The Moose is always Loose in Dummer

Trail conditions

Well, it has and has been a busy couple weeks, again, with Sandy working in MA and Ko lame I am busier now than ever - The barn, grooming trail, answering the phone and e-mails, meetings, work etc... I think Sandy's correct, I may need a secretary!

The weather has been all over the place, snow some days then a warm-up then fridge cold, is this why folks seem to be sick, I often wonder that?  The trails for the most part have held up nicely, seems to me I thought the same thing last year, I worry about the conditions allot during this time of year.  We do have some icy spots along the way, but with a shallow depth to the snow and no snow making capabilities (lol) we are doing ok for the most part.  Speaking of depth, its snowing right now, about 2" on the ground and 6-14" predicted depending on which station I want to believe!  If we get 8" +/- I will be happier about it.

Ka and I went out for ride about a week ago and it lead us to Pond Hill and our trail there that leads us out - Holly crap what a mess!  We are going to need a LOT more snow on the ground before thats workable.  For now, we would send folks out to Newell Brook or Millsfield Pond Roads, yes a pain in the backside but far better than trying to get out that way with thin cover! Aha quite complaining, you trailer from MA and Southern NH anyway, so another mile is nothing - Should have decided to store the trailer and sleds here for the winter instead!

Last weekend we had some sprint musher's and their friends come over for the day training, they where thrilled that we had snow to begin with and then skijoring and sledding on the trails proved to be enjoyable for them.  They are from SE Maine which has received more snow fall than us, but the warm ups beat them up more as well.  We will see them again I know for sure.  We have been in contact with several musher's from the Narragansett Club, a group of them looking to come up in another couple weeks.  We could have several teams here, maybe I'll talk to the papers to see if they'll come up for a period to talk with them and do an article.

Susan (1 of our tour providers) came over Mon am and she went out 2-3 times with 4 dogs at a time and they said it went well also, her first time out on the trails by herself - She's learning them!

We have heard from a number of folks looking for tours and rides but very little booking activity - Winter is short folks, if you want to go book soon!

Well, back to real WORK for me for the day - Travel Well!

Richard

What a run

Well, it has been a busy couple weeks, actually just got a couple down days and decided to update the blog, while it was calm. 

A little over a week ago, we did completed our 1st 2 day excursion for 100 miles, what a run it was.  The first day out we got a late start, had to bootee the dogs which slowed up down because the warm up had turn the surface to ice, but it had and was snowing - The wet sticky stuff!  Made for a slow run for th dogs, and boy did they have to work hard.  I actually started to feel bad for them on the biggest hill going into the Trio pond area, nearly 3 miles of climbing it that crap!

We actually made fair time, the dogs actually did well given the conditions, at least I was impressed! Ron and I sat up after we cooked dinner and put the guests down for the night talked about stuff and had a couple drinks together.  The next morning Ron insisted on breakfast on his outdoor stove, its not working right, but he made due and the omelet in a bag was actually pretty good, better than an MRE - Yes I have eaten my share!

The ride back was allot quicker, but on a Sat the snowmobile traffic was heavier, not what I thought it would be but heavier.  Thank god for it not being to heavy though, I was getting stressed out leading the way with the snowmobile and nobody listening to me, Ron knew it before he asked how it was going - Maybe it was on my face!

Anyway, we got back safe & sound and the clients loved it, it fact a special Thank You note arrived in todays mail, Margaret made note knowing that allot of behind the scenes work went into their trip - Once again I have to say I love doing this!  That IS what it's all about!

I am starting to think about spring & summer packages now, yeah I have to do that BEFORE the season arrives.  Does anyone have a thought about doing a "The Lodge is yours" package, just wondering?

It was almost HOT!

This past week, we took a beating from Mother Nature, with temps in the upper 40's and lower 50's as well as a little rain.  Honestly can not take another week of that, STOP IT NOW!

I went out yesterday on the old Polaris snowmobile, my work horse, to check out the trails, and I was impressed at how well they actually held up.  All that hard work grooming them paid off, we can still use them for the shorter Dog Sled rides.  Not sure how the trail faired 4 miles out though, I was afraid to muck them up to much out there.  The clubs started to groom on Mon. prior to the warm up so they should have held together as well. 

Of course the weather guys can not make up their minds about what is coming Sun -> Mon night, for gods sake thats tomorrow.  Is it me or have they gotten worse at predicting stuff from when we where all kids?  I don't know maybe its just a tougher job now with the changes in weather patterns, yes the globe is warming and WE ARE having an impact, but it has also been warming since before our meager arrival!

Well I have a bunch of stuff to do before guests arrive today & tomorrow, so I am cutting it short, but I want to continue to post stuff to keep you up to date.

Til Soon! Richard @ Great Northern Moose Lodge & Campground

Its the Dogs dummy!

Got home from my 2nd to last day at the insurance agency office around 5pm, two messages from what almost sounded like someone frantic - What the Hell!  I sell rooms in a B&B not a heart transplant.  Turns out it is a mom looking to book for her two teenage kids for tomorrow, and she had already spoken w/Ron who is on the road back here after three days of "walking the line!"

I get a hold of her and she is already on the road heading in this direction; from MD - Yeah Maryland - Oh my God!  Is this the greatest business in the world or WHAT!  People want to be here, how can what I am doing be wrong.  I was meant to be here, and four years later I am still loving it.  You know what they say about loving your job - Come see the smile on my face when you arrive and leave - No thats not why I am smiling when your leaving, its because I know you had a great time here!

Just showed Kourtney (my youngest) all of these posts, not sure she actually had seen them before tonight.  I think she may have actually humored me while I read to her, was she really interested?  A 16 year old girl, interested in my rants?  Actually, she has come up with some cool ideas for the campground in the past. 

It started snowing earlier today and it still is, not a lot of snow 3 or 4", but I don't want it all at once to hard to work with on the trails.

Oh yeah, the point to all of this, the woman is coming all the way from MD to Dummer, NH because of the dogs - I never want to forget that!

Well I will get going now, rather long entry, thanks for listening!

Til soon!