Sleepless in Handler-land: Reflections from Beargrease
I’ve heard that the handlers sleep less than the mushers during the Beargrease. During the race, which started on a Sunday morning and ended 72...
Dog Blog
Learning to Enjoy the Dog Sled Ride
by Erin Altemus
Mush Lake Racing Dog Blog A family-friend asked me recently what I think about for all those hours on the dog sled. A typical training...
Dogsled Training Blog
by Erin Altemus
Recently, while dogsled training, we have been on what my favorite forecaster from Minnesota Public Radio, Paul Huttner, calls a “weather rollercoaster.” I am admittedly...
Let the Training Begin
by Erin Altemus
Our fall training season began Sept. 10 this year, on a morning when the temperature dipped below the 50-degree F. threshold that most mushers consider...
The Beargrease Debrief
by Erin Altemus
The pre-race vet checks were held in Beaver Bay on a glorious sunny day. Temperatures climbed to over 40 degrees in the sun. Inside our...
Gunflint Mail Run Behind Us, Beargrease Ahead
by Erin Altemus
In almost any condition Mother Nature presents, we like to say it’s good training for the dogs. If it’s 20 below zero, it’s good training....
Mushing Memories
by Erin Altemus
Our decision to live in the woods with a few dozen sled dogs didn’t happen overnight. While some are born into the mushing tradition, the...
Mush Lake Racing Dog Blog: Marsh Mushing
by Erin Altemus
Last year at this time, I vividly recall freezing my extremities in frigid November weather. We had enough snow on the ground to provide a...