We love our snow adventures. We spend a lot of time driving to visit snow in the mountains. Snow is a pretty lazy friend though and always expects us to make the effort.
Last week, snow (called snowpocalypse by some) decided to finally come visit us for once! On this rare, very special occasion my work decided to give me the day off because they knew snow was visiting.
It was good timing too. Last week my computer got a really bad virus. I have been limping along on my Samsung Galaxy tablet but it makes any work on the blog laborious, time consuming and damn near impossible….so I haven’t even been trying.
If my computer had been working while snow was in Seattle, you probably would have found me and the dogs on the couch typing (me) and sleeping and looking cute (Chester and Gretel) instead of out having fun with snow.
Tuesday morning we woke up to snow announcing its visit with about 3 inches of fluffy white stuff all over everything. I didn’t want to let snow know that I was so excited about its visit. I took my time in the morning sleeping in and enjoying a cup of hot cocoa while watching the whole neighborhood sled down the hill in front of our house.
Around noon, I bundled myself and the dogs up for a little adventure with snow.
We headed down to our favorite go-to place by our house – Greenlake Park. We got there to find the three-mile path around the lake busy as usual. It wasn’t full of the usual types though. There were still plenty of walkers and a runner to two but people pulled out all of the stops for snow’s visit.
S brought his snow mountain bike down to the lake to ride a lap or two. There were cross-country skiers everywhere. People were building snow people, sledding in the snow and having snowball fights. There was even one guy on a fat-tire unicycle.
Chester, Gretel and I walked while S rode a lap around the lake. We took our time playing and taking photos of us playing with snow.
Cute Snow Woman…but We Can’t Take Credit
S finally caught up with us and rode alongside us as we walked. Remembering Chester and Gretel pulling the sled last time we went to visit snow, S thought it would be funny if they pulled him on his bike.
When a dog pulls something on a bike, it is called “joring”. There are many types of this joring thing. Skijoring is when a dog pulls you on a pair of cross country skis. A dog pulling you on inline or roller skates is called skatejoring. A dog pulling you while cross country running is called canicross (ok…not called “joring” but the principle is exactly the same). What S was attempting to do is called bikejoring.
Anyway, I handed him Chester and Gretel’s leash. As you probably know by now, Gretel is an eager beaver and a hard puller. Chester, in his mellow older age, not so much. He can go forever but he normally just plods along, slow and steady.
As you can imagine, when I handed S their leashes the enthusiasm of the dogs was not proportional. Gretel started pulling out in front of the bike but Chester’s leash grew slack and was in danger of getting caught in S’ pedals. S handed me back Chester’s leash.
Chester and I ran out in front of Gretel and she started digging in and pulling hard. Now, don’t think “poor little thing. She is going to get hurt”. In bikejoring, you just let your dog pull what they can and you assist by pedaling your bike as you normally would. You are basically just pedaling slower than you would if there was not dog pulling you.
I also have a friend that used to pull heavy carts with her dog (weight-pulling is a sport). The hardest part for a dog is breaking the wheels of the cart lose and getting them to roll. S was already rolling so all Gretel had to do was keep him going.
S laughed the whole way because he hardly had to pedal at all. Gretel pulled him for a good quarter mile and wasn’t even tired! People passing by us laughed and pointed at such a tiny dog pulling a dude on a bike.
When I took her back from him, she didn’t even seem tired. They were a little wet and chilly by then though so they were excited to get back inside and warm up when we got home.
Anyway, snow’s visit was fun but too short. I know a lot of people prefer snow not come to visit and don’t know what to do with themselves when it does. We say bah-humbug to those people. We want snow to come back to town more often! It saves us from driving 🙂
SUGAR says
Woof! Woof! LOL on the bicycle … LOVE the snowman’s hair. I got SNOW too. Lots of Golden Woofs, Sugar
Amy says
I am totally one of those people who don’t prefer snow. I lived with it for 25 years, so I’m totally ok with going a year or two without it! But I do have to admit, it can be fun. I love that Gretel pulled S on his bike. That’s awesome.
AdventureJess says
Another reason not to like it: because you have a car that gets stuck 🙂
Bassetmomma says
We love the snow!! LMAO! at the picture pulling the bike!
snoopy@snoopysdogblog says
Wow!!
How fun does that look!! I love the Snow woman, that hair is great!!
Gretel was very impressive – I had no idea she was so strong!!
Have a fun day,
Your pal Snoopy 🙂
Mary and Roxy says
Ya we heard you guys got slammed by snow. Fun stuff though. Glad your computer is feeling better.
Roberta says
Go, Gretel! What fun – I do miss snow though I don’t miss the weeks on end of below 0 F. Sometimes computers go wonky at just the right time to let us get away from them :).
Amy@GoPetFriendly says
It looks like Gretel had a blast! I bet she’s hoping for more snow so she can go bikejoring again. =)
Kootenai's Summit Post says
Such strong little puppies!
Alfie | Alfie's Blog says
roooo I want snow too – looks like you guys have so much fun! *waggy tail*
Dexter Dog says
I love your winter coats. I want one, so cool!
AdventureJess says
You can order them from the Cozy Hound. Use the search bar in the header of the blog and you will see my review. Chris usually makes jackets for Doxies but she might be able to make a bigger one.
2browndawgs says
Looks like a lot of fun. Love the pictures of Gretel pulling the bike.
So you got the day off for 3 inches of snow? 🙂
AdventureJess says
Yes. 3 inches. Well, ok, it was more like 4 or 5 at my house and up to a foot and a half in some other areas but I still think it is kind of wimpy of Seattle 🙂 We just don’t get snow in the City that often so we aren’t as prepared to deal with it. Free day off work is a-ok with me though 🙂
Katie says
A work snow day!?!?! Wow!
That Little Gretal is a powerhouse! What a great post!
AdventureJess says
Actually, this was the first time in 6 years we got one. We had a management change a few months ago. Some people live where it snowed almost a foot and a half but I still think it is a little overkill for the majority of us that got 6 inches or less….not that I am complaining 🙂
Jen says
Wow! Look at all that snow! That may be the cutest snowman that I have ever seen!!!
I have tried bikejoring with Leroy, it didn’t go very well because he tried to knock me off the bike:(
Vanilla Bean says
nice doggie winter outfits… that snow lady looks very funky with that green hair xoxox- Vanilla Bean
Beth says
What fun! We had a dusting of snow last February and my 4-doxies couldn’t stop playing in it! Thanks for sharing the fun!
p.s. Sawyer has tried bikejoring and loved it!
MyDogShampooStore.com says
They had so much fun in the snow. I love the picture of Gretel pulling S. She is so strong. The snowman was cute, you can see the dogs loved it to.
I’m not much of a snow person, but our Choc. Lab that is 12 years old still loves to roll in the snow. It is her favorite time of the year. It is to much to bring her for walks on leashes but she can run free in our yard.
Can’t wait to see your next snow day with your adventures.
AdventureJess says
Well, for City adventures you will be waiting a long time 🙂 It only snows in Seattle about once every three years. We are going to have some more in the mountains though before the spring thaw..
Just Ramblin' says
What an adventure! Snowtime = fun time = tired pups! Great photo captures. : )
Crusoe The Celebrity Dachshund says
That’s an awesome bike. I’ll have to get one of those for Dad one day..