Why'd I do this?

As some of you may have heard, it didn't take longer than a week for me to end up at the vet's office with Apollo. He had been vomiting for 2 days, and I had thought it was his adjustment to new food. When it turned bloody, I was in the vet's office at 8am. Aurora Animal Clinic, catchy name, huh? Long story, short - he had a blockage, showed up on x-ray, had to go in surgically for it. And the culprit? Mildly anti-climactic...

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Yeah. Its grass. But it is over a POUND of grass. I should have put something next to the bag for some scale. Let's see... if I put my shoe next to the bag, it about covers it. Yeah, that's enough grass to fill a boot. Don't know when, and don't know how, he managed to eat enough long-stem grass that it tangled and massed until it wouldn't go up or down. I am pretty sure he didn't do it all on my watch, I'll be sure he can't do it again.

How about a tally? In one week, Apollo has:
-torn apart my cabin
-chewed a pair of brand new running shoes
-shat in my friend's house
-pissed in another friend's house
-puked in my car
-puked on my bed (2am)
-racked up a $1300 vet bill
-farted at least 30 times

Why did I do this, again?



Oh, yeah. That's why.


He is currently curled up on the couch next to me, sleeping. He is in great spirits and recovering very quickly. If he didn't have a big incision on his abdomen, I'd say there was no way he had surgery yesterday. I have to keep him calm for a week, but after that it looks like he'll be right back at it!

Above is the view from the top of the hill we skied last weekend. He pulled me a little ways, he on his own, running next to me, for the rest. Even going downhill on skis, he can beat me!

Introducing: Apollo

Yup. It was time. He's a 7 month old Alaskan Husky. AK huskies are all mixes, and this guy has a short coat, so he is probably mixed with some hound or pointer.

He has a great attitude, and is responding to me very well. Can't quite let him run loose outside the house, though. He discovered one of my neighbors is a dog musher very quickly, and he likes to go visit the dog yard! The musher lady didn't like that very much. Nice to meet you, neighbor!

I'm sure there will be some more exciting pictures of us in the future. He has skijored with me twice and has done great. He pulls like crazy, but then stops to sniff stuff. We hiked Toboggan trail today (toboggan in hand), and he did great off the leash. This dog is fast. He especially enjoyed chasing me down the hill, although he still beat me down it.

I see good things.

Winne Ranch

Many thanks to Bruce for letting Jesse and I head out to the ranch. Bruce built the ranch, and it is quite cozy inside. We made it out there a few days after the big snows, although the area in north-central Nevada where Winnemucca sits didn't get quite as much snow in the valley.


We headed about 5-6 miles out from the ranch for a day hike. It would seem Alaska isn't the only place that can grow frost flowers!

A Seuss-looking juniper pine.


Nothing makes Poncho happier than trail/road and open desert.


The infamous dart throw. Beer was consumed, darts were thrown, enough said.


Poncho by firelight.


The view to the east. Nothing like some desert sunshine in winter.

Ski Flyin'

One of my favorite hobbies over the past couple years has been flying radio controlled airplanes. It was a blast to get to fly again with my buddies while I was home, and the snow that was on the ground wasn't going to stop us. In fact, it made it even more fun on the ground. Pictured above is Jesse's plane followed by his dad Larry, coming in for a landing.

We rigged up skis that attached to our landing gear made from plastic water jugs. The lack of friction made taxis on the ground smooth and quick. Here Jesse, the master of the touch-and-go, takes off.




And here Jesse gave a nice pose for me as he came in for a landing. He was carrying enough speed to kill the motor and let it glide ride in. These little guys are made out of a carbon fiber shaft, foam wings, and some electronics to make it work. We literally strap the batteries on with rubber bands.

From the left: Jesse, Larry, Ken. It was time for me to put the camera down and get back to flyin'!