Sunrise in Unalakleet on Day 8 of Iditarod XLIV
As the sun rose in Unalakleet on day eight of the 45th Iditarod, there are two mushers, Charlie Bejna and DeeDee Jonrowe parked on the slough. Much earlier this morning Seth Barnes and Laura Neese arrived and departed from the checkpoint.
DeeDee Jonrowe Arrives in Unalakleet at Sunrise
Laura Neese is making her rookie run to Nome. She’s a Yukon Quest veteran so racing 1,000 miles is nothing new for the twenty-year-old musher. When Laura makes Nome and earns the coveted finisher’s belt buckle, it will be interesting to hear her thoughts on the two races and which she prefers. This morning, Laura whistled while she was feeding her dogs. Was the tune “Whistle While you Work”? Laura is upbeat about everything and anything, always smiling. Her dogs take on her enthusiasm. Laura is running in 43rd place.
Seth Barnes earned his Iditarod Finisher’s belt buckle two years ago on this same Fairbanks to Nome route. Barnes who grew up in a small Alabama town graduated for college with a degree in chemical engineering. The life of a chemical engineer was good but Seth knew there was more to life than working for the government and private industry. He moved to Alaska in 2010 and soon became involved with sled dogs. Seth focuses on training his sled dog companions 24/7/365. He says, “The best thing about dog racing is the open spaces, the beauty of the land and spending time with some of the best, truly amazing athletes in the world.” Seth finished the 2015 Iditarod in 35th place. Currently he’s running in 44th.
Ellen Halverson has scratched in Koyukuk. Roger Lee who has departed Nulato is running in the Red Lantern position. Paul Hanson, Peter Reuter, Jimmy Lebling and Cindy Abbott are resting in Kaltag.
Ralph Johannessen Runs on the Street as he Arrives in Kaltag – Photo Courtesy of Jeff Schultz
Kaltag has a population of 205 people. The Iditarod Trail leaves the Yukon River and heads 90-miles west to the Bering Sea. The trail between Kaltag and Unalakleet was used as a portage trail between the Bering Sea and the Yukon River. The trail and the communities on each end were important centers of trade many years back. One can imagine the Russian traders meeting with the Athabascan natives during the fur-trading era and trading furs for goods from western civilizations. Kaltag is located on a 35-foor bluff overlooking the Yukon River. Early in its history, Kaltag was used as a burial ground for surrounding villages. Sadly, the old cemetery that was located on Front Street, caved into the river in the late 1930’s.
Charley Bejna Passes out Dishes While Breakfast Cooks
Back to what’s happening in Unalakleet. Charley Bejna was cooking for his dogs who were sitting at attention on straw watching very intently as their musher prepared breakfast. Bejna commented on what a difference a year makes. Last year he scratched in McGrath because his dogs weren’t eating. This year, according the Charley, they are eating like they’ve never eaten before. As soon as Charley poured the kibble into the hot water, the dogs were on their feet and ready to dive in as Charley ladled food into each bowl. They had good manners though, each waited for their own bowl to be filled rather than steal from their neighbor. Bejna has 7 yearlings on his team along with 7 veterans. That’s a tough act to balance. His veterans don’t need as much rest as the young rookies. Bejna’s pre-race strategy was to run his own race to meet and balance the needs of his team. That’s what he’s been able to do but there have been challenges with the balancing act. As a teacher, it might be like have 6th graders with high school seniors in the same literature class.
Charley’s Dogs Anxiously Await Breakfast
While the moon was nearing the horizon on the west side of Unalakleet, the sun was rising on the east side. The distance between the two shores is perhaps a quarter mile. The lady in pink came around the far end of the windbreak and followed the trail into the checkpoint. The sun on DeeDee Jonrowe’s pink coat and the pink jackets worn by her athletes was intensely beautiful. Jonrowe signed in with the checker then immediately began dog chores. It was quiet down on the river when DeeDee arrived at roughly 09:00 but it was minus 12 degrees. If DeeDee stays for a six-hour rest, guaranteed there’ll be folks here to get her autograph and snap some pictures before she leaves. DeeDee has real connections with Unalakleet. She has many friends here and not many years ago she helped secure a service dog for a child in the community.
Sunrise Illuminates the Lady in Pink
