On the trail - Slavens Cabin to Eagle
Slavens
Cabin
Everybody
was eating good, except Eman. He was really tired after the Copper
Basin also, and with this being 300 miles into the race, it seems
to me he hits a wall at that distance just working too hard. All
dogs bedded down on blankets I went into the cabin. I could not
believe my eyes. What a feast, soon I enjoyed a bacon and egg breakfast
with bannock and all kind of chocolate. Even better there were real
beds here. Hans Gatt left some dogfood behind which I asked I could
use. That greatly improved my dogfood situation, my worries disappeared.
After a 3 hr nap a got up at noon. Eman still not looked good, slightly
dehydrated and somewhat stiff. I did not want to take any chances
and decided to drop him. John Schandelmeier left before me, but
also had to come back to drop a dog. While I rested Dave Dalton,
Frank Turner, Peter Ledwidge and Thomas Tetz pulled in. I left in
5th position, at 14.30 still not too sure about being so far up
front, but I was only 1.5hr ahead of my plan, so I stuck to it.
The dogs left real slow, at least it seemed to me like it, which
was the first time in the race. Pee, poop, pee, poop, and the trail
was blown in a bit also. But the miles soon ticked by, beautiful
landscape, here I saw Biedermanns on the right, and got tangled
at the turnoff to the Kandik Cabin on the left, my dogs sensing
a reststop there. I believe John Schandelmeier was in the Cabin.
The trail weaved between the right and left side of the Yukon divided
by many islands. Not all too many trail markers, gladly the weather
being nice.
I assumed it to be an 8 hr run into Trout Creek, which should get me there at 10.30 p.m. The dogs ate the wet snack well after 4 hr. I used to snack every 2 hrs, now only every 4hrs and they all together ate a lot better. I would stick to this till the end of the race and only snack once during each run, and feed twice at a long rest.
Finally the swelling on Ottos und Herrings feed would go down. Marmots wrist still needed attention, everybody else was trouble free. Chevy and Brownie did not take any harm in the cold. On the trail came a sign 5 miles to trout creek and it was only 21.30, and I arrived there short after 22.00 p.m. still travelling a bit faster that I thought. I already forgot the names of the owners of the cabin. (I think Mike and some german lady). Not only did they open their private home to us, but even cooking a meal. Frank Turner and me discussed for a while the need of recognition for the volunteers, usually Frank and me do not agree on too many things, but we do on this one, the volunteers have to be shown recognition. With out them the race would neither be possible nor being safe for the mushers. It is great to know the that there are some people watching out for us along the trail.
Before
leaving I found another baggie of meat in my sled, geez I have to
get better organized. But great that would give the dogs a small
snack on the way to Eagle. The run to Trout Creek took me 7.30 hrs
I rested 7.30, leaving at 5.30 a.m. Marmot was limping severely
and I though about loading him in the sled, but after about 30 minutes
the limp was gone, amazing how the dogs can warm out of little injuries.
This is something I still have to learn and get used to. About 1.
hr before Eagle we hit a portage trail and I could not believe it,
I lost my sled for moment, not paying attention I slipped off. Luckily
after a brief steep downhill the trail was going up again and I
managed to catch up to them. So far I prided myself for never letting
go of a team, well that came to an end here. I was heavily panting
and wide awake now. When we left the portage trail all for sudden
Brownie stepped into a crevasse (or however you call that in English)
and gap in the shelf ice of the River and slipped down in it. The
whole team jerked to a stop all pressure being on Brownie in the
hole, damn, I cut his lines to get him out. I am always afraid that
a dog will get hurt in one of those.
I put him back in lead and he seemed to be fine. Short before coming
into Eagle I could notice a slight limp on his left front. So did
Coon and Marmot. Not good. We arrived in Eagle after 5.35 running
time from Trout Creek.
