It all seemed pretty complicated to me, so I batted my icicle crusted eyelashes at my hubby who agreed to take the driver’s seat for our team. I opted to ride in the sled and photograph our adventure. Simon was placed with Polly, while Cassie stood with Nandi, the apprentice. The teams would head to the other side of the lake and then come back, a 10.1 mile trip in total.

Polly’s team took off first, and before I could replace the lens cap on my camera I shot forward into an icy lake wind… and the most amazing experience of my American life so far. (Yes, even better than seeing a raccoon for the first time!) As we shot across Umbagog I tried valiantly to capture the incredible images for posterity (and my friends and family in Australia). After awhile though, it seemed easier to just take mental photos.

Halfway across I exchanged my “lady of leisure” position in the sled to stand behind it, and that was even more amazing! I felt like I was on the cover of National Geographic. The wind was nothing short of brutal, yet the exhilarating feeling of being pulled along a frozen lake by six beautiful sled dogs definitely cancelled out the lack of blood running to my hands and feet.

Upon arriving at the other side of the lake we found a camp complete with a heated tent and pine needle floor – and a hot lunch! One of the great things about our guides was that everything was “hands on”, and we were involved in every aspect of the experience. From handling the dogs to unloading sleds, we were needed every step of the way, no matter what our past experience or – in our case – inexperience! After reaching the makeshift camp, we unhitched the dogs from the sleds and tethered them near the special hay beds that were laid out for them.

I spent some time getting to know the dogs better. Most of them were very friendly and enjoyed the attention, while several shied away initially until they warmed up to me. They were so beautiful and graceful, yet incredibly strong. I glanced behind me at the path we had taken across the lake and marveled at the way in which the huskies had skimmed effortlessly across the ice while pulling two people and their various accessories.

The dogs all received a hard boiled egg while we huddled in the tent enjoying homemade soup, toasted bagels and hot chocolate. It was the first chance we really had had to talk with Kevin, the second guide (and designer/builder of the dogsleds), and he impressed us with his knowledge of nature and the culture of Native Americans. In his twenty five years as a guide, he has traveled extensively throughout North America by canoe and dog team with Native Americans. He related some of his adventures and answered numerous questions about the dogs.

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