Musher discovers snow, flooding in dog sledding odyssey

After a dog sledding odyssey that began in the snow-covered tundra of Churchill, Justin Allen is nearing his destination, surrounded by water.

Allen, who lived in Churchill for six years, began his 3,000-kilometre journey back home to Saint Johnin late January. More than 100 days later and weeks after swapping his sled runners for wheels, he's found a new obstacle inflooding.

He's changed his route a couple times to avoid southern New Brunswick's rising waters, he told Information Morning on Wednesday.

"We decided we weren't going to swim," Allen said. "It's OK, we're going to make it; there's other ways to go."

He said Wednesday morning he's 100 kilometres from his home, feeling "amazing and slightly relieved" at the prospect.

While living in Churchill, Allen fell in love with mushing. He worked for a business that ran dog sledding tours. He says his passion for the dogs and the history and culture of the sport inspired him to mush across the country, towed along by 12 huskies.

Without snow, his mode of transportation has alternated between a fat bike and a stripped-down all-terrain vehicle.

His most challenging day was in northern Ontario, where he encountered such deep snowit took him a day to travel 24kilometres.

Dogs led to kinship with elders

One of his motivations for the trip was learning more about Indigenous communities. He hasdiscovered a shared kinship with elders in acknowledging the vital roledogs have played intheir lives.

"To see the look in their eyes,"Allen said of the elders he's met,"they're re-learning parts of their history and sharing with us the importance of the dogs."

"People would tell me like there hasn't been a dog team that ran through that lane for years," he continued. "They were all so happy to see that tradition be kept alive."

He hasraised his dogs since they were pups. He gives them massagesand inspects their feet, bones and joints daily to ensure they're doing well.

"They're happy as ever. I feel like they just grow stronger every single day;they just impress me more and more."

Allen hasfound the scenery up northincluding in the communities of northern Manitobabreathtaking.

"We have something special here, it's truly something that we shouldtake advantage of."

He hasbeen impressed by the hospitality he'sencountered along the way. Allen hasbeen welcomed into many homes, enjoyingdelicacies such as moose, caribou and bannock.

"I didn't lose as much weight as I thought I was going to, that's for sure," he said. "Everywhere we went people were showing up with trays of home cooked meals."

After he settles down inNew Brunswick, Allen intends to go into business with his canine friends. Boss Dog Expeditions will offer dog sled rides, dog-assisted hikes and camping trips.