Beginning at their home—Pinewood to the Teepee Lakes Resort Cafe and back, Paula and Richard Pateman hosted a Dryland Mushing Fun Run on Saturday, Nov. 9.
The 18 kilometer fun run consisted of seven teams of mushers and 54 dogs who ran along the Trans Canada Trail, stopping for refreshments and a visit with event attendees at the cafe before the nine kilometer run back to Pinewood.
Mushers use bicycles, carts, motorless atv’s and regular atv’s to run their teams consisting of 1 to 13 dogs.
Many of the teams usually come up from the states. “The government shut down had it’s effect and some of the participants couldn’t make it up this weekend,” said Paula Pateman.
However, Valerie Norman and Mark Johnson from Seattle, were able to make it up for the event.
“This is one more way to recreate with our dog and we love it up here,” said Norman. The couple have been travelling to Pinewood to partake in the Dryland Mushing Fun Run for the past four years. Johnson ran this years event with a three dog team and a bicycle.
Although the Patemans have been hosting this event for a few years, this years event has folks excited and signing up for next year’s already.
“Somebody graded the trail,” said Paula Pateman, “It’s just fabulous, and the timing of it worked out just perfectly for our event.”
Event attendee, Evelyn Levasseur said that the trail had been in terrible shape for years. “This junction to the Shinnish Creek turnoff was like a bucking bronco,” she said.
Now people are out using it and “the visitors and locals appreciate whoever did the work tremendously,” she said.
The Patemans wish to extend their thanks to all the participants and volunteers who helped make the event a success as well as a special thanks to director Hope and Mayor Armitage for their “encouraging words.”