Racereport Knik 200 (Andy)
This time Sab was quite lucky as he drew number 12, while I drew the number 20.
So Sab started by mild -10°C, at 11:22 h with 12 dogs and I at 11:38 h with 11 dogs - unfortunately I had to leave Shumo behind because he had so-called "Foxtails" from the straw and now his cheek was fairly thick.
So my team looks as follows:
Skunk - Eagle
Herring - Free
Attla - Caspar
Oso - Wondar
Hobo
Elliot - Jasper
On the first miles of the trail, there was a very thin snow surface and thus more brown than white, furthermore it was very bumpy and led through the woods with many curves and ups and downs. Even after 3 miles, I had the first problem - my dogs ran in a locked section of the trail. While I was passed by another team, I thought about what to do - to reverse, the team was actually too far, the blocked trail led back to the "normal" trail, but unfortunately I could not see why it was blocked. In that moment, my decision was suddenly interrupted because the rope of the snow hock ripped and we went on. Fortunately, the only obstacle was a slightly higher step down to the river, which we mastered easily.
Again and again other mushers passed by, but then suddenly a team without a musher passed me, that meant that something between the dogs and the sled must be broken. Shortly afterwards Gerry Willomitzer passed by with the other mushers and fortunately they found the team a little later and could fix them.
After about half way we came to the Susitna River - we already drove on that river at the GinGin200 last week, only far more above. On the first miles on the river, we had "jumbled ice", which we mastered and then came the endless, mostly droven in the dark, kilometres on the river. It also got more and more colder so about -20°C. At 21:23 h, I arrived after 9:45 hours in the checkpoint Skwentna - when Sab heard when I arrived, he asked me if I was looking for a property - very funny. So feeding dogs, then get something to eat for myself and then I took a little nap.
At 2:30 h the alarm bell rang and I started to get the dogs and sleds ready for the final ride. Shortly before I could go, I noticed another musher got a mess with his dogs, as these tried to pass under the leash of another team, so I quickly helped him out before I left for the final stretch (the same way as we came in).
5 miles away from the finish Caspar seemed quite tired and he also seemed to lurch slightly, so I stopped the sled and made some room for the dog and loaded him in. But I did not go far, because Attla seemed also at his limits, so again I stopped and loaded him too - so I had for the last 5 miles still 9 sled dogs before the sled and somehow the sled now pulled slightly to the left, which made the trip through the winding forest trail not easier.
But I finally reached the finish after 11:30 hours at 15:20 h as 21st.
Andreas
