Sled Dogs!

Bundled up in our multiple layers and the warm outerwear supplied for us, we walked next door to the lodge to meet the sled dogs and get mounted up for a mush through the snow. The kids were all loaded onto one sled that was driven by our guide.

I don't have photos of the ride itself since E was the passenger and I was the driver of our sled. Imagine a vehicle where the only pedal you need is a brake. Take you foot off the brake and it goes. That's a dog sled. These animals are eager to run and pull. The only limit we had on our sled was my ability to stand on the brake and the fact that if I didn't we'd run over the sled in front of us.

My face got pretty cold, but the rest of me did OK. Elizabeth was seated and covered by a blanket so she stayed reasonably warm. But the sleds have no springs and the ride was bumpy. So she got the good out of every bump and dip. There were even a few bruises where the sides of the sled banged against her legs.

When we got back, we got to meet some of the new arrivals in the kennel. While there is no place for these sorts of dogs as pets, they are mighty cute.

Interestingly, these are all Alaskan dogs rather than Siberian. We were told that Siberian dogs are built for much colder climates and don't do well in Lapland. The Alaskan dog are much better suited to the local climate.