Teams Parked In Front of the Huslia Community Center
Want to share a few more stories from Huslia. Soon I’ll be moving with the race down the trail. The people of this community have embraced the race and welcomed the volunteers and mushers with open arms, open hearts and open minds. Village people have been the checkers. They greet the mushers and record the pertinent information – bib number, time in and dogs in then they acquire the ever-important musher signature. While this happens, other villagers are deciding on the parking spot. Of course that depends on whether the musher is planning to stay or go on through. So there’s long-term parking with straw and heet for those staying and short-term parking for those who want to grab supplies from their drop bags while the vets do a field physical on the athletes and then go on. All of these aspects as well as the food schedule and clean up schedule were figured out well in advance of Mitch Seavey arriving.
Eleven Teams Resting in Huslia. Aerial Photo Courtesy of Insider
Bill has served as the Huslia checker for several teams. He’s been wearing a beautiful winter camo coat. Bill proudly shares that his granddaughter made the parka for him. He explained that she just cut the pieces from the white camo fabric and the fleece lining without using any pattern. She constructed the coat with multitudes of pockets and other useful features including the ruff. There was hand stitching along the pockets and the zipper that accented the beauty of the coat and the skill of the seamstress. Bill had been reluctant to wear the parka because of it being winter camo, after all he didn’t want to get it dirty. Then one day his granddaughter asked why he didn’t wear the coat. He’s been wearing it for good occasions ever since. Iditarod checker qualified as a good occasion.
Bill the Huslia Checker
Bill and I talked for quite some time about Huslia and the Iditarod. The community has a long mushing history. Mushing families like Vent, Huntington and Attla hail from Huslia. George Attla is the winningest sprint musher of all time. Attla and Bobbie Vent participated in the very first Iditarod. Vent claimed 2nd place and Allta claimed 4th place. The School in Huslia is named for sprint musher Jimmy Huntington. George Attla became known during his mushing career as the Huslia Hustler. The Jimmy Huntington School athletes are known as the Hustlers.
For the community residents, Iditarod is a festival. Food is brought to the community hall by village residents. They don’t just drop it off, they gather to eat with the mushers and the volunteers. Mealtime is a gathering time that is enjoyed by all with lots of conversation. The variety of food has been astounding. Stews, soups, shepherd’s pies, casseroles, meats, breads, cakes and salads. Bill says the most enjoyable part of having the race come through Huslia is to talk with the mushers of today and the dedicated volunteers. It’s about conversations. Conversing is a skill that Bill is worried that our younger generations are losing.
The morning Mitch Seavey was in town taking his 24-hour rest, he was in the community center for breakfast. Before he could even get to the food, many students surrounded him asking for autographs and pictures. Mitch was a great sport even though he did cast a glance now and then at all the breakfast options waiting. There was one pumpkin pie that had arrived with all of the breakfast casseroles, boiled eggs, bacon, fried spam, pancakes and biscuits with gravy. Mitch chose wisely, he helped himself to the pumpkin pie first then went on to the breakfast food.
Sign by School Children Wishing Aliy Zirkle Well
The signs that were made by the school kids not only added color to the inbound and outbound trails but the students really poured their hearts into wishing the mushers well.
Speaking of the kids, Zoya Denure was working with her dogs this morning. It’s Saturday! Don’t kids sleep in? There must have been a dozen kids gathered around Zoya’s sled as she worked with her athletes. They asked for autographs and had a million questions for her. One girl brought a felt Huslia Hustlers pennant for Zoya to sign. The girl was planning ahead, she also brought a sharpie marker. Zoya is very pleased with where she is in the race. She’s feeling great and the dogs are doing great. With the cold she experienced a few nights ago back near Nenana, Manley, Tanana and Ruby, she was remembering the horrible cold weather of 2015 when she experienced frostbite on her hands. She remembers how a village woman was so concerned and gave her some special medicated hand cream. Zoya is camped out for her 24-hour layover in Huslia. She arrived at 05:02 and will be eligible to depart at 06:04 on Sunday. She’ll be well fed and well rested and the same will be true for her canine athletes.
Noah Burmeister Departs Huslia With Encouragement
Parked close to Zoya was Jodi Bailey. Jodi is running young dogs who are very energetic and spirited. She’s working the drag pad to control their speed and depending on the veterans on her team to help her. You know how youngsters are, they want to go fast and haven’t quite figured out the concept of going slow and long. Bailey is doing her best to teach her youngsters that concept. Bailey was sorting through her drop bags as she had initially figured to take her 24-hour rest in Huslia but took it in Galena. She had 24 hours worth of human food and snacks that she was willing to share. I scored a Naked Green Machine Smoothie, a frozen cake pop and an Odwalla orange juice. Matthew the Spot Tracker fellow got a large baggie of assorted goodies including beef jerky, energy bars, candy bars and bags of almonds. Thanks Jodi! The Dew Claw musher arrived in Huslia at 07:00 and departed at 17:05. During the ten-hour layover, Bailey enjoyed a nap on a bench in the community center.
Ramey Smyth in Huslia Exercising and Massaging Dogs
Ramey Smyth was parked in the checkpoint this morning. He was exercising dogs individually and massaging hips. His dogs were literally smiling! Smyth who is a log homebuilder has raced Iditarod 20 times and has finished 19 of those starts. His best finish was 2nd in 2011. He has nine top ten finishes to his credit. Smyth has clocked the fastest time from Safety to Nome (top 20 mushers) for eight years. I’ll bet he changes into running shoes from those heavy bunny boots at Safety. Smyth’s wife Becca Moore has run Iditarod in 2015 and 2016 and she’s run the Yukon Quest. They maintain a kennel of 70 dogs. Smyth’s parents, Bud Smyth and the late Lolly Medley have both run Iditarod. Ramey took his 24-hour layover in Ruby and completed his 8-hour Yukon rest in Huslia. He’s back on the trail and heading to Koyukuk.
Hugh Neff Leaves the Community Center of Huslia Behind
