Can You Say El Niño?
November 30, 2002

Seavey's Iditarod Racing Team--Sterling, Alaska
By Jim Gallea

Well, so much for the snow we were so excited about!  Over the last week, the temperatures have climbed into the 40s and 50s, and we have been drenched with torrential rains.  In fact, you may have seen news reports about the flooding that some areas near our kennel have experienced.  I think the lawn outside my cabin is starting to grow again!  Needless to say, the snow has gone into retreat and the forecast does not look promising. It appears our chances of snow are about the same as the chances of a certain, more scorching place freezing over--if you recall that old saying.

According to those knowledgeable experts at the weather station, some kid that they call El Niño is throwing some kind of temper tantrum out in the Pacific Ocean and heating up the waters off the west coast of North America.  This in turn upsets our hallowed Snow Gods and forces them to take refuge to Colorado, where the ski resorts have now opened ahead of schedule.  It's all very confusing, but that's how I understand it.

Despite such uncooperative weather, Tyrell, Mitch, Pete, and myself have found no lack of things to do.  The new dog truck is now at the local welder's shop getting shiny trim and fenders.  Two more tons of dog food have been stacked in the feed shed, and an additional ton of fish was just put up in the freezer.  And of course there is the training.

The trails are a muddy, soupy mess right now, but we are still training with the four-wheelers.  Tyrell and I just did our first 20-mile runs with the dogs today, and they looked fantastic.  The dogs' attitudes are great.  I think that they are starting to think that mud is their natural environment and that snow is just a minor inconvenience that lasts only a short period of time. 

As Tyrell mentioned a while back, we are carefully watching the dogs' feet because we are running fairly long distances on mud and dirt.  Normally, we would be training on snow right now, and a 20-mile run would be no problem.  However, with the occasional freezing at night, the mud and rocks take on the feel of 5 or 10 grit sandpaper, and a 20-mile run is mighty long on such trails.  We check each dogs' foot prior to a training run and put booties on any feet that need extra protection.  So far, the two-year-olds have been surprisingly good about the booties, and I've only had to really wrestle one of them to get the booties on.  We'll see how long their cooperation lasts.  Like I say to some of our guests at IdidaRide Sled Dog Tours, putting booties on a dog is a lot like putting socks on a two-year-old human.

Well, it's time to go do a few chores.  If anyone knows the snow dance, I'd love to have a lesson!

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving,

Jim Gallea
11/30/02