Mahoosuc Guide Service

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MAHOOSUC NEWS	VOL.14 NO.14
AUGUST 2007
GREETINGS! WACHIYA! QANUIPPIT? It is 34 degrees and fall is in the air this mid-August morning as I sit down to write our yearly newsletter. We have had "normal" (not hot and humid) summer weather; hopefully it will continue through the fall and our lakes will begin to freeze at their normal time in November. We hope to share sled dog trails with some of you this winter! MAHOOSUC MOUNTAIN LODGE Thanks to the help of Nandi Kovats, Tom Rosenberg and Gary Newfield we finished the second floor of the lodge several days before the start of the winter season. Nandi and Tom built six beautiful timberframe bunkbeds. The facility can sleep up to 16 people. We had another great barn dance in May with John & Ellen Gawler playing and calling. We had over 100 people listening and dancing to the music. It was a great time! You can go to: www.mahoosucmountainlodge.com for a current listening of events or to see about renting it for your own event. We have been working hard on the building for 6 years and are proud and happy for it to be getting used. Sinead and Donal 'did the deed' and we now have six new additions to the Mahoosuc yard. Five males and one female were born July 26th. They are a lot of fun to play with! We found good homes for Jan and Neko who prefer being pets and companions to sled dogs. CANEWS Last fall Kevin did several demonstrations on wood and canvas canoe building for Ways of the Woods, a program sponsored by the Northern Forest Center. Ways of the Woods travels around New England and features local artists and craftspeople who make their living somehow from the northern forest. To see if it might be visiting near your area go to: www.northernforest.org to check it's current schedule. We have had a couple Allagash canoe trips this summer with a nice father and son from the UK joining us in July. Also had a large contract with a camp from PA of young people in leadership training to be camp counselors. They were with us for 6 days of paddling, hiking and camping at our Mahoosuc Farm. DOGGY NEWS Last summer's pups from Sinead and Donal (Hermes, Keagan, Jarvis, Billy Bob, Mabou and Orla) did great their first winter in harness. If Hermes gets any bigger we'll be able to saddle and ride him in the summer! Brianna, the 'pup' from Alaska is now an 80 lb. dog and strong as an ox. Liam, at 14, is our oldest retiree. A few of our 'elder' sled dogs 'traveled on' this past year. Bridget and Kipmik left us in December and Dylan joined them in July. Kipmik, Queen of the kennel, was 16 and in great shape up to the end. We miss them but feel great comfort knowing they had a good life with us. WOMEN'S NEWS Polly had a Women's canoe weekend on Umbagog Lake in August with 7 gleeful gals laughing and paddling their way around the lake in some stiff winds. We had some beautiful sightings of bald eagles, osprey and marsh hawks hunting for their food. Everyone had a good time! In late August Polly and some friends are going on a 7 day horsepack trip in the Teton Mountains in Idaho for a little R & R. This will be a treat! MUSHING NEWS We took out two groups of wounded Iraq veterans in some 'unusual' mushing conditions. They came via a program called the Wounded Warrior Project. Their goal is to help injured veterans adapt and adjust to their new disability. It¹s a great program; to learn more about it go to: www.woundedwarriorproject.org . We did our Cabin to Cabin trip from Little Lyford Pond Camp to West Branch Pond Camp to Medawisla Wilderness Pond Camp with our faithful clients from Scotland, Alan and Evelyn McNicol, age 80 & 81. They are to be commended for their stamina! It is a nice trip with a lot of variety of terrain and great hospitality. In late March Polly, apprentices Nandi and Tom, along with some clients and fellow guide Andy Wood traveled north to spend time with the Inuit in Nunavik, Quebec. Allen Gordon was our guide and we enjoyed a beautiful trip north from Kuujjuaq to Tasiujaq by dog team. We had some sightings of musk ox and a lone white wolf watched us hook up the dogs one morning which was very exciting! UPCOMING EVENTS We are offering some workshops/events here at Mahoosuc Mountain Lodge this fall. You can get more info about them off our website or give Polly or Kevin a call. October 13-14 Wellness Weekend with practitioners such as massage therapist, foot reflexologist, archetypcal readings, aqua-qi and more offering their services throughout the weekend. A nice way to relax and enjoy the fall foliage in the Mahoosucs. October 19-21 Wilderness First Aid course with Bill Bentley. Certification in American Heart Association First Aid and CPR. November 3 Potluck dinner and concert with ³Two Old Friends² Mac McHale and Emery Hutchins playing traditional country and celtic music and well known yodeler Jewel Clark. November 15-18 Cold Weather Survival Workshop with Mors Kochanski from Alberta, Canada. Well respected for his knowledge in the Canadian bush and author of Bushcraft. May 3, 2008 Potluck dinner, concert and dance with John & Ellen Gawler. THANK-YOU! We want to give a special thank-you to our helper for four seasons, Nandi Kovats, who has traveled back to Montana to spend time with his family. Also apprentice, Tom Rosenberg, of Portland who will be co leading the Vermont Semester program for Kroka Expeditions this winter. Jaimie Fraley from Bethel was a breath of fresh air who came to help us at opportune times this past winter. They were all good helpers to us last winter and we miss them and are grateful for the time they were with us! APPRENTICESHIP We are currently looking for two to three people who would like to work with us to learn what we have to offer about working with a dogteam, traveling in a traditional way in the woods both summer and winter and all that it takes to run a small business. If you are interested contact Polly or Kevin for more details. Hope to see many of you on a trip this year! Until then Happy Trails! Kevin and Polly and all the doggies: Liam, Tundra, Banshee, Pretty Boy, Barney, Ossian, Buffy, Sinead, Jimmy, Mickey, Blanca, Roanan, Cathal, Fergus, Nelly, Nola, Cara, Finn, Fiona, Jeremiah, Jasmine, Josey, Aiofe, Aidan, Roisin, Maeve,Cormac, Donal, Brendan, Brianna, Orla, Mabou, Hermes, Keagan, Jarvis and Billy Bob.
MAHOOSUC NEWS	VOL.13 NO.13
AUGUST 2006
GREETINGS! WACHIYA! QANUIPPIT? We have had another busy year here at Mahoosuc. Along with our daily chores of caring for 40 sled dogs and guiding trips we are continually working on the completion of our new building which will provide a nice space for guests before and after trips. The views from the two bunkrooms on the second floor are spectacular looking north and west up the valley towards Old Speck, Maine's second highest peak. We are planning to have it ready to use this O06-'07 winter season. We had another dance in it in May with a fantastic bluegrass band from Portland, Nikolai Fox and friends. One of our former apprentices, Alana Beard, was our connection to this great music. There were about 90 people enjoying the space, eating, dancing and having a great time! DOGGY NEWS There have been a lot of changes in the dog yard this year with the passing of eight devoted four legged friends: Guinness, Seamus, Murphy, Nanook, Dougie, Meechum, Minnie and Sonny. We miss them and thank all of them for the many years of service. They all got comfortable, pampered time in our day light basement retirement community before they 'traveled on'. On the other hand we are happy to have a new puppy, Brianna, who flew in from Alaska to provide some new genetics for our dog yard. She is a MacKenzie river husky, beautiful, smart and hope she will be a good worker for us. Sinead and Donal 'did the deed' and we now have six new additions to the Mahoosuc yard. Five males and one female were born July 26th. They are a lot of fun to play with! We found good homes for Jan and Neko who prefer being pets and companions to sled dogs. CANEWS Maine guide, Sue Szwed, and husband, Mitch Lansky, finished their canoe with Kevin and it had it¹s maiden voyage on the Grand Lake Stream trip in July. David Gilligan and friend, Heidi Wilson, built a 16' Prospector canoe with Kevin in October. Kevin is the co president of the newly formed Maine Wilderness Guides Organization. They put on the first annual Guide Rendezvous on Moosehead Lake in June. It was a nice event bringing guides together sharing their knowledge and networking. We have had a couple family canoeing contracts this summer. One was hosting a Jewish family with members from Israel. It was nice for them to get away for awhile. Rabbi Howard Cohen helped Polly guide this trip and we went to historic Chesuncook Village. NORTHERN NEWS We offered our first guided trip to Kuujjuaq, Quebec (Nunavik) in Ungava Bay in April. Our faithful clients, Allan and Evelyn McNicol from Scotland joined us. They must be commended for doing this trip at 79 & 80 years old. They are an inspiration to all. One of the highlights of the trip was seeing two herds of musk ox at close range. They certainly look primeval. We were happy to do our Cabin to Cabin trip this year from Medawisla Wilderness Camp to West Branch Pond Camps to Little Lyford Pond Camps. Photographers Dirk MacKnight and Bridget Besaw Gorman got some neat shots of the trip. WOMEN'S NEWS Sue & Polly guided a nice group of women on the Grand Lake Stream trip in July. We ended the trip with a stay at Weatherby¹s Sporting Camp and attended the Grand Lake Stream Folk Festival. It was a great way to end a trip with traditional folk music and local artisans. Polly has hosted a couple Wellness weekends and a Vision Improvement Workhop in the farmhouse this year. They are always special events bringing like minded people together. In April Polly took a weekend workshop in Austin, Texas with Amelia Kinkade about animal communication. She is a dynamic teacher and it was very interesting and informative! VACATION Kevin and Polly took a few days and went to the Canadian Canoe Museum in Peterborough, Ontario. We had met the founder, Kirk Wipper, this summer at the Maine Canoe Symposium and he invited us up. The museum was amazing! What a treat to get a personalized tour with the founder. Kirk and his wife, Anne, were very gracious hosts. We also had a special visit enroute in New York with one of our previous apprentices, Jenny Mugrace. It was nice to see her settled in to a beautiful place in the Adirondacks doing some guiding in the surrounding mountains. One of the highlights for the year for Polly was her 7 day horsepack trip in the Wind River Range in Wyoming. Former ski guide, Sue Lincoln, was cooking for the outfit so it was a special opportunity to join her. Press Stephens Outfitting was the host (www.pressstephensoutfitting.com) and they did a good job providing a safe trip by horseback in these rugged mountains. It is rare to find such a raw experience this day and age and Polly found it refreshing. With her horse experience she was allowed to help wrangle the horses which was a special treat! THANK-YOU! We want to thank everyone who helped make our year a success. Last winter was a challenge with little snowfall but we had great trips despite the weather. People¹s energy and enthusiasm makes these experiences such a joy! Special thanks goes to apprentices Nandi Kovats, Mark Little and Lauren Simmons who gave countless hours of work and dedication to the operation of Mahoosuc. It is nice to see their skills improve with experience. HOPE TO SEE YOU ON A TRIP SOON BUT UNTIL THEN... HAPPY TRAILS!!! Kevin and Polly and all the doggies: Kipmik, Liam, Tundra, Banshee, Dylan, Pretty Boy, Sinead, Blanca, Barney, Ossian, Buffy, Mickey, Jimmy, Bridget, Roanan, Cathal, Fergus, Nelly, Nola, Cara, Finn, Fiona, Jeremiah, Josey, Jasmine, Aidan, Aiofe, Roisin, Cormac, Maeve, Donal, Brendan, Brianna and six puppies!
MAHOOSUC NEWS	VOL.12 NO.12
AUGUST 2005
GREETINGS! WACHIYA! QANUIPPIT? We have had another busy year here at Mahoosuc guiding many people on many trails through all kinds of weather. We have enjoyed spending time out in the natural world and now more than ever as the pace seems to be quickening in so many people's lives. It is nice to keep the quiet balance that can be found on the trail. We really appreciate all the help we had this year with apprentices, Paddy, from Scotland and a second season with Nandi from Montana. We couldn't run Mahoosuc without their help. Our new building is coming along slowly and looks very sharp with the completion of the board and batten siding and red window trim. Walls are being framed and plumbing going in on the second floor. We had a great barn party in May with over 100 people here to dance to fantastic fiddle music by Brendan Carey Block and family and to check out the strength of the floor joists! We are planning on having it completed for our 2006/2007 winter season. We are proud to say this is our 16th year in business. There has been alot of growth here at Mahoosuc over the years. We work hard and enjoy what we do. The dogs are like family to us. We raise them from puppies and keep them in retirement until they pass on. DOGGY NEWS We had a good winter for sledding trips with ample snow and cold weather. Our five new pups, Jeremiah, Jasmine, Josey, Aidan and Aiofe, worked out really well. Jeremiah did some leading at less than a year old. Fiona had knee surgery and spent much of the winter in the farmhouse recovering under Paddy's care. We are hoping she will be able to work again this winter. Liam had the luxury of coming into the red cabin at night for the warmth and company with apprentice Nandi. We had to say good-bye to Hammish, Ootek and Skook for various age related reasons it was their time to leave us. They are now all playing together in the big dog yard in the sky. Murphy retired this winter and has adapted quite well into the retirement community. CANEWS Polly has had a couple trips on the West Branch of the Penobscot River this season. The spring trip was cold with ice forming on the paddles, rain and very high winds. Despite the weather our German clients had a very good trip and want to come back for more. The second trip in August was the exact opposite with no wind and very warm temperatures and people swam everyday. It ended up being a women¹s trip with much energy and conversation shared by all. One of our guides, Sue Szwed, and her husband, Mitch, are building a wood canvas canoe with Kevin to use on their own canoe trips in northern Maine. We are looking forward to a couple Allagash trips in September! The colors are beautiful that time of year! NORTHERN NEWS We are once again offering a Cabin to Cabin trip in northern Maine this winter travelling to three different cabins including Medawisla Wilderness Camps, West Branch Pond Camps and Little Lyford which is now owned and operated by the Appalachian Mountain Club. In April Polly and Kevin went to Kuujjuaq, Quebec and met Allen Gordon. We have decided to offer a dogsledding trip with him in the spring. He has his own dogs that we will travel with over the tundra to the village of Tasiujaq. This will be a great cultural experience. We are working with Nunavik Tourism and Air Inuit on this package and consider it to be a very good value. Contact us if you would like to see the daily itinerary. In December we are offering our annual dogsledding trip to Ouje-Bougoumou, Quebec to learn about and experience Cree culture with David and Anna Bosum. This is a really nice time of the winter to be out with some of the best viewing of northern lights. WOMEN'S NEWS Polly was interviewed and photographed by Lila and Lisa for a documentary for Salt magazine out of Portland. They are very nice young women and were a pleasure to work with for two months this spring. We have hosted two Wellness Weekends here; one in June and one in October with increased popularity. People can indulge in a massage, foot reflexology or spiritual counselling with sharing at a potluck dinner and fire circle Saturday p.m.. We hosted a family reunion for Polly's family in July and alot of fun was had by all! Polly is going on a riding holiday to Finland in September to experience some Finnish culture and countryside just south of the arctic circle and on the Russian border. Should be quite an adventure! VACATION Polly and Kevin have been able to enjoy a few outings this year with the added help of Nandi who stayed on this summer and he was able to dogsit for us. We had a long weekend in New Brunswick for the "Fiddlers on the Tobique" event with many people playing music and floating in canoes down the river. There were about 1000 canoes and hundreds of musicians at this event! After this Kevin continued on to Cape Breton for a week at the Gaelic College learning to play the bodhran (Irish drum), step dancing and gaelic language. This is something he has wanted to do for many years! We had a weekend on the schooner Timberwind out of Rockport and enjoyed being laid back and dining for a weekend. The food was fabulous! Kevin's brother, Rick, and family had a nice visit here in August. Some had come all the way from Morocco! Polly and her Mom made a trip to the Bahamas in April to visit her brother, Chris, who just moved there with his family. It is very different from life in North Newry! THANK-YOU! We want to thank all of our clients, guides and apprentices for helping make our year a successful one with many shared moments together. We wouldn't be able to do all that we do without the communal help of everyone who is involved in making Mahoosuc what it is! Thank-you! HOPE TO SEE YOU ON A TRIP SOON BUT UNTIL THEN... HAPPY TRAILS!!! Kevin and Polly and all the doggies: Kipmik, Nanook, Seamus, Guinness, Murphy, Liam, Doogie, Meechum, Tundra, Jan, Banshee, Sonny, Dylan, Pretty Boy, Sinead, Blanca, Barney, Ossian, Buffy, Mickey, Jimmy, Minnie, Bridget, Neko, Roanan, Cathal, Fergus, Nelly, Nola, Cara, Finn, Fiona, Jeremiah, Josey, Jasmine, Aidan, Aiofe, Roisin, Cormac, Maeve, Donal and Brendan!

MAHOOSUC NEWS	VOL.11 NO.11
AUGUST 2004
GREETINGS! WACHIYA! QANUIPPIT? 15TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION We are proud to announce this to be our 15th year in business! There have been many great adventures and shared experiences with lots of people from all over the world. We feel very fortunate to be able to make our living as guides with our dogs and traveling by canoe. It wouldn't be possible without people like you. From both of us a very heartfelt thank-you to our clients. We look forward to the next 15 years! DOGGY NEWS There have been many changes in the dog yard with lots of newly retired dogs. All winter Skook got to live in the red cabin at night with our apprentice, Nandi, and Nanook in the farmhouse with Alana, our other apprentice. This spring Doogie, Meechum and Liam, the Marshmellow brothers, retired along with Minnie. We adopted a nice husky german sheppard mix, Neko, who was a pet and is adapting to life as a sled dog. She loves people! Jan who we took back after selling as a puppy isn't working out as a sled dog and we are looking for a home for her as a pet. She is very friendly and sweet, 6 years old, loves kids and swimming. It was very difficult to say good-bye to Lonnie, Kailey and Riley this year who needed to be to sleep for various reasons. Lonnie was the last dog living to come back to Maine from the Yukon Territories with Polly, he was 16 years old and had been her lead dog for 10 years with Mahoosuc. They are all greatly missed! On the otherhand Sinead and Roanan just had a very happy, healthy litter of 5 puppies in early August. They are growing like weeds and should be pulling this winter! CANEWS Kevin enjoyed guiding on the St. John in May with the help of Outward Bound instructor, Kathryn Cushing. It was a very nice group of people and the weather near perfect. Polly spent 3 days in Acadia National Park with children from the Department of Human Services for the 3rd year of fun. They go biking one day, sea kayaking one day and went out with "Diver Ed" to become educated about underwater sea life. Of course we can't forget the "Great Maine Lumberjack Show" at night. It is a great opportunity for these kids to experience a "summer holiday"! The Allagash had very high water this summer with all the rain we had and makes for a pleasant trip down the river. We're looking forward to our September "After the Bugs" trip! Kevin re-canvassed the second canoe he ever built last spring. It was constructed in April of 1985 and while the canvas was off he added half ribs to make the hull alittle stronger. NORTHERN NEWS We made a trip north to Ouje-Bougoumou in the spring with 3 clients and 5 dog teams. The weather was very warm and we had a big thaw after we mushed out to David and Anna's hunting grounds at Lake Waposite. We didn't travel as much as we had intended to because of the warm weather but clients enjoyed making Cree crafts and spending time with Anna and David. We are making contact with an Inuit man in Kuujjuaq, Quebec for the possibility of offering a dog sledding trip with him in the future. We are excited to explore a new area! In February we are offering our "Cabin to Cabin" trip again in northern Maine staying in a different camp each night. We are looking forward to being up there again! WOMEN'S NEWS Polly has been busy this summer guiding women's canoe trips starting with a spring trip on the Suwannee River in Florida followed by a Grand Lake Stream Area canoe trip in July both co-led with Maine guide Sue Szwed. As part of the trip Sue taught us about the Native plants of Maine and some of their medicinal uses. In August Polly had 2 weekend trips on Umbagog Lake. One weekend was our first canoe and yoga weekend co-led by Kiim Chandler from Innerlight Yoga Studios in Rhode Island. This trip was so popular we had enough women to make two groups and Jenny Mugrace helped guide it. It was a wonderful weekend! Yoga and canoeing go so well together! The second weekend was a group of fathers and 13 year old daughters out for some quality time together, paddling and fishing. They had a good time depite some heavy rain! For the third year we are hosting 2 Wellness Weekends a year at the farmhouse offering foot reflexology, massage and astrology readings. In June we welcomed Gary Stuer sharing to the group Sat. evening about his spiritual path and in October on Columbus Day weekend we are excited to have Apache Holy Woman and healer, Sapokniona Whitefeather here to share and teach. VACATION In April Polly and Kevin flew to PA for Easter and to spend time with Kevin's family and Polly's brothers family. We had a big celebration together. In June Polly and Kevin flew back to PA to a big family gathering of the Slater Clan and Kevin got to see relatives he hadn't seen in 30 years. Polly enjoyed meeting lots of new family members. In August Polly went back to Iceland to help on an 8 day horseback ride in some amazing country! It was good to see the Benedikisson family again and ride those great Icelandic horses. They are so sure footed and steady in very rocky country. I am always so impressed! In Sept. Kevin and Polly are taking 4 days to go visit family and friends on the coast of Maine. Should be fun! THANK-YOU! In Dec. we had another fun party gathering together all the ski guides, apprentices, dogsitters and dog drivers who help make Mahoosuc what it is for some socializing before another busy season! We want to thank our apprentices this winter, Nandi Kovats and Alana Beard, for all their hard work and devotion to Mahoosuc in making our winter easier. The attention they gave to the retirees was commendable. It was nice to see them become more capable and confident as the winter progressed.We are happy to have Nandi back for a second year! Last but not least our new barn is always changing as we work on it to get it ready for use. There are two sheds and two decks on it now and it's taking on a new look with doors, windows and siding. Thank-you friend and carpenter, Gary Newfield, for your continued support in our construction projects! We hope to see you a trip soon but until then... Happy Trails!!! Kevin and Polly and all the doggies: Kipmik, Ootek, Hammish, Seamus, Guinness, Nanook, Skook, Banshee, Tundra, Fiona, Murphy, Liam, Doogie, Meechum, Bridget, Sonny, Dylan, Minnie, Pretty Boy, Ossian, Buffy, Barney, Mickey, Jimmy, Blanca, Sinead, Finn, Cara, Nelly, Nola, Roanan, Cathal, Fergus, Maeve, Cormac, Roisin, Jan, Donal, Brendan, Neko and five puppies!

MAHOOSUC NEWS	VOL.10 NO.10
SEPTEMBER 2003
GREETINGS! WACHIYA! QANUIPPIT? The rain is falling on our tin roof and I am happy to be sitting nestled with a cup of coffee to write this newsletter to update you all on our last year's events. As usual it has been a busy year. Kevin has been working hard on our new timberframe barn and the roof is getting ready to go on next week. Master timberframer Tom Wentworth and his children Robie, Nola and Abbey have done a great job. This will be our new facility for meeting, greeting and outfitting groups as well as a woodworking shop. Polly has been working on finishing touches of our house in her spare time with the help of a friend, Rejean. DOGGY NEWS Mahoosuc has many older dogs now and we have eight living in our daylight basement where they have easy access with no stairs and many windows to look out and see what is going on. Lonnie, Kailey, Kipmik, Ootek, Bridget, Seamus, Guinness and Hammish are all happily living their retirement together. They play lots of card games and reminisce about the "good old trail days". In April we took back a dog we had sold as a puppy, Jan, who is Banshee and Tundra's sister. She loves being back here with her siblings and we hope she will be a good worker for us this winter! Riley has unfortunately been diagnosed with a very aggressive type of cancer. He has been training up as a very good lead dog for Polly and she will miss him. The dogs are loving their pastures and run and play for hours when it is their turn to be out. We also have a couple new small pastures for the retirees close to the house where they get plenty of exercise. To save our backs we now have running water in the dog yard which is quite a treat. We had a nice cold winter which made for great mushing conditions. A new trip we are offering this year is the Pimotaau weekends which will be all mushing and limited to a small group in the Umbagog/Richardson Lake area. CANEWS In May we had the pleasure of hosting a young couple from Japan who had come to the U.S. to learn how to build a birch bark canoe and wood canvas canoe and to us to do a 5 day canoe trip on the Moose River and a 2 day white water clinic. Kota and Kana were fun to be with and an inspiration as they are going to start their own boat building business in Japan. We had 3 Allagash trips this summer starting with a fly fishing trip in May followed by a full flowing river in August after a lot of rain to a beautiful sunny full moon trip in September. I am always impressed by the beauty of this river! We now have 20' E.M. White wood canvas canoe. The dogs are enjoying the extra room for lounging as they travel down the river. NORTHERN NEWS At the end of March we travelled north to Ouje-Bougoumou with 3 clients and 5 dog teams for a great mushing trip. We had lots of snow and cold and were able to travel to David and Anna's hunting grounds at Lake Waposite. In August our canoe trip to Ouje was very much a cultural experience. We were camped at Lake Opataca and part of an annual fishing derby where most of the village came out to participate. Then we went back to the village for the inauguration ceremony of the chief and council members. There was a huge feast and celebration that went into the wee hours of the morning. It is always an education to experience the way of life of another culture and yet they are so close in distance to ours. WOMEN'S NEWS Polly's women's weekend on Umbagog Lake in August was fun and quite a reunion for many returning clients. Murphy failed his bear dog test as he didn't make a peep one night when a black bear came to camp and ate all our cookies! In June Polly did a recon trip to the Everglades in Florida for a possible trip in the future. We hosted another "Wellness Weekend" in June at the farmhouse for people wanting to indulge in a massage or foot reflexology session. On our next weekend in October we are adding astrology readings. This is the third year we have been hosting these special weekends twice a year. VACATION In April we drove to PA with friends, Ray and Leslie Cooley, to visit Kevin's parents and brothers and Polly's brother, wife and new baby nephew. It was a fun trip and we got to experience the coming of spring twice. In June Polly took a holiday with two girlfriends to Iceland on a trek with the famous Icelandic ponies. It was a fabulous experience riding the "tolt" and really covering the miles. She is more bowlegged than ever! THANK-YOU! We want to thank again all the help our apprentices, Mel and Annie, provided for us this winter and we enjoyed seeing them gain experience and confidence with a dog team and on the trail. Also we feel priveleged to get so many returning helpers and apprentices year after year. It is nice to have Maggie and Jenny coming back to work with us. That makes our job more fun and rewarding! In December we had a fun party with all the Mahoosuc ski guides, apprentices, dogsitters and dog drivers getting together for a feast and music before starting another busy winter season! Everyone had a good time! We hope to see you on a trip soon but until then... Happy Trails!!! Kevin and Polly and all the doggies: Lonnie, Kipmik, Ootek, Hammish, Seamus, Guinness, Nanook, Skook, Banshee, Tundra, Fiona, Murphy, Liam, Doogie, Meechum, Kailey, Bridget, Sonny, Dylan, Minnie, Pretty Boy, Ossian, Barney, Buffy, Riley, Mickey, Jimmy, Blanca, Sinead, Finn, Cara, Nelly, Roanan, Nola, Cathal, Fergus, Maeve, Cormac, Roisin, Jan, Donal and Brendan!

MAHOOSUC NEWS	VOL.9 NO.9
AUGUST 2002
GREETINGS! WACHIYA! QANUIPPIT? I am sitting under a tarp in the puppy pen on a very hot August day with Buffy waiting for her to have her puppies. She is one week overdue so we are all getting alittle anxious. Guinness is Dad ( p.s. she only had two and they both look like little mini Guinness). Kevin and I have been enjoying being in our new house and doing some finishing touches. The farmhouse is a busy place in the winter meeting and greeting groups and providing lodging for some of our guests. DOGGY NEWS We have had some changes in the dog yard this last year. Nikki and Kango passed away in Nov. within minutes of each other although at different animal hospitals. We miss both of them but there was some comfort in the fact they went close together. Bridget needed back surgery in Dec. from a ruptured disc so is now keeping the retirees company in the basement. Ootek and Kipmik have moved into the basement after showing distinct signs of their age and slowing down. Kailey has developed degenerative mylopathy so is in the basement too. Lonnie (Polly's retired lead dog who she used for 10 years) likes all of the female companionship. Sinead and Pan Jr. had a nice litter of puppies last July and we kept three; Maeve, Cormac and Roisin. They are all good workers and went to Ouje with us this spring. In March we took Tundra (littermate of Banshee) back from another kennel where she wasn't fitting in too well. She is working in to Kevin's teams and adjusting to her new life. This spring we built 3 one acre dog pastures for the dogs to romp in. They love them and run and play for hours! The favored pasture is the middle one that goes into the pond. This has reduced rock eating and hole digging in the pens considerably. We are offering a couple new dog trips this winter to new areas. One in January mushing from Medawisla Wilderness Camps at Second Roach Pond to Chesuncook Lake staying 2 nights in cabins and 2 nights in tent camps. Another new trip for us is the Boundary Mountain Mush in the western mountains of Maine in March. We appreciated the help of apprentices Ryan Harwick and Cathy Chamberlain last winter.They were a big help to us. Ski guides Ashira and Chris Knapp, Jenny Mugrace, Andy Wood, Ray Cooley, Sue Lincoln, Jane Barron and Misha Golfman were great help this winter in making for successful trips. We are fortunate to have such dependable and capable folks to work with us season after season. Thank-you Emily Beers, Liz Harden and Janet Greene for your kind and compassionate dog care for the retirees that get left behind when we are out on the trail. That is an important job well done! CANEWS Polly had a very fun and successful women's canoe trip to Montana in June. We were fortunate to see bighorn sheep in the mountains surrounding the river. Sue Szwed and Donna Gifford were a great help on the river. We will have our first Adirondacks canoe trip to NY in October. The fall colors should be spectacular that time of year. We are happy to be offering a new trip this year with fellow guide, Mike Krepner of Igas Island, on the coast of Maine. It will be a unique experience! Kevin and Ray Cooley have been working in the woodshop hoping to finish Ray's 17' 1/2" Mahoosuc Guide Canoe before the ice forms. NORTHERN NEWS In March we ventured north to Ouje-Bougoumou, Quebec with four eager adventurous clients for an enriching experience with David and Anna Bosum. They had a cold winter with a lot of snow so snowshoes were needed to walk almost anywhere. We are sorry to say we haven't found any good leads on an Inuit guide yet for a spring trip to Nunavut but will keep you posted. WOMEN'S NEWS Polly is offering a couple new women's trips next year; in April on the Suwannee River in Florida. This should be a relaxing trip in a warm climate. In July I'll be co-guiding with Sue Szwed on the Grand Lake Stream trip in northeast Maine. Sue has a wealth of knowledge of the flowers and plants and their medicinal uses. VACATION Kevin and Polly had a great 11 day holiday in Scotland this summer in July. We visited dog musher friends, Peter and Joyce Duncan, old time friend, Lynn Bryce and her two sons and long time dedicated clients Alan and Evelyn McNicol. They toured us around and we spent 4 days on a sailboat with them around the Isle of Mull. It was relaxing and restful and a nice break from the daily dog chores. Kevin had a visit to PA in the spring to visit family. His parents were able to keep him busy doing home repairs. Tundra and Hammish made the journey with him for a little doggy vacation. The "wolves" (as the neighbors referred to them) were a big hit! Polly's family had a mini reunion at Peaks Island, ME in July celebrating her brother, Eric's, wedding celebration. It was fun to see everyone again! Hope to see you on a trip soon but until then...Happy Trails!!! Kevin and Polly and all the doggies: Lonnie, Kipmik, Ootek, Hammish, Seamus, Guinness, Nanook, Skook, Banshee, Tundra, Fiona, Murphy, Liam, Doogie, Meechum, Kailey, Bridget, Sonny, Dylan, Minnie, Pretty Boy, Ossian, Barney, Buffy, Riley, Mickey, Jimmy, Blanca, Sinead, Finn, Cara, Nelly, Roanan, Nola, Cathal, Fergus, Maeve, Cormac and Roisin!

MAHOOSUC NEWS	VOL.8 NO.8
AUGUST 2001
GREETINGS! WACHIYA! QANUIPPIT? This year I am writing to you sitting in the office in our new timberframe house. We moved in just before Christmas after five years in the making. It is very beautiful and we have gorgeous views of the Mahoosuc Mountains! Doggy News The retirees who had been living in the farmhouse with us have had to adjust to living in the daylight basement of the new house. They can come and go easily with no steps and it stays nice and cool in the summer. Nikki is still with us even after 6 years with diabetes. She is pretty well totally blind now. Lonnie keeps her company and seems to finally have accepted retirement. Kango has developed chronic bowel syndrome and will not be running this winter. He loves coming into the basement. Sheena passed away in February from cancer and we had to put Tara to sleep in June after her gradual and heroic downfall with degenerative mylopathy. She was very devoted to the end making it clear for Kevin that it was time to go. We also lost Koroc in July unexpectedly from bloat. That was a sad day. He was the strongest dog in Kevin's team and will be greatly missed. Sonny and Buffy's puppies from last July worked really well this winter (Cathal, Fergus, Nelly, Nola and Roanan). There are a few potential leaders here. We finally had a lot of snow last winter which provided lots of great mushing and skiing. We were able to start earlier in December and mush later in to March. We were sorry to have to let Misha go after 10 years of dedicated work with us as his own business and family are requiring more of his time. We had some new ski guides this winter who worked out great and we want to thank Ashira Goldman, Jane Barron and Andy Wood. Our apprentice, Jenny Mugrace, was a tremendous help to us last winter from taking care of dogs, doing food pack outs, attending to clients needs and running her own team of huskies. We thank her and will miss her next winter. Joan Burnham and Maggie Rogan were very good dog sitters for our retirees that need to stay behind - thank-you! Your compassionate care is appreciated. Misha came again with a crew of young eager helpers from his program Kroka Expeditions. He has been coming for five years now to do a 'day of service to the dogs' to make kennel improvements and dote on our dogs! Canews Kevin had a great trip this spring on the St. John River and revisited some of his old stomping grounds. Polly reconned the St. John this year with fellow guide, Ray Rietze from Earthways. What a beautiful river! We have a brand new red van (with air conditioning!) to transport our clients in comfort and also a new canoe trailor which we have wanted for many years. We are travelling in style! We attended the Maine Canoe Symposium on Moose Pond in Bridgton after a couple years absense. They were pleased to have us back to teach a few workshops. Next years dates are: June 7-9, 2002. For the first time we attended the Maine Guide Rendezvous in Bingham, ME and enjoyed exchanging stories and ideas with other Maine Guides. Northern News Our Cree fellow guides and friends, Dave and Anna Bosum's business continues to grow. Anna has quit her job at the band office to guide/grandmother full time. After 75 years time has caught up with Pauloosie Kooneliusie. Winter guiding has become hard for him so in April 2002 Kevin will be doing a recon trip to Igloolik to find another Inuk guide to work with for our Nunavut trips. For all you Northern Nuts don't forget the Snow Walkers Rendezvous at the Hulbert Outdoor Center in Fairlee, VT. Dates are: Nov. 9-11th. Contact Deb Williams at (888) 333-3405 ext. 118 or email: Deb.Williams@POP.Valley.Net. Vacation This summer Kevin and Polly took a couple short four day holidays. In June we went to Sunny Corner, New Brunswick with Polly's Dad and his wife, Linda, to visit many relatives. Also had a great day canoe poling on the Upper Miramichi River with fellow guides and friends, Rory Matchett and Kevin Silliker. It was nice to visit relatives after 24 years. In July we went on a trip with Polly's cousin, Sandy Peplau, and her husband, Jim to Down East Maine. What a beautiful part of the state! We went to the Grand Lake Stream Festival and also on a cruise out of Cutler Harbor to Machias Seal Island to observe the thousands of puffins. What a sight that was! We enjoyed eating lots of Maine seafood! Kevin's parents visited for one week in May and his brother, sister-in-law and two neices for a week in August. They were anxious to see our new house! Women's News In April Polly went on a guided dogsledding trip to northern Norway with her cousin, Sandy, and dedicated client, Eveyln MacNichol from Scotland. We had a great time experiencing another mushers style and seeing beautiful country from Sweden to Norway. This is a trip I will remember! Polly has been having full moon women's gatherings in the field by the dogs. They are very rewarding and increasingly popular. In September Polly is going with some women friends to recon a canoe route in the Adirondacks in NY for next year. This will be fun! Hope you are all well and that we see you on a trip soon! Happy trails...!!! Kevin and Polly and all the doggies: Hammish, Seamus, Guinness, Skookum, Fiona, Banshee, Ossian, Meechum, Doogie, Liam, Nanook, Nikki, Kipmik, Ootek, Lonnie, Sonny, Dylan, Pretty Boy, Bridget, Kango, Minnie, Barney, Buffy, Murphy, Kailey, Finn, Cara, Riley, Mickey, Sinead, Blanca, Jimmy, Cathal, Fergus, Nelly, Nola and Roanan.

MAHOOSUC NEWS	VOL.7 NO.7
AUGUST 2000
GREETINGS! WACHIYA! QANUIPPIT? I sit and write from our diningroom table in the farmhouse with our 4 retirees sleeping quietly on their sleeping bags dreaming of more active and agile days. We never feel lonely with our old trail companions around. It continues to be a cool summer for us which has been a welcome change for the dogs compared to the last few. If this weather pattern holds we are in for a cold and snowy winter! Mahoosuc's 10th Anniversary This year was Mahoosuc's 10th Anniversary! It has been a busy and successful 10 years. We have grown to need more help and were fortunate to have the help of two young apprentices this winter, Maggie Rogan and her friend Ben Olread. They lived in the red cabin next to the dog yard and were a great help in all aspects of the business. We have another young woman, Jenny Mugrace, joining us this fall for the winter. We are happy to have some new trails to travel on in the winter. This gives us different options instead of always using the lakes. Doggy News There have been lots of changes in the dog yard this year. Lonnie (Polly's lead dog for 10 years) officially retired in January from lead dog to house dog. He had a very successful back surgery in May and is happily leading Polly around the kitchen now. He is pretty good at knowing where I am going to walk next. Nikki and Sheena are still hanging out together in the livingroom along with Tara. We took Tara back after 6 years away. She has developed degenerative myelopathy (the same disease her father, Pan, had). She is very happy to be back with her family. We were very sorry to lose 7 year old litter mates, Clancey and Kelly, this year. Clancey got cancer and went very quickly last November. Kelly went unexpectedly in May due to an infection complicated by a false pregnancy. We miss them. Thule has joined Logan in Vermont and is very happy with a family in the country. She is still a sled dog but doesn't have to guide strangers which made her nervous. The three Inuit dogs are going to a new home in northern Ontario to another guide service. They will be with other dogs of their kind and more compatibly paced. Kevin will miss them. Lonnie and Kailey had a litter of pups last Sept. (Riley, Mickey, Blanca, Sinead and Jimmy). They went in to harness last winter and are excellent workers and very responsive. Riley was leading a 9 dog team at 6 months old (chip off the block). Kevin has two new pups Finn and Cara from our breeding but conceived and born in VT. They are going to replace the Inuit dogs. They provide hours of entertainment with their antics. Sonny and Buffy just had a new litter in July so we have 7 new puppies. Some of them will stay and others will be sled dogs for others. Polly had a special bond with them needing to tube feed them for their first 3 days of life until they started suckling on their own. Hammish is retired now after his last run in northern Quebec. He is getting too slow to keep the pace. So, many changes in the dog yard... We are still keeping around 36 dogs. Canews This has been a slow summer for us due to Kevin's knee and shoulder surgeries. It has been a time for healing for Kevin and dog care and house building for Polly. We are very close to moving in to our new house (this fall hopefully). Kevin and Ray Cooley (one of our co-guides) are in the process of building Ray a 17 1/2' wood canvas Maine Guide canoe. Polly has had a couple memorable canoe trips on the West Branch of the Penobscot and Umbagog Lake National Wildlife Refuge area this summer. Ireland Polly and Kevin are joining our friend, Pat Quinn, in northern Ireland for a visit in late August. We will be going to the annual All Ireland Fleadh. This will be four days of traditional celtic music. We have dreamed of attending this for years. Also hoping to do some sailing in the Irish Sea and a little pub hopping! Northern News Global warming seems to be affecting the north as well. The weather was warmer than usual and we still had successful trips. During the March Ouje-Bougoumou trip we had more time for Native bush skills with David and Anna Bosum due to soft trails. We had a full trip to Nunavut (Baffin Island) with 6 seasoned Mahoosuc travellers. They enjoyed meeting Pauloosie Kooneliusie and were fortunate to have some very close sightings of polar bear (nanook). Women's News We had a great trip on the Green River in Utah last October. There were 14 women floating the river together. It was quite memorable! Polly has started women's gatherings at Mahoosuc around a fire in the field once a month during the full moon (something she has wanted to do for quite some time). We hope you are all well and that we see you on a trip soon! Happy trails...!!! Kevin and Polly and all the doggies: Hammish, Seamus,Guinness, Koroc, Skookum, Fiona, Banshee, Ossian, Meechum, Doogie, Liam, Nanook, Nikki, Tara, Sheena, Kipmik, Kango, Ootek, Lonnie, Sonny, Dylan, Pretty Boy, Bridget, Minnie, Barney, Buffy, Murphy, Kailey, Finn, Cara, Riley, Mickey, Sinead, Blanca, Jimmy & pups.

MAHOOSUC NEWS	VOL. 6 NO. 6
AUGUST 1999
GREETINGS! WACHIYA! QANUIPPIT? Hello! The air is cooling after a very warm and humid summer. The dogs are getting anxious and more active anticipating fall and eventually snow and what they dream of: pulling sleds, camping out and pats from people. We as usual have had a busy year at Mahoosuc. Our new house is taking on more personality with it's new siding, stairs instead of ladders, walls, plumbing and electricity. Every stage completed makes it more exciting at the idea of moving in. Cape Breton Tour and Lobstering We took a weeks holiday this summer and travelled around Cape Breton. The Cabot Trail on the northern tip was absolutey beautiful. We sighted whales and bald eagles at the same time just as the travel brochures promised! One of the hightlights was meeting Mic Mac Native, Rita Joe, from Eskasoni Reserve in Nova Scotia. She has authored 5 books about the history of her Native people in that area. Another fun and memorable event for us this summer was going lobstering on the coast of Maine with Ed Polk, a lobsterman for 60 years. What a rare experience! Doggy News We have 33 dogs now with Nikki and Sheena living in the house. Sheena has officially retired at age 9 because she is slowing down and to keep Nikki company. Bridey passed on in January at the age of 16 1/2. She was such a prize and we miss her dearly. Jesse, her son, passed on in November at the young age of 6. He had cancer and went quickly. We miss his happy and enthusiastic energy. Logan joined Mahoosuc for the winter, pet dog become sled dog. He remembered his home here from puppyhood and enjoyed the socializing with the other dogs and meeting new people. He is now at a very happy home in VT. where he gets lots of attention and plenty of exercise. We are anxiously awaiting Kailey and Lonnie's litter in Sept. We have high hopes of some new pups to take up the pace of their Dad's superb leading. He, by the way, was still leading last winter at age 11. Our cabin based trip in the Greenville area was very popular so we will be offering this trip again. Also we have a new trip "Yurt to Yurt" in the Phillips Brook Recreation Area in N.H. Northern News We visited our Cree friends and co-guides, David and Anna Bosum, of Ouje-Bougoumou, Quebec in December. As usual it was a rich experience travelling in the bush with them. Our Baffin Island (now Nunavut) trip in April was a success. Pauloosie Kooneliusie is still going strong at age 73. His grand daughter, Sepoola, accompanied us again along with his son, Jullie. It is an exciting time in the north right now with the new self governing Nunavut; Canada's newest Territory. Canews We had a dry spring which made the ACA and river rescue clinics challenging and creative. Kevin barely had enough water to get down the St. John river. The Allagash remains a popular river although we had two trips down the West Branch of the Penobscot River in July. Chesuncook Village is always a treat to visit and to chat with Maggie McBernie and enjoy some homemade root beer and fudge from the local store. We now have a beautiful summer t-shirt sketched by local Rangeley artist Claudia Comstock. Good job! We also have Mahoosuc ball caps. Kevin built another wood canvas canoe this summer with Bethel resident, friend and craftsman, Tom Wentworth. The two were featured on a Channel 13 news special about canoe poling. Women's News Polly will be guiding a trip on the Green River in Utah in October with 14 women. These are all seasoned Mahoosuc travellers and I'm sure we will all have fun! This is a great time of year to be there! Susie Dixon was a god send this winter helping with dog sitting and doing food pack outs for our trips and making yummy soups and cookies for our day trips. Thank-you! Some events that we participate in and may be of interest to you are: Maine Canoe Symposium: June 9-11, 2000 contact Shawn Burke or Monica Schnitger at (978) 470-1059 or visit web site: www.mcs.gen.me.us. Common Ground Country Fair: Sept. 24-26, 1999 (207) 623-5115. Snow Walkers Rendezvous: November 12-14, 1999 contact Deb Williams (802) 333-3405. We hope you are all well and that we see some of you in the coming year! Happy Trails...!!! Polly & Kevin Wags and licks from: Angus, Quimmik, Ivalu, Hammish, Seamus, Guinness, Koroc, Fiona, Skookum, Ootek, Banshee, Ossian, Meechum, Doogie, Liam, Nanook, Nikki, Sheena, Kipmik, Kango, Lonnie, Clancey, Kelly, Sonny, Dylan, Minnie, Bridget, Thule, Barney, Buffy, Murphy, Kailey, and Pretty Boy.

MAHOOSUC NEWS	VOL.5 NO.5
AUGUST 1998
GREETINGS! WACHIYA! QANUIPPIT? Hope you are all well. We have had another busy and successful year at Mahoosuc. Kevin continues to work on our new timberframe house in the back field of the farm. This year we will be putting in the windows, doors, deck and siding. It is looking beautiful and has great views of the mountains. Polly completed the new siding on the old farm house and it is a real eye catcher. She has also been upgrading the office with a new photocopier and computer with access to the internet. It has opened up a whole other world for us. We now have a new web site address: www.mahoosuc.com and email address:info@mahoosuc.com Ireland Visit We were very fortunate to have a holiday in Ireland in June. Thanks to our dear friends Pat and Eileen Quinn we had the opportunity to hear lots of good traditional Irish music and attend many ceilhi. It was an exciting time to be there with new hope after the peace talks and cease fire. We put alot of miles on our rental car and know where we want to go back to another time. Doggy News We have 35 dogs with two living the life of leisure in the house. Bridey and Nikki are aging graciously with Bridey being 16 1/2 now. She doesn¹t venture out to the dog yard anymore. All of their energy is overwhelming to her. Nikki on the other hand likes to go and flirt with all the boys. She is always ready to go for rides and adapts well to whatever is going on. Connor and Ivalu's pup, Banshee, has matured to be quite a strong sled dog and an excellent worker. He hasn't learned about his own strength yet. He is the youngster in the yard. Lonnie is slowing down at age 10 but still wants to be lead dog. Last winter's little snow fall made it an easier winter for him to remain in this position. He is the best, so smart and always eager to go! We experienced the ice storm of 98 in January. We had no electricity for 11 days and no phone for 5 days but were able to carry on guiding throughout. The animals in the woods were very frightened by all of the trees and branches coming down and we saw many deer and moose out on the lakes which is very unusual. We are offering a couple new trips in Maine this year for some of you wanting to see new country. One will be cabin based north of Greenville and another a more exploratory trip into the most remote part of Maine, the Moose River country. There have been several sightings of wolf in this area over the last few years. Ray Reitze, a Master Maine guide, who was taught how to live in the bush by a native elder will be guiding this trip with us. Northern News We were happy to host Cree guides, David and Anna Bosum from Ouje-Bougoumou, Quebec on their visit to Maine enroute to the Snow Walkers Rendezvous in Vermont. We look forward to a couple trips with them in this coming winter. Our two Hudson Bay trips were a success this year with Cree guides, Abraham and Emily Snowboy and their granddaughter Stella Jane. We were gone from Maine for a month this spring. It was nice to spend time with them again as we hadn't been up for a couple years. Stella is 13 now and she drove a dog team for the first time on this trip. The Baffin Island trip was once again an unusual experience. Pauloosie Kooneliusie accompanied us with some of his grandsons and for the first time this year a granddaughter, Sepoola. It was a treat to see Pauloosie teaching his grandchildren about dog driving. We were lucky to see three polar bears this year at a close distance and even ate our lunch a few hundred yards away (while they thought about making us theirs!). Canews We had a lot of rain in the spring bringing many of the rivers up to flood stage. This made the A.C. A. clinic quite interesting and a little different than planned. The Allagash remains our most popular river trip. The increased water level made it a joy to paddle early on in the season. Bear spottings were an extra treat this year. The Maine Canoe Symposium in Bridgton in June is a great event for anyone wanting to learn more about canoeing and different styles or just to be around other canoe enthusiasts. We offer workshops there and always find it a good way to start the summer season. Womens News Our women's trips have been popular this year. The special presented on Made in Maine public T.V. last fall was excellently produced. Thanks to Janice Rand of Bangor - well done. Polly will be going to Arizona in October to recon the Verde River and to visit our sponsored child on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation. This will be a great experience! Thank-you! We want to thank all of you who have dog sat for us in the last year to enable us to guide trips without worrying about those dogs left at home and to free us up to have alittle holiday ourselves. We really appreciate your care and support of Mahoosuc Guide Service. Some events that we participate in and may be of interest to you are: Maine Canoe Symposium: June 4-6,1999 contact Jerry Kocher (781)237-1956 or email: Jerry-Kocher@msn.com or web site: www.mcs.gen.me.us. Common Ground Country Fair: September 25-27, 1998 (207) 623-5115. Snow Walkers Rendezvous: November 13-15, 1998 contact Deb Williams (888)333-3405. We hope to see some of you in the coming year! Until then...happy trails!