Klinger

At the end of November, I had 13 strong dogs on the team. Three solid “go to” leaders: Platinum (the star of last year’s race), Blaze (the consultant with five 1000 mile races under her belt), and Lycos (dropped in Skwentna last year with a sore back, but looking good so far this year).

Six strong supporting leaders: Rosemary (who got best supporting leader last year), Mocha (Rosemary’s sister – a fast leader under good conditions), Thyme (Rosemary’s other sister - easy going, but driven to run), Dash (Rosemary’s aunt, her gait isn’t as smooth as some, but she drives hard), Basil (Dash’s half sister, another good trail leader), and Ginger (my squirrel girl – fast and hard driving, but still immature at 2).

Four solid team dogs: Frodo (a very athletic 2 yr old, but immature - when the team is running flat out he is playing with the dog next to him, never missing a step), Dukat (solid and hard working wheel dog), Sisco (Dukat’s brother and running mate, another solid wheel dog), and Throttle (the sweetest dog on the team, and a solid performer).

Three question marks: Keiko (Dukat’s sister, she was dropped in Skwentna in 2007 and didn’t make the 2008 team. A sweet, hard working girl, but I’m not convinced she can keep up with this team when we get to long runs.), Strider (another immature 2 yr old. He tore a pad in Oct 2007 and never got in shape to make the team last year), and Pepper (Basil’s brother. Pepper joined the team in late September and has had trouble catching up in training).

I don’t mind starting Iditarod with 14 dogs, I did it my rookie year, but 13 is cutting things thin, and there is no room for injuries to even have 13. I could really use another good dog, but this had to be a dog off a team already in training for Iditarod – already doing 50 miles runs.

A quick email to Jeff King (I really like Jeff’s dogs – half my team is out of his kennel). Jeff had Klinger, a 2 yr old neutered male, he thought I would like. Jeff is a very busy man, and on a good day my schedule resembles Barnum and Bailey. Jeff is passing through Palmer in route to the Sheep Mountain 150. Leslie Gillis works in Palmer. I’m on a 50 mile training run at Beach Lake.
The dog fairy blessed me. When I got back to the truck there was a new dog (ok, a slightly used dog :-) ) resting in one of the boxes. I was a little concerned that Klinger might insist in wearing a pink harness, but he seems like a regular guy :-).

Jeff warned me that Klinger is a chewer. Jeff doesn’t use necklines, so Klinger chews on the gangline, which in Jeff’s system is a heavy duty rope. Not good. Jeff’s handler was running the second team and got tired of dealing with the chewing, so he moved Klinger up into lead where there is nothing to chew – he ran 50 miles there chasing the lead team that Jeff was driving. Silly boy.

Jeff must have had a long talk with Klinger, because he hasn’t chewed anything here yet. Of course he has only been in the kennel 10 days so far. He is definitely a keeper. He is a thinker, which can be good and bad, and a little intimidated by the new conditions - but very stoic about it. He is affectionate, like attention, works hard and moves well. He hasn’t let anything slow him down. In 9 days since he arrived we have done three 50 mile runs, a 8 mile fun run, and a 70 mile run. We go out for two more 50’s today.

Since I got Klinger, Pepper and Strider are making strong gains and may make the team after all. That would make a good 16 dog team. Keep thinking good thoughts – this is going to be fun!

Keep ‘em Northbound

Eric

Time sure is fun!

There were two frogs sitting on the lily pad. One turned to the other "Time sure is fun when you are having flies." I must be having a bunch of flies :-).

The week before Thanksgiving the team was looking great, running 50 miles and back-to-back 40's (run 40 miles, rest 3 hours, run 40 more). Then I took sick - gnarly head cold and lost Monday and Tuesday. Wednesday I'm feeling better, load the dogs and quad, drive to the track and as I pull in there is a terrible metal-on-metal grinding noise. Oops! I try to identify the noise and it just gets worse. Three PM Thanksgiving eve. Drive home, unload the dogs, call the shop. With the weather and holiday they are not busy and can take it immediately. Turns out the heat shield on the catalytic converter caught on the drive shaft. An hour later some plumbers tape wrapped it back. The drive shaft is compromised. It could last a month, or it could last the life of the truck - I'll keep an eye on it.

Friday I finally get the dogs out for the first run in a week. A week off isn't bad and I build a schedule to train from here. Sunday I sign up for my 4th Iditarod, literally at the last minute (see DEc 1st post) and I am pumped. Monday we run a fast (easy lope) 20 miles planning on a long run Tuesday and a back-to-back 50 on Thursday. God must have a sense of humor. I load the dogs and quad, drive to the gas station and the driver behind me points out that my trailer wheel is wobbling side to side. The trailer carries the quad. This is not good. It looks like the whole hub assemble is broke. Drive home, unload quad, call shop - this time they are busy, but bring it in and leave it.

Drive back home. The dogs are still loaded in the truck to run. We have snow, but it is rough - just maybe I can run two 8 dog teams instead of one 16 dog team. Load the sled, transfer lines, snowhooks, snub line, spare tugs, spare necklines, etc. Two hours later I'm at the track. Harnessing 8 dogs is a snap and we are off. I had forgotten how nice it was to be on the sled. Instead of the 60 mile run I'd planned, I do two teams for 14 miles and we flat have a ball.

While very doable with an 8 dog team, it just isn't safe to run more. That means every run is doubled, but Wednesday we manage a pair of 28 miles runs. That means the musher has gone from 5 hours of sitting on the quad to 5 hours of standing on the runners. I'm good and tired at the end, but there is a big smile on my face.

Thursday I'm down again - stomach bug this time. Monday I'm finally well enough to run, but now the dogs have only run 4 times in two weeks - I need to back up to the last good week (before Thanksgiving) and start from there. I'm still running two teams so it takes twice as long - we make a 14 and then 28 mile run, but I've got to run 50 miles - two 50's /day for 2 days would kill me. But we got more snow. Divide the team into thirds, A, B, C. Run AB the first day, BC the second day, and CA the third day. Training 16 dogs, every dog runs twice in three days, but only 10 or 11 at a time. Great for the dogs, but no time off for the musher.

Thursday and Friday work fine, Saturday we have races at the track where I train, but I can drive to Willow (1 1/2 hours), and follow the Iditarod race trail down the Susitna and up the Yentna for 25 miles, then come back. This is another blessing in disguise. The snow is wonderful, the skies clear. It is cold and I'm under dressed (three handwarmers in each glove), but the dogs run well. We are treated to a gorgous sunset, spectacular moon rise, and all the glory of running a well trained team. Wow!

It's Sunday afternoon, I am tired and so far behind on house chores I may never get caught up, but I've got a big warm cheshire cat grin and tomorrow we'll get to do it all over again.

We've had a visit from the dog fairy, and loosing three weeks (plus finances) puts the Knik in doubt. But those stories will have to wait until I have more time.

Keep 'em Northbound

Eric

Iditarod 2009

I've been praying hard about this years Iditarod, particularly for the last two days since entries closed at midnight last night. Saturday I had a feeling that I should go the the bank and get the musher release notarized. I wrote that off to my "never say die" attitude. At Mass Saturday night I got a feeling that I should sign up, but it went away after church. Sunday I let go and prayed hard that God's will be done. That He show me the way. During dinner, Marti said I should go for it and sign up. I've tried to find a "real job", and not even gotten an interview. Looking for sponsors, I'm worth more as a participant than as a veteran. My dream is to get someone to sponsor me to talk to school kids and civic groups in their name. I was afraid that Marti just wanted the stress to end, and I wanted this so bad it was clouding our judgment. I prayed again for guidance.

By 8:30 Sunday night I had pretty much written off this years race and was getting ready for bed. Marti was on the phone talking to a friend who asked what was involved in sponsorship. The friend said she would cover the second half of my entry fee if I would sign up. Lightening struck and even I couldn't miss that message. Print off the forms. My printer died. Use Marti's - it ran out of black ink - silly us, we had no more. Get Andi to print off the forms on her computer. The entry must be postmarked by midnight Sunday. The airport post office is open from 6 AM to 11:58 PM - I had a plan. The musher release form must be notarized. Call another friend who calls a friend who drives to her office, gets her stuff, meets me in a grocery store parking lot in Anchorage and just after 10 PM notarizes my form. I thank heaven for plastic money, and drive to the post office. At 11PM, literally the 11th hour, I hand the clerk the letter and watch him put a Nov 30th cancel on the stamps.

I'm In!

Now the had part begins. I need to redouble my efforts to raise funds to run the race, feed the family and dogs, and now pay the mortgage. But I got the message. The rest is just hard work.

Keep 'em Northbound

Eric