Being a Musher

Living in a Modern Commune

So I was thinking on Mother's Day as I was sitting around the campfire by myself this thought popped into my mind. It would be great if I could live here on my farm, maybe raise a pig and a cow, along with the chickens, cats and dogs, and have a garden. And I would count on my neighbor to grow the feed for the livestock. And we would shop at the local General Store that would NOT get their items from foreign countries but from other crafters within the state or county. And we would gather together in times of harvest and planting. We would share in joys and sorrows. And no one would go without. Everyone would have enough to eat, and warm place to sleep, food in the pantry, food for the livestock, and a place for the children to run and play without fear of stranger abductions.

Is anyone else out there interested? I realize some would say, hey join the Amish. Or some other religious cult. But I don't need religion. Religion is what has caused the great divide of humanity. I am looking for others who wish to commune with others on this spiritual level, who wish to live together as a human unit.

Alice, Nicky & Mom

Iowa Sunrise

 The old saying, it's darkest right before dawn could be changed to this:  The best light is right before dawn.

  The rays of the sun being bounced to our view, the reds vibrant and sure making the green of the grass an emerald color waiting to be selected in an old woman's jeweled ring.  The blue tint of the sky, sharper in focus than any fool photographer could ever be.   The description of my morning sunrise.

    What started out as a sudden attempt by a higher calling to get on an exercise morning, turned out to be one of the most gorgeous skies of the summer.  As I woke, I decided I would listen to that voice in my mind who said, WALK NOW.  I did.  Accompanied by Biscuit leash-free we started walking down the gravel road.  The sun was not yet up, but its light was bouncing on the eastern horizon.  Fire red at the horizon.  It fuel my walk up to the mile corner.  Living out in the country they old timers tell me every corner (generally speaking) is approximately a mile.  So I take their word, and Biscuit and I walked for a mile then turned around to walk home.  The walk back we were looking directly at the sunrise.  It was now getting brighter, the dark-vibrant red was replace with a yellow glowing ball, Father Sun.  I looked at my cellphone to check for the time.  Always curious and for some odd reason like it really matters about the time, but it was 5:52 (am for you who may not be following along closely or for you others that are seriously-educated public-criticiser's.   The bottom line is this, Iowa has great sunrises.  Every morning.  Tuesday Father Sun "winked" at me.  No kidding.  He was starting to rise over the big hill that I call mountain just to the east about a mile or two from the Looney farm.  It was a loving gesture to say "Good Mornin' Mrs. Looney!"

Today, the horizon was blood red and clouds above.  Clouds everywhere, except along the horizon.  Just enough for me to say "Hey Father Sun, how ya' doin' this morning?"   And what would you think he said back?  He caught me between walking by the tall corn, and being ever so polite because that is his nature, he says to me, "Glad to see you are getting those dogs back on the exercise plan."  

   Sometimes, it is so hard to get out of bed, the body just wants an extra minute of rest.  The body is lazy.  It doesn't want to work it wants to lie awhile and  "dream," dream about things that don't really matter and  flying.  Flying around the earth to see the sunrise.  Then the mind has to wake itself up.  C'mon, get up silly.  Time to get to work.  The mind is willing but the flesh is exhausted.  So walking the dogs at sunrise is a great way for me to get some exercise, have the dogs get some exercise, and see Father Sun.  How about that!  I can do it every morning, view an Iowa Sunrise.  Right in here.  

Mushing Loon Iowa Sunrise Run

Alice Waiting to Run

The Loon and His Dogs on Our Farm

Signs of Spring

My tulips have broken through the ground.
The grass has a greenish tint.
Tim is obsessed with the Iditarod.
Tim is obsessed.

The buds are bursting on the maple trees.
We can sit around the campfire at night
Tim is obsessed with the Iditarod.
Tim is obsessed.

I always can feel when it is spring
the air is warmer,
the dogs take off for hours at a time
Tim is obsessed with the Iditarod.
Tim is obsessed.

Mushing in a blizzard-Iowa style

Saturday's blizzard was my first opportunity in weeks to take advantage of a little mushing. Brownie was already outside, on the loose. I went into the barn and harnessed up Biscuit, leaving Krunchy alone in the barn, crying to come along. No way was I going to let Krunchy come along with us. He ran half a mile ahead of us and did whatever he wanted to do. It is not fun when he gets the other two all excited and not paying any attention to me. After harnessing up Biscuit I brought the pretty vivid red harness for Brownie. She sat at my feet and let me put it on her. She usually is hard to get dressed but today she wanted to go for a run. Got everyone hitched and went to get the sled that hangs in the garage. We headed east to the waterway. There was about 4 inches of snow on the ground in places, and just covering the grass in others. Temperature was 12 degrees but falling. We saw a big green Chevy truck and thought it was Dad so we ran back home. It was not him. So we attempted for the second time to head east to the waterway. When we went about 30 yards and got to the same spot we were at when we saw the other truck, there was dad. So we ran back to the house to talk with him. Then we headed west out to the cornfield.The wind from the northwest was howling and blowing hard snow pellets into our face. I walked alongside the sled and let the dogs trot ahead not having to pull any wait. It is hard walking in the earth turned field. Bumpy and the remnants of corn stalks sometimes snags the sled. Alas, we made it to the waterway that goes to the timber. This was great, smooth sailing for the most part. The dogs were happy to run along and I would push off with my left foot keeping my right foot on the sled. Then we came to the edge of the timber. I stopped to get the newly made brake out because I knew the hill down to the river bottom was steep and fast as that is the one the Loon wiped out on weeks ago. So I checked out the new brakes and decided it would be safe and worked. SO mushing the dogs down the trail, ever so slowly we walked down the trail. The snow was too deep, it got caught up on the brake so every 10 yards I would have to stop to clear it. So much for going fast. When we got to the bottom of the hill I could see the river, the Wapsipinicon or the Wapsi as everyone calls it. IT was moving fast for this time of the year. I wanted a closer looked so anchoring the dogs I walked quietly and carefully to the edge of the river. IT has a steep bank and the edge of the river is frozen unlike the other side that was moving swiftly. I laid down on my belly to watch. I had to keep the dogs a distance from me or they would have given me kisses and licks and jumps and more kisses and licks and jumps. Biscuit loves to love. Getting up carefully, we left to continue on the trail. It is a snowmobile trail but no one had been along for weeks. The dogs did pretty good until we were on ice. Now, I didn't know how deep the water was where we were on. Usually during the winter months, the river is low and the bottom timber is dried up. But we were walking on ice. The dogs decided they didn't want to pull so much, so I ended up just walking behind the sled, laying my arms across the handle bar on the sled. The ice was cracking and we were watching closely, because the last thing I wanted to do was to fall into some waterhole that had just enough water to soak me, without drowning and I would have to walk back to the house pulling the sled. As we followed the river, I noticed we were below the level of the river, not sure what it meant but beginning to feel a little edgy. Just as I thought we were close to being out I slipped and fell. Oh shit. Was the ice going to break? That was my first thought. Quickly, I jumped up before the dogs could jump all over me. I notice the creaking of the ice and needed to get off this stuff right away. Looking to the south I saw we had a bank to go up and we would be high enough the water would not get us if there were a flash flood. We weren't in any real danger, but I think about stuff happening so I will know what to do if and when it ever does happen. Living on the edge. So there I was, just steps from climbing out of the river bottom and I couldn't climb up the bank, it was ice covered. I couldn't get a grip. I was yelling at the dogs, pull me pull me get going but they wanted to love me, kiss me, jump on me, and love me, kiss me and jump onto my face. WHY? Didn't they know we could be trapped out here, never to return until the spring thaw? After finally getting Biscuit to relax was I able to crawl on my knees and fingers to the top of the bank. And running as far as we could away from there. Walking thru yet another cornfield, partial plowed with cornstalks sticking up to grab onto the sled every twenty steps, and Brownie not wanting to pull at all now, it was still a blizzard and I was sore from falling on the ice, twice. About every 10 steps there would be a different smell. Rabbit? Deer? Fox? Squirrel? Only the dogs knew for sure and they wanted to check out every smell, one at a time. By now, the blizzard was rolling strong and I was having to just walk behind the sled. They would not pull me at all, not even with me pushing with my left foot. I had a good mile plus to walk. And I forgot to go to the bathroom before I left. I just wanted to get out there and forgot to go. Now I am a mile from home, beat up from falling on the ice, twice, and I have two dogs that only want to stop every ten steps to smell what lies below the snow. Needless to say, it was a long journey for half a mile until we reached the eastern waterway. Now, we were within site of home and I fell again. Into a big hole. I didn't see it, but it was there and so was Biscuit right on top of me. Love and kisses and jumping. Double duty for Biscuit. And Brownie didn't want to pull at all. I finally stopped the sled and tried to see what was bothering her. She let me take off her harness but in the process she began overly excited and ended up putting her mouth into my nose. OUCH! It hurt and she didn't mean to bite me, but that is what happened. So now she is loose, I am sore and have a bloody nose and it is a blizzard, and I have now almost wet my pants. I didn't have a phone with me and my husband was not around. I forgot to tell him where I was going and when I would be home. As good fortune would have it, he pulled in the driveway with his big-ass truck. He noticed my nose and wondered what happened. I told him he could read all about it on our blog. The blizzard continued for several hours, and I felt fine until the next day. Sore all over. My nose is ok and Brownie and Biscuit are ready for some more mushing fun. Tune in next week to see what happens.

Mushing Photos

Check out some photos of us mushing at The Loon's Mushing Report.

WHAT I HAVE DONE RECENTLY

BY ANGIE
It's Feb. 1st and I have been busy this year. Just wanted to share some of the things that have been keeping me busy. I'm sure you all are on the edge of your seats so here goes.
I got a new job. No longer am I slaving over writing promos for the news department at kgan/kfxa tv. I have been appointed at the University of Iowa as Educational Media Coordinator II at the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. When I figure out exactly WHAT my title means I will share it with you. For right now, I am the assistant to Head of the Production Unit, Bob Burns. Bob used to work at KGAN. So, it has been a blast so far. Just finished my 3rd week on the job. Tim came over after his gig on friday to get the nickel tour.
The 100s had two gigs in Janaury. One around Jan 10th. at Springville at the Legion. Good show. We went out for breakfast afterward, which meant driving to Cedar Rapids. Tim was mad at me, but I was hungry. A girl has got to eat.
Then the 100s played an unplugged gig at the Java House in Iowa City, Friday Jan. 30th. Filled the room and more. Great show. It aired on the radio, IPR so cool. They did videotape it so you can watch it somewhere, sometime, at a date which I don't know.
We have been taking the dogs out on the snowmobile, or snowmachine, trails about once a week to get them some exercise. Tim wiped out, as you may have read last weekend. We went today and had a better run. We did not let Krunchy go with us so it helped Brownie focus on leading. HEr and BIscuit did a great job. PRoud of both of them. They pulled me a long ways. Tim made a new break for him when he went down the mountian trail. He didn't wipe out, the break worked great. We are now in the house, sweaty and tired but feeling great about the dogs. They did a super job.
The daughter is performing in speech and is going to the state contest for her group mime. We are proud of her.
The teen son is using Motley Crue to wake us up ev ery morning. At 6:15 every morning. Even when he is not here. He is playing basketball, and although I have only been able to attend one game, Tim took the video camera and I was able to watch another. HE seems to enjoy it and even remembered the other guys from the other teams that he played against during football. That is the cool part about playing sports, meeting the other team and sometimes making friends.
Saw Tim's other son at the gig Friday and turns out he has class in the building I work at. Maybe he'll look me up more?
Would recommend reading the book "winterdance" by Gary Paulsen, if you like reading about life, obstacles, dogs, outdoors, dreams, and the iditarod. Good book. Easy reading, fast paced. Good. 5 stars. And I finished the book I got for Tim for Christmas, by Neil Peart "Roadshow" good book and again, easy to read, fast paced, could keep reading for hours on end if I had the time. He (Peart) is similar in many ways to Tim. Or vice versa. So I totally understood his lack of enthusiasm for being a rock star. Like I said, great book worth the read. Especially if you are a Tim Looney fan, a Rush fan, or a DRUMMER.
Now we are preparing for Feb. the time of the year when winter doesn't go by fast enough. Looking forward to selecting seeds from the catalogues, planting new trees, and baseball and softball season.
Stop in and visit friends or family. We welcome ya'll.

Mushing On Ice

By Angie
I'll admit it. I am now a musher. And in the two plus weeks I have taken out my two dogs, Brownie and Biscuit with Krunchy off-leash leading our way, I have bruised my elbows, hyper-extended my knee, and almost flipped myself over the sled onto the ice glacier of an Iowa waterway. This is the most dangerous sport I have ever done! Just when it starts getting fun, something happens and BAM! I find myself beat up. Realistically, I don't think my body can take it. It is tough. So kudos to all those mushers. I'll stick to being an amateur. And my question to you is this: How do you run dogs on solid sheets of ice?

Tonight is the Premiere of "Toughest Race On Earth: Iditarod"

Tonight is the premiere of the Discovery Channel series "Toughest Race On Earth: Iditarod".

The series will air at 10PM Eastern Time tonight, and repeat at 11PM ET, 2AM ET early Wednesday, Friday night at 10PM ET, early Saturday morning at 2AM ET, and Saturday morning at 11AM ET.

Tune in for coverage of the race start in Anchorage and Willow. Meet mushers and their dogs. Learn behind-the-scenes strategies and training methods. See exclusive interviews.

Road Creatures

This fall as you walk down an Iowa gravel road, maybe you'll notice those creatures in nature we call slimy, creepy, crawlers. As it turns out, this season there are so many caterpillars crossing the roads and the snakes as well. All summer I have been looking for the snakes. Not too often did I see them slithering in the grass and into the underbrush. I thought maybe the chickens killed them all. But alas, they are out in full sun on those dusty roads the dogs and I walk most every morning. Today was no different. About every 20 steps there is a caterpillar creeping across. The black and brown fuzzy ones. The same type I captured every fall and brought them into our house. I never knew my sister didn't like them. I would put grass in their home and sticks. Every morning they were gone. The vase I kept them in was short and shallow. I guess they escaped. The dogs love to check out each one as we walk the gravel. IT doesn't matter how many we look at, they all need to be investigated.
Speaking of wildlife, every time I drive past the hog confinement center about 3 miles from our home, I see the same coyote hanging out. He is reddish brown, kind of shaggy. I guess you would say he is living high off the hog. Loon wants him dead. I like to see him. As long as he is not killing chickens, he can stay over there.
And readers, we got our harnesses and ropes for the sled dog team. Loon and I took them out yesterday (Sunday) and walk the waterway to the neighbors road and back home. We were only out there for an hour, but we were beat after doing it. Biscuit is the leader. We tried Krunchy, he kept trying to go to the right. HE pulled pretty hard. Brownie is the best sled dog. She is so good. She just stays in line and follows Biscuit. His ropes are too long. They need to be shortened so he is not too far ahead of everyone.
We'll get some pictures and post sometime.
Keep on reading and write in your comments readers!
Angie

Hook Up those Pups!

It's official. The Looney's are getting some harnesses and ropes and all that great stuff that Loon has been dreaming about ordering. Biscuit will get a custom harness, because as it turns out he is small for a sled dog. Go Biscuit. We always root for the underdogs. Did you know Biscuit is a wet nurse for kitties? Yes, it is true. We'll keep you updated, racing fans and dog lovers. Don't worry. No puppies will be hurt on our shift. In fact, I see one old lady getting thrown off the wagon somewhere in the middle of nowhere on occasions. And I see an old man getting left behind in the wilderness without his bottle. Life is gonna be good real soon.

Brownie the Good Dog

Smoke the Cat
Looks like Brownie, the dog is the starting member of the dog team at the Loon farm. She has learned the art of staying at home. She seems to understand her mom and dad, finally. Biscuit and Krunchy remain in the dog house. And on the kitty report, MJ has returned no thanks to Mom. Poor tabby. He just wants to hang around with the family. However, he doesn't seem to get along with the other cats. Probably a bit on the snobby side I would side, Meow.

Walking the Dog

Yesterday was a great day to walk your dog. It should have been National Walk Your Dog day. Why humans, you may ask? Because yesterday was overcast, cool and a Monday. What better day than Monday to get off your bee-hind quarters and move those hams. SERIOUSLY. And can you imagine NOT exercising at least once a day. Imagine the shape dogs would be in if we didn't get out there and walk. Can you imagine that? Hey, Dad are you reading this? Sinking in? Time to get in shape for the great dog race.
Your loving Doggie Daughter,
Brownie

TOUGHEST RACE ON EARTH: IDITAROD

Discovery Channel has announced the premiere of TOUGHEST RACE ON EARTH: IDITAROD, on Tuesday, October 7 at 10 PM ET/PT.

Produced by Thom Beers, creator of Deadliest Catch and Ice Road Truckers, the six one-hour episodes will follow mushers and their dog teams as they take on the elements, the cold and the trail conditions – as they race each other over one thousand miles across Alaska in The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.

View trailer:

Great Day to Run Dogs

By Brownie
There's a chill in the air, the skies are partly cloudy and it's a good day to hitch up the team and start training. Why hasn't our dad got us a hitch yet? Or whatever that thing is called that Mom can hook us up to and we can FINALLY run. I just want to run. Poor Mom! She could hardly keep up with us today. She looks like a little old lady trying to hang on to a speeding train. Sunday I caught a "wabbit" I sayzz. (Dad- trying to talk DOGGIE talk here but itz nout wookeen.) Mom made me let the wabbit go. Boohoo. Biscuit and Krunchy loved to smell it and tried to take a bite out of its poor little leg. Mom said, "Drop it!" and being the good girl I am I obeyed. And I never ran off. Score one for me. Woohoo...Dad. Let's get with the program here. If you are really going to consider yourself a DOG MAN, then get the stuff for Mom so she can do all the work.
From your favorite teenage wasteland doggie, Love Brownie.

A Dog Tale: Teenage Wasteland

By Brownie
You can say that I am bi-racial. My dad was a full blooded Yellow Lab. My mom was part Chow-chow, part Golden Retriever, and yet another part mixed-Lab. I am pretty. My tail curves like a Chow-chow. With piercing black eyes, I just want to be petted. And to run off like a teenager. Run away and see the world. Chase the rabbits into their burrow. Run the squirrels up the tree. Make those cats screech to a halt. And scare off the white tail deer. Runaway is what I love to do. But Mom doesn't like it when I run off. So I only do it when she is not paying attention. Dad gets VERY MAD when I run off on Mom. But he just doesn't understand I have social engagements to make. I have neighbors who need to sniff me. I think they just don't understand me and my needs. I always come home, just not when they want me to. I come back on my own time. Did I mention I am pretty? I have the putrid smell of defecation splashed all over my matted fur. I wag my tail at the slightest attention. And I have a lovely low bark. I don't like to have my fur brushed. Except maybe my neck. That feels good. Too bad my parents just don't understand my teenage-like mind.