Saturday, July 30, 2011

Urban Mushing

Even though we're in the middle of summer in southern California, we still find ways to get out with our dogs, and take them on runs in the area. Coastal CA temperatures stay in the moderate range for most of the summer, since we have the marine layer off the Pacific Ocean keeping things cool.

So we meet up early in the morning or late in the evening at various places around Orange County and hook up a few sled dog teams.
Remember to keep your dogs hydrated, do not run in the heat and watch closely for signs of heat exhaustion.

We frequently run two or three cart teams and several scooter teams as well.
Cart teams run 6 or 8 dogs on an Arctis Cart and scooter teams anywhere from 1 to 3 dogs on a Diggler scooter.



Most of our trails are dirt trails through local parks, along creeks and around lakes. Occasionally, we have to make use of bike paths and sidewalks, too.











If you are in the southern California area and would like to join or just check out what we do, feel free to take a look at our Urban Mushing website for more information.







Equipment sources:
Arctis Carts
Diggler Scooters
Alpine Outfitters for harnesses, lines etc

Thursday, July 28, 2011

...and more Siberian Huskies available in southern CA

2 year old litter mates Cinnamon and Bandit are in need of a good home. Please call Ole or Gayle at (no longer available, sorry)





























and this 3 year old red/white male Siberian also needs a home that knows how to handle a very energetic dog. Please contact Jamie at (no longer available, sorry) for more information



Wednesday, July 20, 2011

La Pine Mushing Weekend 2011

Here is the second announcement for this Fall's "La Pine Mushing Weekend". The cabins are full but there are plenty of campsites to be had; this time of year they don't take reservations on the campsites, it's just first come, first served. There are plenty of sites in "South Loop", so no worries about not having a spot!



Summer is here and it's time to announce our yearly "fun-for-all" mushing weekend at La Pine State Park, in La Pine, Oregon.

This year's event is scheduled for the second weekend of November, which falls on the 11th (Friday), 12th & 13th. Some folks (not sure about me yet) will arrive the afternoon of Thursday the 10th, to get settled in. We will be hoping for damp trails and cool temps, but no snow. This event is a dirt run, so plan on carts, quads, bikes and scooters. Runs will be arranged to provide a variety of training opportunities, including passing (from behind and head on), team weaving, directional command training, hills, etc. There is quite a variety of nice dirt trails to choose from. The event is open to anyone regardless of mushing style and experience (or lack thereof); bikejoring and scootering teams are welcome. Trails are suitable for all functions unless we get a surprise dump of snow that makes them dangerous for bikes or scooters.

Organized runs will be on Saturday and Sunday mornings; meet for breakfast at the conference lodge at 6:30 am or at the meadow about 7:30. (This is subject to change if the weather looks to be on the warm side.) The staging area may have changed due to construction in the park. I'll confirm the start point when I know for sure.



The event has the use of the meeting hall on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday (until 1 pm on Monday). It has a refrigerator/freezer, microwave, sink with hot/cold running water, tables and a heater. We will have a potluck meal on Saturday and Sunday afternoons at about 1 pm; other meals will be informal potluck at the participants' discretion.. We never lack for
enough good food! Since the cost per day went up to $75, I will be asking for donations to help defray the $300 cost of the meeting hall.

Campsites at La Pine State Park are suitable for tents or R.V.'s; all have electrical hookups and water. Bathrooms with shower facilities (included in camping fee) are in our immediate area; bring your own towels and toiletries. Campsites are first-come-first-served; there are plenty of spots and the State Park will open the adjacent Loop if needed.

There are five "rustic" cabins (two double futons, a table, electricity and heat) and five "deluxe" cabins (two double futons in separate rooms, toilet/shower, heat, running water, microwave, fridge, barbecue). There are no dogs allowed in the cabins. THIS IS IMPORTANT DUE TO FUTURE CAMPERS WHO MIGHT HAVE ALLERGIES.

Nearby motels are the Timbercrest Inn (541-536-17370) and the Newberry Station/Best Western (541-536-5130). There are a couple of other smaller motels, but the parking lots are tiny and border the Hwy.

Remember that there may be non-dog campers at the Park, so manage your teams to have them reasonably quiet.

Please let me know if you are planning to attend so that I may organize the event well and be able to provide updates as we get closer to November.

For Questions, please post to the list or e-mail me directly at tumnatki@earthlink.net

Please cross-post and pass along to anyone who would be interested.

Karen Yeargain
541-410-8475
Tumnatki Siberians
Diggler Dog Scooters
TAIGA harnesses/collars
K-Collars
National Dog Food
Prineville, OR
www.tumnatkisiberians.com

California Rattlesnake Avoidance Clinic & Fundraiser

New date and location announced!

Even though rattlesnakes are a year round occurrence here in southern California, summer is definitely the most active season for our slithery neighbors. As dog owners we need to make sure that our furry friends won't get into trouble by going after rattlers or inadvertently stepping on them or putting their curious noses into gopher holes etc.



On Sunday, August 28th, rattlesnake avoidance training is being offered in San Juan Capistrano CA.
Proceeds of this day's training will go to two local animal recues, Animal Crackers in Laguna Beach and Doberman Pinscher SOS in Tehachapi.

For more information, please see SnakeWiseK9.com








Monday, July 18, 2011

Two Huskies missing in Fresno CA



Two Huskies missing in Fresno, CA. Stormy, gray/white female, and Carmen, black/white female. Please contact (both dogs are safe and sound at home) with any information.

Friday, July 15, 2011

Siberian Husky Available, southern California

Courtesy listing for Animal Crackers Pet Rescue in Laguna Beach
"Oceanz" is a purebred Siberian Husky, red / white , blue eyes. 5 years old, has all his shots, healthy, neutered and micro-chipped.
Leash, crate & potty trained, loves to run, great companion for those who have an active lifestyle. Friendly towards people though he is rambunctious and doesn't always realize his strength towards children. Fine with other dogs once properly introduced.

No longer available, sorry.




Thursday, July 14, 2011

More Dryland Mushing events scheduled

In addition to the West Coast events shown below, Mid Union Sled Haulers announced the following dates:

November 5th & 6th, Ft Custer Rig Training, Battle Creek, MI
November 19th & 20th, Camp Rotary Rig Training, Clare, MI
December 3rd & 4th, Cummings Center, Mt Morris, MI

For more information, please contact M.U.S.H. through their website: MidUnionSledHaulers.com



And one event in Kentucky:
December 10th & 11th, Between The Lakes Dog Dash, Grand Rivers, KY.
For more information abut this event, please see "Mush the Dust"



There's still time to get a brand new cart for the upcoming season.
For Arctis features and pricing, please click here.

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Iditarod Veteran Karen Ramstead Mushing Clinic & Presentation




9-time Iditarod veteran Karen Ramstead will do a presentation about her mushing experiences and adventures on Friday, September 16th at 'Sit Happens' in Calgary, Alberta.
On September 17th & 18th she will hold a mushing clinic at the Rosebud Race Site in Didsbury Alberta, just outside Calgary.
For more information about these events, please see the event facebook page or the local events page and keep checking back at this blog for any updates.
For more information about Karen and her team of purebred Siberian Huskies, please see her website northwapiti.com and North Wapiti blog.

...and just a reminder: we are planning to make the trip up north to attend presentation and clinic and will be happy to deliver a new Arctis Cart right to your doorstep, if you live in the vicinity of our route (click here for map). For details, please feel free to contact us by e-mail or phone (949) 280-7019

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Missing Siberian Husky - Ohio & Georgia

Please help find NEKO by sharing and retweeting this!
LOST SIBERIAN HUSKY-19 mos old black & white w/ blue eyes, neutered, missing since April 16/2011 from Calhoun, GA. When lost he was wearing a purple collar, ID tag with the name




OHIO-Everyone please be on the lookout for our Husky, Cronos. He has on a black collar and a choker chain. He has been missing since July 3 around 6 a.m. Went missing from Elyria Ave., Lorain near Clearview HS and no one has called about him yet. He is very friendly, does jump on people when excited or nervous. He is about 70 lbs.