The New Year

Decades ago my brother’s best friend Rick Read used to spend a good deal of time at our house. Rick spent some time talking with my father, considering what career path he wanted to follow. My father’s advice: “Be useful. If the floor needs to be swept, then pick up a broom and sweep it.”

Be useful. I think that is as good a theme as any for 2014.

Music

One of my favorite parts of the morning commute are the various musicians in the subway stations. I give them any coins and one dollar bills that would otherwise lead me to temptation with the vending machines at work. They give me music.

Stop Right There

No, this is not a piece of medieval armament. It is my new snow hook. It has a line that hooks into the tug line for the dogs. When I need to hitch or untangle, I set the snow hook into the snow and let the dogs lean into the taut line anchored by the hook. Once I'm ready to go, I pull the hook and off we go. Tried it out today and I can now get the team organized in seconds with a whole lot less nagging.

Say It

Free speech means you have the right to voice your opinion. It does not mean that you should not have to suffer the consequences of voicing your opinion. If you are a public figure whose career is dependent on popularity then you may jeopardize that when you exercise your right to free speech. Your choice.

Priceless

Old wooden dog sled, $200; Strip, repair, re-lash and refinish dog sled, $150 in supplies and many hours of labor; More harnesses and tow lines for the “team”, $140; Watching your team string out beautifully around a hairpin turn at a full gallop on a lovely snowy afternoon, PRICELESS!

To be honest, my plan had been to take the gentle right at the fork rather than the hard left. I knew my meager dog driver skills would be sorely tested getting the sled around that hard left. But I went with their plan, crouched low, kept my weight on the left runner, and tried my damndest to bring that sled around fast enough to stay on the trail. The snow was soft and it did not take long to reorganize after I drove the sled off the trail.

Not a brilliant day...

Not a brilliant day for my "sled team". I could not keep the lead pair fast enough so the dogs behind kept catching up and tangling. Damn near hyperventilated cheering the front dogs on. I think it was a combination of things: unfamiliar trail; deeper snow; spare dog running around as interference; and Levi has become a hard pulling wheel dog so the front dogs had better get moving. So I tried Levi in front. He is useless there. I did get some video though! Used my Gorilla-Pod and glif to attach the iPhone to the sled. If I can get out tomorrow I'll try a familiar trail and not bring a loose dog.

First Run of the Season

First run of the season this afternoon. I need to take some steel wool to the runners, a bit rusty. I was surprised by the amount of snow today so quick pulled the sled down without much prep. No way I can get a photo once hitched, too busy trying to keep everything under control.