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History
The following is a tried and true
recipe for a successful sled dog MAIL RUN.
(by Elsie Chadwick, founder of the Mail Run)
INGREDIENTS:
MIXING PROCEDURE - THE BEGINNING, 1985:
Get
two highly motivated individuals gabbing on the telephone with a small
spark of an idea then watch it grow into a full blown sled dog mail run
from the town of Humphrey to the town of Rosseau, Ontario, in the heart
of Ontario's beautiful resort area. You
will find the excitement will spread like wildfire. The Muskoka
Trailriders Club groomed the 13 1/2 miles of winding trail through the
winter wonderland. The Humphrey fire Department was not to be outdone
for they put all their equipment at our disposal for safety at points
where the trail comes close to the highway,or, crosses lesser roads.
Someone has the parking lot ploughed and it is used exclusively for the
marshalling yard. All the mushers have room to service their teams while
excited people and children come and chat with the drivers, renew
acquaintences, and, of course, pat the dogs.
To the first ingredients, which have been
stirred to the right consistency, you add a special envelope which
graces a Siberian, the envelope is stamped CARRIED BY DOG TEAM and, when
possible, a special postage stamp is applied. These envelopes are unique
and have become collectors item. Less than 1,000 are sold each year and
they go all over the world. The Siberian whose picture is on the
envelope was present at the first mail run in 1985 but died one month
later at age 17 years. She is buried in Humphrey where she belongs.
1985 mushers & their handlers
Set above mixture aside to ripen and prepare a
list of mushers who would like to take part. The drivers and teams come
from the Siberian Husky Club and they are delighted to be included. Add
their names to the prepared mixture and allow to rise then...SNOW is
added slowly over the winter until the trails and the trees are laden to
make a veritable fairyland. Sprinkle with happy, smiling faces of
children (no age limit) and promise of butter tarts at the end of the
trail.
AND SO IT CONTINUES..
The 8-9 drivers, along with their handlers and
dogs, start to arrive the night before the run and are well taken care
of by the local motel. At 9:30 the next morning (Saturday) the trucks,
with sleds on their rooftops, roll into the Humphrey Community Centre
parking lot. As the drivers prepare their equipment and tend to their
dogs, they cheerfully answer questions from onlookers and encourage the
children to approach and hug a husky! An MP, Mayor or other official
call out each driver by name and hand over the mail bags which are
placed inside a bag which is strapped to the sled. The dogs begin to get
excited and noisy ...anxious to get started.
At the start of the trail a snowmobile goes out
first to lead the teams who follow at 3-5 minute intervals. Another
snowmobile leaves right after the last musher, in case help is required
along the way and no one gets lost. The actual trail time is from 1-2
hours. Most of the teams have been training, and running races over the
winter so they gobble up the trail. This is not a race so if a musher
wants to stop and count snowflakes along the way, that's alright, as
long as the mail comes through safe and sound in a reasonable timeframe.
At the 8 mile point the teams stop for a rest
and a drink of water. Crowds line their cars along the highway to stop
and chat with the mushers, or help them to hold the dogs.
At Rosseau the dignitaries, fire department,
OPP and especially the Post Mistress, are all on alert for the first
team to arrive. The street is full of well-wishers and each driver (and
their team) is greeted and welcomed. The mail has safely arrived on its
first step to destinations everywhere in the world. By the end of the
two hours all teams have delivered their mail bags right to the steps of
the Rosseau Post Office. The dogs are rewarded for their efforts and are
gradually taken to their warm, dry dog boxes for a quiet, well-deserved
rest.
At the Post Office all envelopes are
hand-cancelled by the Post Mistress and sent through Canada Post.
If you wish to send a
letter to a friend or family member by dog team (or an envelope to
yourself for a collectible) see:
CONTACTS
 First
Sledvelope, 1985
Kamaluk,
17 yrs old
Who is the dog on the Seguin Mail Run
envelopes? Kamaluk of Artic Pac was owned by Elsie and Allan Chadwick,
founders of the Seguin Mail Run. The Siberian Husky spent many enjoyable
seasons at their cottage on Sandy Plains Road near Humphrey, Ontario.
She was the honoured mascot of the first Humphrey-Rosseau Mail Run in
1985. Although Kamaluk did not participate because of her age (17 yrs),
she watched the six teams arrive at the Post Office in Rosseau. One
month later Kamaluk passed over the Rainbow Bridge and found a sparkling
silver harness awaiting. If you look outside you will see Kamaluk with
an endless team of sleddogs pulling the Milky Way along the night sky.
This precious dog is buried in Humphrey Township, near the trail where
the teams begin their journey each year. |
