Internet arrives at the Cabin

Internet arrives at the cabin, after 3 years living without internet finally I am connected !! 

Here is fabulous video one of my guests took during a multi day trip earlier this year ... 

Brings back found memories of snow and sunshine .....  

It’s snowing again

Tuesday 4^th November 

Fingers crossed this is the start…..

500 words for “Snow”

Monday 3^rd November

They say that the Sami people – the indigenous people of northern Scandinavia have 500 words that describe snow. I now understand that this is very important. In the past 2 weeks I have learnt a few variations of the word snow – I have found myself asking what type of snow has fallen?! What snow is falling now?

After the small snow fall 2 weeks ago the weather has been deteriorating.

Considering my home country,  I believe that one would assume that the weather would of got colder. But oh no, the deterioration that I am talking about is the weather actually getting warmer.

Lights and Ice

Northern Lights

Saturday 25^th October

But not all is negative – we have been blessed with some fantastic displays of the northern lights…. I wonder if I will ever get bored of this natural phenomenon that draws people in there thousands from all over the world. I don’t think I will. It changes so quickly – from a faint almost non existent glow to a dramatic display that stretches all across the sky. I spent an hour head tilted backwards with a guest whom I met at 3am in the morning whilst on my “restocking the fire” shift. It was a magical experience.

 

Ice

Wednesday 29^th October

So we may not have the snow – but as mentioned we have ice. The ice on the ground is hazardous – but the ice forming like stalactites from the water cascading down steep rock formations are spectacular. Creating “Aero Bar” shaped bubbles at the base – it’s a photographers dream

Alternative Plans

Site shifting

Tuesday 21^st October  

Setting out on a new training track we where optimistic that our track issues where behind us. But after two runs we where back to square one. During the wet autumn the track has been used by quad bikes tearing up the once relative flat base, now frozen in hard chocolate ridges. So it was no longer a slippery ice issue it was a track that was badly corrugated to the extent that we could not get a consistent running speed in order to train 

 

Plan C

Friday 23^rd October  

The third option was to return to the Autumn training camp – where we knew that the track would be in better condition. Thankfully, we where right. The down side to this is despite the autumn training camp being just over the mountain – it was an hours drive. An hour there, 1.5 hours to train and then an hour return journey is making the extra long and tiring. On top of that is the loading and unloading of the dogs needs to be taken into account.

Bambi Legs

Monday 20^th October

The last few days have been very trying. The minimal snow fall at first was a promising sign of good things to come. But alas the tracks are now playing field for cart drifting and fishtailing. With the temperature increasing the lying snow has melted somewhat to refreeze in the early hours of the morning– creating a thin layer of pure ice. There is very little traction and although the drifting is good practice and honestly a little bit fun. It’s only a matter of time before a dog is injured. With a cute title of  “Bambi Legs”. Dogs  legs are slipping on the ice patches, swinging wildly to the side. It was blatantly obvious that we could no longer train on this track.

Marshmallow anyone ?

Tuesday 15^th October 0.4 degrees 

Everything has been coated with a wonderful sprinkling of icing sugar loveliness. Yesterday the woods which have now been striped of their autumn leaves, stood bleak, naked against a black steel horizon. But today well it’s all brand new

The path is slightly padded with the snow. It is also somewhat slippery in places. With cart wheels locking and skidding, the small downhill become a process of lock and release. Lock and release. Not that dissimilar to try to do skids on a BMX.  

The hay bales standing in the field, which have been sealed in a white plastic look like giant marshmallows, with the overnight snow softening the edges.