Tripping Out...

After not doing any trips last winter due to the hernia, that sucked in more ways than I care to remember, my friend Bill and I finally got out for a trip with the dogs.

The dogs staked out with the sled at the trail head. This is actually on the way back, I didn't get any pics the first day, so this one will have to do for both ways.

The real excitement came about half way to the cabin when we hit a wide section of overflow ice at one of the creek crossings. Made it almost all the way across when the sled broke through the ice and got stuck. I had to get off the runners and push it out. The water was almost knee deep and got into my boots. Now normally that's no big deal, cause I usually wear VB (bunny) boots, which are water proof. Unfortunately I had chosen to wear pac type (Sorel) boots and the felt liners got soaked. But it was above freezing by then, so mostly just had cold feet and no toes were frozen. The rest of the trip in to the cabin was uneventful, except for some side hill ice that sent the sled crashing into trees. But alls well that ends well and we made it to the cabin a little damp, slightly sore, but largely intact.

Bill heading out from the cabin the next morning. It warmed up and snowed a couple of inches over night, so made for some slow trails.

Typical shot on the run back to the trail head. It warmed up to the upper thirties (about 4° C to the French) and the wet snow made for a slog. But the dogs hung in there and we made it out after many stops and starts. Not the best trip ever, but a lot better than sitting home, thinking about it.
BTW, the truck fired up just fine after sitting out all night, so I guess the new battery solved the starting problem.