Yatley Heath Race - Team Tangles

[Another UK Fan]

John cm - Thank you for posting the pics. I am this moment having an IT training session with youngest son who popped my avatar on here no probs. Next job was posting the pics -but you've done it! You are amazing. Thanks again

Welcome polaris -

[Another UK Fan]

AND Tangles how could I forget to thank you for letting me use the fabulous Lolly as my avatar?

Thank you!

[tanglefoot]

hi gang 1.27am...tired out...the first two were fromt he race, the team harnessed with ems in cold weather gear wating to take them to the start line, the second lolly, and the third the start line of the rondy by night race.

no probs aukfan,,,you know what lolly like a real supermodel haha

polaris mike...we did do good buddy! training thursday, you up for it?
dizzy is mikes lead dog and the ginger XXXXXXXlovefrogdog is sky his little red sibe..with the big woowowowoowosssssssss haha

[tanglefoot]

right well here we go...
we arrived at yately heath running a bit late, some bad trail markers (directions) sent us about 3/4 hour outof our way and w just got there in time for the mushers meeting and to stake the dogs out, it was cold, about -6C when we got there, although some temps of -10C were recorded only 25 miles away. polaris mike had managed to save us enough room for the truck next to his on the trail, there were over 100 teams there and lot of good dogs. we wernt due to go out on the trail until 12.42 so got ropoed into handleing some teams and helping the race start timers by holding rigs for teams. its great as you get to see some of the bigger teams heading off and its always fun on the start line working with mike.

after sending aukfan some text to update her and some pix of the team we got to the start line with a few minutes to go. hooked down the team and sorted everyone out, to be honest it was very chilled out as the team in front left about 6 minutes before us so we were able to take our time putting the dogs on the line and getting ready, the dogs pic up on this as well and arnt so bouncy which is great as it saves them some energy.

with a minute to go kirra got into the zone and was rraaaarraaaararaaing away, wolfe had a super tight tug and was leaning with his full weight into the harness and lolly was wooowowooing and stairing the trail out in front. the time ticked down and we were away. a short 50metres of trail before the first sharp turn kirra really cut the corner which lead to lolly trying to over take and ended up jumping the gangline, ive trained them to jump back and untangle themselves which they normaly are very good at esp. wolfe, but lolly got it behind her behind as she stepped over it the wrong way. so a quick stop to de tangle, unfortunalty this had the effect of them trying to pull harder as i was untangling and we lost a good 30 seconds. on our way again and up a short steep hill, we didnt even have to scoot! the next turn off the main trail came and we spotted a scratched team being held by a race marshal, they had gone wrong and ended up coming the wrong way down a trail and loosing all sense of direction, had tried a few times to turn the team around and get back, got more lost and so scratched to not confuse his young lead dogs further.

the turn came quick and we were into some wooded pine area with narrow fast trail. a few sharp turns and all was going well they were flying along. we came to a trail marker, called the dogs up and made the turn...the responded and we ended up in an open grassy area. now in the uk a turn is marked by a red trail marker on the side of the trail that the next turn is coming up on. so... red trail marker on the right, take the next trail off to the right hand side, once through the turn, or off the trail you were on, you should see two blue markers to say you are on the right trail...get me? ok..so we see no blues, lots of sled tracks and paw marks but no blue marker ... we stopped and look around...nothing, tried going a bit further...still nothing....so where were the blues? then i noticed the sled tracks all turned around and headed back the way they had come or carried straight on at different angles. it didnt take long to realise we had gone wrong, the dogs knew straight away when i stopped a second time and started to look about - (lance i know how easy it is to take a wrong turn, know how you feel dude!) - the team must have realised at the same time, as i called 'come gee' the command of turning the team around 180' the right, they did instantly, looking as confused as i was. i called them up and as we headed back i saw what had happened.

the red trail marker on the left indicated a left turn but there was 4 trails going off in different directions, the dogs were going flat out and i spotted the trailmarker, called 'haw!' and they responded, but when you looked at it the natural way to go for the dogs was to see '3' trails splitting in an arrow head like shape, and on the command haw they took the furtherst on the left, which i asked them to do....only the correct haw turn was slighty hidden behind some braken so as you came around the bend and the trails split you didnt quite see it. so unless you spotted the turn off the trail at the last minute and gave a second haw command to make sure they took the slightly hidden one, they natualay took the furthest trail on the left ,which was the easiest to see and the obvious way for them to want to go...now you see why i was confussed and kirra running the team flat out didnt see it either! the other marks were where about 10 - 15 other teams had done the same thing, two guys actualy carried on into the forest quite away before realising and had to back track a good 200meter's before being able to rejoin the trail.

anyway, away we went, just as the guy starting 2 mins behind me caught us up. we lost a good minute or so with the wrong turn and a good 30 secs with the tangle so were down 1.30 mins on out trail time already, he was also running 2 super super fast zero blood line sibes in lead and a french rare breed shepparding dog that is known for being mega quick, so he was shifting! zeros are a very very fast bloodline of siberian huskies known for their working ability, they are alot slimmer and sleeker, and very very very quick, but are not known to be easy dogs to live with due to their exessive hyperactive nature. we kept up with them for about a 1/2 mile before loosing them into some pine woods after a few twisty turny sections of trail. the dogs were loving it, lots of turns, good surfaced trails and a few hills and bumps, one section of the trail must be like the happy river steps from what i have seen on the dvds. its fast! very bumpy with ups and downs so close together your lead dogs disapears down the slope before apearing on top of the next bit, down you go again etc etc its like a rollarcoaster ride! the dogs love it and go flat out down them, it then twists and turns through an area they call the tunnel which was very dark, down hill narrow and fast!

we came out the other side to see 3 teams ahead, all struggling along, they had caught each other and the dogs, once past the team in front, gave up the pace and they ended up all moving along together. they seemed all ok and having fun, most were malamute teams, we caught them on a hill and shot past one gave chase for a while and got a little tow of us but didnt have the speed to keep it up for long. the trail widened and it was beautiful, we were traversing a hill and looking out over forests covered with frost, it was sparkling away in the sunlight. unfortunatley as we rounded the hill to traverse it the temp rose dramaticaly as the sun w on it and it was now nearly 1pm and the hottest part of the day, it was like running from a freezer into sunlight and the temp must have risen from one section of the darker trail in the shadow of the hill about 6 or 7 degrees C and the dogs instantly switched off the pace, it was liek hitting a wall of heat, even i started to sweat helping them along scooting and encouraging them to pick up the pace again.

they did for a bit before dropping to a slow easy trot again, they were working but slowly, so lots of scooting and geeing them along, we turned and had to head up a long hill, it was soft sandy grassy trail, good for the dogs feet but slowed the pace to a walk almost with the heat, kirra was trying to trot to increase the speed but wolfe being thicker coated wasnt having any of it, he was just too warm. so we jogged up the hill, turned at the top back into the shade and instantly like flicking a switch they took off again lopping along beautifuly, a short section of trail and we saw the finish in the distance, they must have heard ems shouting them in and really picked the pace up to the finish line.

we crossed over and trotted back steadily to find the truck and water the dogs, lolly with in a minute had stopped panting and was led down resting looking like she hadnt even run, kirra took a few mins longer and wolfe downed his water and stuck his head in the ground and rolled and rolled he came up with all the loose dirt stuck to his head where his tonge had lolled againt is face and wetted out his fur...clown!

the rest of the afternoon was spent chatting to other mushers and friends, looking at new harnesses for kirra and wolfe as they have changed shape as they have got fitter and more muscle during the season, nearly bought some very warm and toasty 'manmat' gloves like jeff king uses, but didnt. we got some new snap links for the dogs tugs and a new set of booties but didnt spend a fortune...which i could have done! having a musher suppplies at a race is great ...apart from you alway end up spending money you cant afford...more booties, new necklines, ooo! the new 'jeff king' harnesses are in! hmmmm do we need a set to try them out to see what the hype is all about????

finding out a fair few mushers took wrong turns helped me feel a little less of a dumb-ass for taking a wrong turn, two or three teams scratched and two disqualified for carrying on and missing out a marshal point and rejoining the trail further down, they didnt even realise they had done it! hopefull they will mark off or put trail tape or X markers to stop people taking the wrong turn again next year. otherwise it was a great trail the dogs loved running, just too warm on the last section of trail for them.

we attended the prize giving and came second in class with a good time, would have been better without the time lost and warm sunny section of trail, but i was pleased the dogs ran so well and it ment we ended up winning the class for the season...5 first places, 3 seconds out of 8 races! so we are now the D.O. class champions hurrah! well done team and well done all you lot for the support it really means alot to us to know our family is supporting us, i had my lucky jeff king bootie with me on the trail and wore my iowa tshirt and kirra was wearing her iowa lucky neckachief before the start.

mike (polaris) got 4th on the day and 2nd in the D.O. class championships which is great achievement! and neil got 3rd i think in the championships and third on the day...well done dudes! ive had a great season running and racing with you, sometimes even side by side!..mike you left a bit of your rig on mine after the last race heehehehe

so we got one more race left, the breast cancer charity race to raise money for them. march 15/16th.. about the same weekend as the end of the irod banquet i think?... we'll let you in on a secret later on....haahaa you'll laugh! but thats for a few weeks time just before the race!

[Another UK Fan]

so we are now the D.O. class champions hurrah!

Champion Team - Tanglefoot
This is fantastic! Thanks hugely for sharing the season with us. Congratulations to you and lots of fuss to that champion team of yours

[tilstede]

I read the race description on my cell phone, very suitable for such a tool, words and words strolling over my little window to the world
Thanks!

[Di*]

WOOOO HOOOO Team Tangles!
Those signs sound wayyy too confusing Guess it happens to the best of them so you don't have to feel bad!
Ems...I think you have made the difference for team Tangles this year, bringing quite a bit of luck to the team!

[mrwolfesmum]

Hey up there's a picture of my bright trousers on the net!!! Damn warm they are too!!! xx

[Di*]

Cool Camo!

[tanglefoot]

i think the dogs saw those trouser int he distance jumping up and down on the finish line and they just took off towards them! could they be...emsies lucky trousers hahaha