Willow-Tug 300 Pt 4

With the fast run last night I give the dogs an extra hour of rest and we leave Yentna at 12:20 PM which means we will be running right through the heat of the day.  Even when it’s cold, the dogs’ biorhythms seem to bottom out the afternoon.  After a performance like last night most teams slow down, and this one is no exception.  We are moving steadily, but not impressively downriver. 

There is an island in the Susitna at the mouth of the Yentna River and the left turn into the slough we use to go to Willow is a little tricky.   I’ve done it lots of times am not concerned.  I’m looking for the super bowl on my walkman, but can’t find it when I notice a trail to the left and figure that must be it.  There are a couple of side trails off Kroto slough, but now I’m seeing on to the left that goes up a steep bank – and it is staked.  I don’t remember leaving the river/slough until we get to Corral Hill. 

Something isn’t right – and Mt. Susitna is on my right.  That’s correct for the Yentna, but the angle is wrong.  The sun is dead ahead – we are going south.  But the Yentna flows east.  Maybe I should have taken that turn up the bank after all.  But I’m still following Knik 200 stakes (they didn’t run that race this year and used a mix of stakes to mark our trail – including K200 and old K300 plus WT300).  Ten minutes later I haven’t seen a stake for a while.  It must have been that trail up the bank after all.  Turn the team around and try it. 

As soon as I come up the bank I know where I am – On the Susitna headed for the Dismal Swamp and Flathorn Lake.  Typical rookie mistake – I missed the turn to the Susitna going upstream and wound up going downstream instead.  I find a wide spot in the trail and turn the team around for the second time (This is actually the shortest way to the Tug Bar / finish line, but cuts out about 30 miles of trail through Willow – it is tempting to just run to the Tug and scratch, but the dogs are supposed to run 300 miles and I don’t like to quit).

Back on the Susitna there is normally a trail that runs upriver and re-joins the race trail on the north side of the Yentna River mouth.  I keep looking, but with the new snow I’m not seeing it.  I see another trail to the right (north) and take it, only to watch it smoothly merge into the southbound trail I’d just left.  I turn the team around for the third time.  The dogs give me a “Are you sure?” look..

Finally I’m way back on the Yentna and see the trail I should have taken – and the turn is well marked.  Some yahoo driving the sled just wasn’t paying attention and was counting on his lead dogs too much.  We won’t mention any names J.

We are back on then Susitna headed north to Willow, but the three turn arounds, my confusion, and the heat of the day have taken the spark out of the team.  Sable, who lead for the first part of the race has had enough and quits.  I make room in the sled, tying gear on the back, load her.  I call “hike” and Soleil lies down.  Ok, I’ll load Soleil also.  We are moving down the trail, but the dogs are not really enjoying it.  I start to get frustrated and realize my mistakes have added two hours to an already long run that is just too much to ask of this team – there are young dogs here on their first race.  I need to keep it fun. 

Enough is enough.  I pull off to the side of this 50 foot wide trail, set up camp, and fix the team a nice hot meal.  Dallas always brings his leaders back to the sled to rest to tell them they are off duty.  As I lead Shelby (one of his main girls) back she is a three legged dog, not using her right rear leg.  Shoot!  Now I’ve injured one of Dallas’ main leaders and have three dogs haul.  The old self-esteem meter drops into the basement and the fun meter follows quickly.  The two teams that pass while we are resting don’t help that any.  I had not intended to be competitive, but I was looking forward to finishing Sunday night and getting a good night’s sleep.  Now it looks like Monday morning.

Keep ‘em Northbound

Eric