Slow Healing - Safety Tips Review

Go Dogs Go! Photo above from Tragic Llama
Snow Dogs Go~ ! ! ~ Photo of skijoring from Bruce'sBlog

Today's post will focus on bikejor Safety.

A HIGHLIGHT- Canine control: The key to successful training in any dog powered sport is control, and this responsibility lies 100% with the bikejorer. If control is compromised, the probability of a mishap increases exponentially. The main culprit is excess speed for any given situation, as opposed to high-end speed measured in miles per hour. To illustrate, a bikejorer may have complete control of his or her team at 20 mph on a straight and flat trail, but on a downhill section with an off-camber turn, 7 mph may be too fast.

This page also focuses on Bikejor Safely; A Quote: "Ha, ha , ha, safety? You have got to be kidding! If you want to TRY to stay alive, consider the following things:" click and learn!Above info is from Bruceshomepage. He has a great general primer on training and commands crucial to dog powered sports as well. Photos from Tragic Llama.

What can I say? The traumatic injury to my leg has sidelined me, but good. SO, my thoughts naturally have turned to the possible ways I might have prevented this injury and long suffering. This is vital information to review, for me, and anyone else who is considering, or is already partaking in, this extreme (and extremely dangerous) sport!

Basically, I've come to the conclusion that short of riding my brakes the whole time, and adhering to the # 1 rule of mushing (who knew?) "Never let go of the sled," there is little I could have done to prevent this. At the death defying speed at which we were traveling, coupled with the drastic change in direction the dogs initiated, I am not so sure I could have held on to the "sled" (read:bike.) Next time though, if there ever is one - this was a random squirrel encounter at just 1 bike length - that is what I think I will attempt to do. Unless I have already become a crybaby wimpy pants and begun to ride my brakes like a grandma, never allowing us to go above 8 MPH...Really there isn't too much trouble I could get into at 8 MPH...But of course, we were going well over 15 MPH.

New motto ideas? On the brakes you ride, then you stay alive, or how about, Believe the 3 second rule, you are a fool, and finally, Go fast you might not last.

KNEE UPDATE: owie zowie. My knee is still nearly as swollen as pictured below, and I've made only minimal progress in my range of motion and weight bearing. boo hoo. 4 weeks and counting. ...

my UK bikejor blogger buddy is always updating his page and has some great info for the beginner right now...He is also way into caricross, which is essentially competitive cross country trail running with one or two dogs attached to the runner by a line, and it is very big in the UK. Carnicross allows you to jog and keep your canines under control. Seems to me that some SO HUM joggers should check out carnicross ; like the cute Chiquita at the So Hum park with her crazy miniature (out of control) chihuahua attack dogs...just an idea. Carnicross pics from tragic llama . He has COOL VIDEOS too.

Here is the seldom updated but entertaining chariot lady blog "Featuring the incredible off-(and on-) road adventures of a modern-day Donna Quijote...and two crazy scooter-pulling canines. Call it dog scootering, scooterjoring, or just plain stupid, nothing beats the thrill of running your own private Iditarod." Maybe a few extra clicks will get her posting again...

See you NOT ON THE TRAIL, but on the silly stationary trainer, that thanks to only one functioning knee, I cannot even spin correctly!