12.23.2011

Solstice

Winter solstice this year was spent on the back of the sled! A long day, 50k to Bingis and back again. 100k total and the pups did awesome.

It's been one month since we saw the sun...enjoying the blue and purple days, but looking forward to mid-January and sunshine on the snow.


Rolling hills.


Snacking.

Clear skies and fine light.

Bingis Fjellstua.

Smooth trails.

Sparkles in the snow.


 

12.18.2011

75km Sunday

arriving at the top of the plateau after the climb up from the valley. 

heading inland.

blue days.

coffee to go! 

sled/cup holder. I drank a cup and ate some chocolate when we got onto the big lake past Soulovoumpi.

Fine trip with fresh air and a strong team !

Night running.

12.13.2011

tuesday night.

Sitting down in front of the fireplace with hot cocoa and my ecotourism business manual. Kari and Lars Bremnes on the stereo.

I ran two 4 dog teams today, 16 km each. The dogs got to stretch their legs and I got to get back on the runners after 4 long days off. Trail conditions down by the house consist of 1" of snow on glare ice. Once I saw the trails, I realized splitting the team in two was a good call. I am so terrified/thrilled to have responsibility for the yearlings I try and take every precaution I can concerning their (and my) safety.

Tomorrow we will train up in the mountains, where there is plenty of snow, with normal size teams (10-12dogs).

12.12.2011

clear & crisp

-10 C with a waning moon and hint of nordlys.

12.10.2011

kiss your dog daily

...just not on the mouth! yuk:)

12.09.2011

salmon snacks

MAKING SALMON SNACKS

Frozen salmon.

Meat saw.

The heads get cut off and the body is sliced into delicious salmon steaks.

The steaks go into bags for snacking later.

The heads get saved for dogs that need fattening up later in the season.


With/without flash. Blue days....

~L

12.05.2011

experiments


My first attempt to capture the northern lights on my new camera ! Fail.

Self-portrait.

Mørkatida

Polar Night up on Beskades.

It was a one-color day today. It didn't seem so dark as in this picture... To my eyes the light this more like this:

Across old overflow.

Flat light and high winds yesterday made trails difficult for me to pick out, but the dogs had no trouble. They know where to go.  Took the first left on the way up today; I saw someone else's tracks so I hoped it was safe. Eline told me it's a trail used later in the season because it's wet. I didn't know what to expect, and then suddenly, I see my line of dogs disappear in front of me and whoo! I'm flying over the edge... I can see my dogs below me, leaping over open holes in the creek bottom. I barreled down the drop behind the dogs, riding my drag to keep the line tight, and slid safely across the creek. The holes were small. There were several more steep little drops into creek gulches like this in the first kilometer, all with holes along the ice bridges, something the puppies hadn't been exposed to before (or me either for that matter). Good learning experience/confidence booster for all. Not many teams have been this way so the trail was nice and soft with plenty of snow, allowing for some control. Fun!  I already feel like an old hand as far as the road's concerned and have started looking forward to the curves. This confidence is empowering and a big change from the white-knuckled rides of a few weeks ago. I learned to give up a little control and trust the dogs and my many years on a dogsled to get me down safely. This road with 25kg in the sled and 10 dogs seems weeny compared to some of the corners I've been whipped around on the second sled behind 18 dogs in the Willow swamps. Thinking of that gives me some confidence in myself.... VERY icy today though. One corner is covered in a sheet of glare ice. The dogs always cut the corner though, so the trail curves around in the ditch, which at least still has snow in it.

I got another tasty chocolate in my julekalender tonight. To be enjoyed with hot tea and a book on my iPad after chores are done. Thanks, Nisse E!

~L

12.01.2011

Advent!

Happy December !

Kjære Eline made me a Christmas Calender. I love Christmas and I love how Norwegians make a point to celebrate Christmas ALL MONTH, and not with crappy christmas songs and consumerism, but with cookies, candles, and home decor!

11.27.2011

sunday

thomas dybdahl and sushi at matisdalen last night. eline is working this morning, so i do the dishes, make hot tea and re-read the norrøna magazine.

from an article about a hunter living on Svalbard:

"He lives and breathes for the long treks on the ice, for the fox tracks in the snow, for the polar bears and the seals, for the grouse prancing around the cabin, for Rusk watchfully scanning the fjord, for the calm of polar winter night and the return of the sun, for the quiet and freedom, all of which makes this man of the wilderness feel so rich." 



11.25.2011

thanksgiving

first off, i didn't remember it was thanksgiving until dinnertime. in contrast to a traditional turkey dinner, we had; boiled cod, boiled carrots, boiled potatoes, and bacon.... and it was good! bacon makes everything better.... then i read a chapter of Lar's Monsen's Til Fots Gjennom Alaska, about two norwegians, a guy and a girl, who crossed Alaska on foot, from the Alaska Peninsula in the SW to Kaktovik in the NE. then i went for my first skijor of the year under the northern lights. I took Bike and Princess. We skittered fast along the icy trails and saw a fox alongside the river. a good thanksgiving evening, enjoying the pleasures of a good book + fresh air.

i have much to be thankful for and i try to remember this everyday. to me, thanksgiving has nothing to do with pilgrims and colonialism, but is a time to think of family and count your blessings. i am thankful for my family, friends, dogs, cats, good health, opportunity, and time spent out of doors. looking forward to december!

xo lisbet

11.15.2011

first sled trip

bye Autumn, hello WINTER !

Woke up Monday morning to a FOOT of fresh snow. We dragged the sleds out of storage and headed up to Gargia (a 15 min drive), the start of the trail up onto the plateau. The main teams have been training here with ATVs for the past few weeks.

There was plenty of snow until we got up onto the plateau, where we met the winds.

The trail varied between 4ft drifts, this (above), and gravel. The wind blew the sleds sideways in some places. After only 10k, the trail turned completely to windblown gravel. The sleds began to fall apart. First my drag broke, then one of the runners fell off. Trine Marie and Øyvind's plastics stripped off. Roger also lost a runner and his plastics. Trine's sled managed to stay together.

We turned around and left the main road for the snow covered winter trail.

Trine Marie and Øyvind turning off the main trail.

Watching the show.

It was a wild ride home. I tipped several times, got dragged across gravel, got dragged across a bridge, got my feet caught in the stupid drag, did both at the same time. I lost my team once, and also my camera. Luckily I wasn't first or last; Trine stopped the team and Øyvind picked up the camera.

Not as idyllic as one would hope the first trip of the season to be! Everyone came away sore, but it was good training for the dogs, who had a great time plowing through the wind and snow. It was exciting to be on sleds but we are back to ATV training for the time being.