Canmore today WOW

Dog sledding is the best sport ever! We started the day down at the A&W parking lot in Canmore where the office of the  Snowy Owl dog sled company is located. A very professional outfit. They are very concerned with the health and happiness of their dogs, they take nothing for granted and go out of their way to make sure every one is happy but the dogs come first, always. They are very concerned that no one ever mistakes them for that gang of criminals that murdered all of their dogs in Whistler. In a comfortable Mercedes van we drove for half an hour up the mountain roads to the mustering place beside the upper Spray lakes.  The dogs were all harnessed up and waiting. The dogs love a good scratch, a kiss and cuddle and I tried to make friends with my team before we set out. From the looks they gave me I think they were doubtful of my abilities, but no more so than I was. A deafening cacophany arose as the dogs howled and barked and announced that was enough talking, lets get on with it already.
 After a pretty lengthy orientation the drivers were selected and we went out in groups of 3 teams. An instuctor on the lead team and 2 guest drivers each with our teams of six dogs spaced to a count of 20 behind. It is really hard to count to twenty when your dogs are pulling like crazy and you are putting everything you have onto the brakes and your heart is pounding. Fortunately we didn't have any turns or hills for the first 1/2 mile. After that I really earned my privileged position as musher. Bryan decided to ride, he wasn't really dressed for it as he only had jeans on and didn't want his legs to get cold. I think he was quite comfortable to be a passenger. I had no idea how much work there was to being a musher. And, how much strength it takes. Going up the hills I got off and pushed and ran with them a few times, ocassionally I cheated and skate boarded. That always got me a look from Cashew, my left lead. She was very doubtful of my abilities right from the start and rightly so. She would turn and look at me and her look said "lazy cow, put your back into it"..
I nearly dumped us into a creek as we tore over a bridge and the runners slipped out of the ruts. Fortunately, it was either one of my gorgeous, strong wheel dogs or myself saved us, I don't know which but I doubt that it was me. Rounding the corners I was leaning right and left, as I concentrated on driving the team through the trees. My knees were bent for an hour. I didn't know that I was cramped into a squat position until we peeled around a corner, then shot between two boulders and out onto the lake and I stood up straight relaxed and took a deep breath.
I had remembered to breathe.