March 5 Cripple King leads, Sonny 2nd on trail to Ruby and the Yukon
Jeff King had dinner with the checkpoint crew in the newly renovated cook shack. “Do you have some tin foil?” And then wrapped his unfinished steak and potatoes, “I’ll have this at Poorman”, referring to an old mining camp about 28 miles from Ruby.
While King put boots on his dogs about 8pm and Sonny starts packing his sled, a conversation takes place. The discussion centers around the actual mileages between Ophir and Cripple and Ruby. Finally, after inputs from Warren Palfrey (race judge), me (bystander) and the collective memories of two guys who have run Iditarod for three or four decades it was decided that the mileage from Ophir to Cripple is 73 miles. The distance to Ruby is a little shorter, with a group consensus of 68 miles to Ruby. The last 28 miles into Ruby is on a roadbed that in summer accesses several placer mining properties.
The run to Ruby is basically non-technical, rolling over gentle hills. The last thirty miles into Ruby crosses a minor range of hills guarding the Yukon with a few descents on the road that are kindergarten. The only spot that could give Aaron Burmeister, who is nursing a really damaged knee, fits is about ten miles of trail running along a ridge that is predictably wind blown. This means the trail is always at an angle down hill and the sled wants to veer off the mountain. Aaron thought about tying his tow line to one side to help him compensate for his bum knee. A lot of mushers do it as a matter of practice with big freight sleds.
Flash Jim Gallea, race judge, has just entered the Communication temp and announces, “This is what we have all come for—plummeting temperatures. “ What do you mean, exactly, Jim? “Do you realize that the temperature has dropped 30 degrees in the last hour and a half. It is now at 18 below.” Others in the small comm tent declare that the temperature will go to -30F. After a little discussion, we all decide it will go to -40F. Humor is involved, but that’s the group consensus. Its always cold in Cripple. Actually, the way the sky is clearing, I think it will go to -40F.
King arrives in the middle of the team to a little grey female, puts a blanket on her, and then starts to boot. The conversation is one sided, possibly like the ones he had with his three daughters before they learned how to talk. “You get to take tomorrow off (referring to the 24 hour break in Ruby which is approximately 11 hours mushing away)” and then pausing, “Won’t that be fun?” The dog, not being able to actually respond, calmly waits for her booties.
Next door, Sonny’s dogs are leisurely sprawled on their straw beds while their boss fusses with his sled. Sonny is in the construction business, and characteristic of a successful builder, is very organized. He pulls out a small picnic cooler carefully packed with little bags and bottles. One of them, we can see is filled with what looks like coffee. He breaks open two small packets and dumps them in the bottle, and then places it back in the cooler. “Is that for the dogs?” I ask for all of us watching. “No, it would be illegal for the dogs, Espresso” . Wow, you have to be kidding me, Sonny. It looks like triple shot Espresso Magnum Extra.
Meanwhile, Jeff is now prepared for an exit. “Can somebody help me off the straw?” Jeff flounders on soft trail to the head of the team while Warren Palfrey rides the brake. 50 yards later the team is on the main trail. King takes over, readjusting tow lines and checking to make sure all the booties are on every foot. Then he is gone, his headlight reflecting off black spruce for a moment. Of course, it will be a very quiet ride, alone at the head of the race, just he and dogs to Ruby.
Sonny dropped two dogs and is now down to 14, which makes it easier by two to care for the team. It’s still lots of power. As Jeff departs he is already busy with booty duty. He is done in thirty minutes, sled buttoned up, and in the dark night following.
News flash—–just as Jeff left at 8:30 pm , John Baker, the 1x champ, arrives in Cripple. Gebhardt is said to be two miles back according to a snowmachiner who has just arrived. Population at Cripple is still small. We wait for the musher throngs from Takotna.
