8 May - Back in business!
The dogs have had a more than leisurely life since the beginning of March.  A few outings here and there, but more loose training in the yard than written-up miles under the paw.

At last, 8 May 2009, we're back in business, training towards next year's Finnmarksløpet (amongst other races).  The dogs had a good hour's run-around in the yard, yesterday evening, so they were acclimatised.  I took Wilma in lead as a comfort blanket, in case the road wasn't completely free of snow, and we needed some precision steering.  She's an old lady, though, and it took her a while to warm up.  As for the precision steering, I ought to rely on the new generation, and leave Wilma to other duties.

There's been very little for Leila and Logan in the past few weeks, so it was good to get them out again.  Both are pulling well, and there's no sound from them at breaks.  Logan would rather be on the left side of the line, so I'll make sure that he runs equal time on each side. 

Logan is now a smidgen taller than Seppo, although comparing a black dog with a white dog may give a false illusion.  Leila is just a perfect size and build, and runs really nicely.  Mum and Dad won't recognise the pups when they come to visit in June!

24 May - Berry nice!
In an attempt to free up space in the freezer, I added a bag of cloudberries (moltebær) to the dogs' food.  Loads of anti-oxidants!  Some of the mutts were more than happy to eat the berries, but others were more choosy, turning up their noses like disgusted cats.  I know they all like blueberries, however, so I'll make a point of harvesting those when the time is ripe! 

4 Jun - Tales of the midnight sun
Took the dogs for another training run, 2 June.  Great timing from the new tenants (downstairs flat) to pitch up just as I was hitching the lead dogs to their lines.  Pirjo was on heat, and Billy was obviously very interested in her.  Pirjo realised that she couldn't get away from Billy, so resorted to telling him in no uncertain terms that his advances were unrequited.  Billy, for his part, realised that no fun was to be had with his fellow lead-dog, and resorted to humping fresh air.  Must have been the strangest of welcomes for the new tenants.  My greeting to them consisted of throwing them the key and telling them to 'just move in'!  Welcome to life in Høyvik!

Training went well.  No eagle to meet us at the top of the lane, like there had been last week, but a mad March (June) hare did its best to increase the pace of the dogs on the way back home.  Meanwhile, I had to remind myself that Leila was at point.  She just blended in without drawing attention.  A good sign.  

What else?  The usual lack of quality sleep in the months of the midnight sun.  The curtains block out enough light, but there's always some form of outside activity to disturb during the night.  Sheep that normally wander by, past sleeping dogs, suddenly stop on the road and stare at the yard.  The dogs sense it, wake up, and give a burst of excitement.  The sound of reindeer feet clickety-clacking on the driveway.  Will they go further in, right up to the dog yard?  No, it sounds like they've clickety-clacked away again.

And then there's helping out in the boat, late in the evening, out to the salmon nets in the fjord.  Two fine salmon?  A bit of an effort for two fish.  Back home for midnight, then out again to fill rubbish bags with all the debris that can be found, both along the road and on the shoreline.  It's this week that the binmen also collect the rubbish that has blown into people's gardens.  Okay for once to put out extra bags of rubbish.  8 sacks and 4 fishing crates later, I've collected a fair amount of rubbish.  Really annoying to be a perfectionist - every cigarette butt cries out to be picked up, and boy, there's one every six paces.  Glad to have the long-armed grabber.  So that's the whole stretch between Høyviknes and the lane to the pumphouse cleared of rubbish.  All apart from the reindeer carcass that's lying only a couple of hundred yards from the house.  Wish I'd known about it.  It's probably been there all winter.  Free food gone for a burton. 

Training today?  Nah, I'll let them lounge around in the sun!  It must be all of 5 or 6 degrees!  Maybe mow the lawn instead, for the first time this year. 

Week 25
Loose- and span-training for the dogs, but generally a relaxed week.

Out for a midnight walk, solo, Wednesday night, where two crows were cheeky enough to chase an eagle.  No problem with the size difference!  Other wildlife this week - an owl (sitting on a post), a fox that was neither quick nor brown, a porpoise for the dogs and two beached whales, though not in the immediate vicinity. 

Logan has now showed me that he is able to trot without looking like a baby giraffe on ice.  Very nice trotting from him on Thursday, exactly in rhythm with his span partner of the day, Ruusa.  I'll keep them together for a while, to make sure that it wan't a one-off.

Leila was sick on Sunday night, but recovered very quickly.  Can't work out what it might have been.  I'd first worried that she might have swallowed a stone, causing a blockage, but everything is normal now, and she's her usual bright self.

And a message from Fletcher, who seems to have really settled in to her new home in Pasvik. 

5 Jul - Dreaming of the future
Leila in the house, socialising with me and my parents.  She seemed quite interested in watching the men's final from Wimbledon, though she didn't pass comment on the result.  Think she was just glad for the long match to end, so she could have her tea!  What was interesting, though, was the way Leila's attention was caught by the 2009 Finnmarksløpet poster, hanging on the wall.  Maybe it was fascination in the picture of the two dogs?  Maybe Leila has heard stories about the race from the other dogs, and was dreaming of her time to come?  Maybe she's just so clever that she can read!?

14 Jul - Moving with the times
13.07 - Three years since I moved to Høyvik.  What with two litters of pups, some purchases, some sales and one one-way visit to the vet, I've gone from three dogs to eleven.  What of the three initial dogs?  Bessi is living further along the fjord at Bergeby, having run Finnmarksløpet for me and Pasvik Trail for her new owners.  Yankee spent a couple of happy months on Ekkerøy, ruling over Vidar's young dogs and making sure they showed him respect.  The strain of being a surrogate dad eventually got to him, and Yankee is now somewhere in doggy-heaven.  Wilma is still in Høyvik, a grand old lady.  She's still happy to train, but she's showing her age, and can't now keep up with the youngsters.  I'll see what the autumn brings.  If any pups arrive in Høyvik, Wilma is good at helping them train.  Otherwise, it may be time to call it a day...

14.07 - Eighteen days to go until I can put my name down for next year's Finnmarksløpet... 

3 Aug - Here we go again!
Yes folks, it's that time again!  Just when you thought that winter was ages away, and had almost forgotten what a husky looks like...

Sat 1 Aug.  The date had been on my mind since March.  Sat 1 Aug.  The day that the Finnmarksløpet staff were open for entries for the 2010 race.  I had my doubts that the system would be in place.  After all, it's easy to lose track of the date.  I watched the clock tick over from Fri 31 Jul to Sat 1 Aug, and shortly after midnight, my entry-form was sent.  Nothing appeared on the list of competitors.  Several hours later, I re-sent the form.  And then it appeared - No. 8 on the list.  Hooray!  Strange to see the word, 'veteran'...

Check out the 2010 profile !

And for anyone who's wondering why I'm not racing the 1000km race...  It would be a dream to do the long race, because that really is long-distance mushing, testing endurance, fitness and teamwork to the limits.  Teams that enter the 1000km race have many dogs in their kennel - maybe at least 20.  They have year-round help in the kennel, something that doesn't come free.  They usually also have excellent sponsorship on the level of free dog food for the whole year, a free race sled, free clothing, etc, etc.  Teams that take part in the 1000km race have earned the right to do so.  At the end of the day, it's all a question of money.