I am stuck at home, nursing a stomach bug. Had been taking metronidazole ( works well on dogs ) , discontinued taking it, and back to being sick. Really had hoped to hop on the snowmachine. I do have some eyes on the trail though, the photos in this story are from longtime friend and mushing fan Bonnie Foster. I am having a tour group along the checkpoints too, and only Inuk, Finn, Skunk and Vasser as company on the couch. Makes me feel as old as they are, 12 dog years = 84 human years.
Brent in Central
Brent tired ,but smiling
Both Brent Sass and Allen Moore rested on Birch Creek. That is rather atypical for front runners at this stage in the race. Both men know what is best for their dogs and what is needed to keep them moving swiftly down the trail. Normally the 76 mile run is done in about 9.5 hrs to 10 hrs non stop running. Something a dogteam should be well accustomed to at this point in the race. Neither musher reported any nasty overflow, both simply stopped because they deemed it best.
Another surprise ( to me ) was that both teams rested pretty much equally for 4 hrs in Central again, even after stopping on Birch Creek. It had both teams rest though the early afternoon part of the day, the sun was out in full force and that is a good time to rest. 4 hrs is about the minimum rest a dog team needs, to soak up all the liquids in their food and become well hydrated before the musher pulls the hook. Often dogs get up by themselves at the 4 hrs mark to relieve themselves, and that is the perfect time to pull the hook. Looking at the videos, their dogs look much fresher than the mushers themselves.
As to be expected, Brent had a flawless run over Eagle Summit, the steepest part taking him about 19 minutes, which means he pretty much ran the dogs straight up. Allen is at the climb as we speak. In 2011 I came into over the summit at the first team, and rested for 4 hrs in Mile 101. Dallas Seavey used that chance to go through the checkpoint. By the time I had packed up, he had a lead I would not quite make up to the finish line, he was ahead some 23 minutes. I wonder if Allen will seize his chance in 101 and keep on going. He is running out of trail “ to make a move “.
Brent leaving
Hugh Neff and Ed Hopkins both only rested a bit longer than 6 hrs in Circle, they left before the heat of the day and both pulled over for the several hours on Birch Creek after only a short run. In the meantime Damon Tedford has made it to Circle, often traveling at 7 to 8 mph. The teams behind him are 20 and 40 miles away, and also traveling nicely, Normand Casavant next, followed by Torsten Kohnert who also drives a large string of dogs and then the next rookie in the race, Jason Campeau, who has made up quite a bit of time, despite having to serve an extra 6 hrs in Dawson for a broken sled replacement. Maybe that break was a good thing for him. Dave Dalton, Mike Ellis, And Brian Wilmshurst are in in the middle. Surprisingly Lance is in 2nd or 3rd to last. He rests long. He travels fast. He went from “ survival mode “ into Dawson City into” I am having fun along the way now, resting long mode”. Good for him.
Allen looking not so fresh, can’t blame him
The weather might throw a curve ball on Eagle Summit and Rosebud will not be a cake walk either. 30 to 45 mile an hour winds are predicted for Monday beginning 6 a.m.. That is nothing unusual for Eagle Summit and in 2006 when several mushers had to be rescued off the Summit by the Army, the winds were much higher than that. But for the tired teams of Hugh and Ed, that could pose a big challenge, although Ed has a larger team and is moving about 1 mile an hour faster. Time will tell how long they rest in Central.
If nothing but, I hope to at least see the teams here in Two Rivers. The Quest trail goes 300 yards behind my place. I should manage to take a snowmachine that far….
Happy Armchair Mushing and enjoy Bonnie’s Pictures
Sebastian
Clyde and Chemo of Allens Team
Brents family in Central
