The 2016 Racing Season is starting

I really cringe at the thought but it is looking more and more like my prediction last year during the Iditarod about Fairbanks starts becoming the rule rather than the exception may be coming to pass.  I was shivering in New Mexico today and looked at weather.com where Anchorage and Fairbanks are among the ten places I check on every day. OMG!

Here in Alamogordo we was sitting at about 35 degrees and it was snizzling--a mix of snow and drizzle. In Anchorage, it was 50 degrees with rain. Fairbanks was down in the 20s as I recall. Unless January and February are about the snowiest on record, there is not going to be much if any white stuff down in the southern Prince Albert Sound area. So it is likely they will have the ceremonial start in Anchorage on March 5 and then everyone treks some 300+ miles north to start for real in Fairbanks on the 7th. If so, I hope the Yukon isn't quite as cold as last year. Temps of -50 to -60 are brutal for all concerned.

However Fairbanks has been getting snow and is mostly fairly cold--maybe not up to the ideal or typical but enough snow to train on and enough for the Two Rivers Mushers' to run their annual solstice fifty miler on December 19. Now according to their blog, Aliy and Allen are out running a longer practice trail with their dogs, an over-nighter.  The key 300 mile races will be happening soon, most in January. They are the qualifiers for the big ones and important if not as famous or quite as taxing as the 1000 milers. I will get some URLs for their various websites and Facebook pages for anyone who wants to follow them as I do.

FYI, a few of the shorter races are scheduled as follows:

     The Knik 200--in Knik, AK  (worry about snow since it is not that far north)
       begins on January 2
     The Copper Basin 300 starts on January 9 in Glenellen, AK
     The Kuskowim 300 starts on January 15 in Bethel, AK
     The Seney 300 starts on January 16 in McMillan, MI
     The Two Rivers 200 starts on January 22 in Chatanika, AK
     The Southern Lights 300 also starts on January 22 in Big Lake, AK
     The John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon starts January 31 in Duluth, MN

     The Yukon Quest and Yukon Qiest 300 both start on February 6 in
           Fairbanks, AK
      The Junior Iditarod starts on February 27 at Willow, AK (will move to                       Denali if inadequate snow
      Several other lower 48 races also take place in February
       

Ginger--my special Husky Girl

Most of you know how I "met" the only girl pup in the one 2014 SPK litter when I visited with Aliy and Allen in August of 2014. I will never forget when Aliy picked up one of the five puppies in the pen with their mama, Chica, and said, "This is Ginger." Of  course Aliy with her wonderful trademark smile!

Ginger, Aug 10, 2014

From that instant on, this little Husky has been special to me. We have told the SPK folks how their Ginger has a fairy dogmother in New Mexico. Of course these five pups are all special as they survived the tragic loss of several of their siblings to a peculiar sickness very early in life. I call them The Surfivers. Ginger even had a health crisis of her own last spring with a looped intestine issue but has pulled through and is going great guns!

Ginger now

The other day when I watched the video that gave me the first look at Ginger in harness and running down the snowy trail being a real sled dog, although of course still in training,  I was teary-eyed with delight and pride. l'd be her sponsor if I could but that was not possible so I am a "fan" and signed up as early last fall and again this season as I could. I have several favorites in the SP crew but this girl will be the top of my list as long as she is alive and part of the pack.

New Mexico Ginger in the
"desert snow" at White Sands

Cold Weather in Fairbanks and Pups at SPK

It's been real cold recently in Fairbanks and chilly in Anchorage but I am not sure about the snow. I hope they are getting some. This being an El Nino year worries me as that often spells dry up north. I wonder if there is some kind of a snow dance?? If I can find one I will sure try it!!

Both the 2015 litters at Sp Kennel are doing great. There are official portraits of all of them now--a baker's dozen of beautiful little future champs and winners. You can find the pictures at http://spkenneldoglog.blogspot.com/  The cyber puppy breath is sure special and those little faces are just heart warmers. I have my faves of each litter and will be getting on their fan lists as soon as they come up. Quito and Olivia really did the kennel proud this time around.

Not a lot of news on the Surfivers lately but I am sure they are all training and we may see some of them on at least the shorter races this spring if not on Allen's Black training team during the Iditarod. It is going to be a challenge but I am still planning to be there if at all possible. I have almost three months to get ready, raise more funds and stock up on cold weather gear.  Please at least say a prayer or two for me! Nothing of value is ever easy so this must be pretty special as it is challenging me at every checkpoint.

Winter sets in up north!

It has been snowing at least some around Fairbanks and you can see snow on the mountains near Anchorage, I am told. That is good news for the mushers and I am praying for lots and lots of snow this winter. El Nino years are often wet in the southwest and drier up north but maybe this will be an exception.

The "Coffee Litter" at SPK is weaned now and a senior dog, Tig, a black beauty is acting as a foster mother for them so that Olivia can get back to her training. They have posted a few adorable videos of the six pups, growing fast and already very active, curious and even romping in the snow which will be thier favorite environment from now on.

Meanwhile Quito's seven pups, termed the "Golden Harness" litter, are doing well but not yet ready to leave mama. The Golden Harness is a special award originally created by the late Lolly Medley, the second woman to complete the Iditarod, doing so a few minutes behind Mary Shields back in 1974. It is given to the canine MVP each year. Although it often goes to the winner's lead dog, sometimes another dog will be voted to receive it.

Quito has done so although she has never crossed under the Burled Arch first--at least yet. She has won in the Yukon Quest though with Allen's Black Team, I believe. Whether or not she will have that chance since she is now nine and may not be fit to race this year, she's got the award and absolutely earned it. She is a very special, almost once in a lifetime dog and beloved by Aliy and Allen. I know they will not run her unless they are completely sure she is up to it and will not be unduly taxed to race so we will have to wait and see. ANyway she has produced seven more puppies with a chance to do her and SPK proud in the coming years and I am eager to learn their names and see more of them.

Meanwhile the Surfivers are running and learning and some will very likely be appearing in Aliy's team for the YQ 300, other mid-range races and in Allen's 'training' team in the Iditarod in 2016.

There are now over seventy mushers signed up for the 2016 Iditarod per the official site today. I see several key names I will be following closely--and I still have hopes I can do so at a much closer range than from New Mexico!! Go Aliy, Jessie and Deedee for sure!! We need a female winner this year so we can bring back those t-shirts. (Alaska: where men are men and women win the Iditarod!) I want one!! Maybe even several... By the way, Aliy and Jessie, seen below finished 5th and 4th in the 2015 race. That was Jessie's best ever and I wish her a great race in 2016. She's a tough girl and an outdoor/horsewoman/hunter after my own heart.

Aliy (l) and Jessie (r) at an inland checkpoint
heading for the coast in 2015 Iditarod

Second Litter at SPK!!

This was a huge surprise as they kept it under wraps until just now but there has been a second litter born at SPK, just a week ago!! Wonderful Quito had seven pups, three boys and four girls! The sire is not an SPK dog but a very exceptional dog, Kosak, belonging to the young Norwegian Musher Joar Ulsom. Kosak's sire was a full brother of the SPK dog, Cha-Cha, also a very exceptional dog and almost a foundation mama for many of the current active dogs there. Actually Quito and Kosak have a very similar "look"  which is not that common among Alaskan Huskies due to the mixture of breeds and bloodlines among them.

While this late delivery will slow down Quito's fall training and cut into her racing this year, it was worth it to get these pups to carry on her fine traits. She is nine now and crowding the end of her racing career but she may be able to do the Iditarod one more time. I was just blown away with this great news and can't wait to learn more about this litter which is bound to contain some exceptional sled dogs. Quito has been one of my faves since I first heard about her and I'm a fan for the second year since of course she already has a sponsor. Maybe I can get a toe in that door for one of these puppies! Below is me with Quito August 2014. I am thrilled that I have touched her and we communed for a moment. She has beautiful eyes!

Sharing a moment with Quito, Aug 2014

Go SPK!!

Small share

I just wanted to share that I sent the small quilt to Deedee Jonrowe several weeks ago. Yesterday I got a very sweet thank you note from her. She had been down in the lower 48 for an extended visit and just got back to Alaska. She and her husband are still camping in a motor home and having trouble with temporary water lines freezing now. They are rushing to get the new house finished but winter may hit faster. Anyway I am so glad it got there safely and she was touched and thrilled with it.

She is my heroine and such a brave, strong and amazing lady. I am a little worried about her racing this year but she is still determined to do it and I have to admire her gumption soooo much! This lady is a real champion in every sense of the word. What a role model for our young women--a big reason why I am still determined to do my book!! A couple of pix from official Iditarod files:

Deedee's team at a checkpoint 2015 Iditarod.
Note the pink!!

Deedee at Nome, March 2015-- smiling through
frostbite and she still had all her dogs!!!

SPK Dog Fan Club

Because  SPK has a rule that each dog can have only one sponsor who is deeply invested in that dog and his or her career, they came up with a great way to allow more people to make their little contribution to the grand endeavor. The Dog Fan Club is open to anyone and for the small fee of $25 which will go to support and care of that dog, you can become a 'fan'. The new puppies won't be included for a bit but the Surfivers are right in there  So far I am a fan of three: Ginger, of course, Quito--who is my all time favorite for many reasons, and now Olivia the mom of the latest litter. I will go back and include Chica and some of the male dogs later when I can afford it.

The weather is becoming more wintery now in Alaska, especially up around Fairbanks. And even Anchorage has had a bit of snow. I wish I could be up there now as I had planned but that was just not to be this year. I still plan and hope to make it up for the Iditarod next March and will try some new pushes through my go fund me page to build a better base for teh expenses that will entail.  I'll try to keep everyone posted her on my progress as well as all our favorite mushers as the race season gets underway right after the holiday season.

It is still just past summer in southern New Mexico and that is okay by this desert rat. As I said today to my Yahoo group friends, I don't do cold unless there are sled dogs involved. But for them I would bundle up until I looked like the Michelin lady and feel blessed regardless of the weather! Meanwhile I am a fan and an avid follower of all the news I can find on line and I share what seems to be most pertinent....

More on new litter at SPK

Aliy posted a video showing all six of the new babies today. Here's the link:  http://spkenneldoglog.blogspot.com/

They will be "the Coffee Litter" and we are all laughing about that since they said Aliy paced in the room all day the 23rd when they were born--from the instant Olivia went into labor so natch, coffee names! Right now I am trying to pick a favorite but they are all precious and Olivia is such a great mom but totally laid back about it, which is good for the puppies. They know everything is right in their world 'cause Mom says so. It's hard to visualize these pudgy little handfuls as powerful sled dogs but they will be showing that developing before spring just as the Surfivers did and are more now as they begin their training. If you want some puppy breath fix, click out and take a look! It's so wonderful to see the dynasty going on. I'm delighted!!

Just for a reminder, here is Aliy with the Red Team at the ceremonial 2015 Iditarod start. Note the Iditarider in the sled. If I am not mistaken that is Olivia in the lead on the right side of the hitch. Her white face and forehead and blue eyes are very distinctive. In a couple of years we may be seeing some of these new puppies in just that place! And some of the Surfivers even sooner!! It is very exciting.

If that is not Olivia in the right lead it is one of her earlier pup, many of whom resemble her greatly but I think it is her. Four of the Surfivers resemble the dog on the left; the SPK pack has quite a few tan or yellow dogs in the kennel. I think that one may be Scout but will need to double check. The Surfivers sire, Clyde is a big yellow-tan guy, usually a team or wheel dog.

The Surfivers

Are now in training as 'long yearlings' and some will probably get to do at least some of the shorter--like 300 mile--races this year. Aliy posted a cute clip of the five of them in harness--very excited but already beginning to get the hang of it. Great dogs-to-be, I am sure. The boys were in pairs and Ginger on her own back at the 'wheel' position though when it's an ATV instead of a sled, that doesn't make a lot of difference or special demands on the dog(s) in that place. When it is a sled, they are very important in helping the musher control the turns and trials of terrain. Mostly strong and agile dogs are needed there. Ginger will probably be a regular team dog --between the leaders and wheelers--for a while until she shows what her special traits may be. The team dogs do not get the 'glory' of the leaders but no dog in the hitch is ever insignificant. Two of the boys are big stout dogs and could well be wheelers in the future. But only time and training will tell their true potential. You can bet I will be following their progress very closely! I feel a real bond for these puppies since I met them and of course Ginger is my special favorite.

The new litter is doing fine so far. Lots of prayers for no issues with them. It is likely Olivia's last since she is about nine or ten and has whelped several large litters in the past. She's a very special favorite at SPK and I met her, too. Here is a shot of me with her in August 2014. As you can see, she is a multicolored dog and at least the three pups pictured their first day looked like they will be too. She has blue eyes, BTW, which is not a rare trait in huskies and shows some of the mixed breed look that so many of the modern Alaskan Huskies now have. At a quick glance many almost look like hounds or other hunting dogs. She's a diva and was enjoying the attention that day, her birthday!

 

Puppies!!!

The Olivia-Nacho litter has arrived as of yesterday. There were six, four girls and two boys. They are small but all seem healthy, a few days early. The three shown on the SPK DogLog blog are mixed color--dark with lots of white. I could not be much more delighted and excited if they were my own. I will share links or pix soon and keep you all updated on the progress. At any rate, this is super news I am happy to share. Congrats to Aliy and Allen and all the SPK family and to the proud doggie parents. They say Olivia is a fine mama and that is encouraging. She came through it in good shape although she is an older dog now. They are sheltered in a warm and comfy place and will stay there for some time since it is already getting chilly in the Fairbanks area. Weather.com said 28 degrees this morning. That is good for training but not good for a mama dog wit new puppies!