Midnight Run 2013

Just got back from the Midnight Run Dog Sled Race in Marquette, MI.  Whew, that's a long drive, especially when you stop every two hours to water and drop nine dogs.  It's always an adventure on the trail with Joanna.  We have a great time together and it's fun getting to know her friends in the mushing world.  Being out in blizzard conditions in very cold weather, in the dark of night, keeping track of eight dogs and trying to hurry, all develops one's character.   I know Joanna  enjoys competition and just running new trails through gorgeous scenery.  She won the Midnight Run last year which was a career first for her, but this year her race was more challenging with three females in heat and males that were having mixed up emotions.  Still she came through with a 6th place finish of 29 entrants.  She amazes me how she does it.  Tomorrow we're off to Ely for another race and then back to Michigan for the Copper Dog 150 mile race.  She has never run this race before, so it will be a new experience for both of us.

The first two pictures are at the start of the Midnight Run and the last picture is at the awards banquet where she collected her check and gave a little thank you speech.

Mid Winter Excitement

Just when things were really slowing down here for me after Christmas and I was wondering what to do with myself, I decided to go down to Ely for a conference at our daughter, Cherish's church on Israel.  Cherish and I had made a trip to Israel last fall and we have particular interest in that nation for many reasons.  It was just going to be for the weekend but I ended up staying for a week.  The day I was preparing to return to Ignace, I got a call from John's mother in southern Texas asking if I could come help her.  She wasn't feeling very well and was in the middle of moving into another mobile home in her park.  So, I drove on down to Minneapolis and flew to Texas.  I had a great time with Nona and the warm weather was an added plus.  One week later I drove back up to Ignace from Ely with our daughter Cherish.  She came up to sing and speak at a conference at our church in Ignace over the weekend.  What a powerful time it was.  Everyone was mightily blessed, so I'm sure we will do it again in the future.  With one day to prepare, Joanna and I will be leaving in the morning to head to her first dog sled race in Marquette, MI.  It's called the Midnight Run, which she won last year.  The next four weeks we will be traveling to both Michigan and Minnesota for more races.  It's been quite a whirlwind lately.

Just before I returned home, this area got over 9 inches of snow and now yesterday another four to five inches.  So, John has once again donned his road department hat and is trucking down the 325, our 18 mile driveway to plow the road.  The 325 is nice and smooth during the winter months when the snow fills in the bumps.