Rainy Pass– Martin Buser and Mike Williams Jr Left

Posted by Sebastian Schnuelle
Date: March 3, 2014 10:52 am

The field is definitely already spreading far apart. This is another year where new schedules are tried. Pushing the envelope early for some teams.

While Newton Marshall still is in Skwentna, the first teams are approaching Rohn. If Nicolas Petit and Kelly Maixner have an uneventful run over there, they are sure set up on a nice daytime schedule. For the next 2 mushers, Jeff King and Mike Williams Jr it’s not quite as ideal, as they will have to run in the warmer part of the day. And is sure getting warm up here. The sun is out in full force, and there is no wind at all.

Now having a bit more tired team might be a real good thing. Robert Sorlie did not beat around the bushes: ” I was scared, real scared “. He referred to not being able to stop his powerful team. While the steps as such were still in decent shape, Happy River itself more or less looks like an oversize skating rink. And right before leaving the river, the mushers have to navigate a bridge the trail breaker fabricated. If you miss it, you will get pretty wet. Just ask Aliy Zirkle.

All mushers are quick to offer dogs clear, cold water upon arrival. One big difference from other years is that the dogs can not really dip for snow in this hard pack. Aliy mentioned that this was also a problem in the Quest 300 we ran together last month. She always stops her team for a couple of minutes each half an hour, so the dogs can hydrate and eat snow.

The last team arriving, right now, is fellow Yukoner Hans Gatt. As predicted Hans is out front and here to race, after retiring 2 years ago. Pretty fast retirement run so far. Can’t wait to rub that in, when I talk to him….Happy trails. I might disappear into the Internet vacuum of the Gorge and Burn later on…. hopefully once I am at Buffalo Camp I can get my satellite unit going. I need to have the sky open to the southeast…