Since moving to New Hampshire, I’ve been hoping to try some mushing - today was finally the day for my Dogsled adventure! Before I could leave for that, though, I teleworked for a partial day and logged offline at 1300. Since I packed last night, I was able to leave my condo immediately and, after a stop at the Irving in Hanover (for a gas fillup) at 1315, I crossed the Connecticut River and headed north. I used I-91 to reach VT/NH-25. I'd been expecting more snow after Bradford but the ground was nowhere near white enough. I actually started wondering if there would be enough for my dogsledding adventure... I used River Road and NH-10 to get to Haverhill and then followed advice from Google Maps, which told me I could use County Road to get to NH-116. Fortunately that worked OK, although there were some sketchy patches of ice, snow and mud. Heading east, I started tracing my old route to the White Mountains (NH-116 to NH-112 to NH-116 to Wells Road in Franconia). The familiar scenery brought back a lot of memories and I realized I probably hadn't been on these roads for more than a year - wow! Eventually got on NH-141 and used it to reach US-3. Along the way, I stopped a couple of times for views and breaks. When I reached Twin Mountain, I realized I was running ahead of schedule so thought about getting food at Yaya's Market and Deli. However, I encountered too many people inside and I didn't feel like waiting. Instead, I got on NH-115 and headed towards Jefferson. I didn't want to arrive at the Muddy Paw Sled Dog parking lot so I killed time by exploring Valley Road, where it was located. It was good to follow along a stretch of the Presidential Rail Trail I'd never seen and I liked the wonderful views of the snow on the peaks in the background. Eventually (1525), I parked at the Muddy Paw and waited for someone to notice me (they'd told us not to come inside). My appointment was scheduled for 1530 but no one came out to check on me until about 1535. Once they did, though, we got going! After having trouble getting a time slot for dogsledding during previous winters, I'd booked this reservation in early November - there was no way to know that I'd hit the jackpot with weather! Bluebird skies and very little wind and, even better, there was snow “in them thar hills”... Of course, being New England in late January, it was COLD - low teens at the start (1530) and single digits by the end (1700). Meeting the 70(ish) Alaskan Huskies at Muddy Paws was a treat all by itself - I tried to greet them all but ran out of time. All of them were sweet and I got a lot of dog kisses and howls. I “helped” as the staff got eight dogs harnessed on and “nerded out” on the process. A guy named Matt was assigned to drive “my” sled and he took care of everything - all I had to do was ride and watch the dogs at work. There was a second sled that was getting set up too - a grandma and granddaughter were riding with another driver. Matt gave me a safety briefing before we departed and it was full of “what ifs” that seemed far fetched. I thought it was all a formality but he later informed me that one of the sleds and dogs had “gotten away” earlier in the day. That really put things in perspective…. Fortunately, my ride with him ended up being flawless, just like the spectacular scenery of the White Mountains as we coasted along the Presidential Rail Trail. We traveled outbound two miles, passing snowmobiles and made a swap of lead dogs at the midpoint. We then raced back to the kennels again. I never covered up my face but the sharp, cold air felt good. Matt was great with the team - he spoke very calmly at times but he also got the dogs really fired up with encouraging words. Most of the time, he was talking to each dog about what they were doing (good and bad) - I sensed a lot of love in his voice. It was wonderful to ride at dog’s eye view and see each of their unique strides, personalities and behaviors. As we approached the kennels, the remaining 55+ dogs started howling even before they saw us. I felt great after my ride and played with the dogs once they’d got unhooked from the sled. My fingertips and toes were tingly but, somehow, I’d got a bunch of good photos and videos. Wish I could have stayed longer but the sun was setting as I departed (1715). What an afternoon! But I wasn't finished with my fun and decided to head to North Haverhill to join 13th Annual Moonlight Snowshoe event. To get there, I mostly used the reversed directions from the afternoon drive except I stayed on NH-116 after passing County Road. On the way, I passed a cemetery with lighted stones - I'd never seen anything like that. Near the end of the drive, I used Clark Pond Road to reach the Blackmount Country Club (arrived at 1815). It was hard to find the entrance but I managed to park in a really snowy lot (hoping I could get out again later). With the colder temps (single digits), very few other people showed up. This was fine with me: I made three circuits of the 3/4 trail around the golf course, which was lit by tiki torches. The sky was clear and dark but the stars were so bright I never needed a flashlight or headlamp. At one point, I noticed that the torches and stars were almost the same intensity. Orion’s sword and bow were clearer than I’d ever seen - what a night! I walked one lap with a younger lady who was cross country skiing. I thought about going to get my EVOs but I got some hot cocoa and cookies in the clubhouse instead. The owners were there and it was interesting to talk to them about their farm and golf course. And the clubhouse was very warm and inviting. Once again, the Haverhill Parks and Recreation came through with a really fun activity - very glad I attended! Reluctantly, I left the Country Club (2000) and drove home via NH-10, River Road, NH/VT-25 and I-91 - I was at my condo by 2045. Unforgettable day and night - wow!
