On the first day of work, the ground around us was devoid of snow. It was also the first day we had to start canceling tours. After getting water from a nearby creek for the dogs, we scooped up about 50 pounds of poop, wondering if this was really what we wanted to be doing. Our time on the farm had hardened our nostrils and as we began to learn how to harness the dogs, we grew excited once more. That day, we took out two teams of 12 dogs for training runs, a 2 mile long run pulling an ATV at 7 to 10 miles per hour. The dogs are so excited that you have to hold on for dear life with one hand as you try to put the harness on with the other hand. Our first day of work started out with a bang as I got pissed on while harnessing a dog and Toren got knocked over into the mud and shit. The weather pulled through on our second day, dumping 4 inches of fresh snow. And that's how it's been for the last 3 days, dumping snow. Shoveling snow off the decks today, our knees kept scraping across the 2 feet of powder now covering everything. Yesterday was our first dog sled ride as "guinea pig clients." Without much of a snow base, it was a bumpy ride, complete with the lack of any real brakes on the sled. Coming around an S-curve, we narrowly avoided an angry herd of Texas Longhorns, only to hit a log, flip the sled, and spill all of us onto the ground. Chasing down the dog team, now without anyone to guide the sled, I had a smile on my face and knew this was going to be a great winter.
