Who wants to go skijoring?

I recently interviewed a couple people about the sport of skijoring for a story I'm working on for Mt Hood magazine. While my previous knowledge consisted of viewing random online photos and running with Tischer on a leash, as I dig deeper into this dog-powered mode of travel I am becoming more turned onto it.

Once again Tischer won't see this one coming, but I am going to strap a harness on her. There are so many benefits to skijoring: She'll be on a leash, we'll both be getting good exercise, and we'll be furthering our relationship through teamwork. In addition, she'll be helping me attain a ride that's sure to be wild, and if this works, we can make a transition to pulks where instead of carrying gear Tischer will be pulling it.

Of course this will take a little work. I'll need to train her to pull (only when the harness is on) me obediantly. This means following the trail and listening to simple commands. Still, I look forward to those high intensity moments where she's heading one way and I'm heading into a Douglas fir.

I can't help but think that as I explore the joys and challenges of skijoring this coming season with Tischer, perhaps health insurance is a wise purchase?

Stay tuned...