Finally! Today is The Day! Some mornings, we can’t wait to get out of bed. This was one of them! We congregated at 7:30 AM for breakfast at the hotel. One hour later, a school bus was ready to take us to our departure point, the Chocpaw Expeditions kennel.
As we got there, 30 minutes later, more than 383 dogs greeted us. Wow! Very impressive! It is impossible not to smile as we meet this pack.
Ten teams of two are created, including our guides. There will be 20 of us on this dog sled expedition that will go on until Friday in Algonquin Park. There are 10 sleds and some 80 dogs to pull them. We must carry absolutely everything we need: our clothes for a full week, food for us and for the dogs, medical supplies, photo equipment, etc. Even though we were told to “travel light”, that’s a lot of baggage. Not to mention the dogs who have to pull all that stuff over long distances.
Early on in the expedition, we must all create a climate of partnership with the dogs. It is essential. The dogs must be encouraged, be spoken to politely and we must take some time to cuddle them. At times, dogs will stray and we will have to bring them back on course, but, generally speaking our dog team is highly disciplined and very capable. Once respect and confidence set in, a strong bond develops between the dogs and the teams and everything runs perfectly… most of the time!
During our first day of dog sledding, we travelled some 30 kilometres in some four hours. Mid-way, we stopped for lunch, nice hot soup and sandwiches, and we were ready for the second leg of our daily program. The guides tell us that our rhythm was very good for a group of 10 sleds. Until now, it has been a perfect trip.
Around 2 PM, we got to our camping site. We will stay here for the next two days. And talk about cool facilities! There are three tents: one for the boys, one for the girls, and one for the technical team. Each has a wood-burning stove to keep us warm during the coming nights. Good thinking, as the temperature should reach -25C!
What about the dogs? They sleep outdoors on a straw bed. They are used to sleeping outdoors all year round. To be sure, our group has provided them with plenty of loving care, and plenty of wholesome food and drink. Before retiring for the night, we will prepare their straw beds to keep them warm.
The entire team is settling in quite nicely on the campsite. During the afternoon, the group pitched in to ensure all the chores required by our new environment were taken care of. Some of the youths and our guides prepared a very nice evening meal. To conclude this first evening, we will light a campfire before preparing to retire.
In tomorrow’s episode, we will detail the daily routine to make sure everything goes as planned. At this time, every one deserves an A+. Yessss!