Moonlight Sled Run

In the silvery moonlight, I get out of my truck, and unload the sled. The crazy of mundane life fades away as there is nothing but cold, darkness, and silence.

The moon beams bounce off the glistening white snow, and it feels like being on an alien world.

Covered head to toe, my gear protects me from the cold winter’s bite. I stare out at the world through my goggles.

The stillness is overtaken by gentle panting and the skattling of nails as my dogs get excited.

With everyone dressed and hitched, I take command of my sled, step on the rails, grab the handle bar, and look out at the barren, snow covered world in front of me.

“Team, at the ready!” I yell out, hearing it echo into the distance.

My team goes from playing around to staunch and focused. The ropes tighten, some of them whine, anticipation turns to excitement.

“Team! Power-up!” I scream and the sled comes to life.

The cold air begins to swoosh into my face mask, the sound of the sled rails makes a soft gentle drone sound underneath. The dogs, now completely focused and working as a team.

Gliding over the glistening snow, distant radio towers blink at us, as if to give their approval.

Overhead the night stars shine down. I gaze upward into the abyss. My mind begins to wander. On some distant planet, is there a team of humans happily pulling their dog musher through the night, and this precise moment?

My helmet light illuminates us in a huge circle. Enveloping us in a ball of light. Moving over the barron winter wasteland, the light encases us like a glowing orb. Right now, there is nothing else.

Inside this glowing orb of light gliding through the night, we are one. We are in our own dimension.

I am the musher in command of my team.

I am the creaking sled making a sound like a waterfall as I glide over the moonlit snow.

I am the lead dog ensuring the pack is running right.

I am the team dogs, ensuring everything is running smooth.

I am the wheel dogs hauling the sled with all my might.

They, are also me.

Working together as one, connects us to our ancestors. A time when the ancients roamed the land, and the forests still held mysteries.

We are honouring a 12,000 year old tradition, running through the night as they did.

The sled glides through the forest paths, the dogs pant as small puffs of breath rhythmically flow out into the cold air.

In the distance wolves howl. “Wild forest doggos” I smile, underneath my mask. They may be wild, but can they understand can they understand our freedom?

~Wolfmaan November 2019