Skijoring!

Yesterday, Autumn and I went to a skijoring seminar. I've decided to take up skijoring, more for Autumn's edification than for mine. Although she was given to me as a "retiree," she does not agree with this opinion, and has been returning from our runs and walks rather sulkily. When I run as fast as I can comforably sustain, Autumn is sort of walking/trotting. And I feel bad for her because she can GO, and she LOVES it! On weekends when I get to walk her during the daytime, I take her with a retractable leash that goes to 10 feet. She'll dawdle behind me until I am at the end of the leash in front of her, then she'll take four galloping leaps until she is at the end of the leash in front of me, and then repeat. Poor girl! I really feel for her because I, too, love to run as fast as I can sometimes, just to feel all the muscles pump and go. And she doesn't get that opportunity with me.

Anyway, so I figured it'd be good for her to tow me on skis; then she run as hard as she wants, and I'll just be long for the ride! Because of our weight ratio (I am 3.5 times her weight.), she won't be able to haul me off like some psychotic hard-core racer dogs do to their owners when skijoring. Anyway, she's also gentle and sweet-natured, and great on voice commands. She's been my "lead dog" on our runs, and I've been testing her. Before we turn right, I say, "Autumn, GEE!" Before we turn left, I say, "Autumn, HAW!" When she starts to go too fast for me, I say, "WHOA, girl!" She even knows "On by!" when we pass a neighbor with barking dogs, or when a car is comeing by, etc. And she really knows this stuff and listens! She's awesome! But as I've said, it's her sweet temperament that really makes it happen. When I, for example, slip on the snow, she rounds about back and looks at me, her bushy eyebrows knitted with concern. I LOVE her and cannot ever imagine wanting a different dog.

Anyway, after the seminar, we all went over to Creamer's Field to practice what we had just learned. I still don't have ski boots, though I'd inherited my boss's old skis and poles, nor have I yet purchased the $120 or so of harnesses, ropes, etc, so I just went to watch. Some of those dogs are terrifying! I mean, not in a vicious way, but just in the way they want to bounce around all over the place without regards to the wellfare of the human they are attached to! Two came charging at Autumn and me as we walked by. Of course, all dogs want to socialize with other dogs, and all three went for each other, but as soon as I told Autumn "on by" she stopped and continued walking, while the other two yanked their humans to their asses and dragged them over! Anyway, I'll probably buy boots soon, just to practice skiing on my own, but I can't see investing in skijoring equipment until we have more snow. I'm quite annoyed that we lost all our snow over Thanksgiving weekend. Oh well.

In other news, I do believe it is Winter for real now. Time to switch to heavy mittens instead of unlined gloves, and woolly sweaters instead of 2 shirts! Yes, I've been wearing 2 shirts every day since September. Only two thin shirts, and a midweight coat, and I was comfortable to 15F/-9C. But yesterday, the temperature at Creamer's Field was 5F/-15C, and I was COLD!

And in other other news, I think the "temperature inversion" that this Valley is known for has already begun in earnest. In the Summer, our hills are cooler than in town, but now that it is Winter, it is 5-10 degrees F warmer. :)