Get more details about the Fur Rondy @ FurRondy.net
Listen to LIVE RONDY COVERAGE @ KHAR590.com
The dogs in Rob's line up for the Fur Rondy include (NOT IN ANY PARTICULAR ORDER except Barney and Jewel):
Barney (L) Jewel (L)
April Daisy (R)
Holland Austin (L)
Cooter(R) General Lee (R)
Mrs. (R) BumbleBee (R)
Ballsy (R) Elenor(R)
Deno (L)
Dallas (R)? Rose (L)?
(L)- Leader
(R)- Rookie
?- Unsure on running
Stay tuned: the next blog will have all the details on what running the Fur Rondy entails for a musher, preparations and about the Fur Rondy Festival February 24-March 4 2012!
Rob called me yesterday and said,"I am no longer an Alaska 'green' because I have chip in my windshield and I had a moose run through my team today--we are officially broken in! [Laughter]" Rob said that other mushers had warned him about a moose in the trail about 1 mile from the end of the run. He expected that by the time he would get there, the moose would be gone. Sure enough about 15ft ahead of him on the trail, there stood the moose in the middle of the trail! Rob stopped his open team, hooked down and grabbed his whip. He started making loud cracking noises with the whip and yelling loudly in hopes to scare the moose away. The moose started to turn around and walk away but then turned back around! Heading straight for his team, the moose was in attack mode! Kicking at the leaders Jewel and Barney, and trampling through the point dogs, April and Daisy. The moose's feet got caught in the lines, stretching the lines. Rob ran off the trail (and sank immediately in waist deep snow) and hid behind some brush. The moose ran off between the sled and Rob's hiding spot, leaving Rob untouched. Thankfully no dogs were injured but it certainly was an experience of a life time. Rob said, "Boy was my adrenaline going and I was just hoping he wouldn't hurt the dogs!"
Despite the moose encounter, the 16 dog team ran 20 miles in 6 minutes less time than the previous two 20 mile runs! The dogs enthusiasm and condition after the run was considered when Rob decided to run the 2012 Fur Rondy!
GO TEAM PAWPOWER!