Author's note:
I know that y'all probably want to get on with the story, but it's gong to be a day or two until chapter 4 is ready.
So, I decided to run a crash course to "entertain" you until the good part of the story comes back.
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Mushing terms: I am going to tell you the correct terms for dog-sledding, or Mushing.
Contrary to popular belief, the word "Mush" is not a command used in sledding.
* Hike: Gets the dogs moving
* Gee: Turn right
* Haw: Turn left
* Come Gee! Come Haw!:180 degree turn in either direction
* Easy: Slow down
* Whoa!: Halt or stop the dogs
* Line Out: Tells lead dog to get all dogs in line, straight in front of sled
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Sled arrangement:
In the movie, Balto, there are seven dogs on a team (unless your name is Steele, then there are eight: seven plus yourself.). This is not a reality. In real life, there are six dogs on a team, arranged like so:
http ://seen .mainetoday. com/gallery_photos/2009/01/29/313/3906_dogsledpicture_ 580. jpg
Sorry about the address, but the uncooperative site wouldn't let me save with the diagram inside the document, and it also would not let me add a link. You will need to delete some spaces, again the site's fault.
I am actually telling you this because this information is important to chapter 4.
This diagram is still not entirely accurate. The right side is set forward from the left.
The diagram is not to scale, and the spacing between dogs is actually the length of the dog in different lengths between them.
Example: The right lead dog is the distance of the left lead dog in front of the right point dog.
Now that I have wasted your time and probably confused you, I will put more information on this note. However, I will make it about my story (Finally, something fun to read and write about!)
The order of dogs on the team (If the dog is named, that is...) Is like so:
Kodiak is right lead. Dusty is left lead. Ralph is right point, and Kirby is left point. One of the wheel dogs is unknown, and the other is Kodiak's brother from the same litter as Nathon, but I haven't given him (or her) a name yet.
Chapter 4 coming soon!