With those News, we officially end our winter-season 13/14! Our last clients came back yesterday from the last Bears-Trail and could enjoy a 3-day-trip with a lot of sun and still lasting trails. Tomorrow we drive them to Joensuu Airport and then - for us - start a few calm weeks. Weeks without guests, but we will not get bored in those weeks!
The kennels are almost snow- and ice-free, now starts the huge spring-cleaning. All the winter-equipment has to be cleaned, checked, repaired and stored away for the summer weeks. And of course the summer-equipment will now be taken out from storage and get ready to be used soon.
We are planning 2 litters for coming summer! Means, the waiting for the selected females to come in heat, has started also. More news here, when "it happened".
It was definitely a funny winter. As predicted by meteorologists, it was really the "winter of the century". Many tours and daily distances we had to shorten down because of too warm temperatures or even rain in the middle of winter. It is good to know, that a winter like this has not happened since 1937 - as the very old people here say. So we are optimistic, that next winter 14/15 will be a "normal" one again. There is one positive thing, which this winter will show us now in the next weeks: due to the thin layer of snow, we do not expect high waters and already now, many parts in the forests are completely free of snow and have dried out. The hiking- and paddling-season can start soon!
The whole team Eräkeskus says thank you to all our guests and partners for the trust put in us and for the understanding of necessary changes in programs. We did the best what was possible in this winter, but of course some frustrated moments because of always changing plans were here. We all have to accept, that we humans cannot change or influence the weather in short terms and that outdoor-activities like our sled-trips simply depend from weather conditions. A huge thank you goes also to all our dogs, who did a great job during this winter and were always ready to go out, even in bad conditions. Pasi, Sisu and Aida are our leaders in total-run-distances this winter. But all of them, also the veterans and the yearlings, did a perfect job! Now they all deserve a break and relaxing time. As soon as all the ice is gone on the lakes, we start with our free runs again and make their swimming pool in the lake ready.
Fiona is the last one who leaves us. She starts a 2-weeks-holiday beginning of next week, then flies back to Switzerland, to her "old" life. Thank you Fiona for the last 7 months here, have a lot of fun during your holiday and all the best for your future!
We wish you all a nice spring time!