Copper Basin- Success; Next Up- Willow 150!

We returned home last Wednesday from a successful Copper Basin, unpacked the truck, did a few tours, and are turning around and heading back onto the race trail! Sam, handler Tucker, Etta, Smoky, Bowser, Louie, Otis, Havarti, Cheddar, and Gibbs are leaving tomorrow bound for the Willow 150.

If you have Facebook or Instagram, check out Ryno Kennel stories for a photo/video recap of the race. Tucker is working on a little write-up, which we’ll be posting soon!

Race Season is Rollin'

Tomorrow morning at 7:30 AM Coach Cartel, 12 canine athletes, Tucker, and I will be hitting the road and heading for Glennallen and the Copper Basin 300! After a few year hiatus, I can’t wait to head south and see many familiar humans and canines at one of my favorite races. PLUS, by a stroke of good luck, the weather looks perfect with temperatures ranging from -10F to 10F (which is a huge improvement from the -60F temperatures we saw the last time we were at the Copper Basin).

So which canine athletes will be competing in the Copper Basin? Enjoy Tucker’s video to find out!

The final team roster was difficult to pick since we have a big pool of race age dogs in training. Ultimately, we prioritized youngsters. Every two-year-old is racing except Havarti (100% healthy but a little on the thin side), Cheddar (100% but she had a slight wrist after the Solstice 50 so she missed some training runs), and Fox (one of the strongest two-year-olds but he was a teeensy, tiny bit stiff after a camping series). We hope to get these three in a race or two later this season! You’ll notice some other big names missing like Etta, Smoky, Bowser, Louie- honestly, a lot of the core team in the past. They’re giving the youngsters a chance to shine. Tucker will be taking lots of rest on the Copper Basin and showing these youngsters how exciting racing can be! Cartel and I will do our best to rake straw and not haggle them all from the sidelines.

And if you were unable to watch the video, the Copper Basin team is: Tobin, Elmer, Thresher, Dracula, Mozzie, Muenster, Beesly, Tuna, Mose, Yoshi, Spit, and Fly. Oh and Tucker!

While we’re on the topic of racing, last Sunday, Faff, Cooke and I attended our first Alaska Dog Mushers Association race at the Mushers Hall in Fairbanks! We competed in a 6.2 mile skijor race. We learned a lot (like how to get passed by speedy, speedy hounds) and had an absolute blast. We also cheered on Rose, Rachel, and Gregory as they competed in the kids races!

Winter Musings

This winter is the first winter in 12 years that a one thousand mile dog sled race hasn’t been my focus. I didn’t race in a one thousand mile race every one of those 12 years- a few of the years were spent qualifying and building Ryno Kennel- but for over 1/3 of my life (and the entirety of my adult life), one thousand mile dog sled races have been the driving factor for all my decisions. They’ve provided purpose and structure even at times when perhaps I wished I had more flexibility and downtime in my schedule. They’ve provided comfort in routine and a sense of identity. So this winter, without that overarching thousand mile goal, it feels…. well… weird. Not good. Not bad. Just different. A bit like a dandelion in the wind.

I’ve always been a person who loves a good quest. Whether it’s a fantasy novel or a long distance hike or a thousand-mile race, there’s something so vitalizing about traveling with a purpose and destination in mind. And I’m not trying to necessarily romanticize it. Ask Derek or my family or those around me- I can be a real piece of work sometimes during (or in the preparation stages) of these quests. But there’s something about them that also brings me such calmness and direction. This year, without the goal of a one thousand mile race, I’ve found my brain concocting other quests. Often quests that are completely outrageous and irrational, as if searching for that purpose. During a summer visit on the Mickey boat with Aliy and Allen in Prince William Sound, my brain thought- let’s sea kayak from Valdez to Whittier. Yes. That sounds like a great quest. Doesn’t matter that I’ve never sea kayaked, am a terrible swimmer, and don’t particularly like water unless it’s frozen. Come on brain. Let’s just enjoy relaxing on the boat and drinking cocktails each evening. Or my brain, on a one night camping trip with the reindeer- let’s hike the entirety of the Brooks Range one summer and bring the reindeer to pack our supplies. Jogging one evening on the river loop by the kennel- let’s run a marathon. Skijoring 15 miles- let’s skijor the Iditarod Trail. Better yet the Yukon Quest AND Iditarod trail. In one winter. Consecutively. It’s rather obnoxious really. My mind always trying to imagine farther and longer and not just enjoying the little moment. Especially since this winter has been great. The dogs are still being conditioned and miled up by Tucker and Sam. I’ve been able to actually make money instead of just spending it- what a strange phenomena. But there’s this uneasiness. Something is missing. I find myself sitting on the couch when the sun sets at 4:00 PM rather than running dogs or staying active. I always thought I’d have more discipline, but I think a long quest gives me that necessary motivation and structure. Yes we have fun goals and adventures planned- Copper Basin 300, Quest 550, week-long skijor trip. But that deeper, overarching goal is a bit hazy right now. And I’m not complaining. This winter has been wonderful. I guess what I’m saying, is that there will be another quest. I just haven’t figured out quite what that will be yet.

Endnote: I also must acknowledge that great quests (or at least mine since I’m not charged with saving Middle Earth) come from a place of great privilege. From the support of Derek. From the support of my family. From the hard work of handlers and generous sponsorships of friends. So a thank you to all of you, for giving me the privilege to daydream and scheme. To imagine what we can do next.