Sled dogs are known for having great hearts. In my kennel Bass set the standard. He was a Susan Butcher bred dog out of her Granite lines. Jeff King bought a whole dog team in Nome just to get Bass and his brother Alto for to add to his bloodline. Jeff sold me Bass in Dec 2001 when I called looking for a leader to run my qualifying races. I’ve never made a better purchase. Bass was never a fast dog and like a kid he would test you to see what he could get away with. With a new musher he would go left when you called gee, stop on the hills to pee, and come back to flirt with all the girls in the team every time you stopped. But there was no quit anywhere in him, and if you explained that you knew what a good lead dog should do, and that you knew that he knew, he was great. If I had to take a rescue team into hell, Bass was the dog I’d chose to lead. The only question he would ask is what trail I wanted to take.
My rookie Iditarod Bass and Lycos lead me over Rainy Pass in the blizzard. When we got to Rohn that night they closed the trail behind us, holding the remaining mushers at Rainy until morning. On the Yukon River the other rookie teams I was traveling near said their teams stopped on the river and they were not sure they would get to the next checkpoint, let alone Nome. Bass just kept plugging away. When we left Unalakleet in strong cross winds and nobody would lead with him, Bass ran single lead the rest of the way to Nome. When the storm over Topkot was so bad I had to stop every 20 minutes and clear the snow and ice from his eyes so he could see, Bass kept going. When we stopped on top of a knoll and the wind blew the sled off the trail, Bass lead us around and back onto the trail. When a lesser dog would have just quit, Bass lowered his head and put one foot in front of the other. We might be slow, but by golly we were going to get there.
Bass died in my arms this afternoon. He had been in gradually failing health for over a week. He was my friend, my companion, my lead dog. RIP big guy.
Keep 'em Northbound
Eric
6 comments:
Eric:
I am so sorry to hear about Bass' death - and so glad that you were together at the end. It was an honor and delight to have the chance to meet him and pet him when I was in Anchorage last month.
He was surely one of God's blessings.
Dang Eric, this is two in a week - a friend of ours just lost a dog two days ago to a moose. She was his baby and mamadog and I hate hearing about this, it's too hard!!
They entwine themselves around our hearts more than anything or anyone else on this earth.
Take care Bass and run with Dakota until we join you.
Bonnie in Chickaloon
We all know mans best friend must leave us at some point in life, it does not make it any easier, last week we placed Dakota in his new urn and to do that and see his ashes brought back all his memories, I have a ledger I write to him each day since we lost him two years ago, not a day goes by I am thankful he was part of mine and Bonnie's lives and he left his siblings behind, all carry a legacy that only you will remember, he has gone to such a better place and I am sure you will see him on the Trail again, Keep them all North Bound and follow that bright star to another world. May the Gods watch over you and your family.
Sam
Chickaloon
We are so sorry to hear of Bass' passing! He was a great dog and your description reminds me of Bill's Fisher King. It is hard to let go....and so sad.
Run free Bass!
Hugs,
B&B
I'm sorry to hear about you losing Bass. He sounds very much like a couple of the dogs in our kennel, one in particular... when he eventually ends up passing, I'm pretty sure all 3 of us will be inconsolable. There are certain dogs out there that just have "it"... that indescribable rock-solid drive to go.
Sounds like he did good by you.
Dear Eric,
I was terribly shocked to see this entry. I am so sorry for your loss. I know how you are grieving. Because I am a musician, I always smiled when you wrote about Bass. I wonder why I have never thought to do a musical theme with my puppies.
Best wishes as you go through the grieving process.
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