SNOW!!!!

Incredible. Exhilarating. Exhausting.

I finally got on a sled this weekend. Actually, I got on Bill Wehseler's training sled Thursday. Bill and Rita Wehseler run Stony Creek Sled Dogs, which offers sled dog rides in the gorgeous north woods along Lake Superior in northern Minnesota.

Rita is the expert musher who has made it possible for me to train with 5 veteran sled dogs (Penya, Colt, Elias, Lids, and Greyling). Last Wednesday, Randy and I went up to Schroeder, MN, where my mentor Claire Seekins has a cabin and where Rita and Bill operate their kennel.

I had planned to spend the week training there in preparation for my first race Jan 7. But Mother Nature had plans of her own: We haven't had enough snow to actually get on sleds and my poor hubby has been sick as a, hmmmm, really sick guy. He's had a serious Man Cold and has had to do a whole lot of resting.

Randy and Ginsberg crash at Claire's cabin

But Wednesday, we made the trek up north and, lo and behold, it snowed! And Rita and Bill lent me a sled and, oh my gosh, I have SO much to say and, as usual, not enough time to say it.

In short, I blissed out on snowy trails - and got seriously schooled by my pups on the amazing trail used for the John Beargrease race.

But for now, I'll let this little video tell part of the story. In a word, it was divine!

Happy New Years!!!

Beautiful break of day in the North Woods of Minnesota - Deember 31, 2011