november-2011

NOVEMBER– DECEMBER
Dog Sledding
The four huskies that pulled my sled across the
mountains of Val Cenis made me jealous. Sure,
they were doing all the hard work, valiantly
dragging me up hills. But although the sun was
shining, the bracing winds cut through my gloves
and I couldn’t help but envy the dense, furry coats
shielding them from the cold. After ten minutes
on the trail, my digits were no longer functioning
– a major problem when you’re rattling down
a slope at terrific speeds. I fell off my sled with
predictable regularity.
I hadn’t been expecting such a rollercoaster
ride. Naively I’d imagined a relaxing excursion
with my canine chauffeurs, a chance to soak up the
spectacular scenery. As the trip got bumpier and
the bars upon which I placed my feet got ever more
slippery, just staying on became mission impossible.
To steer, I had to lean in my desired direction,
which nearly landed me in frozen water every time.
I understood the importance of developing a rapport
Sledding is wind-inthe-hair
exhilarating,
like skiing downhill
on a bucking horse
with the huskies. I smiled at them pre-ride and
shouted instructions in schoolboy French (rather
than confuse them with a foreign language), but
my canine companions seemed to have their own
ideas where to go – and how fast we should travel.
At its speediest moments sledding was windin-the-hair
exhilarating, like skiing downhill on
a bucking horse. But it also had its challenges.
On one occasion the huskies turned right instead of
left and I had to be rescued by our tour leader while
everybody else in our convoy waited for me to catch
up. With a bit of guidance I somehow made it to the
end of the circuit. The beleaguered quartet doing
the driving returned to a tent marked “Dortoir
Chiens”, a dormitory for dogs, while I went over to
the fire to warm up again and reflect on what had
been – despite all the tumbles and spills – a unique
and memorable experience.
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