Chatanika Challenge
/We just signed up for the 100-mile Chatanika Challenge starting Friday March 7th. There will be one substitution- Derek will be racing his first ever dog sled race!
Ducks
/Remember these little guys? Well, they're not so little anymore. At 5 1/2 months, the Ducks are growing fast. From left to right, Drake is the biggest. He is very affectionate and cries in excitement whenever he gets attention. Eider reminds me of Stormy, who is his half aunt. They both have narrow little heads and love attention. On free runs, both he and Stormy heel.
Left to right- Brant, Coot, Cayenne (SP), Drake, Champ (SP)
Coot is competitive. He wins every game of tug-of-war, even when he's playing against bigger dogs like Jezzy. He also loves back rubs. Brant is crazy. He's incredibly independent and will just take off running in a random direction during puppy walks. Luckily, he listens and comes running back. Left to right- Drake, Eider, Coot, and Brant.
Northern Lights
/This evening, the team and I went on a nice stretch out run, during which I noticed two things:
1. I didn't need my headlamp until almost 6:15!
2. Incredible Northern Lights were out in full force by 6:45! Amazing! I love it when the northern lights are out before my bedtime.
Fenton and Outlaws In Harness
/Fenton, Belle, Lefty, and CJ- rocking the harness!
Another short story- Eagle Summit
/Per Wikipedia (a most reliable source)- In 1916, Hudson Stuck, who was one of the first people to climb Mount McKinley's South Peak, wrote, "The Eagle Summit is one of the most difficult summits in Alaska. The wind blows so fiercely that sometimes for days together its passage is almost impossible. ... The snow smothers up everything on the lee side of the hill, and the end of every storm presents a new surface and an altered route.
Since signing up for the Quest 300 in October, I had successfully ignored Eagle Summit. Not once did I think about the monstrous descent that’s known for howling winds, blinding whiteouts, heroic rescues, broken sleds, broken mushers, and terrifying stories. I was able to laugh and giggle as the trail breakers described the rock and tundra swept summit at the Mushers Meeting. “You need to at least unhook the tugs of half your dogs, if not bring chains to wrap around your runners,” they said. I smiled and nodded my head but made sure the true meaning of their warning didn’t sink into my mind. I’d say my ability to compartmentalize and completely disregard uncomfortable events is one of my strengths. It keeps me happy in the here and now.
Well, at Mile 101, I could no longer ignore the inevitable. Eagle Summit loomed massive and hazy just a short distance away. As my dogs lay resting on a knoll in the sunshine, I sat in the Mile 101 cabin, eating bacon and chatting with Kristin and Andy from Hey Moose! Kennel. Trying to ease concerns, Kristin said, “I heard the drop is only like 3 seconds long. That doesn’t sound too bad. You guys will be fine.”
Fast forward 1 1/2 hours and 1500 feet elevation. The dogs and I stood atop Eagle Summit with the sun setting. A light breeze swirled around us with deep reds and fading light on the peaks to the south. It was one of the most beautiful views I’ve ever seen. If I wasn’t so concerned about descending with my dog team still calm and composed from the long climb up, I would have stayed to witness a photographer’s dream sunset. Seeing as the last thing I wanted was an amped up dog team on the steepest trail EVER, I crested the summit and started down.
The first pitch was as the trail breakers had described. It felt like the team leapt off a cliff, floated briefly, then flattened for a nice long runout. Whew, ok, we survived that slope. After regaining control of the team, we side-hilled over to the next pitch. Right before reaching the top, I quickly stopped, ran forward and unhooked a half dozen tug lines, raced back to the sled, then hollered “Ready!...Alright!” With only half the normal pulling power, our pace slowed as we climbed the small hill before ‘the big one.’ I felt like a little kid on a roller coaster. Slowly, methodically, creeping up the hill before the cart dumps over the other side, sending your heart into your throat. Giddy and tense, you feel like screaming with excitement. So I did, “OOOOOOOOeeeeeeeee!!!!” My dogs all stopped dead in their tracks, turned around, and stared as if to say, “What’s your problem?” I felt rather ridiculous. Ok, continue on.
Whoooosh. We hurtled down the final pitch. I focused all my energy on pushing hard on the claw break and keeping the sled upright. We raced down the trench left by mushers before us, jolting us left and right. My flexible sled bent and torqued as it bounced on tussocks and patches of sugar snow. I thought of Kristin... Kristin said three seconds, ok, one....two....three... four. Oh, focus, don’t tip. Counting, right... one... two...three...
Well, I have no idea how long we flew down the final pitch. I remember feeling elated as the terrain smoothed out. I hollered another “OOOOeeee!” and I think this time the dogs understood why I was so ecstatic. I stopped the team and all the dogs stood happily, wagging their tails. With perfect weather and good trail conditions, we survived our first descent of the infamous Eagle Summit. Until next time, o treacherous one.
Another GREAT photo by Scott Chesney
It Takes a Team
/This year’s Quest 300 highlighted one of the most amazing aspects of dog mushing: community support. At the starting line, I felt like a Nascar racer with an amazing pit crew working behind the scenes to make sure everything runs smoothly. Founders members, Chris Swisher and Randy Foland, and my two AMAZING handlers Derek and Tom were essential in getting me to the starting line. When we realized that the youngsters could reach their Quest identification tags on their collars and were chewing them illegible (the tags are what allow veterinarians to identify each dog), Chris and Randy quickly removed all the tags and secured them out of reach of anxious puppy teeth. Derek and Tom helped organize the sled, snacks, dogs and anything else.
In addition to all their help, I was thrilled to see my neighbors and coworkers venture out to watch the race and cheer on the teams. Not only did my employer, Feniks and Company, encourage me to take time off during the busy season, but they all came out to cheer us on! Thanks so much to Melody, Danielle, and Suzanne! Kristina, Enli, and Jake brought delicious treats that gave me a sugar high on the trail. Lynne and her kids as well as Dominique, Noah Jane, and Merica Gale gave me hope that maybe the future will get hooked on this ridiculous sport.
A HUGE thank you to Founders Members near and far for being a part of the Ryno Team. We could not have raced without you!
SHORT STORIES OF THE 2014 QUEST 300- Part #1
/I tried to sit down and write an all-inclusive story of our race. However, there are just too many great little anecdotes that were being glossed over. Instead, I decided to write about each event as its own short story. The stories are completely out of order. Here is part #1.
SHORT STORIES OF THE 2014 QUEST 300- Part #1
Back Home Thoughts
As I put the dogs back at their individual houses after their first ever 300 miles of rugged wilderness, mountain peaks, ponds of overflow, winding rivers, and city streets, I couldn’t help but wonder... what are they thinking?
I imagined:
Rucu (laying in his straw in the dark silent dog yard whispering to Supai): “Hey brother... bro... are you awake?”
Supai (grunting): “What.”
Rucu: “Dude, what just happened?”
Supai (yawning): “I don’t know, bro, but I’m pretty sure Fez thinks I’m hot now.”
Rucu (still pondering): “We just went so far...”
Supai: “Yeah man, I’m sure Fez saw. Every time we stopped, I pissed real high and macho, so I’m like the top dog of....Alaska.”
Kindi (red) and Fez (brown) Photo taken by Donna Quante
The Start- The Real Answers to the Two Most Common Questions
The day of the race, I was asked two main questions:
Question #1. “Are you ready?”
Generic answer: “Ready as I’ll ever be! Let’s do this!”
Real answer:
The truck was packed and loaded. My mind went in a circular loop, checking off the essentials: sled, gangline, harnesses, dogs, parka...check. Yep ok...no wait... I should check again. Sled, gangline, harnesses, dogs, parka...ok. I’d left a long list of dog care information for Bree, my friend watching all the pups left at home. I tossed extra bundles of rope and leashes into the back of the truck. You never know when you can use rope. If I forgot my gangline, I could fashion one with the rope. Or if I forgot my straw tiedown on the sled, I could quickly make one. Yeah, I’ll bring extra. And more trash bags. You never know when you could use a trash bag. And I’ll grab one more harness, just in case I miscounted. Ok. I’m ready.
Question #2: “Are you excited?”
Generic answer: “Yes! We can’t wait!”
Real answer:
The Quest 300 was the race we had prepared for all season. All the late night runs after work, all the six a.m. runs before class, it was in preparation for this race. The Quest 300 was our vacation. I couldn’t wait to break through the starting shoot and escape into our three days of adventure. For three days, I could let go of every worry about the future, of every looming deadline and obligation. I couldn’t wait to just focus on the dogs and live not by the human clock, but by the musher’s cycle of run-rest-run. I couldn’t wait to explore some of the most beautiful country Alaska has to offer from the back of a dog sled. Was I excited? Hell yes.
Photo by Scott Chesney. Check out all his great photos of the race on his website http://locolobo.zenfolio.com
Rosebud Climb
About 80 miles into the race, we encountered our first major climb: Rosebud Summit. This section will forever be on my internal highlight reel of life. The dogs were jazzed after a peaceful campout about 10 miles past the Two Rivers checkpoint. Due to the immaturity of the team, I had opted to camp away from checkpoints at the beginning thinking the pups would rest better away from the hustle and bustle of the race. Plus, with temperatures hovering comfortably around zero, I enjoyed a short nap too.
Winding our way up, the trees began to shrink and warp until we finally reached treeline. A low, shifting fog stubbornly hung around us, lifting in little patches to reveal a world of treeless, rounded peaks and ridges. We were even welcomed by an explosion of ptarmigan swirling around the team. As we climbed higher, the trail steepened significantly. Prior to this, I had climbed a few steep trails with a dog team, but this was by far the steepest. I found myself out of breath, walk/dragging behind the sled with the handlebar above my head. Yes, it was that steep. And I was that out of shape.
At one point, the sled stuck on a patch of rock and teetered with the center of gravity weighing it back downhill. We were briefly at a standstill. To cue the dogs to lunge in unison, I hollered “Ready.....” then “Hike!” However, not everyone was on the same page. Supai, in all his excitement, threw his whole body into the task just a half second too soon. With our harness set up, the dogs do not wear necklines. Therefore, when Supai hit the end of his tugline, expecting the sled to move with the combined effort of the team, the sled didn’t budge. But Supai did. I looked up at the last moment to see Supai attempt to recover from his poor timing with an extremely uncoordinated, flailing backflip. He landed with his back in the snow, where he proceeded to kick his legs like an upside-down beetle. When he managed to right himself, he quickly looked around as if to say- no one saw that right? The image kept me laughing all day long.
The team resting at Mile 101 after climbing over Rosebud.
Team Recap
Ham- Ham was one of the most enthusiastic dogs on the team. He led the bulk of the race and was unfazed by overflow or steep terrain, dragging the whole team behind him. At only two years old, this guy has a blindingly bright future.
Neptune- Neptune, who joined the team from Riley Dyche’s kennel, is Ham’s sister. She’s a female version of Ham and led the team often.
Dingle- Dingle, from SP Kennel, was the man. With multiple 1000-mile races under his belt, he brought much needed maturity to the team. His Gee/Haw response was instant, unless of course I was wrong and then he’d correct me.
Cartel- Cartel was a cheerleader. She led one leg of the race with Dingle but prefers to be in swing. Her high-pitched ra-ra-ra-ra gets the whole team excited.
Lester- I need to preface Lester, from SP Kennel, briefly: Three years ago, I ran with Lester in the Quest 300. He was two years old, and it ended up being the first mid-distance race he finished. I remember wrapping both his wrists, putting hand warmers in a shoulder jacket to keep him loose, and placing multiple blankets and a dog jacket on him at rests. He wasn’t injured or even sore, I just didn’t want to give him any reason to quit. Lester just didn’t consider himself a tough sled dog yet, and honestly, I wasn’t convinced either. Oh how he has changed. Since that race, Lester has gone on to finish two Iditarods and multiple mid-distance races. He’s a confident dog with a can-do attitude. His calm demeanor and trail savvy were a great influence on the youngsters.
Kindi- Kindi was sassy. All the yearlings did exceptional, but she was probably the MVY (most valuable yearling) of the race. Every time we stopped, she’d be screaming to go. There is never a bad day in the life of Kindi.
Rucu- Rucu was one of the hardest pullers on the team. He ate well, slept well, and was a powerhouse. On the final run into Central when the team sped up, he was one of the main drivers. I can’t wait to see him mature.
Supai- Supai was rock solid. He always had a tight tugline and was completely focused. I was surprised he stayed so energized because he refused to rest at the first two campouts.
Fez- Fez was the little energizer bunny. She has a fast paced trot that was smooth and mesmerizing to watch. Fez doesn’t show much emotion, but she’s always ready to go.
Brie- Brie was the cheerleader. After every break, she was the first to start barking. She and Fez ran in wheel together.
Katy- Katy was dropped at the Two Rivers checkpoint. About 5 miles from the checkpoint, she had developed some stiffness in her shoulder. It appeared to be just a cramp, but since I wasn’t stopping at the checkpoint, I couldn’t take the gamble and bring her down the trail. I was pretty disappointed because Katy has been one of the strongest yearlings in training.
Derby- Derby improved with every run. Coming into Mile 101, Derby appeared a little tired, but after that run, she became a new dog. She was always slamming her harness to go.
Photo by Scott Chesney. Check out all his great photos of the race on his website http://locolobo.zenfolio.com
In case you missed it...
/Mari and Little Frog Video made an AWESOME video of the Quest 300 start. Check it out!
IT IS CONFIRMED...5TH PLACE
/Ryne just got off the satellite phone with her mom. She is doing great and said that the dogs are all happy and wagging their tails. She came in about 1-hour ahead of when anyone expected her to arrive.
Right now it's hot chocolate for Ryne and warm kibble for her team. WAY TO GO RYNO KENNEL.
(Later, Ryne will post more information about the race and specifically her dogs.)
RYNE FINISHED....?
/We are following the tracker and it says that Ryne is in Central...The Finish. We are attempting to contact Tom or Derek on the satellite phone for conformation. We will keep you posted...
Circle City
/Ryne pulled into Circle City Checkpoint about 1:45 PM (AKST) very excited about how great the team is running. She said Dingle was an incredible leader over Eagle Summit, and Ham was instrumental leading through the overflows. After the mandatory 6 hour rest, Ryne is excited to run the last leg over night back into Central to the finish!
Birmingham Alabama Founders Club members wanted to send a message to Ryne for her run tonight:
To Ryno Kennel Followers: this is Ryne's Mom, Katy. I am sorry we are not able to post any photos yet.Though Ryno Kennel has an experienced musher out there, she has a very inexperienced and technically challenged web manager! And, currently, I am in Birmingham, Alabama visiting family trying to get coaching from children in Boston on how to upload anything! So sorry, but count on Ryne posting/explaining a lot when she is off the trail. Hopefully, before she races again, I will receive a tutorial!!
