Gerry Willomitzer's
Blackjack Racing Kennel
November 13, 2006
Fall training and outlook for the 2006-07 race season
Hi all, I got up early in order to "nail together" a new newsletter.
Fall is always hectic around here. Everything is focused on getting ready for winter. And then there is that double load of still having to work too, which makes for two full time jobs. In the fall we train dogs usually early in the morning, at the coolest time of the day. During the day I make my living as a log builder. Luckily I have two handlers that have been a great help.
Working as a log builder is great fun. The
funkier the building the shadier are the characters hanging around to
check out your work. Funny how everybody who once nailed two boards
together all of a sudden turns into an "building inspector".
Fall training on a ridge above Lake Laberge.
We run early in the morning (6 to 7 AM) to avoid warm temperatures.
..and still Maggie and Blaze are heavily
panting but wagging tails.
We got our first "slivers" of snow in October, but it was not
enough to call it winter yet. I have a small kennel and we can train all
28 adult dogs in two teams simultaneously.
I managed to get a couple of loads of firewood from Fox Lake burn in early October. I will be racing all winter and not home much, so my supplies should last (they have to!).
In late October I hauled 40 dog houses, a ton of dog food and some straw to my training camp at Sheep Mountain, Alaska. I will train and race from there in December and January.
This is likely the last update for a while. There won't be any updates while I am at Sheep Mountain, and I will start the Quest only a week after I return from there. Then we go straight down to Anchorage for the Iditarod, and if I still have it in me I'll head from there straight to the Percy DeWolfe in Dawson. Spring time is just around the corner!
Below is the planned schedule this winter, most races have excellent race updates, so tune in to their websites (even prior to the actual events).
See you on the trail, Gerry
Outlook
for 2006-07:
Race websites:
December 9-10:
Big
December 16-17: Sheep Mountain
Lodge 150
www.sheepmountain.com
January 6:
Knik 200 –
January 13: Copper Basin 300 –
January 20: Klondike 300 –
February 10: Yukon
Quest –
March 3: Iditarod
–
March 15: Percy de
Wolfe -