Murdock, Kiwi, Jump, Chalupa, Hobbs, Shaq, Taco

Written at 7:45 p.m.

Wake-up call from the adults came at 6:20. We got dressed and headed to the dog yard to feed them breakfast. We had to drag buckets of raw meat and containers of water up a snowy hill, and then mix the food outside the gate. The dogs knew exactly what was going on, and they were going wild. After feeding them, we headed to the dining hall for our last meal there until Saturday. Ryan and I decided to be sled partners, and we were introduced to our team of dogs after we finished eating. We have quite a ragtag bunch. Our lead dogs were Murdock and Kiwi (they're brother and sister), our point dogs, Jump and Taco, and our wheel dogs, Hobbs and Shaq. According to Drew, Hobbs has back problems and needs a special harness. Taco was limping around as we were harnessing up the dogs, so we ended up substituting in her sister, Chalupa. Harnessing the dogs to the sled was a bit daunting at first, but once we got to know the dogs a little better it became a lot easier. We set out on the trails, and it was unbelievable. We rode for about an hour before coming back to have lunch. At 1:00, we rode out again, this time to and on Flash Lake. Upon our return, we unharnessed the dogs, packed up the sleds for the night, and shoveled the dog's excrement (one of the most unpleasant parts of the trip). I guess it's all just part of the job. We picked our spot to sleep in tonight. My dad, Mr. R, Kyle, Brian, and Parker are sleeping in quinzhees (dug-out mounds of snow), and Ryan, Jon, and I are sleeping with only a wind wall around us. A spicy dinner of chicken and rice, and then some down time in the cabin. As soon as I finish writing this, we're going to go and look at the stars before heading out to bed.

I hope I don't freeze.