Journal of the Inuit Sled Dog International

The Inuit Sled Dog International (ISDI) is a consortium of enthusiasts whose goal the preservation of this ancient arctic breed in its purest form as a working dog. The ISDI's efforts are concentrated on restoring the pure Inuit Dog to its native habitat. The ISDI's coordinators welcome to your comments and questions.

ISDI Coordinator Canada
Geneviève Montcombroux, Box 206, Inwood, MB R0C 1P0; toadhall@mts.net

ISDI Coordinator USA
Sue Hamilton, 55 Town Line Road, Harwinton, CT 06791, qimmiq@snet.net

Editor's/Publisher's Statement

Editor-in-Chief: Sue Hamilton
Webmaster: Mark Hamilton
Print Version Publisher: Geneviève Montcombroux for Whippoorwill Press

The Fan Hitch, journal of the Inuit Sled Dog International, is published four times a year. It is available free online at: http://homepage.mac.com/puggiq. Print subscriptions as follows: in Canada $18.00 Cdn, in USA $16.00 US, elsewhere $22.00 Cdn per year, postage included. Send requests, with checks payable to "ISDI", to Whippoorwill Press, Geneviève Montcombroux, P.O.Box 206, Inwood, Manitoba, R0C 1P0, Canada or info@whippoorwillpress.com. Single copy issues and back issues (if not sold out) are available. Contact Whippoorwill Press for details.

The Fan Hitch welcomes your letters, stories, comments and suggestions. The editorial staff reserves the right to edit submissions used for publication.

Contents of The Fan Hitch are protected by international copyright laws. No photo, drawing or text may be reproduced in any form without written consent. Webmasters please note: written consent is necessary before linking this site to yours! Please forward requests to Sue Hamilton, 55 Town Line Rd., Harwinton, Connecticut 06791, USA or qimmiq@snet.net

Tip for the Trail....

Photo: Senter

Seeing and Not Hearing

by John Senter

A couple of years ago, I bought some tinted safety glasses to wear when bicycling in the summer. I attached one of those little cycling rearview mirrors to the left temple, so I wouldn't get blind-sided by an overtaking motor vehicle. Because most of my carting is done on public roads and shared with cars, buses and trucks, I started using these glasses for mushing as well, and for the same reason. When I had the dogs out today, I spotted a minivan when it was still a good quarter-mile behind us. The glasses also are also good for protection against bright sunlight reflected off snow.

I also have a set of earplugs I use when harnessing up. They are the rubber-padded plugs on a padded, spring steel yoke. I keep my earplugs in the truck and wear them around my neck from the time I back the truck out of the garage until the dogs are safely kenneled at the end of the day. When hitching up, the dogs kick up quite a din. The earplugs ease the misery of having a dog bellowing in my ear while I'm trying to harness him up or hook him into the gang line. My hearing is pretty bad already for various reasons and, as much as I enjoy mushing my dogs, I'd just as soon not have my hearing damaged any further by all that racket.

Got a tip you'd like to share? Email it to qimmiq@snet.net or snail-mail it to Mark Hamilton, 55 Town Line Road, Harwinton, CT 06791, USA.

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