A Rookies Journey
January 21, 2006

This week’s chores were to keep conditioning the dogs for the Don Bowers and the Iditarod. The plan is to run a very conservative Don Bowers, continuing to set the dogs up for the Iditarod run / rest schedule. You can find a map of the Don Bowers trail at http://www.mcdma.org/bowers/map.pdf . The current plan is to run ½ way from Willow to Joe May’s home, rest 2 hours, then run the rest of the way to Joe’s and take the mandatory 8 hour rest at Joe’s. Then we will run ½ way from Joe’s to Deshka Lodge (a checkpoint with drop bags and water) and rest 2 hours, then complete run to Deshka Lodge and rest 4 hours there. Then we will run the 50 miles to Yentna on the new trail past Eagle Song lodge, take the mandatory 6 hour rest at Yentna, and finally run the last 65 miles back to Willow. Except for the last 65 mile run all of the runs should be under 50 miles and 6 hours. I expect to finish about 8 PM Sunday night.
Since the trail to Eagle Song lodge is new this year, and I haven’t seen it, Lexi Hill and I scheduled a trip from Knik to Eagle Song and back last weekend. Mike Suprenant, who also ran the Sheep Mountain and Knik races with me, is planning to run the Don Bowers and joined us to see the trail. We got a couple inches of new snow before the trip and the trail was much slower than for the Knik. It was starting to get dark when we got to Flathorn Lake. We hit strong headwinds there that had mostly blown in the trail. I had Platinum and Dash in lead and they never wavered in the wind. They set a straight course up the lake following a hint of a trail that I could only see occasionally. We were the lead team of the three at this point and I was very proud of my dogs. We seldom see conditions like this in SouthCentral Alaska, but are almost guaranteed to see them during Iditarod. So having this opportunity to train in the wind and having the dogs do so well gives me a great confidence boost.
It was late enough and the Knik 200 people had removed the stakes indicating the trail off the river that we decided to stop after 5 hours just short of the Susitna. Besides we were firmly convinced that the North wind, blowing right down the Su, would have blown in the trails on the river also. Balu was limping coming into camp. He turned out sore in the left shoulder and earned a ride back to the truck. We rested about 6 hours (getting up around midnight) and returned to Knik. On the way back across the Great Dismal swamp I took the southern trail off the swamp instead of the more northern trail. It lead to the west side of Flathorn lake instead of the eastern side. This is a large lake and Platinum was starting to stress. Platinum is a very right handed dog and under stress insisted on staying to the right (west) side of the lake. With the ice I could set a snow hook to hold the team and go up to help him. Lexi had Lycos and Basil in lead. Lycos is a very left handed dog, and was handling the stress much better. Lexi called a “haw” (left) and Lycos took her straight across the lake to the other side. Mike got his leaders to go left and as soon as Platinum saw the trail they made he followed them. I sure am proud of Lycos. He did a great job and it’s hard to remember that he is only 2.

We had a slow, but uneventful, trip back hauling Balu. Balu got a massage, a jacket with heat packs, and a ride home. Then he slept in the house the next two nights and is feeling fine now and back running with the team.
The weather has turned cold with some fresh snow, and lot’s more forecast, so I gave the dogs fresh straw in their houses. Some of the dogs get more excited when I bring out fresh straw than when I feed. Picture me with a flake of straw trying to put it in the dog house and spread it out and Balu trying to climb in the house past me. I guarantee the dog to the dog house just isn’t tat big. 

The other task for this past week were to put the Don Bowers plan together (mostly done) and the drop bag plan for Iditarod. Things are starting to happen fast now. Thursday Feb 2nd (just after the Don Bowers) is vet check for Iditarod. Then food drops are due Feb 15 and 16. I’ve got most of the things I need, but not all of them and definitely need to get on the ball and get that done.

We also want to welcome our latest dog sponsor – Kitty Anne Jackson of California is sponsoring Picard.
Keep ‘em Northbound
Eric
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