We had a slightly sluggish return to training after our two weeks off. But it did include some trail breaking through snow as deep as the dogs's backs that reminded me of a general concept that I seem to witness a lot -- that a dog team can do things that snow machines either can't, or don't.

Several weeks ago we were breaking trail through some pretty deep snow while pulling the ATV when, about a mile or two from our turn around point we came across a couple of snow machines heading back where we came from. I thought "great, the trail will be a little more broken out and easier on the way back". Well, we turned around, started heading back, and almost exactly where we encountered the snow machines the first time we saw them again, this time headed back to their trucks, one towing the other because it had died. On we went, a dog team undeterred.

Well, yesterday we headed out on a particular trail for the first time since it snowed, this time on a sled, realizing we may be breaking trail, but kind of hoping some snowmobiles had been there first. When we got to the turn for this trail, low and behold -- snow machine tracks!! There was excitement in the team. But after only about 1/2 mile we came across the symptomatic sweeping loop in the trail where the snow machines had come across snow too deep and turned around. Did this thick blanket of white deter the dogs, though? Nope. Onward we went without the slightest hesitation, doing with dogs what multi-thousand dollar snow machines can't do; or their drivers can't do; or something. And this type of thing happens quite a lot -- I'll put my faith in a dog team over a snow machine any day.