working order.  Though the front brakes are useless now it's a good thing this bike has back brakes.

I hooked Titan back up to the bike and ran him back to the car, we still had about a half mile to go so I kept him at a slower pace (utilizing the back brakes) just in case something else caught his eye.  The rest of the run he was a bit distracted but listened well enough.  He surprised me, and made me proud, when we passed a person walking their dog down an adjacent trail.  This Shepherd-type dog grumbled when he saw us through the trees, which did get Titan's attention for a split second.  But he went right back to focusing on running the trail ahead of him and ignored the dog behind him.  Lots of praises for that.

Below is the video chronicling most of the run, including Titan's dive into the ravine and him ignoring the dog (who is off camera): 

After we reached the car, I tossed the bike in and walked Titan to the river.  I figure that even though he took me down a ravine, I might as well reward him for ignoring the grumbly dog and maintaining focus most of the run.  Shouldn't forget the positives and try to laugh at the negatives.  He had fun splashing in the water and trying to catch the ducks we so rudely disturbed.

Locally Sourced Recipe: Turnip, Kale, & Chicken Frittata

So to further celebrate the joys of locally grown food, I would like to try to share some of the recipes I've used them in.  This recipe is the first one I've made containing produce from the CSA we've signed up for.  A good deal of the ingredients are local, but not everything is since some ingredients I am just not able to get locally (yet), so I will note the source of each ingredient.  Anyways, here's the first of hopefully a series of recipes, enjoy!!

Ingredients

Hakurei Turnips with greens, diced (CSA)
Handful of Kale, sliced (CSA)
Several Whole Eggs, beaten (from my girls)
Chicken Breast, diced (store bought, fresh if possible but canned is fine in a pinch)
Grated Parmesan Cheese (store bought, any cheese can be used but Parmesan is all we had at the time)
Chives with flower, diced (CSA)
Butter for coating the pan (store bought, Olive Oil also works)
Salt, Pepper, & and any other Spices/Herbs that I felt like adding (This time around it was Rosemary and garlic, all store bought and freshly ground)

(Note that I have not included quantities or measurements with the ingredients. Tbh recipes are merely a guide towards achieving a finished product and in most cases shouldn't be followed exactly.  So really experiment with the quantities and flavorings, go nuts and just have fun making a dish catered to your own tastes.)



Set the oven to broil and leave it to warm up.  In a skillet on medium heat, melt some butter and add in the chives and turnip roots.  If you are cooking with fresh chicken, also add in with the turnip roots.  Stir every few minutes until turnip roots have softened and chicken looks cooked. Once the roots have softened, add in the kale and turnip greens, cooking until wilted.

Sprinkle some salt, pepper, and other flavorings on top, and stir.  Mix in some more flavor with the eggs, and stir.  Pour eggs into skillet and give a quick stir to mix all of the contents together.  Cook for a few minutes until the lower level of eggs seems to have firmed up. 

Sprinkle cheese on top, covering most of the area, and move skillet into the oven.  Cook in oven for 10 minutes or until the top is a golden brown.  Remove from oven and let cool before slicing up and devouring.

First CSA Pick Up

This year, we opted to sign up for a partial share with a local CSA.  CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture, where local residents pay in for a share at a nearby farm and in return will receive a portion of produce weekly or bi-weekly.  We've opted to go for a bi-weekly share, a more affordable means to test try a specific farm.

CSA is a great way to not only support local farms but also gives the member an opportunity to enjoy produce that wouldn't normally be available at the grocer.  In some cases, such as the CSA we signed up for, the produce with also be organically grown thus eliminating the ingestion of harmful chemicals. 

This pick up included (from left to right): A bushel of hakurei turnips, a head of lettuce, 12oz of swiss chards, 8oz of kale, 6oz of arugula, and a bushel of chives.

So excited and can't wait to try out some recipes on these veggies. 

Beach Hiking

With warm weather comes the ticks, and this year is looking to be a terrible one fill with these nasty little buggers.  In order to keep our exposure to ticks as minimal as possible, we will switch our hiking location to this beautiful beach that is one of a few which are dog friendly.  Part of the beauty of the warm weather is being able to enjoy the cool ocean water without freezing to death and Titan, often overheating and needing many breaks during our last few wood hikes, is finding these outings to be enjoyable again.

The amazing thing about the beach is the diverse wildlife it has, between the mammals, birds, and sea life you never know what you will find during a visit.  Below is some video and pictures of a few of the wildlife spotted during our hikes.

 

Tikaani and Miyu find the dead horseshoe crab shell to smell quite interesting.

Tetsu watching the horseshoe crab swim away

 

Horseshoe crab

Bloodworm

Titan also found us a live jellyfish, silly boy wanted to sniff it but unfortunately he can't breath in the water.


 

Under part of the boardwalk a local fox had a litter, the parents stayed pretty close as we passed by with the dogs.

Such a cute little kit

Pictures of the pups enjoying the sand and water:

Stay tuned for future pictures and videos of our fun on the beach.

Bikejoring: Season's End

With the weather warming up, the mushing season is coming to an end.  It was a fun season with a slow start, and I can't wait until next fall and winter so I can begin working more with both huskies.  With Titan being practically done growing when it comes, I will be able to start really working him and get him to better remember what he should and shouldn't do during a run.

For now, during these warmer months, much of his training will continue during hikes on the beach.  The cool ocean water will help keep everyone from over heating while we enjoy being outside together.  Lots of great things happening there, which I plan to write about in another post.

Anyways, I managed to get 2 more runs since last I posted, not sure if I'll get anymore in until next winter.  Here are the videos of those runs:

More Pictures, taken during the break and break down:

Tetsu's First Barn Hunt Trial

Barn Hunt is an amazing, new dog sport where a dog and handler search for a rat (safely contained inside a PVC tube) in a maze of hay bales.  The rat must be found within the allotted time and it is also required that the dog go through a tunnel and climb on top of a hay bale.

Last year, I had taken Tetsu to a fun match where he did fairly well.  He aced the instinct test and wound up peeing on the course (a big no no) during Novice since I wasn't confirming his find.  Below is a video from the fun match:




Now fast forward to this year, I took the 2hr drive to the same location for the trial and as usual Tetsu just napped the whole way.  Tetsu was a bit uncomfortable with the all of the noise and dogs, being that it has been sometime since he has last been these kinds of events, but he still managed to be on his best behavior.

I signed him up for 1 Instinct run and 2 Novice runs, with the Instinct run being first.  With the Instinct level, the rules are a bit more lenient and the only requirement is that the dog finds the tube with the rat in it out of the 3 openly displayed on the ground.  After entering the ring and stripping Tetsu down (dogs must run naked), he perked up and was ready to explore.  I released him facing the tunnel, but the silly boy decided that following me was the best thing to do.  When he saw the 3 tubes, he rushed to investigate them and quickly lunged for the one with the rat.  I called it and praised him for a good find, holding him to avoid tossing the rat around.  He made second place for his class at 12.25 seconds, earning a qualifier ribbon and the title RATI.

Showing off his new ribbon

Next were the Novice runs, both in which he also showed a lot of enthusiasm when released.  During the first Novice run, he found the rat but we ran out of time before he could complete the tunnel requirement.  I was so nervous about him marking in the ring that I had accidentally called him away from the rat several times.  During the second run, he had completed all of the tasks but I had called the wrong tube. So sadly, we didn't pass either Novice run.



Even though he didn't learn any legs towards his Novice title, I was still very proud of Tetsu.  He really showed a lot of enthusiasm and had a better understanding of the game than he did during the fun match.  I plan to sign him up for another Barn Hunt trial in June, here's to hoping that we earn him a few legs there.