Annual Trail Tea Photo 2005

This photo was taken by Hiram I think, in Dorchester at the dog trucks. February 2005!

From pure white to pure mud!

This is one of my favorite pictures. Ms. W's two white, well almost white pups. I think this might have been one of their first runs in harness. Despite the snowy background, it was slushy and muddy on the road... as you can tell by the mud freckles they are wearing.

Java Bean and Pema. Two beauties don't you think?

Lidia

Here is Lidia at Sky Fields with Diva, who is a wold class leader and an awesomely beautiful malamute.
Lidia and I have had many adventures around this area.

WHAT'S IN A NAME

UKbrook..... it all started a couple of years ago when I was in the process of looking for a camp. A base for Miss W. and I to hang out and enjoy time with our dogs. Whatever would we call this camp? 'Mush and Blush' (as in makeup) 'Camp Girlies' 'Barking Tousa' and so it went on until finally we simply said 'UKbrook' and it stuck!!

UKbrook unites two good friends, soul sisters. In the absence of my real sister, who I love and miss terribly, Miss W. is the best soul sister. I look forward to the day when my sister Gabriella, my soul sister Miss. W. and I get chance to sip tea together.

The Dump Run at Sandwich Notch

Sandwich Notch trail is home to me and my dogs and also very much home to Miss W. and her barking brook doggies. As the snow falls, we dream of breaking trail through the notch, inching further than past runs and experiencing more notch moments . The power lines offer mushers a hair raising decent when conditions are not so great. After climbing and climbing, there is a steep decent to a level spot. Following Miss W. on a very cold day with strong winds, following a recent snow storm, we wind our way up and up the trail, carefully following the power lines. Along the way we ran into the groomer who was coming towards us. The snow was quite deep. With nowhere to go other than 'off the trail', we anchored down one team as we both helped each other guide our teams through several feet of deep snow and safely past the groomer. This was hard work, we were trudging through mid-thigh deep snow, holding onto leaders as the groomer's engine roared next to the teams. The team left anchored waited patiently for their turn. When this part of the adventure was over with, we soon came to the 'edge'..... put it this way, you couldn't see what was over the edge. It was wind swept and bare. Miss W. turns to me and says "You had better give me five minutes, I don't think I'll make it safely". There was no turning back. My leaders understood the words 'five minutes' and were not too happy to wait as they saw Miss W. launch herself over the edge and out of sight. I gave her five minutes and not a minute more as now my dogs had a new surge of energy. They wanted to go 'over the edge' desperately, anxious to see what was past the edge and by the way, where did Miss W. Go?? I could feel the power of my team and it was a little scary. I didn't want to get dumped. Typically I would undo tuglines to lessen the power, but the snow at this point was windswept and I didn't want to get off the runners and risk losing the team. So...... with a tentative 'let's go!', we were off. They flew over the edge like children riding 'the runaway train' at Disney Land. We hit dirt and rocks, I was knocked to my knees at one point, but I didn't let go. Pulled myself back up and held on for the wild ride all the way to the bottom. We pulled up alongside Miss W, I took a moment to compose myself, she seemed fine, dogs were good, my dogs, I swear, were grinning, I looked at Miss W. and said "next time, please don't tell me to wait five minutes right at the edge of a steep decent because all it did was wind my guys up!" then we looked at each other and grinned... tempted to go do it again !!!

Soul Sisters

Miss W. surprised me with a wonderful gift of friendship, a blog dedicated to our friendship and love of adventure in the company of each other and our furry family. Our friendship blog is also about sharing pictures and stories as we experience them together and with special friends who touch our lives and share our zest for trail tales, cold nights and life behind a dog team. People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime. Friends are like balloons, if you don't hold on tight, they will simply fly away

Things we live for...

This is what we found one year at the steepest part of the power lines at Sandwitch Notch. Right before you get dumped out onto a plowed road.
Needless to say we had a challenge getting 2 teams safely down this...and I had to go return on my own to try it again and get some photos for the archive of UkBrook adventures!!!!
Lidia of course has a great story...maybe she will post it! Come on Lidia, we need some good stories here on the UkBrook blog.
Here is the photo:

Dinner With Friends

This is dinner at Cunamara, a restaurant in Bristol NH.
Left to right: Richard in Roberts lap, Elizabeth, Alex, Kathy, Lidia, Whatleigh and then Terry.

My favorite Picture, Lidia has had a great run and Miss W has had a bad case of PMJ. Photo taken by Kathy B, who shared that day's adventure.

Musher Gals 2007, Sandwich

Here are some happy FRIENDS, following a great run with 5 fabulous teams:

Whatleigh, Kim, Kelly, Lidia and Kathy.

Here we are, in a great turn around loop, all teams perfectly using the space to turn around:

Fall 2007 Lidia and one of her teams

Lidia and Rosie and Yahboo. Followed by Lidia and Tisha and Biffa! Fall training.





Photos taken by Miss W

Cinni-Buns and Hedund Puppies

The Cinni-buns meet the newest Hedlund Gals.
Daisy and Nelli and Boomer and Blossom.

Annual Trail Tea Photo

One of our annual Trail Tea photos. I think this is 2006 in Dorchester.