On the trail - Central to Circle
Central
Around
5.15 I signed out, but then exactly with my departure my headlamp
gave up the spirit. Shit and again shit. Before me Kyla Boivin went
out, but she didn't find the outbound trail. In panik I looked for
the spare headlamp but I couldn't find it eighter the spare bulbs,
shit shit, three-quarter hour later at 6 o'clock I finally could
go out. It was very cold, somebody said something from about -45�C.
For my shorthair-dogs the real limit. All dogs wore covers and bellywarmers,
then with the Booties except of the head and legs nothing looks
outside. When leaving the checkpoint I passed Catherine, which lost
the trail. After some kilometeres along the road we passed over
the Medicine Lake to the Birch Creek. On the Medicine Lake it was
unbelievably cold, I had to run all the time or help with the ski
sticks, in order not to become too cold. The dogs ran finally well,
they all drunk well the 2nd time and so the dehydration was finally
from the table. The forthcoming stage was 75 miles long, and is
usually made in 2 run, with a break after 6 hours in Kokrines Cabin.
I had considered for a long time before my what can be done, I knew
Frank Turner always drives the distance in approx. 9 hours nonstop.
I had trained so long runs. The idea at so cold temperatures (later
I heared that we hat about minus 48�C) to rest without straw for
6 hours did not seem to me meaningfully, but I did not want to drag
also for 6 hours a bundle straw. Risk?
I took only an emergency feeding and 3 snacks with me and decided
for driving through the whole distance, the sled was very light
and it goes very easy and fast. Before noon I was in Kokrines Cabin
and the dogs ran really well, also they had good eaten all snacks.
For me it was very clearly that at the low temperatures they would
lose weight with such a long run. The Trail after Birch Creek is
often very punchy and slow, but this year he was hard and fast,
so that I arrived already at 14.45 in Circle, under 9 hours (looks
officially differently, because of me story this the headlamp).
To my surprise I was suddenly 4th in Circle, it had not noticed
that I had passed so many teams. Beside me again Hans Gatt, he looked
not so happy. Fortunately he could borrow large booties to me, because
Otto`s paws were still swollen. In Circle then some dogs had sore
wrists, Micky, Coon, Marmot, but everything massable with Algyval.
Still it was very cold, all dogs again under my "childrens blanket" beautifully in the warm, I was glad that I did the run here the dogs have a good rest and they all has eaten good.
