Interested in a Spay/Neuter Clinic in Baldwin?

I contacted the Spay/Neuter Express from the Grand Rapids area.

They are willing to do a trip to Baldwin (our place, either the Wooden
Nickel or back at the lodge.)

They need 40 dogs and cats signed up in advance.

You can look over the fees, etc. at this link:

http://www.spayneuterexpress.com/servicesandfees.html

Basically, $52.50 for a male dog (60# or under.)
$67.50 for a female.

The additional $2.50 per dog covers the $100 cost of getting the mobile
unit to Baldwin.

They like a variety of animals; males, females, dogs, cats.

I think this may be a great opportunity for mushers to get multiple dogs
(and cats) fixed at a reasonable cost. We may offer this to the local
community too - if I don't get enough mushers interested.

Please email me with the sex and type of animals you will bring to the
clinic in Baldwin. If I get enough interest, I will schedule a date. I'm
thinking a date in May or June, if we can get one - it will depend on
their scheduling.

I'm interested in all feedback on this...positive and/or negative.

Feel free to share this email with anyone you know who may be interested.

Sweetwater Challenge #2 Video link

Here's link to Jay's video he put together from SWC#2


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cgxkhu3GfTA

It's great!

Mush for a Cure Photos

Mush for a Cure weekend didn't involve any dogsledding...the snow vanished...just a LOT OF PINK and FUN! Oh, yes, and over $28,000 raised for Breast Cancer Research!




Here's a group photo below of a lot of MiDD members who were at this event...first year for Patty and I, the Adopt-A-Husky folks have been here before...look for incriminating photos of Patty and I on Friday night, partying the night away at the Trail Center....




Mark Black (right, below), "Captain Mammogram" and his sidekicks...



Patty groping Mary Black....



This guy was camped at the event site, fishing and cross-country skiing - he was a good sport, taking part in the relay race as the owly prospector, "claim-jumpers, flatlanders, get out of here!")



We got to see a real, live moose cross the road (the Gunflint Trail) in front of our vehicle and then pose alongside the road so I could get a quick shot. Cool!

No Snow....

Went to "Mush for a Cure" last weekend in MN. - left with snow on the ground; came home to NO SNOW. Amazing. Will post MFAC photos in a few days...

Friday photos from a run on the East Trail.

Here's a few photos of the trail from today - 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. run. The stick in the ground shows 3.5 inches of packed trail - it's more or less that much throughout the east loop (4.5 mile loop) except for a few bare patches. It's hard and fast early in the morning; worth waiting for it to warm up before running. An aggressive drag mat is a must for these trails, in this condition.



A bare spot - one of a half dozen in 4.5 miles.


No bare spots here, deep in the woods (which is most of the trail system.)


A photo of the dog yard.


This is the outgoing trail from the camping/parking area and lodge.

It's 45 degrees as I am typing this at 1:45 p.m. It's not supposed to get as cold tonight (20's instead of teens) so it should soften up earlier tomorrow. It's not humid at all but the dogs did get warm and dipped a lot.

Trails are still holding up here.

Took these photos this morning before I went to work at noon:
Parking area, looking east:

Trail that crosses the driveway, looking west:


Trail looking east at the gate:


Trail looking west at the gate:


Heading up the big hill on our drive - all the hills on our driveway are down to dirt in places, easy in, easy out:

SWC#2 Photos - Great company, great trails.

We had 12 teams and 2 ski-jorers on the trail this past weekend. Here are some photos. Deanna Clark, DVM/super ski-jorer from WI. did a great hands-on presentation Saturday night in the lodge on the latest range-of-motion techniques that she is learning in her canine sports medicine classes. THANKS Deanna for taking the time to enlighten us! We had LOTS of great, home-cooked food all weekend. A wonderful time with great people, dogs and trails!