The leaders of the race have all climbed through Rainy Pass and have descended through the Dalzell River Gorge. The other Iditarod contestants are on the trail either on Puntilla Lake or climbing through Rainy Pass. Backing up to the first night of the race, it was a mad house at the Yentna Station Roadhouse and Skwentna. From the start at Willow, the teams hadn’t spread out along the trail, they more or less invaded the early checkpoints and the same was true for the Finger Lake Checkpoint.
Martin Buser and his speedy dogs almost surprised us at Skwentna. With the warmth of the day and perhaps slower trail conditions we expected the first team to arrive shortly after 21:00 hours. The Happy Trails super charged canines proved our thoughts about the trail and time estimate to be quite flawed. Buser and crew arrived at 20:45, stayed for a little half hour snack then hit the trail. There was speculation about him resting up river at a quiet spot. When he didn’t leave with straw, we knew he had a different plan in mind.
The night was very busy as mushers checked in under the “Welcome to Skwentna” banner and either parked or went on down the trail. After all mushers had departed, we had a few minutes to analyze the traffic sheets. Of the sixty-five mushers on the trail, almost half of them checked in, did a quick vet check then continued right on down the trail. A few more than half took advantage of the hospitality in the checkpoint’s Outback Cabin with a bowl of steaming beef stew and a short nap before heading to Finger.
Just before the sky began to lighten ahead of sunrise, James Volek brought his team of yearlings into Skwentna. Wearing bib #66, he was number 65 to check in at the banner. Volek is running the yearlings from Buser’s Happy Trails kennel. These are Martin’s super stars of the future under the mentorship of James. Happy Trails has a program where by a person interested in mushing can serve a two-year apprenticeship under Martin. Training includes all the chores of the dog yard, training puppies, yearlings and adults, working the tour business on the glacier and finally racing with the yearlings.
Racing with yearlings can be likened to a fieldtrip with 4-year-old kindergarteners. The dogs are out there for the experience, to socialize and to have fun. There is a very different run rest schedule for kindergarteners than there is for seasoned race savvy dogs that Martin is running. Basically, Volek has to rest the yearlings for half again or twice the length of the run. True to his mentor’s instructions, James arrived at Skwentna just after 04:30 on Monday morning after a two hour, thirty minute run from Yentna. He and the puppies, as yearlings are referred to, departed Skwentna at 09:30. Being the final team on the trail, after their departure, Skwentna Checkpoint was closed.
James grew up in Michigan loving the out-of-doors. From his family, James learned about hunting, fishing, camping and trapping. He has a little background in “dogs” trough helping his aunt raise and train service dogs for the blind. He earned a degree in criminal justice. James says, “After graduating, I answered my own call of the wild. I came to Alaska to seek adventure in a land rich with opportunity.” Now he finds himself in the enviable position of running a team of Buser dogs to Nome! Talk about living your dream. See you down the trail, God speed.
