| If
you want to participate in the sport of dog sledding, the winter
outdoors-person must first locate a musher who offers trips to the
public. While not readily abundant, there are commercial mushers
scattered throughout the Maine snow country. Six to eight dog teams
pull the musher, rider, and all appropriate gear needed for the
trip. Each participant must do his or her part in getting the team
ready to go, as well as lending a helping hand at the finish. Trips
are ordinarily a half day or several nights out on the trail. All
of the effort is quickly rewarded when the dogs lean into their
harnesses and the musher yells the anticipated command "Let's
go"!
Ski-joring, a sport
where one or several dogs pull a skier, can make for an exhilarating
cross country ski ride through the northwoods landscape. The dogs
wear a typical dog sled harness, while the skier wears a special
belt with a line incorporating an expandable bungy. The line is
secured to the belt by a quick release mechanism necessary for
safety purposes. Although getting started and stopping can be
challenging, lots of practice will make this activity a favorite
winter experience for the cross country skier and dog owner. Unfortunately,
appropriate spots for ski-joring are scarce in that cross country
ski centers usually prohibit dogs and snowmobile trails are simply
too dangerous.
For a list of races
and commercial mushers and guides offering dog sledding and ski-joring
trips, please see the below links. For
a map of Maine (PDF file) click
here.
|
