A cross country ski race took place in our area about a week ago and solely for this event a 40km skiing track had been created. We expected this track to be crowded with people on a sunny Saturday afternoon but encountered only two skiers - what a luxury to have the trail to ourselves! After four months of constant cold weather the high temperatures of the weekend came as a surprise - is spring* in the air?!
(And, just to clarify things...spring* in the north of Sweden and Lapland does not mean daffodils and leaves on trees. Up here spring is a continuation of winter but with brighter days and milder temperatures. So, when we long for spring, we're not hoping for our snow to melt - just for the bitter cold to end. ;-))
(And, just to clarify things...spring* in the north of Sweden and Lapland does not mean daffodils and leaves on trees. Up here spring is a continuation of winter but with brighter days and milder temperatures. So, when we long for spring, we're not hoping for our snow to melt - just for the bitter cold to end. ;-))
Gem, Titan and Tuisku ran 35km (21.7mi) yesterday which means that Titan is halfway
into completing the distance requirements for his WTD-title.
The trail was set in a varied terrain, providing both challenging uphills and flat expanses.
For those of you who are not familiar with the Nordic style of sledding - this is a so called pulka sled,
I am skijoring behind, or next to, the sled, which is attached to my waistbelt through a bungee line.
Why skijor and not sled? Because it allows you to be active and gain more exercise!
The new sled worked really well and was easy to maneuver in downhills.
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| Gem and Titan in the warm light of spring. |
Keeping their tug lines tight - good dogs!
A sign of trail experience - Tuisku knows how to cool down during breaks and preserve his energy.
Fingers crossed for two more months of snow and sunshine!
2 comments:
Titan is really growing up to a handsome guy! Is he quite a big malamute or am I seeing things? :)
Helsinki was so warm today, only -2C and I found it difficult to dress accordingly for a kicksled-run. It' s quite an excercise with one dog, I like to kick to keep up the pace and take short sprints every now and then, so I was soaked with sweat afterwards :o
Happy trails!
Anna Maria
Anna Maria
Hi Anna Maria!
Thanks! Titan is quite tall, I have not measured him since he was a puppy but my guess is that he's around 65-66cm. Our other dogs are quite small, or standard, which probably makes him look bigger.
We had the same weather here yesterday, -2 and sunshine. It was ok for skiing, a bit too warm for the dogs but ok for us. For kicksledding, however, I can imagine that it was HOT! There is nothing so exhausting as kicksledding in warm weather...makes me tired just thinking about it...but lots fun though! :-)
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