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The past few weekends have been spent soaking up the sun via dog team.  Life has been good.  Over spring break, Thomas, Paige, Cody and I, along with all of the pups headed up to Brent Sass's place in Eureka for a few days.  The dogs got some nice runs in, running to Rampart, and camping along the Yukon.  And evening runs to Hutilinana Hot Springs.  The trails were more challenging than any we've run this year.  There haven't been many times where we've run over lots of ice and overflow, and we scrambled over lots of it up there.  Banging off of willows, and skating over glaciers, with some white knuckled runs down windy steep chutes.  It was awesome.  The dogs loved it.  They loved getting out on new trails, and so did we. 

We left right around sunset for Hutlinana.  A 15 mile trail out of Brent's yard takes you there.  It is a windy trail, with lots of switchbacks as you run down to the river.  We camped the dogs for a couple of hours while we soaked in the warm waters, and mushed back an 11 mile relatively flat trail, through a recent burn.  Without the foliage from the trees, the moon cast its bright glow that the snow reflected silver blue over the landscape, and most of the run was without a headlamp.  It was nice.  I wouldn't mind training there all the time. 

The next weekend I planned on mushing out to Tolovana Hot Springs to meet a few friends.  Emily Bernhardt had borrowed our dogs Jetta and Maple, and headed out the evening before skijoring with David Jonas and his 4 freight dogs.  They left from the Murphy Dome trailhead to follow the Dunbar-Livengood trail, with plans on camping on Thursday, and mushing the rest of the way in on Friday.  It is 48 miles from Murphy Dome to Tolovana.  The first half of the trail is a 14 mile descent, and then follows a trapline along the Dunbar.  One trapper traps from Chatanika, and another musher traps from Livengood. I had lots of work to do, and wasn't able to leave until Friday.  The weather had been pretty warm, so I planned on leaving early, resting the dogs for a few hours during the heat of the day, and running in the rest of the way Friday evening.  Our friends Laura Gutierrez and Jeff Yancevich, drove up the Elliott to hike in the 11 mile route. 

Friday morning, the dogs and I woke up earlier than I prefer, and headed up to Murphy Dome.  As we were getting ready to go, another dog truck drove up to the trailhead.  I met Simon and Sarah and their 11 Mackenzie River Husky yearlings.  They too were planning on heading out to Tolovana.  We chatted a bit, and then headed out on the trail.  The views from the Chatanika River Road were spectacular, in sweeping panoramas, you could see both the Alaska Range and the White Mountains.  The sky was a deep blue, and the trail was beautiful.  The dogs and I ran for a couple of hours, and then camped out on a little lake for a few hours.  The dogs ate some salmon and slept, and I napped in the hot spring sun.  It was spring mushing at its finest.  We had run about 26 miles, and only had another 22 to go to the hot springs.  Sarah and Simon were taking it pretty slow and resting frequently with their big fluffy dogs, but caught up while we were camping.  Excitedly, we planned on soaks in the springs that evening. The trail had been awesome.

Not two miles after leaving camp, and crossing the Tatalina, the trail disapeared into a soft sugary mess.  Rumors had said that the trail were on had been brushed following an icestorm in November.  It didn't look like anyone had been through in months.  For the next few hours we moved slowly, around 2 miles an hour.  I was kicking myself for leaving my snowshoes in the truck.  The trail sucked.  After a few hours it became really apparent we wouldn't make it to the hotsprings that evening, but I hoped to at least make it to the Tolovana turn off.  The trail from Emily and David hadn't set up at all, and we were all swimming through the snow. 

After about 10 miles, the trail became confusing.  They looked like they had turned around a couple of times, trying to decide on a route.  Emily had been to Tolovana this way a couple of times, and looked like she was deciding on a route.  But, I was new to the area, and it was getting dark.  I knew we were the on the right trail, but I couldn't tell what they decided to do.  I was tired of shoving the sled through this snow, and ducking under all of the willows.  Night came fast, and we were moving slow.  We camped right in the trail.  Off the trail, the snow was thigh deep, and I hadn't seen Simon and Sarah for hours, and figured they wouldn't be coming through any time soon, so I bedded them down right in the trail.  I was pretty exhausted when we finally stopped, and was really grateful to have a warm meal in the cooler for the dogs.  I didn't have a cooker (didn't think I would need it) and must've stopped in the healthiest stand of trees around.  Finding dead standing trees for a fire would wait until morning.

It was my first unplanned camping trip.  I wasn't really that excited.  I had been looking forward to soaking in the hotsprings all day, and more than anything, right then I was ready.  After feeding the dogs, I fed myself, and changed out of my wet clothes and got ready to sleep for the night.  My dogs Harley and Dylan, loose on the trail, curled up right next to me.  Harley sneaking in the bag to keep me warm.  It was a long night, and I was colder than I liked.  I felt like I had tossed and turned all night, but sometime during the night, I must have dozed off.  Early the next morning, Simon and Sarah and their 11 Mackenzie River Huskies woke me, as they mushed in to our camp.  They snowshoed their way around me, and continued on the trail.  After feeding the dogs, and repacking the sled, I decided to try to continue on just a bit, perhaps see if I missed the trail. 

I hadn't, there was not a trail.  Not even half a mile up, Sarah was stopped with the dogs, as Simon was bushwacking through the woods trying to locate a passable route.  At their distress, I decided to call it quits and head back to town.  It was a 40 mile run back to town, and even if I made it to Tolovana, I was supposed to be at school Tuesday morning for the class I am the teaching assistant for, and didn't think it would be good to miss it, and who knows how long it would take?

Our mush out was great, the trail set up beautifully over night, and we had a fast run.  During the warm afternoon sun, I camped again on the river, and built a nice fire to melt some more snow for water.  The last climb up to the top of Murphy Dome was long, 14 miles, nearly uphill the whole way, and the dogs were raring to go.  I had borrowed a few dogs from Sarah Love and Clint Warnke for the trip. Their dog Shia was barking the whole way to the top, she is a tiny little dog, but was driving hard the whole way.  And my little dog Harley was a rock star!  He has grown so much in the past winter, I am continually amazed by his drive and attitude.  Every little rest on the way up (more for me, than the dogs...) he would bark, and continue barking and harness banging as we started running again.

We reached Murphy Dome, just as the sun was setting.  It was beautiful.  I had hoped to call Thomas and let him know I would be home early, but my phone was dead.  Once I finally got home, got the dogs fed, and the phone charged, I called him, to hear him immediately question, 'Where are you!!!?' 

Apparently, if you climb the big hill near Tolovana there is cell phone reception, and the group I had intended to meet called to let him know that I hadn't made it.  They weren't overly concerned, and figured I had turned back as the trail disintegrated.  It had taken them longer than anticipated to make it out to Tolovana as well. But, had I turned back, I should have made it back to Fairbanks by evening.  Not knowing that anyone was worried for me, we had taken a relaxing run home during the day, resting and enjoying the beautiful weather...

Thomas and his friend James were on their way to borrow snow machines from the military base where James works to start a search and perhaps rescue!  They learned that I was overdue during a party, and I think the thoughts of those around became rather morbid, as they contemplated what could have happened...  Broken legs, hypothermia, lost dog team, impaled by a tree... Fortunately, Thomas isn't one to fret, and remained calm, figuring I was probably fine.  However, had something gone wrong he thought is best to head out just in case...

Over the next few days, I was eventually able to talk to the rest of the folks that were on the trails over the weekend, and found out the trail was really non-existent.  The Dunbar-Livengood trail is maintained by trappers throughout the winter, and while the Dunbar section is used, the trail from Livengood had not been used this past winter, and during the ice storms during November lots of heavy trees had come down on the trail, making it nearly impassable.  Emily, having been to Tolovana by this route before, had traveled with David and his four dogs, and they ultimately ended up heading through the woods to find their own route.  As the trail disappeared, David hooked Emily's dogs to his team, and they traveled single file, Emily skiing a trail ahead for them to follow. 

During their search for the trail, they tried a few different directions, some of which I had attempted to follow, but I missed their eventual trail.  It took them two full days to make it the the hot springs.  Simon and Sarah never made it.  Later in the week, I heard they had finally made it out, their trip being much longer than anticipated.  Simon ended up mushing all the way to Livengood, and Sarah snowshoed out, hitchhiking back to Fairbanks to pick up the dog truck to load up the team.  However, once she had driven back up to pick up the team near Livengood, they were no where to be found.  Eventually, through radio communication from truckers traveling the road, Simon's son was able to locate the team and pick them up. It sounded epic, quite opposite what was anticipated to be a relaxing weekend at the hot springs! 

The dogs and I made it home, happy and healthy, and slept well that night.  We certainly missed out on the hotsprings, but we will try again next winter.  It was still an adventure anyway.  But, I certainly won't be found on a unfamiliar trail again without a cooker!  And maybe a SPOT tracker...





Amazzi

Boss

Dylan

Harley

Jaye

Jetta

Kateel

Maple

Nika

Wildfire

Adam and I went to high school in Chatfield together, and he has been following the Iditarod with his 3rd grade classroom for the past couple of years.  Inspired by the book Stone Fox written by John Reynolds Gardiner, he has worked towards integrating this into his classroom, and helping to instill a sense of adventure in his students.

As part of their curriculum, the students are learning about the geography in the state of Alaska, the history of dog mushing, as well as many aspects about life in Alaska.   They are also learning about a few mushers and their teams, and will be tracking them throughout the race.   One of the things I am looking forward to seeing is some of the art that they are creating in their class!  In the next few days, I will try to post some pictures of what they are making.

Especially exciting is some of the teams they are following!  This year, the class is following Jessie Royer, who's dogs I ran on the glacier last summer, as well as Sven Haltmann, who Thomas handled for and who we have gotten some dogs from!  

Through email exchange, I have been able to answer students questions about mushing and living in Alaska, by providing pictures of Alaska and the dogs, and to show what our life is like.  Living up here, it seems very normal to live how we do, and spend our lives with the dogs.  But, it is quite a different reality from what life was in Stewartville, where as a kid from 3rd-7th grade I used to live in the country off of County Rd 8.  

The students have been able to see pictures of the handler cabin that I lived in, and think about how different it would be to live in on permafrost, having to haul water for humans and dogs.  They have asked questions about how we feed, and how much we run. And I have sent pictures of the fermented salmon that the dogs enjoy so much, as well as pictures of the dogs running across Alaska.  They have asked questions about the challenges, and the joys of dog mushing.  Besides following the Iditarod from books and the internet, it is giving them a 'real' connection to someone that actually lives in Alaska.

This morning, I had an early morning Skype meeting with Adam's class, as well as two other classes from the 3rd grade.  Looking out, it was a sea of really well behaved 3rd graders!  75 people were crammed into that classroom, and they really were great!  During our meeting, I talked about what a dog handler does, and what the life of a musher entails.  And, then some of the students from his class took a turn to come and ask some specific questions about my dogs.

The questions were great!  Asked who the fastest dog was, they cheered to hear it was Harley!  Having seen some pictures of the dogs, he was the natural favorite!  Super cute and affectionate and friendly!  

When asked the dogs names, I lost count and only named seven.  But, a student from the class saved me, and yelled the last dog, Kateel!  How could I forget my princess!  But, they sure remembered her!

Over the past week or so working with the students, I've looked forward to hearing what questions they have everyday, and being able to answer them.  It has definitely been a highlight of my week. Over the next two weeks, we will all be following the Iditarod, and cheering on all the dogs and their mushers.  I hope that as one of their connections to Alaska, I can help them feel a closeness and fondness for this amazing sport and the state.  It will be an adventure for us both!

Once in Dawson, we pulled into the checkpoint on Front St., and retrieved all 11 of Clint's drop bags, and 4 bales of straw.  The ice road across the Yukon hadn't been salted or graveled, and was a luge when we got there, and there were recommendations not to attempt a crossing with our truck and trailer.  Fortunately, Hugh wasn't in, and we still had time to wait.  After lunch, a crew from Dawon City came out and graveled and salted the road, and we made it into camp in time to drop off our gear.

Once nearly all of our gear had been dropped off at our campsite, we heard the siren indicating the first musher was in!  We made it in perfect time, we quickly finished unloading the last few items, and drove back into town.  We were exhausted, the two hours sleep along the road to Dawson, had not been nearly enough to rejuvenate us.  Sarah and I took a break once in town for a couple of hours, to relax, and build up energy, before heading back to Dawson dog camp.  From looking at the livetracker on the quest website, we knew we had some time before Clint came in, and we wouldn’t have to finish setting up our camp that day.  But, we did want to get something started.  Our main task was getting the tarp situated.  Having a smaller campsite on the river side, didn’t leave us many options.  The ideal area for setting up the tarp would allow for some wind protection, and also be far enough from the road that people walking and other dogs wouldn’t be a distraction.  Tree location also plays a big role in set up, the tarp guylines are tied to the trees.  We spiderwebbed lines across our campsite, and eventually had a cozy little tarp set up parallel to the driveway.  There was some wind blowing into the riverside opening that we buffered with snow mounds.  It would be a nice home for the 36 hours that the dogs were in camp.

After the tarp was assembled, we headed back to town for our first hot meal in days, amazing Greek food at the Drunken Goat, before settling in for the night with a soak in the hot tub, and sleeping in a bed for the first time in days.  The next morning, we checked updated, and figured Clint would be in around 4 at the earliest, but potentially later in the day, depending on his resting and running schedule.   Sarah had errands to run in town, starting laundry and getting things ready for Clint, and she dropped me off at dog camp to continue working.  Mike Davis, and Laura (not sure of last name) from Oklahoma, two veterinarians conducting research on the dogs, had a lull in their work schedule, and came down to help set up camp.  I had them begin working on setting up the Arctic Oven, which would be my home for a few days, as I finished the dogs home.  Using 7 bales of straw, I lined the ground in the tarp, nearly to a foot deep, it would be really warm and comfortable for the dogs.  The dogs love new straw, and there was tons of it.  After organizing the dog food, cooker, vet equipment, and our tent, we were ready for the team to arrive.  We headed back into town to follow the tracker, and take a quick nap before expecting Clint in. 

Clint arrived with happy looking dogs at 9:41pm, after cheering them in, and saying hello and petting the dogs for the first time in days, I rushed across the river with extra equipment and a hot hamburger meal for the dogs to our campsite, and Sarah hopped on the sled with Clint and mushed across the Yukon over to dog camp.  Once in camp, the veterinarian team from the YQ came over for the mandatory vet check, as we took off dog jackets and harnesses and put clean dog jackets on, and fed them the hot meal, and then led them over to their new camp!  They loved it!  They enjoyed nesting in the little tent, curling up in the loft of the straw.  Paige and Cody, who had just finished up the YQ300 (Paige in 6^th place!) came down to camp to help massage the dogs.  For the next hour or so, we spent time with each of the dogs, massaging sore wrists, and rubbing down their shoulders.  We used tons of algyval, and the dogs happily were massaged to sleep. 

For the next 36 hours, we kept care over the dogs and Clint.  Sarah helping Clint get everything needed in town, and rushing back and forth between camp and Dawson City.  I was in charge of the dogs, helping to feed and walk and massage the dogs.  While I was in camp the whole time, help would come often.  Paige and Cody helped massage and feed dogs regularly, as well as Sarah, who was so busy, while getting sick at the same time. The dogs were woken up and stretched every 8 hours during their stay.  The loved their camp, during the walks, as they got stronger and stronger and better rested, they would eagerly return to the tent to snuggle with the other dogs.  At first, the dogs were really tired, but as the hours accumulated, I heard the little growls and communications between the dogs, and kept careful watch that they didn’t fight.  They were no longer sleeping in the tent, but resting.  After a few meals, Jet and Dash started playing, no longer worried about catching up on sleep.  And the tiny little dog Shya was trying to win freight pull competions on her walks.  It was awesome to see how fast they changed!  How a few hours rest, and some extra loving can restore a tired team.

At 7 am on the day he was scheduled to leave.  Clint and Sarah came down from town, and we fed a meal, and started harnessing and getting the dogs ready, while Clint packed the sled.  It was howling wind, and blowing snow.  It did not look like a fun day to go out.  Right before the team leaving the checkpoint, Wade Marrs mushed back into camp with injured shoulders on himself.  He had passed 3 teams on the way in, and within a few minutes was breaking trail again.  The trail was completely blown over and drifted.  Conditions were less than idea, but at 9:41 that morning, with dogs barking and harness banging, Clint left Dawson. 

Sarah and I began the long process of tearing down camp.  A couple hours later, as we were raking up and bagging the last of the straw, we saw a team coming back down the road.  Clint had turned around.  With no trail, and only one leader, he couldn’t keep his team moving forward.  They scanned and ran across the blown Yukon river searching for a trail, spending all their energy without moving forward.  But, they still looked good.  Clint bedded down his dogs on straw to try to decide the next move.  Would he scratch?  Or continue on later in the day.

A big group of mushers was going to be heading out that evening.  There were 4 mushers scheduled to go out between 9 and 10 that night, and Tamara Rose, who was scheduled to leave earlier, was planning to go out with the bigger group. .  Extra rest would not hurt her dogs.  All of the mushers were really encouraging for Clint to go out, offering to bring extra food, so he wouldn’t take an extra penalty gathering his own food after leaving the checkpoint.  They speculated on weather and conditions, and made plans for leaving as a caravan, taking turns breaking trail, and staying close for safety. Over the next few hours, we all monitored the situation. 

Later that evening, as it came time to make the decision, came news of Hans Gatts harrowing experiences on American Summit, and Brent Sass’s heroic efforts (see article here).  It was certainly a sobering news report.  Hans is an incredibly experienced musher, and has been over this trail numerous times.  As the mushers gathered and talked among themselves, Kyla Durham, excited and ready to go, Jerry Joinson, confident in their abilities as a team, Tamara cautions, and others completely scared, Hans Oettli, the race marshal came out to talk to the teams, and update them on the trail conditions, and the risks they would be presented with. ‘Life threatening conditions’ was stated, with upmost seriousness.  If they were to go out, they would need to stay together as a team, and work together, not leaving anyone behind.  The last group of mushers out before took nearly 11 hours to make the 50 mile run to the 40 mile river, and Johannes Rhyg, was not moving.  The trail was horrendous.  And, that was just the first 50 of the 150 mile run ahead of them to the next checkpoint in Eagle.  After that, they had to cross American Summit.  Lots of food would be required for this run, and common sense. 

With only one leader remaining, who was being leased from a friend, Clint decided to scratch from the race.  After discussing it with Sarah and I, he was happy with his decision, with a commitment for no regrets.  They had an awesome 500 mile run up to that point, one to be proud of.  His dogs had done great, but he didn’t have the team he wanted to continue on.

After he decided to scratch, Sarah dropped Clint and I back at dog camp, so we could mush the dogs back across the river to the dog trailer, where they could spend the night.  Clint brought supplies to share with the other mushers before they headed out.  Face masks for Tamara and Kyla, and goggles and runner plastic for Kyla.  As we were talking to the other mushers, the relief in Clint’s voice was obvious.  He was happy to have had a clean race to this point, and the weather was horrendous.  All of the mushers that would be heading out together were rookies to this race, and hearing how Hans Gatt had struggled across American Summit, didn’t instill relief.  We wished them luck, and safety, and then mushed the dogs back across the river. 

The dogs were happy to see their trailer!  They are trailer dogs, and love their little boxes.  We mushed them right up to the trailer, fed them a meaty meal, and then bedded them down for the evening.  They looked great, it was amazing, after the 36 hour rest, it was hard to believe that they had just ran 500 miles.

The next day, we began our drive home to Fairbanks.  It has been a good race, but I was excited to go home and be with Thomas and our dogs, and finally get some sleep.  It has been a crazy race, and the excitement has been consistent.  From hurricane strength winds, with blowing snow and whiteouts, to deep overflow on the frigid birch creek.  The stories will continue, as the front runners race into Fairbanks tonight.  Thomas and I will be there, to cheer them as they come in. 

A big huge thanks to everyone who has been a part of this race.  I have loved being a part of it for the past few years.  The news reporters and facebook communications team have been awesome, as well as the other fans that keep it updated.  I am totally addicted to following all that is going on, since coming home, and it has been instant communication, which is fantastic! The volunteers and crew are amazing, as well as the mushers, and their handlers, and of course all the dogs. 

This race is a huge testament to the bonds between a musher and their dogs, and the spirit and perseverance that is needed to survive in the harsh north.  Many mushers have sacrificed their own health, by putting the dogs care above all else, and the care for the fellow musher.  Without the dogs, we have nothing.  They have to trust in you, and know you will provide for them.  It is a way of life for many, and  the challenges they overcome are tremendous.  Heroic efforts has been made by many of the teams out there, and their stories are inspiring.  There is an overwhelming sense of pride in their abilities, both the mushers and the dogs, to overcome difficulties and challenges with great integrity.  They are the true spirit of the north.  

www.yukonquest.com

http://www.facebook.com/YukonQuest

www.emilyschwing.com

After Clint left Pelly, Sarah and I began the drive up to Dawson City.  It was night, and we were so tired, having only accumulated 7 or so hours of sleep during the week until that point.  We wanted to get to Dawson before Hugh Neff got in, so we could drive our truck to our camp and unload all of our gear.  Talking with the race manager, Greg Shaffer, he recommended to get up there by 9 am, they were expecting Hugh possibly as early as noon, and as soon as the siren goes off indiciating that he is in Dawson, we wouldn't be allowed to drive in.  So, mustering all of our energy, we began the drive.  For the first hour, we were able to chat and keep ourselves up, but then Sarah was no longer able to stay awake.  And, I knew I wouldn't be able to continue driving if she fell asleep.  We pulled over in a rest stop, and slept hard for a few hours, waking up and continuing the drive with the rising sun, which made it infitinitely easier to stay awake.

Once in Dawson, we pulled into the checkpoint on Front St., and retrieved all 11 of Clint's drop bags, and 4 bales of straw.  The ice road across the Yukon hadn't been salted or graveled, and was a luge when we got there.  Fortunately, Hugh wasn't in, and we still had time to wait.  After

Update - Monday 5:34 PM

We’ve been following the trail of Clint and Paige for the past two days.  Clint left Braeburn yesterday morning around 5:30.  After he left, Sarah and I cleaned up his camping spot.  The feeling at the races was been pretty strict the first part of the race, and we made sure to do a really nice job ☺  We checked with the race official just to make sure that it was up to par.  They haven’t been handing out time penalties that I know of, but I didn’t want Clint to be the first.  That would be embarrassing…

Last night we spent at Carmacks, and it was a lower point than other checkpoints for lots of mushers, the veterinarians stayed busy, the trail to Carmacks was hard and fast, and mushers had to be sure to keep it slow so their dogs didn’t come up with injuries.  Clint dropped two dogs, both of which were question marks before the start of the race.  So, while it wasn’t fun to leave them behind, it wasn’t completely unexpected.  They were two of his older experienced dogs, and now he is running with a lot of 2 and 3 year olds.  It will be really cool to see how they prove themselves and grow during the race.  However, the dogs seem pretty happy to be back with us!  Abel has been spending time with us in the truck, getting VIP treatment ☺  And, we have been tolerating his farts, which are horrendous, though he is really cute otherwise.  Clint spent more time than he planned at Carmacks, trying to get organized and ready for the rest of the race.  He also needed some sleep. 

Paige came flying into Carmacks and was looking smoking hot!  She felt like they were running slow during the run, but they were flying!  She had a really fast run time into Carmacks.  It has been awesome to see her dogs doing well.  One of her dogs Mikey, is the brother to my pup Dylan.  He usually doesn’t work super hard for Paige (none of the dogs in the litter are super strong dogs, but they are all super sweet!) but he is been doing great!  I really hope he finishes!  I hope it will be motivating for Dyaln to work harder :)  He has tendency to conserve energies…

It was definitely emotional to be back at Carmacks this year.  Last year during the race, Terry’s main dog Bags died of a heart attack while running and doing what he loved.  It was a really tragic end to our race.  And, there was definitely a flood of emotions, thinking about the dogs last year, and the race, and the White Mountains Kennel.  Greg Shaeffer, this years race manager, was so supportive and generous helping us out last year, and it has been good to see him again this year under happy circumstances, and Patty Imus who is a friend of the kennel, was wondering where Jennifer and Terry were!  She hopes to see them on the race next year ☺ 
It was good to be here this time, and form some happier memories of the checkpoint.  

While Paige’s dogs were sleeping, teams were heading out of the checkpoint, and they kept on sleeping through them, getting a good rest.  But, when Clint’s team started to get ready to head out, their dog Velma and Elmer, in Paige’s team, started whimpering to go with!  It was so cool that they knew the sounds and barks of their brothers and sisters!   Most mushers know all the individual barks and noises of their dogs, but it was really amazing to see the dogs hear them across the dog yard.

We were soooooo tired when they left Carmacks, and grabbed a couple hours of sleep before driving to McCabe.  We missed Clint coming into McCabe, because of all the extra rest his dogs got in Carmacks they were flying down the trail!  The looked awesome, and Clint was really fired up.  Then came in Paige, and Tamara Rose.  It was a really fun checkpoint, all of them were doing good, and they checkpoint was filled with laughter, as they shared stories about the dogs and the trail.  It was a good feeling, and the rigidity of the earlier checkpoints started to loosen up, and have the awesome feel that the Quest can be. 

We are now in Pelly, and it is fun to be back here again this year.  There are a lot of loose dogs in the village, and I recognize a few of them.  Last year they were scavenging around the town, and trying to get into the mushers drop bags.  But, they are really cute ☺  One in particicular that I remember looks like Kateel, but with flopper ears, and hair on his tail.  He is so cute, I have tried luring him in with food, but he doesn’t trust me.  But, the dogs probably make out pretty well when the Quest comes through, with all the extra food left on the ground, so he didn’t need mine.  The race marshal is here in Pelly, as well as some really nice race officials, and there is a lot of good energy here.  The RCMP runs this checkpoint, and it is well done and a nice spot along the trail.  They also have some good volunteers, a woman at the grocery said most of the town likes to come out and help, in this small village of 400, she says this is the most exciting thing to happen in the winter.

Clint’s dogs came in screaming and harness banging!  Gosh I love that!  It is amazing to see these athletes perform, and come into the checkpoints excited and ready to go out. 

After Pelly, Clint will have a long run to Dawson, and we just have a couple hour drive.  We will start heading up there after he leaves, and then finally get a good nights sleep, before beginning to set up our luxurious dawson day spa 36 hour camp for the dogs.  I can’t wait to sleep.



___________________________________________________________________________________________Update - Saturday 2:45 AM

I am tired.  The morning has come quickly the past few days. 

We woke up around 7:00 this morning, after staying up a little bit to get last minute things finished.  The dogs were fed, and then we were.  French toast with sausages and tomotoes.  Again, awesome food.  I would like to move in with Ken and Liesel :) 

We then loaded the dogs up and were on our way down to the start.  With the help of Clint's father, brother and niece, as well as a few friends, we sent Clint off on his way!  The dogs were pumped and ready to go!  They were sick of spending time in the dog truck and were ready to go on the trail.  They were so loud!  Screaming and harness banging.  He has a team to be proud of.

After sending him off, Sarah and I had a few errands to run.  Intuition liners were on sale at a local shop for $50.  Sorry to my friends in Fairbanks, they only have a few sizes left, if you have a 9 or smaller, let me know, I can get you a pair.  Otherwise, apologies...  We also went to a little grocery at Riverside that carries all sorts of gluten free delicacies and chocolate.  We stocked up! 

After getting our truck and trailer all ready to go, we went down to help Paige get started on the 300!  She has awesome looking dogs, and they were pumped and ready to go!  They are soooo cute!  These are the dogs I will be running on the glacier this summer, and it is really fun to see them perform.  They will be the cutest dogs up there! In addition to their 10 dogs, there were also 2 of Sarah and Clint's dogs in the team, Velma and Elmer, also very cute.  We ran her team to the start line, and watched them take off! 

Since we are in Whitehorse, which has so many nice restraunts and goodness that we can't find in Fairbanks, Cody, Sarah and I went to this little carribean restraunt for dinner.  It was fancy.  A little fancy for bunny boots and carharts, but the propieter was happy to serve us.  Oh my gosh, we have been eating such incredible food.  We had baked and souffled brie with brown sugar and almonds, jerk pork with cou cou (similar to polenta) and plantains, lamp ribs with roasted red peppers, and halibut with fresh spinach.   It was entirely too expensive, probably spending the majority of our 'handler budget' but it was a great way to start the race. 

We finally began the drive to Braeburn around 8:45pm, with the glow of the aurora just starting to color the sky.  As we continued, it began exploding in waves and ribbons of green, and sometimes a tiny sliver of red around us.  The mushers have had a show for them on their run in.

The conditions for the mushers and dogs are good.  It was -17F when we got into tonight, and have heard reports of good trail. 

Clint got in at 1:00am, and is still out taking care of his dogs.  The rules are very strict this year, and we are not able to be out in the dog yard while he is.  And, we certainly don't want to break any rules as handlers, because they will penalize the musher.  However, if he wants us to watch the team while he sleeps, we will be able to.  So, now we are just waiting for the word and trying to stay awake.  We've no idea how his run was, but guessing from how is dogs looked it went well!  They were pretty fired up and were barking happily, hopefully they will be able to get some rest. 

All of the mushers that have come in have been looking happy!  There is great food here are Braeburn, and these ridiculously huge cinnamon rolls! The mushers are enjoying their dinners before trying to sleep a couple of hours.  The first mushers should begin heading out on the trail again soon. 

That is all for tonight. 

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Late Wednesday evening, I began the long drive to Whitehorse, YT. 

Since orginially agreeing to handle on the Quest, much has changed.  The team I worked with last year decided to withdraw from the race for financial reasons, and save up and gear up again for next year.  So, basically, I was a free agent.  A couple weeks before the Quest, I got a phone call from Clint Warnke, and he was looking for someone to help Sarah with the driving and handling on the Yukon side.  One of my best friends, Kelly Scarborough, really enjoyed handling for them last year, so I agreed to help them out. 

Paige and Cody and I left late on Wednesday, and drove with their 12 dogs through the night.  The excitement of having everything finished and ready to leave kept us up for a couple hours, but then our tiredness from all the preparation began to creap in, and we had a long night of driving.  We took turns sleeping, as best as you can in a crowded dog truck, and helping eachother stay awake.  I began driving around 2:30 in the morning, and drove us past the Candian border, until we eventually pulled over at a turnout to sleep for a couple hours.  During the drive, I got the most sleep, with around 3 hours... But, as the night faded into day, the drive became easier and easier.  We drove through Kluane with the most incredible blue skies, and the brighest white snow.   We saw some wolves near the road, the closest about 15 ft away.  She ran across the road, and slowed going up the hill in the deep snow.  We stopped to watch her, and she us.  Her coat was amazing, and a full fluffy tail.  But, the dogs in the truck started whimpering, and she took off.  It was the closest I've seen a wolf in the wild.  She was so beautiful.  Another ran across the road, but quickly took off into the woods in the other direction. 

We arrived in Whitehorse around 3:00, dropped the dogs and let them stretch, and headed downtown to the Quest Banquet.  It was great to see all the mushers and handlers that have been working for this, lots of familiar faces.  The banquet was really fun, they had two projectors with slide shows of pictures from last years Quest, and it was fun to see pictures of Terry William's team, who I was with last year.  Terry, Jennifer and I had a really incredible time, but I am definitely missing them!  But, Jennifer taught me a lot about handling on this race, and I hope that knowledge will be useful for Clint and Sarah. 

Clint drew bib #25 during the banquet, and he will be heading out last on the race!  I am hoping he will get a lot of practice passing teams :)  But, he wasn't too concerned about starting in the back.  He once drew last for the Iditarod, and in that year he finished his personal best!  So, we are hoping for a good rookie year!

After the opening banquet, Sarah had lots of dog pee to collect...  And, she needed some help!  She is working on a study looking at dogs condition before and after racing long distances.  For the study, they are collecting urine and blood samples before and after the race.  She is working with 6 teams, and we had 3 teams from the SP Kennel who needed urine collected.  Armed with ladels we collected urine from 38 dogs.  It went surpisingly easy, and lots of folks came out to help volunteer.  It was a pretty exciting Friday evening.

That night, I slept soundly.  In the morning, we woke up to a big farm breakfast provided by our gracious hosts Liesle and Ken, who have a little cabin community outside of Whitehorse.  Fresh eggs from their kitches, and blueberry pancakes.  We've been eating well.  For lunch was moose chilli, and home grown chickens for dinner, with garden vegetables, peanut pumpkin soup, salad, and rice pudding with maple syrup for dessert.  It was a decadent last supper, and we felt guilty eating so much, but couldn't resit.  And compared to much of the food available on the trail, the bags of potato chips, pounds of bacon, and burgers and fries, it was heaven.

Today has been filled with last minute preparations.  We were up early to feed the dogs, and then Ken and I were put to work shortly after, fidding iron rope for neck lines, and sewing fox tails for the males.  Clint and Sarah went out for a run with the dogs, to stretch them out, and make some last minute team decisions.  It was warm day, but so beautiful out. 

Clint is still working on packing the sled, but the night is winding down, and we will hopefully get to bed soon and get our last good nights sleep for awhile.  It will be an exciting day tomorrow! 

As we go along the trail, most of the checkpoints have internet connection.  Sarah will be updating Ridgeline Kennel's website, and the progress of Clint here and I will be updating the handlers perspective here on my website. 

It is great to be here in the Yukon again.  I love this race, and love being here with the dogs. 

I lent Paige our dog Maple to run in lead with her team, and got her little dog Cholula in return.  In lead for me were Nika and Wildfire, who run beautifully together, followed by Jetta and Dylan in swing, Harley and his new best friend Cholula in team, and Amazzi in single wheel.  The trail was is narrower than our younger dogs are used to running, and I was glad to have an experienced dog in the back of the team.  The trees were a lot closer to the dogs than I am used to running, and it was nice to see Amazzi navigate the lines around the turns.  After Paige and her yearlings left, we followed, staying close enough the whole time that I could hear her commands to the dogs, and listen to advice for how to take new parts of the trails.  There were a few drops into ravines and creek beds, as well as some sharp turns, and I was glad to have warning for them. 

Half way through the run, Paige had a head on with a snowmachine, which ended fine, but it is always scary to see those lights come around the turn, unexpected, and much faster than I would prefer.  After getting by the machines, we stopped to replace a few booties that had kicked off, and Cody and Thomas pulled in behind us.  It was perfect timing, we were just about to begin the climb up Murphy Dome to Josh and Anita’s and neither of us had been on the trail.  Also, it was nice to have more teams to chase, the dogs pull a lot harder when they are following.  And, since I was the furthest back team, it was the easiest for me. 

We allowed Thomas and Cody to pass us in a small clearing, before dropping down into the Goldstream Creek bed, then running across the railroad tracks, and then through the winding trails of birch and spruce stands.  In the areas of spruce, the protected trees still had pillows of snow upon their boughs, lighting the night with their reflective white.  We had three road crossings to get up to their place, which were all lightly used roads, only a single vehicle or two had driven over the new snow, and they went smoothly, each musher before waiting after the crossing to let the one following know that the road was clear to make the crossing. 

We made the turn into Josh and Anita’s around 8:30, and drove our dogs past 3 other teams that were bedded down for the party.  Lots of people came out to greet us, and help get the dogs settled in, bringing straw and water.  It was a pretty awesome checkpoint for the evening!  For our dogs, we fed a broth and some meat, and laid down some straw, hoping they might rest for the excited few hours at the end of 2010.  Harley and Cholula played for awhile, before eventually curling up next to each other, and Wildfire was stretching to the end of her lines trying to grab the last bits of food that other dogs hadn’t eaten.  But, eventually they all quieted down, and we went to warm up by the fire, and eat some food.  

55 dogs, and not quite as many people were there to celebrate new years.  9 teams had mushed in, and Josh and Anita’s huge Mackenzie pups roamed around the house, as well as an entourage of visiting pets.  Inside the cabin at one time I counted 8 dogs.  They all seemed peaceable, and there was no fighting… (though they did get up on the tables and eat all the food when everyone was outside at midnight…) Stories were told, mostly of mushing and dogs throughout the night.  Perhaps the most impressive was a story of 5 dogs and a black bear swimming on the Yukon River.  I won’t do the story any justice, but am happy to report that the dogs all lived. 

During the day while it was snowing, it was cloudy, so much so that I didn’t think they would be able to set off fireworks, but it was starting to clear up by the time we made it to midnight, with the stars lighting the sky, a few clouds, and faint northern lights.  Shortly after midnight, we started the mush back home.  The dogs happily barking and ready to go, as the rest of the party wished us Happy New Year as we pulled the hooks, and began the descent down Murphy Dome.  As we flew down the hill, I was grateful for the scarce traffic on our three road crossings, as the dogs were in no mood to stop.  It was awesome, all 4 teams running in tandem, winding through the woods.  The dogs quiet panting, and the runners gliding across the snow the only sound on the warm evening. 

As we got to a clearing, we turned off our headlamps and ran with only the white of the snow lighting our way; Paige and Cody’s dogs leading the way home.  It was a dark night to be running without lights, with only the waning crescent of a moon.  The dark silhouettes of the dogs and teams in front of us looked like packs of wolves running in perfect formation.  The stars shining brightly, I tried to remember the names of the constellations above, and reflected upon the last year and the good things that I’ve enjoyed in my life. The run was peaceful and I felt content to be spending the evening with good friends, dogs and human alike.

We all just woke up, and finished feeding the dogs.  All of us were super tired, especially the mushers.  They had been running pretty constantly since Saturday morning, and it was important to get some good sleep last night!  The dogs are fed, and we are just sitting down for breakfast, before we finish our drive home.  It was a good weekend, and everyone is in good spirits!  It was a great experience for the dogs and the mushers...

Thomas finished the Sheep Mountain 150, yesterday afternoon in 22nd place!  The dogs and Thomas looked great, all with big smiles on their faces!  The dogs were happy, wagging tails, and looking good.  After checking in with the race officials, to make sure he had all mandatory equipment, I hopped on the sled with Thomas and we road down to where Sven and the dog truck were.  Sven was happy to see his dogs in such good condition as well!  Both of his teams looked great, and he was really pleased with how they ran.  Thomas fed the dogs, and then put them up in the dog box for a rest, before we all went inside for the mushers banquet.  Inside, we sat down and had dinner with all the other mushers that had already finished, before a brief awards banquet.  There were lots of stories to be told of experiences on the trail, lots of mushers ended up scratching, it was a challenging 150 miles.  Even for teams that train in the White Mountains, there were some serious hills to contend with here.  All told, most everyone was happy for the experiences that they and their dogs encountered.  

It was a really fun weekend, and a great race to be part of!  All the officials, and volunteers, and the Steer family, were very gracious hosts, and we certainly appreciate them hosting this race!

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UPDATE - 19 Dec 2010 2:03 pm

Thomas left the Eureka Checkpoint at noon today.  As he was bootying the dogs, and switching around the leaders and wheel dogs, the sun peaked over the Chugach Mountains, and he hummed 'here comes the sun' as he got the team ready!  McLoud and Pistol were up in front for the big climb out of the checkpoint, with Molson and Mudslide in swing, and he will try them in lead later on the run, to hopefully bring the team into the finish. 

As I walked his dropped girls, sisters, Skull and Discus, to the dog truck, they looked great!  But, for a number of reasons; bagging Discus earlier, Skull looking a bit stiff, and being young dogs, he decided to drop them, which was a wise move- it wouldn't be fun to bag either girl on the run in.   Many teams were turning back to drop dogs soon after leaving the checkpoint. But, both those dogs look good, and it will be exciting to see where their racing career takes them!  Right now they are resting in Jen and Terry's dog truck, along with a few other dogs from both Sven and Terry's team. After I finish up updating this site, and Terry's, I will head back to the truck and feed them all another meal and give them some meat snacks, and just let them stretch out for a bit.

Thomas is tired, but in good spirits, and excited to finish.  In addition to his usual hot chocolate in the thermos, he also added a bit of coffee for this run.  Having the sunlight will certainly help keep him awake along the run in, he started just as the sun came up, and I except a beautiful sunset as he comes into the finish later this evening.

Thomas grabbed his camera for his run in, and hopefully he will take some pictures!  I wish you all could see it right now, the weather is perfect, just a few degrees below zero, with clear skies, and an amazing view of the mountains all around!  I took some pictures at the start and in the checkpoint, and when we get back to Fairbanks, we will be sure to post them!

I will update later tonight after all the teams are in! 

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UPDATE- 19 Dec 2010 12:10 pm

Thomas came into the first checkpoint last night at 6:57, his dogs looked great!  They were super happy and energetic, and ate really well.  He is really running some amazing dogs.  He was trailing Sven's team by about a half hour.  He got his dogs bedded down, most of the experience racers snoozing in the straw immediately, but some of the young dogs watching all of the excitement around them, though eventually they all settled down and got some rest.  Thomas enjoyed dinner at Eureka Lodge, it was a lot of fun being here around dinner time, as all the mushers, volunteers and friends were around, it was a pretty lively place.  He tried to get a bit of sleep, but wasn't able to rest much so early in the evening. 

He left for the second leg of the race, right around midnight, his dogs were screaming and barking and rearing to go!  As he left, he had Oriole and Pulaski in lead.  Oriole was surrounded by boys, as there were two big dogs following her up in swing.  And she was barking orders at all of them!

Exactly 6 hours later, Thomas pulled into the checkpoint, again his dogs looking great.  All except Discus, who was quite unhappy.  She had a sore wrist on the trail, and Thomas bagged her right away as soon as he saw it, to prevent further injury.  While she wasn't complaining about the wrist, she was furious to be riding in the sled bag, and howled and let him know her displeasure the 2.5 hours back to Eureka.  Thomas was certainly tired this time around, and after feeding and bedding the dogs down for a rest, he was able to finally get some sleep for himself.

Well, I have a bit of work I need to go do, but will update on how he did going out of Eureka after Terry heads out of the checkpoint in about an hour!  He is doing great!  So are Terry and Sven!!  Keep cheering them all on :)

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All the teams just took off, and everyone looked great!  Terry Williams is racing in bib 26, Sven Haltmann in 33, and Thomas Robertson in 38! The dogs were all harness banging and screaming, and definitely excited for the run!  It is beautiful outside, a comfortable 0 degrees, which is a lot nicer than the 35 below we've been experiencing in Fairbanks.  It is absolutely gorgeous down here, the lodge is situated at the base of Sheep Mountain, and the jagged peaks of the Chugach surround us in every direction.  It is incredible, and I am sure the dogs are loving running on this new trail.  I am taking lots of pictures, but don't have the capability of uploading them here... I will try to get them on next week, when we get back to Fairbanks!

I will try to keep updating the progess of Thomas' race here, and Terry's on Whitemountainskennel.com!

Thomas is running 11 of Sven Haltmann's dogs, and started out with his favorite boy, McCloud, in lead, along with Colt, two solid dogs, followed up by Pistol and Pulaski in swing.  It is a really strong front end!  Two nights before the race, Sven and Thomas did a drawing for their teams.  Putting all of the dogs names in a hat, they took turns drawing their teams, first selecting the experienced racers, and then the two year olds, who are out for their first race!  Thomas went out right at the end, there are 40 teams, hopefully he will be passing some teams on his way to !  I look forward to seeing him 50 miles later in Eureka.

Keep track of Thomas' race progress here, and also at http://www.sheepmountain.com/SheepMtn150.php

Patrick preparing dinner

Aurora above my little cabin, photo from Nathan Stewart

I would say most, if not all people were very intimated by the suspenders, carharts, vast amounts of plaid, and skirts. As a team, we were involved in a variety of forest sport events...

Double-buck cross cutRocking the cross cut in a carhart miniskirt is definitely intimidating.We also dominated in the bow sawWe all tried our hand at ax throwing.  I amazed myself in throwing a bullseye.  Must've been beginners luck!

Selecting the right ax for the job

The hardest even was by far the log rolling.  It took brute strength, which was one thing our team arguably lacked...

This log is heavy.But, with our teammates cheering us on, we were victorious!Fierce determination goes a long ways in forest sport competition.In addition to the field portion of the competition, there was also a water portion. Log birling on the recently frozen over Ballaine Lake. It was an awesome day! We were the highest placing all-woman team (and the only...)

One of our goals of this competition, besides total domination, was to get on the front page of the newspaper... During our first year, our team, the No Shamin' Lady-Jacks was on the first page of the Fairbanks Daily Newsminer!  This year, we were able to do it again!  Landing first page, and good representation of our school newspaper, the UAF Sunstar!  

The original 2007 team! While our team has changed over the years, the original spirit and enthusiasm has persevered and grown!

We met a really cool visiting professor at the festival, check out her blog about the event here!  Thanks to Erin Trochim, Emily Schwing, and Nicole McConnell for all the awesome pictures I took from their Facebook pages!  And thanks to all my teammates, past and present!  You women rock!