Candlelight ski and Skijoring
Trip Start
Jan 25, 2008
1
5
Trip End
Feb 08, 2008
Eagle river,
Wisconsin,
United States
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Ice chambers, pour out the water after rim freezes,
Candles inside make an icy glow, just what we need,
To match the icy feel of the tour thru the woods.
A mile of candles, a mile of set track, a string of us,
Absorbing the surroundings, with its flickering shadows.
Magical trees taking shape in the gloom,
Setting a mood that glorified the evening.
Then a day with sled dogs, talks on their care,
Their feeding, lots of feeding, as they run and run.
Booties for crusty ice days, harness for pulling,
They truly like to pull; it's not work, it's fun.
Then came skijoring, a bonding of dog with man,
A natural outgrowth of sledding, again they want to pull.
A pair of huskies, X harnesses, heavy belt on me,
Quick release buckle, but DON'T USE, don't let dogs free!
Pole to get us started, then they run,
Lots of strength, great teaming, go like the wind.
Dogs make the turn, they know the trail,
I start to slide, plant my pole hard, trying for control.
Plant the pole harder, they pull more,
They made the turn, why aren't we flying?
What's with the pole, why so bent?
I'm on the ground, their challenge: pull harder!
No harm done: no bruises, no breaks,
Elderhostel promises memorable experiences,
That's what I've had.
New poles available when we reach Hayward.
A final ski, Raven trails in American Legion forest,
Three km, then a reading, several more, another reading:
From the Earth Speaks, by Steve VanMatre,
Passages to start one thinking about nature.
To see the fire that warms you, better yet:
To cut the wood that feeds the fire that warms you.
To quest for wild berries; more satisfying than a gift of tropic fruit.
These are the rewards of the simple life.
Tree Death: Alone among living things, it retains dignity after death.
Even when life has abandoned, it remains a majestic thing.
At its final moments, massive trunk prone and moldered, covered with moss,
It arrives at a fitting and noble end.
And so we arrived at a fitting, but probably not noble, finish.
A week of outdoor training and fun,
A week of great teachers and companions,
A week to appreciate the north woods of Wisconsin..
Candles in the Ice
