Nushagak Kennels

We're Moving!

2008-10-29T23:45:00.000-07:00

That is, the blog is moving. Nushagak Kennels has a new home at http://nushagakkennels.wordpress.com/ . It'll be the same sort of family, mushing, politics, whatever comes to mind kind of site. Wordpress has some cool features including spell check. Sure Mom's glad to hear about that. It will take a little while to get the site completely configured. Did get all the posts transferred though. Right now there isn't anything in Jo's page, but I think that can be a place where Jo can do her thing. Like I said, still need to figure the thing out. It's much easier to leave comments for those who don't have a Google account. It's got all sorts of cool tools and functions to play with.

It's been fun Blogger, but Nushagak Kennels is moving on!

Uncle Ted

2008-10-27T21:57:00.000-07:00

We call him Uncle Ted up here. Senator Ted Stevens has done more for Alaska then any other man alive.

When I was a junior in High School, we were awarded some sort of grant to help our high school athletic program. The first athletic season was about to begin and the money had not yet shown up. My government teacher was explaining how things worked in congress and I figured I'd try working the system. After getting permission from the principal, I called Senator Stevens' office. I Introduced myself, told the person my story, they got another person on the phone who wrote down the particulars, got a pleasant, "We'll see what we can do." and hung up the phone. The money was in the schools bank account within a week. That experience changed me. Later that year at D.C. Close Up I had the opportunity to shake hands with Senator Stevens. I told him about what his office did for us and thanked him. He looked me in the eye and said, "That's what it's all about, Alaskans helping Alaskans."

All of my children were born in a hospital he built, I fly in and out of an airport he renovated, my employment is a direct result of legislation he passed. Senator Stevens is a great man who has done great things for so many. He has been termed, "The Lion of the Senate." He steps on toes and makes no apologies. It is after all about Alaskans taking care of Alaskans.

Then today on my ride home for lunch I heard the news. Senator Stevens was found guilty on all 7 counts. He is a convicted criminal. Just another corrupt politician. This great man. It's all very difficult to stomach. For those new to the state, he may be seen as washed up and past his prime. But for so many of us he is Uncle Ted.

Senator Stevens says he will apeal the decision and maintains his innocence, but to what end? I would do the same if I were him. Try to clear my name and salvage a legendary career of service.

The rest of us have a big decision to make in a week. Senator Stevens is up for re-election. If we did vote him in, what could he possibly accomplish in the Senate. Who in their right mind would support him and risk the political fall out of partnering with a convicted criminal. He has now become the very poster child of Republican political coruption. What are we all to do now? This man we love so dearly has left us in this uncomfortable position. We all must make our own decision and live with the consequences.

No closing for this somber post comes to mind. No profetic thoughts itch to be written into this blog. I'm left with a heavy heart and sorrow. Deep sorrow.

Belleque Kids: Finally updating.....

2008-10-21T13:36:00.000-07:00

The day Alethia left Dillingham to go to Hawaii. Jacob was too busy wrestling Sammy to look up. She had a wonderful trip. Karen has all the pictures though so I need to wait for copies to post some of those. She has a wonderful time with Grandma and Grandpa.

Aimee found her thumb. She loves it and it soothes her.

Aimee loves her brother and sister.

Fun in the sun! They were making a snowman.

Here's the snowman. However, as soon as I too the picture, Jacob knocked it over and broke it. Then proceeded to eat the celery nose. We didn't have carrots..... Next time.

Full Freezers

2008-10-04T19:58:00.000-07:00

The skiff was launched Thursday afternoon as Ryan and I headed up the Nushagak River on the annual quest to fill our freezers. It was the second year for Ryan and I hunting moose with calling and waiting instead of running up and down the river, in and out of sloughs. Last year proved a great adventure with an exciting and close encounter (read about it at http://nushagakkennels.blogspot.com/2007/10/big-moose.html). Always looking to improve our techniques, Ryan and I bought a tree stand. Plan was simple. Find a good clearing, set up a stand, and call in a moose.

We found an incredible spot after a little looking, one big spruce tree in the middle of a huge clearing with moose sign in every direction. After packing the stand a quarter mile from the skiff to the tree, cutting branches, setting it up, and strapping the thing down we settled in to call our first moose of the year. At 7:30 PM Ryan let out the first cow call. Cow calling is done by putting your hands together as if to pray, bringing those hands up in front of your nose, pinching your nose with your thumbs, cupping your mouth, and letting out a loud muted nasal moan as long as your lungs allow.

We sat. We waited. Both sitting and waiting are the most difficult aspects of this type of hunting. You feel like you should be doing something. Sitting quietly just doesn’t feel productive. Dusk began to settle on the clearing. We called it a night. After climbing down out of the stand and locating a likely bush a few feet away, I looked up and noticed something at the brush line. Two symmetrical white patches that I didn’t remember seeing there before were now clearly in view. “What’s that?” I asked Ryan in the waning daylight. They moved. “It’s a moose! Let’s get ‘em.” I quietly stated. We repositioned ourselves just a few feet away to gain a better view. It was in fact a moose and he was walking straight for us.

Our plan was set in muted one word phrases two experienced hunters understood clearly. We would simply wait for him to walk right up to us. About 300 yards out we saw his tactic. He began circling to get downwind from us and determine just what we were. This required a revised approach on our part. We needed to cut him off. We slowly worked to intercept his path as cover allowed. Just before getting directly down wind, he walked behind a tree. I hustled to cut the distance. He walked out from behind the tree at about 150 yards offering a broadside shot generously choosing to fill our freezers. He was a big full grown bull measuring 54 inches across his antlers. Darkness was coming quickly so we cut off a couple quarters and removed his guts planning to return the next morning when we would finish cutting and hauling him out.

After seeing to proper care of the meat, eating a hot meal, and getting a good night’s sleep, we again found ourselves sitting in our stand in the same clearing belting our nasal moan to every bull moose for a mile around. The gut pile was roughly 350 yards away. We looked that way and noticed how quiet the area seemed. No ravens or magpies fluttered about, seemed nothing was there. We climbed down to take a look at the day old kill site. There in an area the size of most kitchens was an enormous pile of grass and dirt. A brown bear had been there to cover his lucky find. By the looks of the pile, it was a big bear at that. It made no sense to call in this clearing any longer. With a day and a half left in the season, we calculated a new plan.

We chose to relocate to one of a couple sloughs and try calling in another bull. We set up in one slough and heard a moose being shot very close by. Then we moved to another slough and had a boat drive right by. Evening was turning to night when we picked one last slough. After the second call, we heard another volley of close shots followed by a voice, “Bubba! Over here!” Ryan’s brother shouted. We figured that was it for the evening.

“We can help them cut it up and pack it out,” we agreed. Repositioning our boat to another bend in an adjacent slough, we saw two moose, one sporting the requisite antlers of a young bull. They stood well giving Ryan all the time he needed. We were quickly loaded in the boat and headed back to camp making the run down the river in the dark. Ryan’s brother, Bubba, and a big “meaty” moose arrived just after us.

We’ve been enjoying the moose in the weeks since the season closed. Johanna’s planning a nice steak dinner tonight. Empty freezers were filled and we are thankful. We are thankful for the animal and the choices it made to fill our freezer. We are thankful to live with a river where waters flow deep, cold, and clean. Pray we keep those waters clean and our freezers always full that we shall remain thankful.

Huskies Available for Adoption

2008-10-01T21:26:00.000-07:00

I'm offering two dogs for adoption. I'm not asking for any money, but will only offer them to quality homes. In seven years I've never sold a dog. I've bought plenty, but never taken money myself. It would seem strange to take money for my hard working huskies. My sprint dogs on the other hand, I probably could sell them. But selling a working dog would be akin to selling your hunting buddy. My promise to each dog is a quality working life from womb to the grave. At times I fall short of that promse, but it is always my goal. From the night they're born to the end I always dread, their existence is my responsibility. Past homes I found for dogs have lived up to this promise. The next owners of the two dogs below will be kept to the same standard.

This is Ginger. She is out of my first big litter from Lucky and Hagar. I'm not offering her as a sled dog. She needs to live out her life as a pet. Mushing just isn't in her future. She's 4 years old, spayed, current on all shots, and one of the sweetest dogs I've ever met. Ginger borders on timid. She doesn't know lots of commands, but has always come to me when loose. My neighbor Lisa worked with her at healing this summer. She did well, but is very fearful of cars. I knew Lisa was walking to the dog yard this summer because I'd hear Ginger yipping and fussing about on her chain. About 5 minutes later Lisa would walk down the driveway. During a run last fall, she was bumped with a vehicle and it has really made her nervous around them. I've never seen her growl at a person or another dog. She loves kids and would be a great dog to enjoy in the house and still able to be put outside when it's -30. Ginger would not be a good first dog, but would be an absolute gem for the right owner.

If I had to describe this pup in a word, it would be "Potential". She is Lucy and Bing's pup. The litter of 11 was way to much for me so I've given away some of the females. Part of my kennel management plan is to own a minimum number of females. Most of my yard is big males. This isn't a very good picture of her. I set her on top of the dog house so she would stay still for a minute. Every sled dog puppy is a crap shoot. But just as every gambler knows, you always look for the best possible odds. With Bing and Lucy for parents, this little girl has every potential to be an outstanding sled dog. She'll probably be a 55 to 65 pound dog, with a thick coat and a need to work. She would be a good bet as a ski-jor dog.

Both of these dogs can be shipped. You would have to pay for that. If intested in either dog shoot me an e-mail at kbelleque@hotmail.com . I'd be happy to tell you more about them. I never tire of talking about my dogs.

On a different note: A few friends have told me they aren't able to post comments on this blog. Last winter I loosened up the settings so anyone can post comments, but that doesn't seem to be working now. I'm considering switching to another free blog service where folks can easily post comments. Comments are a fun part of blogging. If you know of another good place to blog please let me know. You'll have to use my e-mail due to all the reasons I just mentioned.

Aimee Pictures

2008-10-01T21:15:00.000-07:00

Aimee and her daddy. Yes, that is puke on my sleeve.

Aimee working hard at "Tummy Time".

Aimee and her buddy Sammy.

Pictoral Update

2008-09-04T18:47:00.000-07:00

Johanna and I with our baby girls

Alethia's first day of school

Aimee

The other two

House pictures

Sarah

2008-09-03T22:35:00.000-07:00

I'm listening to a re-run of Sarah's speach right now. I've got to tell you America, you're being played for a fool. She took the state like a rock star. Everyone loved her, but over the last few years her sparkle has begun to fade. Just as her administration has become engulfed in an investigtion, along comes John McCain to prop her up on a national stage to be cheered by crowds of onlookers. It all feels too familiar.

Let's put her unfortunate family choices aside for now and focus on her record. I've identified a few issues that matter to me. This is not a comprehensive list of her poor judgement, just a few that have come to mind in the last week:

1. She lost my support when she came out against ballot measure 4. The measure would have prevented new large scale mines from depositing harmful chemicals into water used by both humans and salmon. After much debate and incredible efforts by regular folks trying to protect their own waters, Sarah came out against the mine only days before the vote. Even the measure's own opposition group said things were close until the Governor picked a side. Why didn't she leave it up to the voters? Why didn't she let their voices determine the outcome? If she was truely against it, she should have let that be known in the beginning instead of changing the game in the the last 2 minutes. But Sarah comes first in Sarah's world, a theme we will see again and again.

2. The infamous "Bridge to No Where" is another great example of her self serving purposes. After our congretional delegation secured an ear mark for the bridge, she heard the outcry and came out against the bridge. The money was never returned however, why would she do that? She spent the money on something else. Had her cake and ate it too.

3. This great leader of the 49th state with so much vision once asked us, "How should we spend our money?" Comments were elicited on the state website. At the same time she was dismantling our state's mental health infrastructure, schools were fighting to attract top teachers with their small budgets barely able to afford fuel to heat their schools, and people lived in communities with no law enforcement and pooping in buckets. She had the gaul to claim such wealth. The whole thing was a shameless gimmick, insulting to all those state agencies suffering to stay afloat. Nothing ever came of it. Once Miss Congeniality, always Miss Congeniality.

4. We shouldn't forget, this governor may be impeached before the year's out. She is under investigation for inappropriately firing our state's top public safety official. The senate ordered an investigation of the entire affair. Did our governor vow cooperation, deny the allogations, and offer her staff to speak freely? Sort of, but with a twist. She ordered her own investigation ahead of the senate investigation. May as well find out exactly what they will find out right? She found that her staff and husband did make innappropriate phone calls (Gasp!) regarding the situation, she scorned her staff. More recently, she has hired a lawyer to stop the process, or at least slow it down until the national election is over. Is that legal? Why not let the senate's own investigator due its job? That wouldn't be in Sarah's best interest, she serves her own purposes.

And because the campaign has made it an issue, I feel justified to take a long look at how she has handled her 17 year old daughter's pregnancy. After rightly telling us that her 17 year old's unplanned pregnancy is not available for public scrutiny, they march out the boyfriend and prop both of them up at the Republican National Convention. Getting a 17 year old pregnant qualifies to you be in the greeting line for the Republican presidential candidate? Who does that to a couple of kids? They should be left alone. They made a mistake, leave it at that. She, and the Republican Party, are using those kids for political gain. Would you do that to your daughter? What are teenagers across the nation thinking right now? A couple high school kids have a roll in the hay and now are sitting together before the nation. Evangelical leaders across the nation are praising the family's choices and rallying behind Alaska's governor. Clearly their family values are different then mine. I would never thrust a couple kids onto the national spotlight because of one mistake. And I would never, never encourage those same kids to get married just because they accidentally made a baby. If these are the new Republican family values, they can have them.

After a rubber stamp Republican Convention speach, she must eventually face the media and inevitably Joe Biden. Simply put, she'll have her head handed to her on a platter. More and more of her rocky record will surface. I think back to her debates during her last election. She sounded every bit the hockey mom and mayor of Wasilla, not the Vice President of the United States. Without a speach writer and a staff to support her, she will founder. Larry King, Chris Matthews, Wolf Blitzer, Brian Williams and the rest will rip her apart. And when she debates Joe Biden, it will become clear. America is in love with Miss Congeniality.

(Here's an article that very accurately describes Sarah Palin as Governor of Alaska. http://www.newsweek.com/id/157696/page/1 )

Lucy's Litter

2008-08-10T09:46:00.000-07:00

Lucy had her pups last night. She hollowed out a hole in a brush pile and delivered all 11 puppies there. Lucky always did that to me also-have her pups outside. By the way, Lucky also had her litter. Lots of information about Lucky and the pups at http://oldschoolak.blogspot.com/ . And yes, you read that right. Lucy had 11 pups, 6 females and 5 males if I counted right.

I moved them into the doghouse this morning.

Lots of different colors-black, brown, gray, light orange.

Stairs

2008-08-06T00:07:00.000-07:00

A few friends have asked, "What's with the levels?" Well, we've starting building stairs to connect those levels and you can see how the house is shaping up.

Here's the entry to the house, a small covered porch leading into an 8'x16' entry way. This is Alaska after all, we've got a lot of shtuff.
A set of stairs going up from the entry way up into the house.

These steps (on the other side of the house from the entry way) drop down into the bedrooms. A step will come off each side leading into two small rooms.

Looking down on the bedroom stairs

7 Years

2008-08-05T23:53:00.000-07:00

Johanna and I met at a similar time in both our lives. We had finished college and were coming home to teach. Once we started spending time together it quickly became clear. God brought us together.

Our engagement was a little different. She was teaching in Koliganek while I had a traveling teaching job. Every few weeks, we'd meet in Dillingham for our pre-Canan classes with Father Kelly. He was thorough. We took personality tests, discussed child rearing and home finance. No stone was left unturned. And on August 4, 2001, we married at Holy Rosary Church here in Dillingham.

Father Kelly set us on the right path and offered words at our wedding I will never forget. With so many couples struggling, we find ourselves still very much in love. Maybe more then in the beginning. Our love is emotional, passionate, and most importantly, centered around something other then ourselves. We both love God more then each other.

If God is love, as scripture teaches, then we cannot give love to another without going through Him. Couples may not go to church or subscribe to any particular religion, but look at those couples who still gaze at each other, still hold hands, still give each other a kiss for no apparent reason. I'll bet they treat each other as the Bible suggests.

So on our 7th anniversary in the busiest summer of our lives I tell you surely that I love my wife. I love her more then my job, more then those dogs, more then our children, but not more then God. I give God to her.

House Update

2008-08-02T01:02:00.000-07:00

These pictures are a couple days old and we're a little farther along, but you get the idea. Looks like a house. It's got a big steep green roof. Makes the building look larger then it really is. Dad's friend Jim Black was here this week helping out. Three is definately more than two when it comes to building.

A little short on metal roofing. Need two 8 foot sections. Windows are all in and look pretty nice. All windows are triple pane. The 4x4 picture window was a heavy sucker.

Here I'm putting on the ridge cap. We've had a whole week of sunshine, just what you need for roofing. Have to use a line when working on the roof. Can't stay on the metal without it.

Aimee Kate - Minus the Goo

2008-07-28T16:49:00.000-07:00

Bear Attack

2008-07-11T12:06:00.000-07:00

Received a call yesterday morning from our neighbor Lisa. On her way to work she saw a loose dog in our driveway and went to put him back on his chain. Lisa is very familiar with our dogs, trains one of them, and a is great all around dog woman. She found more then just one loose dog.

Four dogs were loose, two injured. Jerry, one of our new sprint dogs, was hiding in another dog's house obviously very terrified. He had been through an ordeal with some nasty cuts, one of them pretty bad. Luke, one of my main leaders, was carrying a front leg that had been bitten. Both Luke and Jerry had backed out of their collars. The other two dogs some how got off their chains with no injuries.

Lisa put the dogs back on their chains and brought Jerry home where she treated his wounds. Both Luke and Jerry are on antibiotics and in a stroke of luck the vet will be in town tonight. Both Jerry and Luke will get a thorough exam. None of the other dogs had any injuries. Both the dogs and I are very fortunate to have such a great neighbor. Lisa is a great lady with a big heart. Jerry couldn't be in better hands.

Our land is in a very bear rich area. Much of this is my fault. I've been cooking a lot of fish for the dogs. There's big stinky dog pot, lots of buckets, etc. all smelling very good to a bear. Those smells most likely called him in. I need to devise a permanent plan to deal with bears. Would help to enclose my dog pot cooker and buckets with electric wire. That doesn't protect the dogs however. One answer would be to encircle the entire dog yard with electric wire. Need to price some of this stuff out.

I'm guessing that the bear came up our dog trail off the flats, then cut in to the dog yard where he encountered Jerry going crazy. He grabbed Jerry before Jerry slipped his collar and escaped. Then he circled the dog yard toward the shed. With three loose dogs, I half wonder if they didn't get together and harass the bear running him off. He only picked up the dog pot and carried it about 20 feet. Didn't touch any buckets, didn't break into the shed where the freezer was. Seems like if the smells brought him in he would have spent more time digging around.

I think everyone will be O.K. thanks to Lisa and I need to be more diligent about keeping a clean dog yard.

Note: After a visit to the vet today (7/12/2008), he thought I was dealing with a big dog fight, not a bear attack. The number of bite marks observed on the one dog looked like a good old fashioned gang-up style dog fight. That very well could have been. With four loose dogs, that could be exactly what happened. One way or another, the mear thought of a bear in my dog yard gives cause for diligence in keeping a cleaner dog yard. No matter what happened, I'm still thankful for all Lisa did to look after my injured dog.

Introducing Aimee Kate

2008-07-09T22:19:00.000-07:00

Johanna and I would like to introduce our new baby girl, Aimee Kate Belleque.
Born 10:29 PM July 8, 2008
7lbs 10oz
20.5 inches

Johanna was induced the morning of the 8th. I arrived in Anchorage right after Johanna's water broke and drove her straight to the Alaska Native Medical Center. Everyone is doing fine. She seems a very content baby so far.

The following pictures were all taken right after Aimee was born.

Johanna and her new baby.

Alethia and Aimee. Aimee could not ask for a better big sister, her Ulla.

Johanna's sister Michelle, Alethia, and Aimee.

Aimee being held by her cousin Megan. Alethia made it into most of the pictures.

We've been looking forward to this for some time. God continues to shower our family with his love and blessings.

Framed!...mostly

2008-07-04T20:49:00.001-07:00

For those wondering, Johanna is still pregnant and not happy about it any longer. She's still in Anchorage and ready to get the show on the road. Baby was due July 1st. I almost flew in to Anchorage this weekend, but forced myself to stay here and keep at my big project.

Dad and I got the house pretty well framed up today. Just needs to be closed in with a roof and some walls. Never framed a house before. Pretty sure Dad hasn't either. Lot of research, plenty of questions for the right people, a good book from Home Depot, a big scoop of elbow grease and there it is. A house skeleton.

My goal, to have the house shelled in before going to Anchorage for the birth, is still within reach. Since the baby is clearly behind schedule that puts me just about on schedule. A hand-full of productive days and we'll have the thing shelled in. Then I'll have to start reading all those other books!

Going Up!

2008-07-02T21:26:00.001-07:00

Tick Tock. Tick Tock

2008-06-29T19:38:00.000-07:00

Any time now. Officially, Tuesday July 1st is the due date. My bag is packed. Still in Dillingham working on the house. When things start happening I'm off to the airport looking for the next plane.

My family has been gone almost a month. As excited as I am to greet the new baby, I'm just as anxious to wrap my arms around all of of them again.

Here's Alethia, Jake, and their cousin Hanna at the Alaska Zoo. The kids got out with their uncle and grandma while Jo took a nap.

Catching Up

2008-06-23T21:26:00.000-07:00

As stated in previous blogs, the Belleques are in the midst of a very busy summer. Here are a few pictures to help tell the story.

Alethia at her Head Start Graduation. She graduated a few days before they left for Anchorage.

Kyle, Jake, and Alethia at the airport when the were leaving for Anchorage.

Alethia at H2Oasis (an indoor water park in Achorage).

Jake, Alethia, and their friend Anika. They've known Anika for a long time. Her family recently moved back to Anchorage.

Jake and his Nana Shelley (Jo's sister Michelle). Jake wasn't so sure about all the comotion at H2Oasis so he sat with his Nana for a while. Once he gave it a try he really got into it. Shelley is with child right now too. Her and Jo always seem to get pregnant at the same time.

Our new house. Well, part of our new house anyway. Here the deck is complete. The top deck is 20'x24' and each lower deck is 8'x24'. So over all it's 36'x24', but that includes a 6'x8' covered deck and 18'x8' arctic entry (we have lots of gear and need the space!). The ridge will run parallel to the lower decks. That way the house can continue growing along the ridge line keeping everything under one roof. We start framing tomorrow.

Here's Dad working hard two boards at at time. Dad consitutes my crew. I get other help here and there but he's my main man. He's holding up pretty well for a fella born well before the Korean Conflict.

Of course you notice what's missing. My wife. Johanna is always the one taking the pictures. She says the baby will wait for its due date, but I'm ready to fly in at any time. Until then, I'm busy making hay while the sun shines.

Next Generation

2008-06-08T12:47:00.000-07:00

Building our new house and welcoming our new baby are by far our biggest topics of dicussion lately. The house is getting a slow start, very typical. The site is prepped and posts for foundation should be set mid-week allowing us to start the deck next weekend. Hoping to have it shelled in before going to Anchorage for the birth. It's a small house so it's within reason. Just depends on how cleanly things come together. Johanna and the kids are doing well in Anchorage. Johanna had her first appointment in Anchorage Friday, everything was fine, they'll continue on a weekly basis until the baby comes.

Even with so much going on, I'm still a dog musher. Anyone who spends time around me knows that my dog team is never far from my mind. They give me something peaceful to think about. We've had a couple of exciting new progressions on that front. I've mentioned that Lucky is in Two Rivers with Swanny and his fine leader Torus. In an interesting course of events, three dogs are coming down from Kotzebue to join Nushagak Kennels (I'll write more about that on another post). And finally, my dear Lucy and the noble Bing are in the process of creating their own litter of pups.

They had their first successful tie last night. They'll have a few more days to breed. Lucy is two, Bing four, and they're both incredibly healthy so I expect a healthy litter of pups mid-August. I've never been more excited about a litter of pups. Both dogs bring a special set of physical and mental abilities.

You can see a picture of Lucy at the following link - http://nushagakkennels.blogspot.com/2007/12/lucy.html . She's a very hard and enthusuastic worker. This will be her first litter, but she loves puppies and other dogs so I think she'll do well. She does get nervous with new situations and I'm planning to monitor her birth closely. Although she is only 62 pounds, she comes from a line of 75 pound working dogs. Combining her with Bing should get me the 70 pound dogs I like so much.

Pictures, and a description, of Bing can be found here. http://nushagakkennels.blogspot.com/2007/12/bing-bong.html Wrote a post about Luke (Bing's brother) entitled, The Best Sled Dog I Own. Turns out I was wrong, Bing is the best sled dog I own. Not to detract from Luke's ability as a sled dog. Under most trail conditions, he'll gladly lead a team on a 70 mile run. He'll even do it pretty fast if the trail allows. What I learned is that Luke does well when it's fun. As soon as things became difficult (lots of water, becoming tired, doubt) he didn't want to lead. He would gladly run in swing or the team working hard and pushing forward. Bing on the other hand excelled in tough situations. The worse it gets the better he likes it. One of the trails we trained on for a few runs had a creek going across it. It was a shallow 8 foot wide stream. Luke didn't want to deal with it and would try find a way around it. Bing would smell the water when approaching it and with the last 15 yards, burst into a full gallop brining the entire team to top speed and then leap into the air trying to jump the entire distance. The rest of the team would follow suit. Bing is a big strong dog, but very shy, reserved, even dignified. He's been in contact with Lucy for a few weeks, but didn't harrass and try to mount her until she was ready. He continued checking her, but did not chase her about like most dogs. When she was ready, he knew it was time. I respect Bing's quiet strength and confidence. He knows with absolute certainty there is nothing he can't handle, no circumstance he can't dominate. He knows he is the toughest dog alive, but never brags about it. I'd like a few more dogs like that.

Long Time No Blog

2008-05-30T22:17:00.000-07:00

You may find it odd for a guy who proclaims, "I love blogging" to go 25 days without a post, but don't worry. I've got plenty of excuses.

Before I share some of those excuses with you, I'd like to wrap up some of my political posts. I called the Indiana and North Carolina results well enough though was way off in regard to Senator Clinton's participation in the Democratic Primary contest. At the time it seemed things were getting a bit rough and the eventually nominee's chances against John McCain were being hurt. Senator Clinton has since handled the situation perfectly. Her bowing out would not have helped anything. She no longer bashes and pounds on Senator Obama as in the past. She has stayed in the race through the rules committee meeting tomorrow and the final primaries in early June. Her following will know she did everything in her power to win the nomination. When she stands on a podium this June and tells the nation that Senator Obama has won the nomination followed by a powerful endorsement, the party will be united. Everything will come together and the Democratic Party will be better for it.

Race has also become a major issue in recent weeks. MSNBC has run a series on their website (http://www.msnbc.com/) about being bi or mulit-racial in America. That group only consitutes 5% of the country, but is the fastest growing demographic. It's worth checking out, very well thought out and written. Johanna registered Alethia for kindergarten this week. Under ethnicity, she marked both Alaskan Native and the box for multi-racial. She was only supposed to mark one box, but one box did not fit. Alethia is largely being raced as a young Yupik girl, but is also plenty white. Johanna has the right to mark as many boxes for her daughter as she wishes.

Now a few excuses...We've been busy. Very busy. 7 years ago Johanna and I (with much help from family) built a house, planned a wedding, and began our married life. Also, her Apa (grandfather) took ill with lung cancer. He waited until we were married and died the next day. God rest his soul. It was an intense summer full of highs, lows, elation, dispare, and exhaustion. This summer is shaping up similarly.

Johanna left for Anchorage with the kids two days ago. She's staying with her sister and brother-in-law until the baby comes. July 1st is the due date and I'll be waiting in Dillingham until she goes into labor hoping a flight will get me there in time. Things are in place if I don't make it, but I have to make it. I'll be here building a house. That huge project will require all of my personal leave. Don't want to miss the birth of my child, but we need a home right now. Priorities are set and agreed upon.

For weeks Alethia has been telling me she will miss me when she leaves. Jake cried walking to the plane. I felt my own tears coming at the airport, but held them back. They wouldn't have helped the situation. We're a very close family. Most mornings we all wake up in the same bed. We're not a couple that finds baby sitters to go out by ourselves. We spend almost of our time together as a family. Johanna was pregnant with Alethia on our first aniversary because we wanted her then just as I miss them all now. It's only been 2 days. They won't come home until mid-July.

However, I do have a house to build and won't be around much anyway. It is what it is. Johanna's focus is taking care of herself, the kids, and that little baby inside her. Mine is to build us a house. No, a home.

May has been consumed with preparations for this summer. This will be a big summer for our young family. In time we will look back on it fondly, but right now it seems daunting. Yet we have prayed and put it in God's hands. This family's existence has always been in His hands. No where to go but forward with what we have and what we can do.

Spring is like a perhaps hand

Spring is like a perhaps hand
(which comes carefully
out of Nowhere) arranging
a window,into which people look (while
people stare
arranging and changing placing
carefully there a strange
thing and a known thing here) and

changing everything carefully

spring is like a perhaps
Hand in a window
(carefully to
and fro moving New and
Old things,while
people stare carefully
moving a perhaps
fraction of flower here placing
an inch of air there) and

without breaking anything.

-E. E. Cummings

The Crystal Ball

2008-05-05T22:13:00.000-07:00

I love blogging. Seriously, think I'm hooked. I can say anything I want on this thing and some how, for some reason, some one just might take me seriously. This one will be a stretch, but I'm going for it.

Have looked into the crystal ball and have seen the future. Big day tomorrow, Democratic primaries in Indiana and North Carolina. Here's how it will play: Either Senator Clinton or Obama will win Indiana, but it will be so close that the total delegate count won't really matter. So I'm calling Indiana a tie. Obama will win North Carolina. Those two projections aren't exactly daring, but there's more. Obama's net delegate gain will be close to 20 +or- 5 (changing that from 40 +or- 8 as predicted last night. Thought there were close to 250 total delegates at stake, but it's only 187. Lesson learned: Don't write a blog after a Cinco De Mayo party!) and the superdelegates will meet, realize the rest of primaries won't change the delegate number by more then 10, decide this can't go on any longer, and enough of them will move to Obama (while other's rush to Clinton's aid) and the Democratic Nominee for the President of the United States will be chosen no later then Friday May 16th. It will be Barack Obama.

Whoof. That took a lot out of me. The beauty of it is that if I'm correct I'm a freaking genius. If I'm wrong, what do I know anyway?

In the Air

2008-05-04T13:23:00.000-07:00

Friday Johanna and I were driving through town when I turned to her, "Feels like summer doesn't it?" Couldn't put my finger on it, but there seemed to be something in the air.

Dillingham is a fishing town. Not a fishing town like Dutch Harbor, but a Bristol Bay fishing town. Our main fishery is a sockeye salmon fishery typically lasting a few weeks at the end of June and first half of July. The sockeye return to our major river systems in search of their natal streams. Fisherman intercept them in the estuaries (where salt transitions to fresh water) typically referred to as the 'bays'. Regulations require boats to be no longer then 32 feet using gill nets between 50 to 200 fathoms long depending on the circumstance.

Without beginning a explanation of the Bristol Bay fishery I'm not qualified to give, let's just say that today's Bristol Bay fisherman may be construction workers from Anchorage, lawyers from Seattle, professional fisherman who spend 9 months on the water each year, families from our smallest villages, or any sort of character. It is a diverse group complete with conflicts and mistrust, division and accusations. Just the same, they all gather in Dillingham, Naknek, and other smaller 'bay' communities hoping for a bountiful catch.

The first of those individuals are here. Processing company staff are beginning to prepare the canneries and fisherman have begun climbing around their boats, kicking the tires, and making their plans. There is also a smaller herring fishery West of Dillingham in the bays around Togiak that ushers in the fishing season each May.

It's not only the fisherman and cannery workers that mark the changing season, it's an entire seasonal infrastructure needed to support them. Restaurants have opened, fishing supply stores are opened, net hanging outfits, aluminum fabricators, fiberglass folks, mechanics and the like are opening their doors preparing for the season.

Growing up in such an environments serves to define summer as a time to be busy. The sun is up most hours of the day and things are hopping. It's a time to work hard and play hard. Grandpa used to say, "Make hay while the sun shines." The sun rarely sets during a Bristol Bay summer and there's plenty of hay to be made.

The seasons are so different here. Right now the last white remnants of winter cling to a brown and apparently lifeless ground. But before long everything will be green and people will walk about in their t-shirts on sunny days. February's fourty below temperatures serving as distant memories.

We are not quite there yet however and there is still snow and ice to melt before summer takes hold. But if you've lived this before. If this is one of the rythms of your life, it is unmistakable. Slow down. Lift your head. Feel it in the air.

Quiet No Longer

2008-05-03T00:04:00.000-07:00

Five years and two days ago our president stood on an aircraft carrier just outside of San Diego Harbor beneath a banner that read, "Mission Accomplished." pronouncing that combat operations in Iraq had come to an end. It will be 20, 30, maybe 40 years before the world learns the truth behind the "war" in Iraq, but John McCain offered an interesting reason for the invasion. He was discussing oil and told a Denver crowd that never again would our soldiers be sent to the Middle East on behalf of oil (I'm paraphrasing and don't remember the exact quote). That's right, never AGAIN. So has it happened before?

John McCain has virtually no chance of winning the election in November. He has done too well at aligning himself with the train wreck that is George W. Bush. As much as our nation's conservative base loathes Democrats and everything they don't stand for, they will not vote for McCain in great numbers. In fact, most of them will stay home in November seeing no candidate as theirs.

This leaves us two options for president, both Democrats. Sometimes I think I could be a Democrat. I could join the ranks of the Pro-Life Democrats and have a real party identity. But usually when I start thinking that, I catch a glimpse of the democratic party in action. If they were a corporation they'd have gone under long ago. It's a circular firing squad everytime they get together. They would be unbeatable if they were half as organized and disciplined as the GOP.

Senator Obama is leading the race by every measure. Instead of rallying behind him, Senator Clinton is doing everything in her power to undermine his candidacy and win by a technicality. She honestly thinks that elected officials will turn up their noses at the American democratic electorate, tell them they got it wrong, and put her underneath the raining confetti and balloons at the Convention. If this were the Republicans I'd say, "Not a chance!" But let's face it, we're talking about the Democratic Party here and they just could be that stupid. At least that's what Senator Clinton is banking on.

This completely unrealistic outcome is only made possible by the color of Senator Obama's skin. That's right, America is racist. This son of a Kenyan man and white woman is just too different for our Baby Boomers who still control the ballot box. America is racist. It is so racist it has learned to recognize it, hide it, and take offense whenever anyone points it out. Democrats have counted on African American voters for years, but now one of them wants to lead? Too much. Let's pick the white lady. Geraldine Ferraro is so racist, she implied that Senator Obama is leading the race for President of the United States because he is black. To boot, she took massive offense that anyone would dare label her or her statement as racist. Wow! Do you think Senator Obama was ushered to the front of the Starbucks line as soon as the crowd noticed his skin was darker then theirs? Perhaps his Harvard professors spotted him, and everyone else of color, 10 extra credit points on all his papers. Maybe. Or maybe it's because he's a hard working educated articulate leader speaking a message of hope and change to a nation badly in need of hope and change. As Senator Obama himself admits. An African American running for president is a stretch for many. Some still see America as they would have prefered it remained, much as it was down on the farm.

We are no longer on the farm as a nation. Just a few generations ago America's children left those farms and spread their wings. They went to college, traveled and opened doors to places they didn't know existed. They gave themselves options and pursued paths that led this nation to an economic prosperity it had never known before. But in leaving the farm, they brought their children together. The old boundaries weren't as clearly marked and their children played together, went to school together, fell in love with each other, married, and gave birth to a new America. Indeed, they gave birth to a new American.

I attended a wedding a few years back where an Asian mother stood up and very honestly told the party they had always hoped their daughters would marry men who looked like them and spoke like them. But that's not what their daughter chose and she opened her arms to welcome the white man into their family. My own family's story is not so different.

You see, America can accept Senator Obama now, or they can accept him later. But we must realize that he is not going anywhere. He is that new American.

President Bush will go down in history as one of the worst and most destructive presidents ever. That much is clear. Who ever the new president is will have very little chance to implement their agenda and ideas in their first term. It will take at least one full presidential term to bring an end to the war in Iraq and put our country on a new path. Both candidates say that's just what they'll do. It's a matter of who we believe. Don't think either President will accomplish much the first four years besides cleaning up the enormous blotch left by President Bush? They will need their second term to make their own mark. Upon who do we bestow eight years of power?

The Bush and Clinton families have laid the foundation my family lives on. Have you ever wondered why Senator Clinton has no support among young voters? We're too young remember the glory days of the Clinton White House when Bill was claiming credit for the .com boom and running a stellar intern program. We don't sit around fondly reminising about Bill's parting action handing out pardons to his criminal buddies like they were raffle tickets. We certainly don't admire the fact that he has turned his 8 years of service into a groundwork for wealth and fortune. What we do discuss, what we absolutely cannot avoid, is the dismal state of our nation and the shaky future currently offered to our children. So do the Clinton's get 8 more years? Did our founding fathers wish us to grant leadership of our nation to two families for 28 years? Make no mistake about it, we know what we get with the Clintons. That's comforting to some. Senator Clinton has made it clear that Bill will serve as a major advisor. They have a track record and a proven path. Jump on the path and see where it leads. I've done that and found myself in front of this computer staying quiet no longer. I do not wish for my children what Bill Clinton has done for me.

What if there was another way? A new way down a new path to a different place. And what if the maker of that path was the son of a Kenyan man and a white woman? A man of color. An American.

Could you follow him? Can you follow us?

Wayne Hall to Run the 2009 Yukon Quest

2008-04-21T21:16:00.000-07:00

I've never met Wayne Hall in person, but I'm excited to see him run the 2009 Yukon Quest. Wayne is one of a handful of individuals still using their dogs to run traplines and travel across Alaska's winter landscape. Wayne, his wife Scarlett, and their son Garf run traps and operate a tour business in the Interior. When it comes to working sled dogs, these folks know their stuff.

A few years back Wayne entered the Yukon Quest and finished with all his solid working dogs still standing tall in harness. That was the first time anyone had completed the Toughest Race on Earth without dropping a dog. Wayne ran it once more and improved his standing. He's taken the last few years off from the Yukon Quest to build a more competitive team.

As anyone who followed my Kusko 300 adventure knows, entering distance sled dog races requires a tremendous amount of resources. I e-mailed the Halls and asked if I could put a link to their website in hopes of drumming up some sponsorships, they agreed. Wayne and his family have put together a neat sponsorship format. They'd be thankful for any level of sponsorship. Depending on the amount you sponsor they would send you pictures, dog bios, a newsletter, and more. If you'd like to be a part of the Toughest Race on Earth without the -60 temperatures, I can't think of a better opportunity.

Check out their website, you'll enjoy it. http://www.bushalaskaexpeditions.com/sponsorship.html

7 Months

2008-04-21T13:26:00.001-07:00

7 months~ Time is flying by. I still get the occasional question, "You're pregnant?" Maybe this shirt is a bit more flattering to my tummy. The baby feels like it's in position. I've been getting kicked in the ribs a lot lately. It's so strong. Kyle, Jacob and Alethia love feeling my belly. Jake even talks to the baby. One night he said, "Hi Baby! Do you want me to hold you?" Then he kissed my tummy. The baby started kicking. Alethia gives my tummy a hug at least once a day. Alethia mentioned that I would have to start sitting further from the table because my tummy is growing. In the beginning she said, "You are going to get fat and fat and fat and fat and then me and daddy will have to help you get out of bed." From the mouths of babes. The kids and I will fly to Anchorage the last week in May to wait for the arrival of our little angel. Kyle will meet us there later. We are all very excited. I wonder who it's going to look like.

-Jo

Lucky's Hot Date

2008-04-09T23:26:00.000-07:00

Think I forgot to mention that Lucky is currently in Two Rivers, Alaska outside of Fairbanks being wooed by Torus. Visited my friend Swanny in February and saw his excellent leader Torus. Before I was done scratching Torus' ear I said, "Let's breed him with Lucky." We talked it over a little and decided to give it a go. Torus is an old Yukon Quest leader with the calm demeanor and rugged build I like. He doesn't have Lucky's long legs, but is actually a bit taller then Lucky at the shoulder according to Swanny. He has a big stout body. If Lucky is able to throw pups like Torus with another 4 inches of leg, we should have some outstanding working dogs in our future. Both Lucky and Torus are trail hardened working dogs able to both physically and mentally handle any trail imaginable. Both are dogs worth reproducing. Brought Lucky up to Fairbanks last week. Swanny was so generous as to offer to whelp the pups up there as well. I don't mind doing it myself, but he is closer to veterinary care and with the house to build it's one less thing on my mind. You can read more about Swanny and his dogs at http://oldschoolak.blogspot.com/ . Sure he'll have more info about Lucky and her anticipated litter as things progess.

Long Lost Kuskoswim Pictures

2008-04-08T23:24:00.000-07:00

Ryan put a bunch of Kusko pictures on a CD for me a couple weeks ago and I finally remembered to bring them home. It was interesting looking at the pictures and letting the memories come back. I've stayed focused on the tough end to our race, but it wasn't all that bad. Most of it was a lot of fun. Great experience. You can find a number of entries on my big Kusko 300 experience in the January archives.

Ryan, Eric, and I in our sharp Ocean Beauty hats. We got many compliments on those hats. This was just a little after arriving in Aniak. The dogs had just completed back to back 75 mile runs, eaten well, and were taking their rest. Dogs looked great and I was having the time of my life. I was really doing it after all the hard work. Those two men in the picture had a lot to do with me being there. It was nice seeing familiar faces in the checkpoint.
Coming off our mandatory 6 hour rest in Aniak headed to Pike Lake. The dogs all looked great, you can see Lucy trying to lope. Spirits were still very high at this point.

The team after the terrible run to Pike Lake and back to Aniak. Some tired pups in that bunch. Lucy just worked so hard getting us through that slop. She was beat. We rested 4 hours once back in Aniak, but should have stayed 8 or 10.

Here we are taking off out of Kalskag inbound. Gave the dogs a big 8 hour rest and they naturally fealt great. About 30 minutes after this photo was taken, Hagar began limping and was loaded in the basket. He hasn't pulled a sled since. Another 4 hours after that the team crashed. Five dogs had pulled the sled with big Hagar inside for 40 miles. They just ran out of steam. We slowly made the last 5 miles to Tuluksak where we waited on the weather and eventually scratched and flew home.

Here are a few pictures of the "trail" Monday. Ryan and Eric did well finding their way home.

It was fun looking through the pictures. The whole thing really left a bad taste in my mouth. Although it was a great experience, I failed. I'm not accustomed to failure. Many said it was the toughest mushing they'd seen, but I prefer not making excuses. Wasn't hoping for some big top 10 finish, just wanted to complete the race in time for the banquet. At the end of the day, my dogs could handle the trail, they just ran out of gas. Would have done many things better, but the biggest difference maker would have been more dogs. In particular, more leaders. That kind of mushing really takes a tole on the lead dogs. Having a crew of leaders to share the burden can make a big difference. Plan is to keep building my dog team and take them back to Bethel when we're ready. Things will be different next time.

Nushagak Spring

2008-04-03T20:51:00.000-07:00

Day time temps have been in the high 30's/low 40's, snow is melting, and it's spring time on the Nushagak River.

Jake turned 3 at the end of March. He had a couple different small parties and got some nice presents. He was very pleased to have a party and enjoyed all the attention. Jake's a very cute little guy and very much a Momma's boy. Because he's alergic to everything under the sun, we stuck a candle in a piece of watermelon. Never a happier boy did you see than Jake singing, "Happy Birthday To Me!" with his watermelon cake.

Johanna looks every bit the pregnant lady. I'll try getting a picture of her and her belly on the blog. A friend of ours just had a baby and Johanna's sister is pregnant so it's nothing but babies everywhere we look. She'll be heading to Anchorage to give birth. We have a hospital in Dillingham and many children are born there every year. However, in my short life in this coastal outpost I've seen too many cases when something wasn't going right and momma with baby inside are rushed to Anchorage for better care. This is Jo's third baby and we pretty much know what to expect so she would probably be fine delivering here. One of the reasons Johanna has always given birth in Anchorage is because her sister, brother in law, and our niece live there. They've got a nice house with extra rooms. They love having Jo and the kids there and it turns a potentially stressful time into a bit of a vacation. Jo and her sister are very close. Her brother in law appreciates Jo's cooking above all. Johanna knows her way around a kitchen.

Besides all that, I've got to build a house this summer and it will be easier on everyone if Johanna is waiting out the end of her pregnancy in Anchorage. We bought our land last summer, put in a driveway, and built a 16x40 pole shed. The lion's share of building materials have been nice and dry in the pole shed all winter. So besides working, I'll be taking time off and trying to build a house. Won't be home much. I was there for Jake and Alethia's births and am planning to be there for this one as well. We'll have to time it just right though.

The mushing season is over for all intensive purposes. Alaska final sled dog races are wrapping up. The dogs are just hanging out mostly. Snow is getting very soft and mushy. A team could run early in the morning when it's still cool, but that's about it. We may still get a little cold snap, but it would be a short one. This was an intense mushing season for me. Entering the Kusko 300 forced me to learn more and become a better musher. The dogs and I grew together. My efforts to promote mushing as a healthy lifestyle also seem to be paying off. Hagar, Chester, and Felix have moved out the road to Aleknagik becoming a small recreational team for a lady I met this winter. Once Hagar is fully healed, I can't think of a better (or even prettier) three dog team. Keenan and Libby Herrmann are pretty gung ho about building their dog team. A musher in Bethel is giving them two great dogs free of charge to help build their team. Just two days ago a lady told me she began ski-joring this winter with her lab and loved it. She may be looking at getting another dog just for that purpose in the future. I had hoped a side affect of running the Kusko would be to locally build some excitement about mushing. Maybe it's working. Next year will be a puppy/training year. I'll have a rock solid 7 dog team and a bunch of pups to train. Seven good dogs is enough to haul wood and peform what ever duties I must ask of them. Puppies will be both sprint and working dogs. They'll be trained differently to perform their duties correctly. Training young dogs is a lot of fun requiring an ounce of knowledge and a ton of patience.

Before long the geese and ducks will return, Herring fisherman will head West to Togiak, and our sleepy little town will come alive with fisherman from all over the world in search of the Silver Hord. Eventually they will leave us again and families will fill their freezers with berries and moose. Then snow and cold return and we are back where we began. Such are the simple rythms of our simple lives. We do the best we can with what we have. Wars may wage on foreign shores, the country prepares for the most important election of a generation, and American families suffer the cost of a failed economy yet our lives change little. We continue to plan for our busy boutiful summer months and enjoy the long spring days here on the shores of the Nushagak River.

One for the History Books

2008-03-27T23:36:00.000-07:00

Distance sled dog racing as we know it today began with the All Alaska Sweepstakes started in 1908 by the Nome Kennel Club. The race ran for a few years and then stopped, but the concept of distance sled dog racing endured. Many of the early mushers are now legends. Right now that race is being re-run on Alaska's Seward Peninsula. And just to make things interesting, the Nome Kennel Club has rasised a $100,000 winner take all purse.

The race is also using most of the original rules. The rules, race standings, and everything else (check out Josh's Blog for current news) can be found at http://www.allalaskasweepstakes.org/ . One of the most interesting of the original rules is that the dog musher must cross the finish line with every dogs they started with. Dogs can be either in the sled or attached to the line, but they must all be present. Modern races allow mushers to drop dogs. Having to maintain a complete team is an unique aspect of this particular race. Also interesting; there are no mandatory rest stops. It is totally up to the musher to decide when and where to rest their dogs. Mushers started the race at 2 minute intervals which means the first mushers have roughly a 30 minute head start on the last mushers. In most races this is accounted for during mandatory rest stops. Without any mandatory stops, we have to watch the musher's time, not necessarily their place, to determine who is winning.

The front runners have quickly covered the 200 miles to Candle and are on their way back to Nome. It appears that Lance Mackey, Jeff King, and Mitch Seavey are leading the pack. Except that in a race like this every team is a few injuries away from being out of contention.

To be honest it has been a little difficult to follow the race on the website. Josh's Blog has the only real "news" I can find regarding the race. It'll be interesting to learn what the mushers think of the format. Distance sled dog racing is getting bigger and bigger every year. The Iditarod is becoming a major international spectacle with other races earning devoted global followings. What will the musher's say about a race with rules orginally made for teams of working sled dogs? How will those old rules resonate with today's professional dog drivers?

We should start getting some answers this weekend. Until then, "Hike it out!"

Western Wrap-up

2008-03-17T21:28:00.000-07:00

Weatherman was wrong. It did not rain Sunday. It was beautiful. Temperature was just above freezing when the race started and warmed up to sweatshirt weather by the time the first musher finished. Trail was well packed and slick. Times weren't as fast as day 1 of course, but much faster then day two. Results were as follows:

1st Place: John Hanson Jr. Day 1=1:08:52, Day 2=1:42:16, Day 3=1:13:48, Overall=4:04:56
2nd Place: Clint Anelon Day 1=1:12:32, Day 2=1:46:32, Day 3=1:16:45, Overall=4:15:49
3rd Place: Tom Weedman Day 1=1:12:19, Day 2=1:52:57, Day 3=1:14:36, Overall=4:19:52
4th Place: Blunka Wassillie Day 1=1:14:12, Day 2=1:56:11, Day 3=1:21:10, Overall=4:31:33
5th Place: Ryan Savo Day 1=1:36:27, Day 2=2:06:37, Day 3=1:49:30, Overall=5:32:34
6th Place: Keenan Herrmann Day 1=2:01:25, Day 2=3:00:58, Day 3=3:10:58 Overall=7:37:25

Johnny, Tommy, and Blunka are from New Stuyahok and Clint is from Iliamna. Johnny ran his dad John Sr.'s dogs, Blunka ran Gust Choknock's dogs, Clint ran his dad Tim's dogs, and Tommy ran his own dogs. Ryan and Keenan were the only Dillingham mushers to enter. Ryan ran my big working dogs to get a feel for racing before we get competitive in the years to come.

Keenan showed the kind of grit and tallent we don't see in enough of our young people. He drove a sled he made himself out of hand-milled spruce and birch. Hand-tied and proven over 350 training miles, it wasn't pretty, but the contraption held up well. His lines were self fashioned. The team consisted of one old leader and three 10 month old pups he and his sister had been raising and training themselves. They would give me a call from time to time, but they socialized them, harness broke them, recognized the leader in the bunch and worked with her. Keenan and Libby brought up their sled dogs largely on their own and made their own equipment. When Keenan first called me about a month ago to ask about the race I said, "How far are you running and how often." He told me they were running 15 miles every day with his sister in the basket. I asked him if the pups were coming home worn out and he said, "Not really." I suggested he try it without his sister in the sled and recommended giving the dogs a break every now and again, but encouraged him to keep working twoard entering the race. Keenan took home a $900 dollar check Sunday. Wonder if he split it with Libby? The dogs were half hers after all.

Long after the crowds had gone home Sunday, Keenan's family and a small group of supporters waited for him at the finish line. He came in fist pumping wearing a smile that touched each ear. Dogs looked great, every tail wagging. Mom took pictures, Dad patted him on his back, and Libby quickly offered the pups some baited water. It was fun watching the top mushers come in with their dogs loping and seeing them take home the big checks. But for all the work and effort that goes into a dog sled race, it was Keenan's finish that I'll keep with me. I saw in him the glow of those first magical moments. That time when we first knew we would never stop mushing, when it was perfect. In that time and at that place I saw what I sometimes forget. In all its complexity with all its intricacies, this passion we share boils down to two things; a musher and his dogs. The musher and his dogs crossing the finish line of the Western Alaska Championship Sled Dog Race at 4:11 PM Sunday afternoon were simply perfect.

Long may you run young man, and thank you.

Western - Day 2

2008-03-16T00:39:00.000-07:00

It snowed all last night and half of today. Mushers were much slower cover the 18 1/2 miles. The fastest musher took about 1 hour 40 minutes. Ryan was a bit over 2 hours and yes, Keenan and his 4 dogs made around. Took a little while, but they made it.

The top four teams all came in slower with most dogs trotting instead of loping. My dogs came in trotting as expected and looked great coming in the shoot. They also looked good as soon as they stopped. Then a few of them layed down and the others were looking pretty tired (except Bing and Luke in the lead). I thought, "18 miles shouldn't make you that tired, even with some snow on the trail." We mushed them back to our land about a mile and a half away. As soon as we pulled into the dog yard, they're tails were wagging and everyone was up and looking around. We had to hold on tight bringing them to their houses. They gobbled down their pre-meal snack and everyone trotted around on their chain waiting to be fed. Those turkeys! They weren't tired at all. Think they may have learned the concept of "checkpoints" during the Kusko and were acting tired to try get a rest after they crossed the finish line.

I mentioned it snowed most of the day, but it rained the rest. Things will probably be warm, soft and sloppy tomorrow. Ryan may have a chance at beating one of the four teams ahead of him. If the working dogs keep trotting along and one of the sprint teams slows to a walk, he just may catch someone. It wouldn't make a difference in the overall time, but it'd be fun to beat someone on day 3. Should be fun to watch. I'll let you know what happens.

3.....2.....1.....GOOOOO!

2008-03-13T23:36:00.000-07:00

Ryan was the 4th of 6 mushers to leave the starting shoot of the Western Alaska Championship Sled Dog Race at 12:06 today. This is Ryan's first race, think he had fun. I know the dogs did.

This year's running celebrates the 50th year of the race and Beaver Round-up (our annual spring festival). Three mushers have come down from New Stuyahok, one flew over from Iliamna, Ryan and another local fella make up the rest of the field. The four out-of-town teams are competitive and finished pretty close together in two groups of two. Then Ryan came in 15 minutes later and Keenan another 20 minutes after that.

Ryan's running my dogs. They are not sprint dogs and never do very well in these races, but it's still fun. They covered the 18 1/2 mile course at 12 mph, much too slow to compete in sprint races. True sprint teams run at 16 to 19 mph depending on the trail. My dogs lope for a while, but eventually settle into their comfortable trot. It's how they run, how they work, and I've got no desire to change that. We'll do much better once our new sprint team is up and flying. We're all pretty excited to get that going, especially Ryan. He's a competitive guy and will enjoy running twoard the front of these competitive races.

Keenan Herrmann is the other Dillingham musher. Keenan is 17 years old, running four dogs (three only 10 months old) on a sled he built from milled spruce and birch. His family operates the only farm in the region on a piece of ground 13 miles out of town. The Herrmann's are a great family and have enjoyed seeing Keenan and his sister Libby taking so well to dog mushing. They're natural with animals and aren't afraid of hard work. They give me a call from time to time with questions and such. I was so proud of Keenan and Libby seeing their dogs run the 18.4 mile course. They did it in fine fashion crossing the finish line with plenty of gas in the tank, tails wagging, and Keenan grinning ear to ear. He says he's going to beat those "Stuyahok boys" some day. If he sticks with, I believe he may.

KDLG is broadcasting the race at 12:00 Saturday and 1:00 Sunday. You can listen on-line at kdlg.org. There should be a few race stories and musher interviews on the site tomorrow as well.

Snow is falling and the forcast is for more snow and even rain. Although our dogs don't particularly like warm weather, it wouldn't hurt to get a bunch of snow on the trail to slow down those hot-shot teams!

Gettin' Big

2008-03-09T22:55:00.001-07:00

Alethia and I flew home Saturday. Things are down right balmy in Southwest Alaska, almost 40 degrees today. Alethia and I visited with one of our new sprint dogs and her pups. I've included a few pictures below:

Minnie is so gentle and such a good momma. She lets us play with her pups all we want. Minnie wasn't raised with kids, but has taken to Alethia and Jake very nicely.

Two of the pups are mostly black and these two are mostly white. The pup in Alethia's right arm (big white blaze on her head) has a way about her. Anxious to see if she becomes a leader.

One of the black pups. Seriously now, could this picture be any cuter?!

Alethia's Big Adventure

2008-03-06T20:51:00.000-08:00

Alethia went to Disneyland. A right of passage for any American child, she has always wanted to go and finally got her chance. I had some business in Durango, Colorado so Alethia and I flew to Phoenix where my parents spend their winters. I went Northeast to Durango and Alethia headed West to Cali-for-nIA. My trip was very worthwhile, but Alethia's trip was outstanding. Just ask her.

One of my sisters lives in San Diego with her family. Mom, Dad, and Alethia drove to her place where Alethia got to play with her second cousins. The oldest is almost exactly Alethia's age and the other a little younger. They had a great time together and then drove up to Orange County for a day in Paradise. Well, a 5 year old's paradise anyway.

Alethia has visited family in Minnesota a few times, but that is the extent of her voyages outside of Alaska. We get to Anchorage from time to time, but our world is in Southwest Alaska. Alethia spent her first 3 years in Koliganek and the last 2 1/2 in Dillingham. Johanna and I are both from the region and understand what it means for our children to venture so far from home. It's impossible for those not born and raised in Alaska to understand how shocking the rest of the world can seem. I'm sure there are those raised in other remote areas of the earth who would understand. But when Koliganek and Dillingham are the standards against which all other places are judged, trips like this are nothing short of incredible.

Alethia has just reached the age where trips like this are worth doing. She can handle the long flights and many changes in environment. She did tell me that Jake and Momma had to come with us next time. Suprised she forgot about the other Belleque still on the way.

Alethia told mom that she wants to live with her in Arizona. Do we have another Arizona Wildcat on our hands? Bear Down!

The old man himself with Alethia, her cousin Quinn, and 2nd cousin Emma.

I think this is Belle with Alethia. She met with other princesses as well. Alethia's a big princess fan.

1,000 Miles Down, 1,000 Miles to Go

2008-02-27T14:32:00.000-08:00

The Quest is over. 15 mushers crossed the finish line in Whitehorse. Lance Mackey won the Vet's Choice award and teared up as he spoke about the award and his dogs. Mushers like Lance are showing the way for the future of our sport.

Our sport's immediate future revolves around the big one, the Iditarod. Dubbed the "Last Great Race on Earth", the Iditarod runs from Willow to Nome with a ceremonial start in Anchorage. 96 mushers from around the world plan to make the starting line in Anchorage Saturday as well as the re-start in Willow Sunday. For many, getting to the starting line has been a life's dream. They have sacrificed family, money, sleep, and more to experience Alaska on the runners of a dog sled. For them completing the race is the goal. I hope they all achieve it.

For others, this is the culmination of their year and their careers. The elite group of professional distance dog drivers will push themselves, and their dogs, to claim the ulitmate prize. Last year Lance Mackey did it just weeks after winning the Yukon Quest. Can he do it again? It would be beyond belief, but not beyond possibility. The field contains a number of past and future Iditarod champions. This year's winner will definately earn his crown.

So who will it be? That's the question. They say it takes a magic ride. It's not always the best dog team. The best team in the race can catch a virus, fall ill, and fade back to the middle of the pack. It's impossible to predict who will experience the complete coming together of driver, dogs, equipment, etc. So I won't give you one name, but will instead predict the type of dog team to first cross under the Burled Arch in Nome. This year's winner will drive a team of predominately 50-60 pound huskies. Many will have pointy ears, most will have a decent coat, and all will look the part.

In the last few years, breeders have bred sprint lines consisting of different pointing breeds into their distance sled dog lines. It's said that sled dogs consisting of 1/8 pointer offer a combination of speed and durability. Many distance sled dog teams consist of short haired, floppy eared, 40 pound dogs. Recently others have gone back to teams more "husky" in appearance. Proponents of husky-type dogs say they are more durable and able to travel longer distances at the conclusion of the race.

Last year Lance Mackey and Paul Gephardt overtook Marten Buser and Jeff King at the end of a very difficult trail. They did it not by running faster, but by running longer and resting less. Running longer is the future of distance dog sled racing. Mushers have proven that it can be done safely. Team Norway and Robert Sorlie are credited with first mastering the style. Although some say it is the technique employed by Siberian Husky drivers in the early days of the Nome Kennel Club 100 years ago.

So this year's winner will maintain a conservative run/rest schedule early in the race staying with the front pack. After taking their 24 hour layover, they will begin running longer and longer and will finish the race with dramatic 100 runs combined with short rests until crossing under the burled arch with both dogs and musher exhausted and satisfied.

Follow the Iditarod at www.iditarod.com. The race is fortunate to employ the most gifted musher/writer of our time. You will find Jon Little's trail updates both insightful and entertaining.

Enjoy the race.

The Quest

2008-02-21T21:47:00.000-08:00

Every race is known by abreviation in mushing circles. You've got the K-300 (Kuskokwim 300), the Tustemena (Tustemena 200), the Copper, Copper Basin or CB300 (Copper Basin 300), the Iditarod is sometimes called the I-rod. Then there is "The Quest". Sounds like it deserves it's own soundtrack doesn't it?

The Yukon Quest is the "other1000 mile sled dog race". Iditarod is a word synonymous with Alaska. The Iditarod is a well funded, and well marketed, race involving throngs of volunteers and almost 100 mushers each year. The Quest is much smaller. The purse is about 1/4 of the Iditarod with 24 mushers beginning this year's race. Iditarod runs from Anchorage to Nome while the Quest alternates between beginning in Fairbanks and ending in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory and beginning in Whitehorse and ending in Fairbanks. Iditarod has been dubbed the "Last Great Race on Earth" while the Quest is known as "The Toughest Race on Earth".

To this point, 9 mushers have completed the race with 6 more still on the trail. 8 mushers have scratched (dropped out of) and one was withdrawn. The Quest has a new website this year at www.yukonquest.com . It's worth checking out.

A section of the new website contains video clips. They've posted video clips for the first 4 mushers across the finish line in Whitehorse. Surely the others are in the works. All the clips so far share a feature in common, Lance Mackey. Mr. Mackey has turned the mushing world on its head. He won the Quest for the 4th time in a row this year and won both the Quest and the Iditarod last year, a feet some thought impossible. Of course Lance Mackey was featured in his video clip, but he was also there to congratulate the second place musher Ken Andersen. Lance handed Dave Dalton a beer as the third place musher and helped him bring his sled to the dog truck. Of course he also greeted and congratulated fourth place musher Michelle Phillips on a "great run". Can't wait to see the other finishing video clips. Did he greet and congratulate everyone? Maybe he's just bored hanging out in Whitehorse waiting for the awards banquet, but I don't think that's it.

Lance Mackey is a cancer survivor and has worked very hard to get where he's at. The greatest distance dog musher ever is simply a real person. The kind of guy who'd love to have a drink with you. I briefly shook Lance's hand at the Quest starting banquet this year. I introduce myself to every musher I can. I say, "Hi. I'm Kyle Belleque a dog musher in Dillingham." Some of them shrug me off as a groupy having no time for some wanna-be dog musher from Dillingham. A lot do talk with me for a while though. Lance didn't let me finish. He said, "Dillingham? What's the deal with that Nushagak race. I've never been out there. Give me a call if you get it going again." He was refering to the Nushagak Classic that hasn't run in a while. He wanted to come out just because he hadn't been here before.

Lance, and his dog team, epitomize the type of dogs and drivers that compete in the Quest. The dogs tend to be a bit more husky and less hound. 60 pound dogs are very common on the Quest trail with 70, and even larger, dogs competing each year. The trail is said to be more difficult and the temperatures can be brutal. Musher's enjoyed -60 F beginning this year's race. One musher who has run both races said, "The Iditarod is for egos and the Quest is for mushers".

I'd like to run the Quest some day. It's a race my dogs and I could potentially do well in. The race would be very complicated to orchestrate from Dillingham for a number of reasons. Mainly, a handler with a dog truck must follow the race cleaning up after the musher and picking up dropped dogs. Not sure how I'd get a dog truck to the road system (I don't even own a dog truck!) or who I'd talk into driving through Interior Alaska and the Yukon in February. It's a bit of a dream right now. But who knows, maybe some day.

Those of you familiar with the Quest already know what I'm talking about. Those learning about mushing through this blog should check out the Quest website. A couple books have been written about the race and a couple DVD's produced. It's worth looking into. The Quest is as close as one can come to traveling across our winter wilderness as it was done 100 years ago.

Congratulations to all who started this year's Yukon Quest, that is no small feet. Congratulations to all those who have finished this year's Yukon Quest, very few have. Good luck to those still on the trail. Keep looking for the lights of Whitehorse, maybe Lance Mackey will be there to hand you a beer.

What Do 30 Year Old Couples Do When the Kids Go To Bed?

2008-02-19T23:08:00.000-08:00

Pay tribute to the great hair dos of our generation. What did you think I was going to say?

Remember the super tough upper middle class mohawk? Where you had to look carefully to confirm that the middle strip of the scalp was in fact longer then the sides since it mainly just looked like short hair.

How about the every sassy sideways pony tail. Jo doesn't look so sassy.

What ever happened to great hair and true love?!?! Someone turn up the Hall and Oats!

Kari, Aimee, or Some Other Name We Haven't Thought of Yet

2008-02-14T10:41:00.000-08:00

This is the first photo of our baby Belleque number 3. There were no protruding male parts (see arrow) so the radiologist suspects another girl. Jacob and Alethia would both love a sister so they are delighted. I would like to apologize to the baby up front. We won't post any more pictures like this one. I promise!

Baby's lower legs. Need I say more! When she is older these will be keeping us awake alot of nights. As of now, I just feel her moving from time to time. She isn't keeping me awake yet. Maybe in another month.

Here is the baby's profile from her head to her toes. I can't wait to hold her.

Face photo. Isn't she beautiful?!!! I can't wait to see who she looks like.

This last photo was of the baby's heart and heartbeat. The kids didn't get to hear it when I had the ultrasound, but they heard it when I saw the doctor. They were so excited. Alethia and Jacob are both practicing taking care of the dolls. Alethia is such a big helper already, she is going to love taking care of the baby. Jacob will love holding her.

It was so exciting to see the baby. They only allow one other person in the room besides me so Kyle didn't get to see the whole thing because we had Alethia and Jacob. They did get to come in at the end and see the baby though. I was glad that Kyle and I got to share that with the kids. Alethia was beside herself to hear it was probably a girl. Don't know what we'll do if it comes out with boy parts. It's so exciting to be able to share all this with you.

-Jo

"We're home anyway."

2008-02-13T22:02:00.000-08:00

Johanna's mom is visiting and while discussing the blizzard outside she said, "It's all right. We're home anyway." I smiled. I remembered.

Johanna's Apa (grandpa) used to say that when the weather got bad. He was already an old man when I met him. Unfortunately he took ill the summer we were to be married. Evan McCarr, always putting his family first, waited and passed away the day after our wedding. Apa died in his own home surrounded by family. The doctor had given him pain pills to help with the cancer quickly spreading through his body, but he never took them and didn't complain. It was a lesson in death I will never forget. Strong. Courageous. Graceful. Beautiful. He died as he lived.

Like I said, I didn't know Apa long and never when he was young and strong. Once he explained moose hunting before the Nushagak river was at its current population levels. Taking out across the tundra on his snowshoes, when he found the right tracks he followed them at a trot. Apa ran in his snow shoes until he reached the moose and eventually brought it to bay. How long did that take? Six hours. Then he would go home, hitch up his dogs, and haul the moose home. Once he told me his five dog team could haul two moose on a twelve foot sled.

Apa's stories were incredible, almost unimaginable, but not uncommon. When the entire village would travel by dog team, one man's job was to run ahead on snowshoes, establish rest stops by lighting camp fires, then continuing on to light another fire and so on until the destination was reached. Johanna has a relative on her grandmother's side that was said to run as fast as a caribou. These men were respected and widely known. They were amazing. Travel to any village in Alaska and you can hear the same stories. The languages would change, but the physical prowess and knowledge of the country (or water) would be the same.

Once I asked Apa how he camped when he traveled with his dogs. "Light a fire and wrap up in a canvas." That's it. Sometimes they were out for long periods traveling perfectly raw country. No checkpoints. No veterinarians. No handlers or food drops. Often long trips employed two men, one dog team, and hundreds of miles. Typically each man took his turn in front of the dog team breaking a trail for the dogs to follow. They traveled and camped in every kind of weather. Bitter cold, driving snow, rain, wind, they dealt with everything imaginable. They had to do it and they did.

So the next time the weather drops to 40 below, a blizzard moves in, the temperature shoots to 115, or it just won't stop raining, don't forget... It's all right. You're home anyway.

Blog Comments

2008-02-10T22:36:00.000-08:00

I've recently loosened the restrictions on the blog comments setting so that anyone can post comments on this blog whether you have a google account or not. Apparantly you click on comments (at the bottom of each post), type something in, then click "post", "submit", or something like that and you get a message. The comment is saved for me to deny or approve the next time I log on.

Unless you write something stupid or annoying I'll be happy to put everyone's comments on the blog. Please remember this blog is written for our family and friends around the country. Everyone is welcome to join us of course, but save your criticisms and critiques for someone who wants to hear them. Don't bother writing anything that ticks me off cause I ain't postin' it anyway.

AHHHH THE POWER!

"Who ever said you can't buy happiness forgot about puppies."

2008-02-05T23:40:00.000-08:00

Don't remember who said that, but it's one of my favorite cheesy quotes. Below are a couple pictures of the youngest members of our new sprint racing team.

They are seriously cute. Their Momma, Minnie, is doing a great job with them. She had a little trouble during delivery and we lost a few pups, but she has the mother thing down pat now. They were at the dog yard in my insulated puppy house until the temperature dropped. These sprint dogs don't have much for hair. We've got them in a kennel in the house. The pups are still small and not moving around much. The kids and I can go down and play with the pups while giving Minnie some attention as well. We take Minnie outside to clear her pipes a few times a day. She goes out, does her business, and then heads straight back to the house always wanting to be with her little ones.

We also have a blond male leader named Jerry (formerly Cherry, but Alethia thought it was Jerry so that's what we call him) and just got a 4 month old cream colored pup dubbed Mulan. Should also mention the pups are named Ariel, Jasmine, Cinderella, and Prince Phillip. Can you guess who's doing the naming around here? All the dogs were purchased from Howling Dog Racing Kennels in the Fairbanks area. We bought Minnie as a bred female.

We're poised to have a young team of 7 sprint dogs next season, but we'll continue to breed and train and will be in full force in a few years. As I mentioned earlier, Ryan will be doing most of the sprint dog training and racing.

You might ask why a person who proudly boasts about his working sled dogs would get into sprint racing. A valid question. It's something Johanna and I have talked about for some time. You see I don't ONLY enjoy working sled dogs. I've also owned and enjoyed working retrievers and pointing dogs, was enamoured with my grandpa's sheep dogs as a boy, and would own and train every sort of working dog in existence if I could. I love seeing working dogs peforming tasks they were bred and trained for. More then that, I enjoy seeing them doing it well. We have a small sprint racing circuit in the region and are trying to increase the number of local races and participants. So if I'm already in the dog business, have plenty of food available, and have a energetic athletic fella eager to work with them, why not own sprint dogs?

The two lines will not be crossed. Each line will continue to be raised and trained to perform its intended tasks. Raising and training sprint dogs is a whole 'nother ball of wax, but that's part of the fun of it. Never been one to sit on haunches content with the status quo. Spent the last 6 years teaching dogs to pull. They'll still be pulling, just that some of the dogs will do their pulling at 18 miles per hour.

And Next Time?

2008-01-27T18:55:00.000-08:00

If there is a next time I'd do a few things the same and a few things differently. I'm all rested up, the dogs have been eating well and have their full energy back, and I just can't stop thinking about what I'd do differently next time. It is worth remembering that these statements are based on one experience in what some said was the toughest trail conditions imaginable. These are the conclusions I've come to so far:

First of all, I'd have the same kind of dogs and use them exactly the same way. One major misconception about distance dog mushing is that you need speed. Speed can definately help at times, but any team that can cruise at 10 mph or handle rough trails at 6 to 8 mph can run a distance race. Some of the guys had very racy teams with lots of pointer in them, but a few had dogs like mine. Most notably John Baker and Paul Gephardt. They had dogs as large as mine. I purposely stay away from the 80+ pounders. I feel that athleticism meets power at 70 pounds. Paul Gephardt finished that race with 13 dogs. He dropped one, it had a sore wrist. That says a lot for good sized dogs. Also, the dogs did a lot of breaking trail, running across bare ground, running through water, all the stuff we do day-in day-out around here.

So we'd keep the same type of dogs, but we'd need a lot more of them. My 10 dog team would have been fine with a more "normal" trail. I knew that if I had to drop a bunch of dogs we'd have a tough time. Most finished the race with 6 to 9 dogs, a few did better. So most dropped at least 5 dogs like I did and a few dropped 8. With 10 dogs you don't have the luxury of dropping so many dogs. In order to have 14 (the limit for the K300) a musher needs to be training at least 2 dozen. Starting training with 24 solid adult dogs gives the musher room for injuries during training and makes it possible to pick the best ones for the race. So I wouldn't try this again without a lot more dogs in the yard.

Thought a lot about training too. Most started the race with 1400 to 1600 miles on the dogs. I started with 1000 to 1200. That was more then some mushers started with. The Iditarod mushers are on a pace to have around 2500 miles on their dogs by the start of the big race. If they start the race with 3000 or more miles they find their dogs have already peaked. So most of those guys finished the weekend with about 1900 miles on their dogs and may do another mid-distance race, but will only put on another 600 miles the rest of this month and February. So how would I put the miles on the dogs?

First of all, I'd try having a swimming program during the summer. Getting the dogs swimming twice per week would be a great help for them. The dogs could be trucked up to the lake or down to Kanakanak. It would take some figuring out, but it could be done.
Then I'd start with road work the first of September, basically doing it the same as this year. Just for time's sake, I'd probably hitch-up 24 dogs in front of a truck and run them every other day starting with 3 miles and building up to around 25 miles by November 1st.
November 1st I'd head to Ekuk. November is a weird month weather wise, but for a number of years now it is still Fall. A team can run 45 miles down Ekuk Beach before having to turn around and head back. I'd go down there for a few weeks in early November and do back to back runs. Run down 30 miles, rest 4 hours, and run back. Give them a day or two off and do it again building up to running down 45 miles, resting, and running back. You'd have to pay attention to tides, but it could be done. A team could figure on leaving Ekuk with 1000 miles under their belts.
Then I'd come home, let the working dogs be working dogs and let the weather do whatever it wants to do. I'd run the dogs on bare ground breaking trail, haul wood, set a few traps, plow through fresh fallen snow while following their old trail. Just keep the dogs moving, having fun, and letting the weather do whatever it wants to do.
As soon as the rivers froze and trails set up (some time in December) I'd start with the long runs. We'd begin with 45 milers to Snake Lake and back and 50 milers to Manokotak and back. We'd do back to backs using both trails and could do 95 mile runs by combining them. Before you knew it you'd be at 1600 miles and ready to race.
If I were doing more then just the Kusko I'd again get the dogs back to running traps, maybe some camping trips and trips to different villages, haul a few loads of wood. I'd just keep them honest, keep them working.

Eric and Ryan were an enormous help this year. It taught me how important it is to have a good crew. This year was the first year the dogs and I really miled up and I didn't want to miss any of it. I wasn't sure how they would respond to it. I put the miles on the dogs with help from Eric and Ryan. In the future who ever (I hope it would be Eric and Ryan) was helping me would do some of the runs on their own. Even the 50 mile runs are pretty straight forward. Not much can go wrong. For time's sake, I'd also do a bunch of runs with a pile of dogs in front of a snowmachine. A person wouldn't have to be a master sled driver to take the dogs on a safe 50 mile run.

Nutrition is also something I've thought about a lot. We have access to great meat sources in Bristol Bay. I'd get more fish (salmon and whitefish), more beaver, and more other stuff. Then I'd add that meat to a top shelf commercial food. The food I had was good, but the top mushers have all agreed on 3 or 4 brands that work the best for high striss situations. This food would be an expense, but I'd have to be ready for that going into it.

And the race? I wouldn't change a thing. I'd go into it with a basic plan early and then read the dogs and run their schedule. It's exactly what Lance Mackey does. He doesn't have a strict racing schedule, he just does what the dogs are capable of. I'd prepare them, feed them well, and then race them at their ability level.

The race would be run with a new sled however. I'd build a sit-down sled on Matrix runners. I've talked with Roger and we figure a guy could build a nice hand-tied birch sled on the Matrix runners. The sit-down sled is a must. More then anything, it allows you to comfortably get out of the wind. Changing plastics on the Matrix runners is a cinch. Pull a pin, slide the plastic off, slide new plastics on, and put the pin back in. It takes hours to change the plastic on the runners I have now. I'm also not sure about the Seavey Harnesses for distance racing. I like them for everyday mushing and I still think anyone hauling loads, especially with small teams, should be using those harnesses. They really do rub on the thighs. Also, they're so darn tough to get ahold of. The company that makes them can't keep them in stock. This is a major issue when you need some new ones. I'm not sure what other type of harness I might use, but I do like the set-ups without necklines. There are the ManMat harnesses Jeff King and others use, but there's also a nice harness that Alpine Outfitters makes, and an interesting looking harness called the "buggy harness" that virtually eliminates any possibility of harness rub. I still don't like the typical x-back harnesses. If you get down and look at the pressure put on dogs hips you can see why folks have tried getting away from them in recent years. They're good for sprint racing where the dogs aren't really pulling any weight and for ski-joring where the angle on the tug line is pointed straight back or slightly up, but I still don't like them for pulling big loads or running long distances.

And most importantly, family would be more involved. The main reason distance racing is on hold is because of family. Five years down the road, the kids could be involved in most aspects of the training schedule. They wouldn't be doing back to back 80 mile runs at 20 below, but they could do a lot of it. Having other guys doing some of the runs would help too. I'd also bring them to the race with me. That was such a great experience and I wished Jo and the kids were there the entire time.

Those are my thoughts at the moment and I reserve the right to change my mind about any of it at any time. Racing with my working dogs was a unique experience and has not led me away from traditional working dogs, but brought me closer. It's those unique rugged values of the old working dogs that a musher comes to lean on when a race gets tough. I've got the right kind of dogs for anything I want to do. That has been the biggest lesson I've learned and the one I'm the happiest about.

The Scoop

2008-01-24T23:09:00.000-08:00

Ryan, Eric, the dogs, and I landed in Dillingham yesterday afternoon. Ryan and Eric loaded up the stuff in Bethel then flew to Tuluksak where we threw on the sled and remaining dogs and then went straight to Dillingham.

I scratched from the race in Tuluksak 50 miles from the finish line. It was a long difficult 250 miles and probably easiest to describe in parts. Below is an account of our Kusko 300 run.

Bethel to Tuluksak: The first 50 miles was uneventful. The starting line was a zoo. Folks in Bethel really turn out to support the mushers. After some passing and being passed in the early miles of the race, we settled in and cruised to Tuluksak. There was some wind and soft trails, but everything was well marked. Temps were right around freezing. I pulled into Tuluksak with 10 dogs, ran up to my drop bag to grab a bag of booties, and left with all 10 dogs still pulling well in harness.

Tuluksak to Bogus Creek: I was the last musher to Bogus Creek. Most mushers went from Bethel through Tuluksak to Kalskag, but Paul Gephardt, Sabastian S., Mellissa Owens, and myself stopped at Bogus Creek for a rest. Bogus Creek is just that, a small creek. There were people there for the Bogus Creek 150 race that runs from Bethel to Bogus Creek and back. We got into Bogus Creek, the dogs ate and slept for a while. Everything still looked good.

Bogus Creek to Kalskag: Oh how the wind did blow. Shortly after Bogus Creek, the trail drops back onto the Kuskokwim River. The wind was howling and snow blowing. The trail was mostly blown over, but the stakes were still up and could be followed. The dogs required a lot of directions to stay on the trail. In sections we fought through small ground blizzards.

Kalskag to Aniak: I checked into Kalskag and the headed for Aniak, the front runners were coming off their 6 hour rest and many passed me along the way. Again we fought through the wind. At one point a gust hit us broodside and shoved us all right off the trail. Never had that happen to me before. It really started getting warm during this run. Not exactly sure what the temps were, but it had to be in the high 30's or low 40's. Sled dogs are not made to run in above freezing temperatures. It's very taxing on them. Along the way, Felix began having difficulty keeping up. At one point I loaded him in the sled. It was my first lesson in the dangers of loading one of my 70 pound huskies in the sled. It makes a lot more work for the others. We did make it to Aniak where the dogs rested and ate. We took our mandatory 6 hour rest.

Aniak to Pike Lake and back to Aniak: Bernard had a very sore wrist so was dropped in Aniak. It seemed that all Felix needed was some rest so I took him along to Pike Lake with the others. The trail to Pike Lake takes you across the Kuskokwim River, up a mountain, then gradually down the mountain to some lowlands and then to Pike Lake which is just a tundra lake. I passed Paul Gephardt on the way out where he told me, "There's a lot of water up there." He didn't know the half of it. We made it through all the creeks and such in pretty good shape. The deepest water was about 6 inches, with most around 3 or 4 inches. My dogs usually don't like water, but they did well the whole way out. We got to Pike Lake where some volunteers had been seeing mushers go by. I asked them if they had been on the trail recently. Told them it was getting wet and turned to head back to Aniak. As I was headed back I began hearing snowmachines being started. Before long about a dozen snowmachines of all shapes and sizes went roaring past me. My heart sank. I knew the trail home would not be an easy one after those snowmachines went on it. In their defense, they probably didn't want to get stuck out there. The holes that were 6 inches were now a foot in a half. Instead of the dogs wading through water up to their ankles it was up to their bellies and even chests. When not in the water, the formerly nice trail looked like it had been shredded by a one ton cheese grater. To make things worse Felix stopped pulling again and seemed to be cramping up in his back legs. So we marched the 24 miles from Pike Lake to Aniak through deep water, over bare ground and torn up trail with 70 pound Felix in the basket. The dogs were tired when we got to Aniak. We stopped for a rest. I thought something near 4 hours would be fine, but we should have stayed longer. The guy behind me rested his dogs longer as I should have. He had been on the same difficult trail from Pike Lake. Felix was dropped in Aniak.

Aniak to Kalskag: By now it was really warm, the windy river trail I had traveled the day before was mostly slush and water. We made it into Kalskag with little trouble, but the dogs were tired. I rested them there for a while. David Tresino came in behind me and we decided to rest the dogs and travel on together. The rest of the pack had left us behind. I dropped Phoebe and Charlie in Kalskag. In retrospect, I should have kept them with the team. They have helped in the next run.

Kalskag to Tuluksak: It seemed that David and I had finally caught a break. Things had cooled down and the trail set-up pretty well. We were moving nicely and I was feeling good about things again. Just then I noticed Hagar beginning to limp. The limp got worse and worse. He had to be put in the basket. We still had at least 40 miles left to go with 5 dogs still in harness and 70 pound Hagar, my old dependable leader, in the basket. The 5 dogs in front were doing well as David and I traveled down the river, but those 5 dogs did get tired. We crashed. The dogs just got too tired and wanted to rest. We took an hour break and then tried to get going again. David got his team moving, but my poor dogs would not follow. They were just too tired. I tried everything I could think of and finally had to lead them myself. I walked in front of them and they followed. They would follow me, then pull themselves for a short distance, then I would walk in front of them again. We finally made it the 5 remaining miles to Tuluksak. The dogs ran the final distance as they saw the village and heard the dogs. That would be the end of our race.

In Tuluksak: The plan was to just give the dogs a bunch of rest and then finish the race. David and I would miss the banquet, but we'd make it in just the same. Before long we began hearing the stories from the finish line. In the last 10 miles of the race mushers were falling into holes up to their knees, waist, and even shoulders. Dogs were left swimming for dry land. Even with a fresh team this would have been difficult traveling. We opted to stay in Tuluksak and see what the weather did. As it turned out, things began cooling Monday night and continued to cool Tuesday. This made things even more dangerous. Now instead of a river with water and dry sections, it was all ice, some very thin. A musher would not be able to differentiate between good trail and dangerous holes. At that point I decided we had gone far enough. The dogs had been resting for over 24 hours and could have ran into Bethel, but the race was over and it was time to go home. I flew out of Tuluksak yesterday morning. David did make it to Bethel claiming 16th place. I enjoyed getting to know him and was glad to see him finish. As for me, I was happy to be home. Our Kusko adventure had come to an end.

Looking back, no one thing prevented us from finishing the race in a respectable time. It was a combination of weather and injuries, Mother Nature and bad luck. No one was to blame. It's just the way it happened. I could have mushed into Bethel with David yesterday, but it was time to come home. Another weather system was heading for Southwest Alaska and I didn't want to get stuck in Bethel for another day or two after finishing. Johanna is headed for Anchorage Saturday and I wanted to spend some time with her before she left. Lots of things are more important then dog races, none more so then family.

So what now? It will be a while before we enter another distance dog sled race. I wanted to learn what it took to prepare for and run a distance race. Just so happens I picked the toughest Kusko 300 in history to learn. That's not all bad. If I had coasted along a well packed trail and finished the race grinning ear to ear, I would not have learned as much I did. I learned a ton about distance sled dog racing. This knowledge will help me in the future no matter what I do. Johanna and I talked last night. We both thought that in 5 years when Alethia is 10, Jake 7, and the other kid 5 we may try it again. Until then I'm planning to find homes for a few dogs and breed my best ones. We've got plenty of property and food is easy to come by out here. I'll be breeding, raising, and training dogs for a while, the rest we'll decide as we go.

This does not mean we are getting out of racing however. I have purchased some sprint dogs and am planning to train up a team and win the local sprint races. We've got a yellow male named Jerry, a female named Minnie who should be having a litter of pups any day now, and another pup to arrive shortly that I will let Alethia name. Ryan plans to stay with me and run the sprint dogs. He is an incredible athlete. We are both excited. I get to raise and train dogs and Ryan can mush them across the tundra at break-neck speeds. Should be fun.

Eric also plans to stay on and help with the dogs. Hopefully he can help with the working dogs. I'm looking to have a litter of pups every year for a few years and will need help getting miles on them. The young dogs will learn to haul loads and travel over rough trails, even breaking trail when need be. This is something my dogs did do well. As long as they had their energy, they worked hard and were able to handle the difficult trails.

I'd like to thank all the sponsors who helped me out these last few months. The support we received was tremendous. Although we didn't finish the race, we learned and grew together. I am 10 times the musher I was 4 months ago. You're support allowed me to live a dream. I'll never forget it.

I also understand that a number of folks have found this blog and enjoyed following it. Although our distance racing has come to an end for now, there is still plenty more to come. We'll be training pups and living the life we love so well. The blog's title, "The comings and goings of a Rural Alaskan family and their team of working sled dogs" is no small thing. Our life in this little corner of the world is rich and well lived. Drop in from time to time and see what we're up to. Things rarely get boring around here.

Of all the closing statements that come to mind, I think it best to let Thoreau end this post.

I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, to discover that I had not lived. I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear; nor did I wish to practice resignation, unless it was quite necessary. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life, to live so sturdily and Spartan-like as to put to rout all that was not life, to cut a broad swath and shave close, to drive life into a corner, and reduce it to its lowest terms, and, if it proved to be mean, why then to get the whole and genuine meanness of it, and publish its meanness to the world; or if it were sublime, to know it by experience, and to be able to give a true account of it in my next excursion.

Walden or Life in the Woods
- Henry David Thoreau (1817 – 1862)

2008-01-20T17:21:00.000-08:00

Greetings from Aniak!

Kyle is now somewhere near Kalskag or beyond as I write this posting!

Ryan and I are packing up our gear here at my friend Dave's here in Aniak! The temperature is 33 degrees and there is not much wind. Ryan and I elected to travel in the cool of the evening tonight rather than fight the slush on the Kusko.....looks like we need it to get a bit colder. :o)

Kyle had a tough run last night from Aniak up to Pike Lake. He was supposed to leave at 10:26 pm Saturday night but officials held him as word had come from the Pike Lake checkpoint that the trail was dangerous. A ruling was made to let Kyle and the other mushers go on up. Kyle was held up for twenty some minutes and these will be deducted from his overall time as it was their call to hold him.

Kyle came back in here to Aniak at 6:42 this morning after about an 8 hour run. He had Felix in the basket and Kyle was smiling and glad to be off the Pike Lake trail. Felix had muscle cramps and seemed in good spirits. The vet checked him and said that he was fine just a bit sore. He joined Bernard (sore wrist but fine) on the drop dog line and will get to fly to Bethel.

The trail to Pike Lake was steep and also full of water. Kyle stated that the dogs were belly deep in the water many times during that run! I am sure that it was one of the toughest runs of his career!

Kyle fed his dogs upon coming in and then let them sleep. Most ate well and all ate eventually. They were tired but doing well. He is "seeing what they are made of", that is for sure! Kyle was in great spirits and really having fun with all of the runs and developments. We hung out with several other mushers and they traded trails stories and we all laughed quite a bit.

Kyle headed out this morning at about 10:30am (Sunday) for Kalskag. He and his dogs looked strong. He has 80 miles to go until his mandatory layover in Tuluksak. Ryan and I will pass him on the trail some time this evening. The river trail is sloppy and by starting a bit later we hope to not rip it up too much for him and the other mushers as they have now all left Aniak. Should be another interesting "all-nighter"!

Have a good one!

Kepp your sticks on the ice!

Eric Holland,
Aniak

Mid Race update by Eric....Saturday Jan 19

2008-01-19T21:03:00.001-08:00

Greetings from Aniak!

Kyle and his band of dogs are all sleeping right now here in Aniak on the mighty Kuskokwim River. He was glad to be in Aniak and was in great spirits and having fun. He was fun to just be hanging around with! Ryan and I are also in great spirits! We are all having fun!

Kyle had a strong run up to Tuluksak yesterday and ran on to Bogus Creek. The trail was challenging with soft snow and many ruts on the trail between Bethel and Tuluksak. His dogs all looked strong when they came into Bogus Creek.

Ryan and I left Bogus Creek after Kyle got the dogs to bed. We travelled up to Kalskag and arrived up there at about 5am. The conditions were poor as it was howling and the was a lot of blowing snow! I was nodding off for a five mile stretch as the going was slow and the blowing snow had a hypnotic effect on me. We took a break and I was fine the rest of the day.

Kalskag was an interesting scene as there were a lot of teams coming in. Ed Iten came in there first and Dee Dee and Jeff King and others also had their dogs bedded and they were taking their mandatory six hour layover. People were in good spirits despite the ground blizzard type conditions. We enjoyed our coffee there and took off for Aniak a bit after 6am. The conditions had deteriorated and we left in near white out conditions. The check point officials were surprised that we were leaving but it was on a marked trail after all. :o)

The 32 miles to Aniak was one of overblown trails and numerous complete white outs. We took a break at the 16 mile mark in a sheltered spot on a slough. The moon was out and it was harsh but we were optimistic and having fun! We speculated that it would be better for Kyle to come through in the daylight in these conditions. We were excited that it all seemed to be going well!

Aniak checkpoint was not open as there were no teams this far North (130 miles now). We travelled over to my friends place where Ginny Woodmancy had a great breakfast prepared for us. We were even on time!

After a breakfast and a shower we took a six hour nap. We got up, gassed up and went over to find Kyle into the Aniak checkpoint after and awesome four hour and 16 minute run from Kalskag to Aniak in some of the most challenging conditions imaginable. It had warmed up to 38 degrees and the snow was still blowing like heck! He and the dogs did very well but I am sure that he will be sore from having to crouch down behind the sled to avoid the "sail effect". The conditions were severe but Kyle and the dogs did great!

Kyle is probably getting up right now at 9:00pm. He has some preparations before he leaves out of here at 10:26 pm this Saturday heading up on a 22 mile one way run up a hill to Pike Lake and then back here to Aniak! It is the time in the race where the mushers will find out what they really have! Questions that Kyle will have to answer will include whether or not to have the dogs wear boots on the slick trail conditions?? Will he need to do another rest at Aniak on his way back from Pike Lake or will he head on down the river?? Will his dogs that are known to always eat continue with this good and imperative habit?? Time will tell........however....his dogs looked good as he got them all bedded down in straw here in Aniak this afternoon! This sure is a lot of fun!

There were still three teams out on the trail coming into Aniak when Kyle layed down for his 3 hour nap. Now is the time where some teams will probably quit moving. Teams are starting to have some issues. Unplanned breaks will have to be taken. The plot continues to thicken!

So, we will try and post another blog before too long. Check out the K300 website. Kyle and company are doing well! Good Night from Aniak!

PS: Everybody loves our "Ocean Beauty" Musher Hats! Everytime they ask us we always proudly tell of our Number One sponsor!

Eric Holland

In Aniak

2008-01-19T21:03:00.000-08:00

Time to Go

2008-01-18T15:50:00.000-08:00

We'll be loading up the dogs and heading to the starting line in a few hours. The dogs are ready. I've been loading the sled and they know it's time. Luke is ready to rock. He's whining and whimping and dancing around.

We've been laying low, resting and eating. The dogs look fantastic. Their weight is perfect and they are well hydrated and rested. We've been staying with the Vanasse family here in Bethel. The hospitality is off the charts. Everyone has made us feel very welcome. These people know how to put on a dog race.

Yesterday was rather busy. We dropped off the food drop bags at two airlines, had caribou soup at the K300 feed store, then a musher's meeting at 4:00, and finally we chose our starting positions on KYUK TV and radio. It's interesting being in the same room, and indeed the same race, as all these folks I've only ever seen on the internet or in magazines. I've enjoyed meeting them.

Been a long time since I've felt this way. Everything is ready and it's time to go. Of all the emotions, worry is not one of them. A million different things could, and probably will, happen. But everything boils down to me and my dogs. That's it. We are not chasing anyone or worrying about anyone else. For me this entire race boils down to myself, Luke, Hagar, Lucky, Bing, Bernard, Lucy, Olaf, Charlie, Felix, and Phoebe. I know all those characters very well and we'll be fine together.

Remember, you can follow the race at www.k300.org . Also, check the blog from time to time. Eric and Ryan may be able to make a post or two.

Time to go.

Ready or Not

2008-01-13T20:13:00.000-08:00

Here we come. Headed to Bethel Tuesday evening leaving Dillingham around 7:30 and arriving in Bethel near 9:00. Spoke with our host family today. Making final food preparations, preparing drop bags, and packing tonight and tomorrow night.

Ryan and Eric are coming along to help out before and after the race, but they are also planning to travel the trail. They will try to update the blog from the trail and give you a very frank impression of how the dogs and I are doing. Whether or not they can do it mainly depends of if they can locate a good internet connection in the villages.

You will be able to monitor my progress during the race at www.k300.org as well. Like most races, the K300 maintains a chart showing each musher's progress. You can view one right now at www.cb300.com by clicking on updates. Lance Mackey is currently leading the pack at the Copper Basin 300 being run in Interior Alaska. These charts show what time you get into a checkpoint and what time you leave the checkpoint. It will also tell you how many dogs are still in harness (I may drop dogs during the race for any number of reasons), speed between checkpoints, and if I've completed my mandatory layovers.

I had a pretty firm schedule to run the race, but have opted for more of a "do what feels right" approach. To start with, we will rest after the first 50 miles in Tuluksak. That rest should be 3 to 5 hours long. The dogs won't be too tired at that point, but I'm going conservative early. From that point, we'll see how the dogs do. I may run another 50 miles and take my mandatory 6 hour lay over in Kalskag, or we may continue another 30 miles and take it in Aniak. My anticipated run/rest schedule right now is to run 50 miles to Tuluksak and rest 3-5 hours. Continue another 50 miles to Kalskag for the mandatory 6 hour rest. Then push an 80 mile run by running past Aniak, up to Pike Lake, then back to Aniak and rest 4-6 hours. We would then do another 80 mile run from Aniak, past Kalskag, and on to Tuluksak for the final mandatory 4 hour rest. Then it's a 50 mile run back to Bethel. That is a general plan, two 50 mile runs, two 80 mile runs, and a 50 mile run. We may find ourselves resting more or less depending on the dogs. The race only requires the 6 and 4 hours of rest, but I'm planning on twice that much. I'm sending drop bags with enough food to all checkpoints so I can adjust the schedule as the dogs need. So as you're watching the race unfold on the internet, if you see me pulling up for longer rests, you know the dogs are getting tired. On the other hand, if you see some longer runs and shorter rests, the dogs are doing well. Hopefully Eric can log on and tell you exactly what's happening on the trail.

So who is going to Bethel with me? I'm bringing 10 dogs (plus the two humans mentioned earlier); Hagar, Lucky, Luke, Bing, Lucy, Felix, Bernard, Phoebe, Charlie, and Olaf. Hagar, Phoebe, and Bernard all had their old injuries checked by Dr. Hagee today, he gave them all a thumbs up. He sent me a note to bring to the race vets in Bethel. If the injuries cause problems, I'll drop them. You've met each of these dogs except Phoebe, couldn't find a picture of her. She is Luke, Bing, Charlie, and Bernard's sister and Felix and Olaf's mother. At 58 pounds, she'll be the smallest dog on the team. She's a sweetheart. With the exception of Hagar and Lucky, I've raised each of these dogs myself. Luke, Hagar, Lucky, and Bing will be my main leaders. Felix, Lucy or Phoebe could also get a turn in lead, but it's unlikely. All 10 of these dogs could finish the race and it will be my pleasure to enter the Kuskokwim 300 Sled Dog Race with this team. Final mileage can be found at the end of this post. We didn't get as many miles as I had hoped, but we've got enough to run the race. Those were some hard fought miles.

A weather system out in the Bering Sea is currently headed straight for Southwest Alaska. Warmer temperatures and snow are in our future. Hopefully it doesn't delay our trip to Bethel. My bigger stronger dogs would do better with some snow on the trail. I'd take a foot if I could get it.

I had better keep packing. I'll try update the blog from Bethel. Stay tuned.

Hagar-987, Lucky-1147, Luke-1146, Bing-1187, Bernard-828, Charlie-1156, Felix-1077,
Olaf-1168, Lucy-1006, Phoebe-874

The Best Sled Dog I Own

2008-01-12T00:20:00.001-08:00

This is Luke.

Luke is Hagar and Lucky's son and the best dog out of their litter. At 3 years of age he is the best lead dog I own. He holds the line tight during hitch-up, gees and haws (turns left or right) on command, will break a trail, has perfect feet, has a great appetite, can follow an old trail, is friendly with everyone... Shall I go on?

I like all my dogs, but appreciate my hard workers the most. Even my hard workers have their quirks. Luke has very few quirks. He's only 3 so there are things he hasn't learned to do yet, but so far he has mastered each new challenge. More then anything, he wants to please me. If he knows I want him to do something, he works at it and figures it out.

He weighs 68 pounds with long legs and body and a perfect coat for the region, not too long and not too short. Luke is perfectly suited for our corner of the world. He can handle the -30 and -40 degrees we're having right now, but can also mush above freezing if need be. He has the physical ability to do anything he wants, but it's his head that sets him apart. He does tire both physically and mentally, just not often.

We have a special bond Luke and I. Together we drive our team of dogs. I wouldn't have gotten the miles on the dogs without him. Of all the dogs in the team, he's the one I count on most. I'm looking forward to running the race with him next week. I can't wait to see how he reacts to yet another challenge.

Felix

2008-01-08T20:41:00.001-08:00

My family is from Oregon's Willamette Valley. My favorite part of summer vacations in Oregon was visiting Grandpa and Grandma's farm. It was a magical place to a young Alaskan boy, full of animals, fruits, sights and sounds I only knew from books and television.

Grandpa always had working dogs on the farm. Most were border collies, but I remember one dog that looked more like a large blue heeler. Grandpa called him Felix and obviously liked the dog. Grandma chained up the collies at night while Felix had the run of the place. Felix didn't like me much, think he may have bitten me. He was grandpa's dog. I remember that well.

When Pheobe had her first litter I kept two dogs. One was named Olaf, who you met earlier, and the other named Felix. The name suits him. Felix is definately my dog. He likes Jo and the kids and is not aggressive, but he's not overly friendly either. Felix enjoys his own space and doesn't get too excited about anything. A beautifully rugged long gray dog, he looks and acts rather wolfy. I need to say that none of my dogs have wolf in them and I'm against infusing wolf into domestic dogs. It is an old practice that needs to stay in the past. What I refer to is the way he carries himself, very confident and calculated.

Felix fits the working dog bill nicely at a rangy 70 pounds. He pulls hard and never complains. His feet and wrists have held up nicely so far. Mostly, Felix runs in the swing position directly behind the leaders. He's run some lead, but hasn't shown the drive in front that a good leader needs. Perhaps in time he'll become a better lead dog. I'm not yet sure whether he'll be bred. Want to see what kind of leader he turns out to be first. But I must admit, I wouldn't mind having another half dozen dogs like Felix.

Here's a nice shot of Felix. He's got the classic look of a working sled dog.
Another shot of Felix during hitch-up. Never in a rush and always ready to work.

1000 Miles and Such

2008-01-07T22:30:00.000-08:00

Been a while since the last post. Much to tell you about. This may be a long one, bear with me.

First of all, the sled dog ride fundraiser was a huge success! Funds raised completely covered the cost of booties (no small thing at $1.00 per bootie!), new sled runners, new coolers and bowls for feeding during the race, new racing lines, and a few other odds and ends. I also had a lot of fun doing it. For most it was their first time on a dog sled. Many had questions and most were excited to hear we were headed to the Kusko and wanted to support the effort. Father Scott blessed the dogs and myself before one morning ride. We asked for Saint Francis of Assisi (patron saint of animals) to pray for us. It was a very nice blessing on a very nice morning.

Would like to say a few words about the folks helping me along. Ryan and Eric have been amazing. They've gone on every run with me but 2 or 3. They're out there with me at all hours of the day and night in all temperatures. All I'm giving them is a hat and a plane ride to Bethel. Would never have gotten this far without them. My wife's brother-in-law in Anchorage has jumped in to help as well. He's been out tracking down specialty items in Anchorage and shipping them out to me. Apparantly I could have had even more help. One lady asked if I needed help sewing booties. I thanked her and told her I already bought them, but a generous offer just the same.

Eric and I took the dogs on the longest run of their (and my) lives. We left the dog yard at 11:00 Saturday morning and ran them 70 miles before resting for 6 hours at Snake Lake. We followed the rest with another 70 mile run before returning home at 2:00 Sunday afternoon. A 140 mile weekend and the dogs handled it great. We ran the first 50 miles at 9 mph (pretty good for my slow working dogs), the next 20 included a mountain and soft trail that slowed us down. They came right out of the rest ready to go and trotted along nicely the entire way. We dealt with tidal overflow on the edges of two rivers and some serious cold. The first day wasn't too bad. The run started at about -15 F and warmed to probably -5. That was as warm as it got. We didn't have a thermometer, but it's always colder in town near the bay then it is inland. My co-worker said they had -32 at his house Sunday morning. I'm guessing we camped at -35 and ran some of Sunday at -40. It had warmed to -20 when we finished up Sunday afternoon. That kind of cold does things to both man and beast. We were well prepared for the most part. Eric and I stayed warm most of the way. I did use chemical heat packs in my mittens and boots and Eric had to do some aerobics on the trail to keep his blood flowing. We both came home tired and hungry. Jo fed us well and we both went to bed early. The dogs handled it well too. Running in cold weather always hits them hardest with weight loss. They all lost a lot of fat reserves so they're getting big chunks of raw frozen beaver, dog food, and other meats and fats to bring their weight back up. Also, Lucy and Lucky are my shortest haired dogs and wore coats on the trail. I told Eric, "My dogs are wearing coats. That either makes them professional or just wimps!" Shorter haired dogs often wear coats in distance races.

We also have a bunch of dogs with over 1,000 miles under their belts. That's pretty cool, very proud of them. They usually only run 700 or 800 in winter. They've got 1,000 miles and winter's really just now coming on strong. I'll post individual mileage at the bottom of this post.

My sister pointed something out to me. I haven't mentioned when we'll be running the Kusko 300. The race begins at 6:00 Friday January 18th. We load up a Cessna Caravan and fly to Bethel next Tuesday evening. There is a little concert Wednesday evening and the musher's meeting and drawing Thursday. The dogs also need a few days of laying low before the race. Lucy doesn't enjoy flying and will need a day or two to settle her nerves.

The Kusko has become a star studded event as usual. Here's who is signed up to this point: Jackie Larson,Kyle Belleque, Mike Williams Sr, Mike Williams Jr, Myron Angstman, Paul Gebhardt, Hugh Neff, Sebastian Schnuelle, Jessica Klejka, Melissa Owens, Mitch Seavey, Ed Iten, Jeff King, Dave Decaro, Jim Lanier, Dee Dee Jonrowe, Gerald Riley, David Tresino, Martin Buser, Rohn Buser, Ramy Smyth. You'll notice I was the second person signed up. That's no accident. They let you choose your starting place in the order you sign up. I'll be able to choose one of the last slots out of the shoot so my slower dogs don't have to spend the first few miles of the race being passed by faster teams. At least that's how they've chosen starting orders in the past. Hope they don't change it this year. Most will recognize Jeff King and Martin Buser, but Mitch Seavey, Paul Gephardt, Ed Iten, Dee Dee Jonrow, and Gerald Riley are all top Iditarod mushers and a few of them past champions. Many other on the list are successful professional mushers and are well known in mushing circles. I've never met any of these characters. Looking forward to meeting them. Should be fun.

In the next 7 days we'll put another 100 or so miles on the dogs, prepare food and drop bags, pack up all our stuff and make final preparations. I'll make a few more posts before the race. I've got a couple more dogs I'd like you to meet. Also, I'll explain how to follow the race on the internet. It's simple and a lot of fun.

Gotta go. Jo's going to cut my hair. Haven't had time for that lately either.

Hagar-926, Lucky-1086, Luke-1085, Bing-1120, Charlie-1095, Felix-1016, Olaf-1107, Lucy-945

And What of the Musher

2007-12-29T22:25:00.001-08:00

Alethia heads my medical staff. She's applying IcyHot to my back. To much snow shoveling lately!

So what of the musher? In a nutshell, everything is the musher's fault. The musher assumes credit for both success and failure. Mike Williams was featured on an Iditarod documentary once where he said, "It is never the dog's fault. It is always the musher's fault." It's a lot of pressure to put on yourself and I'd like to explain it a little.

First an exception to the above. Most competitive racing kennels run multiple teams in races including the Iditarod. If you signed on with a musher to train and run a team of dogs in a race you probably didn't get to choose which dogs would be on your team and definately didn't choose the breedings that created that team.

A musher who has selected breeding stock, chosen which dogs would breed, raised and selected pups, chosen the equipment they use, selected the diet and housing arrangement, and set the training schedule, has assumed complete responsibility for his dogs. This is the boat I'm in. Most of my dogs are alive because I arranged it. The few dogs that weren't born under my care were carefully chosen to do a specific job. Interestingly, that job did not originally include running races. I wanted 60-75 pound dogs with good coats and feet to haul wood, go hunting, go camping, run a trapline, and spend time with my family on nice winter days. The dogs I have selected, bred, raised, and trained will do all those things very well.

Can they race? This question has bothered me in recent years. As it became clear that my dogs were accomplishing all my goals within a few years, I wanted to push things further. Entering the Kusko 300 has pushed me, and ulitmately the dogs, to learn more and work harder then before. I've enjoyed that part of it. For my part, I've lost 15 pounds and am trying to drop 5 more before the race. We've purchased some new equipment more specific to racing. I've gone 48 hours with 4 hours sleep many times while still holding down a job and a family. Special care has been given to the dogs' diets. Foot and leg care has also been a huge issue. I've contacted knowledgable mushers about various training techniques. All this has been done in an effort to prepare the dogs for a new challenge.

If the dogs do well, I've got much to be happy about. If they don't, it's all on me. These are the dogs I've chosen, raised, and trained. They are a team of my own making. If they don't do well I don't think it will bother me too much. I did not set out to build a team of distance racing sled dogs 6 years ago. But down deep I hope they do well. I'd like to say not for my sake, but it probably is. These dogs didn't ask to be entered into the most competitive 300 mile sled dog race in the world. I did it for them.

Status Report - 12/28/2007

2007-12-28T22:57:00.000-08:00

We're on Christmas break here at the Belleque house. Johanna is a teacher so she's got a few weeks off. I took a few days off work as well. It's been nice spending time together. The last few months have found me putting miles on the dogs when other just wanted to spend time with their Daddy.

We've been offering dog sled rides as a fund-raiser and it's going pretty well. We're sharing a dog mushing experience and raising money in the process. We didn't book every possible slot so I've got time to do a few longer runs as well. With the rides and longer runs, we should still come close to our goal of 1000 miles by January 1st.

I've spoken at length about trail conditions. We are on the brink of the best trail conditions of the year. Temperatures were below zero for a time and then it snowed, and snowed, and snowed. The kids are on Christmas break and the skys clear today so snowmachines are driving everywhere packing down trails. The dogs and I still need some good long runs. Hopefully we'll be able to do those in the next few weeks. Still anticipating starting the Kusko 300 with 1200 to 1300 miles on the dogs. Would like more, but I'm happy with what we've accomplished. It hasn't been easy.

The dogs have been laying low and look great. Many of them shed their winter coats late this year. Don't know why some dogs shed their coats in June and others in October. Need to research that. A few of my late shedding dogs have been looking pretty scronny with their short coats. Their coats are filling in and everyone looks like a husky again.

With Bernard out with his weird paw injury, I'm still planning to start the K300 with 10 dogs. Most of those 10 dogs look great. Still not sure about Hagar and his injured rear leg. Luckily Dr. Hagee will be in Dillingham before I head to Bethel so he can get a good comparitive examination on that leg. I'm sure he can go to the first checkpoint, but he may be capable of more. He's looked really good lately. Ginger is the one dog I'm worried about. She was always a very reliable little dog, but has become irratic in harness. If everything is moving along smoothly, she does fine. She doesn't pull hard when we slow down, but she pulls hard the entire way home. Maybe the trick is to get her up to Pike Lake (even if it's in the sled) and let her pull us back to Bethel. I'm kidding of course, but the thought has crossed my mind.

Been a while since I've posted individual dogs' mileage. Some of the dogs with early injuries have less mileage then others. You can see who has been consistently healthy.
Hagar-665 Lucky-825 Luke-824 Bing-859 Charlie-834 Felix-755 Olaf-846 Lucy-684 Phoebe-763 Ginger-829

Lucy

2007-12-27T20:04:00.000-08:00

Some pups come along slowly and some explode out of the shoot. I still remember Lucy's first run. She was six months old and very shy. She didn't quite know what to do when I put her in harness. Don't remember who she was next to, but she just stood there. When the 4-wheeler began moving she moved along with it, not really pulling. She pulled back on the neckline a few times. I stopped to pet and encourage her. About a 1/4 mile into the run she lurched forward slamming into her harness. Her tug line has been banjo-string-tight ever since. I'm not exagerating. This dog pulls 100% of the time.

Not only does she always pull hard, she loves doing it. Her tail never stops wagging. It's a love for work you don't see very often. An absolute love bug, she does her best to wipe faces clean and get the big hugs. A pat on the shoulder isn't enough for her. She wants lots of lovin'.

Lucy has run lead, but hasn't taken that as a main job yet. I'm planning to give her more time in lead later this winter and next. Since she does run out front I can breed her while keeping to my goal of only breeding leaders.

She's a little smaller then most of my dogs at about 62 pounds. Her body isn't as long as most of my dogs either. Lucy came from a reputable breeder in Eagle, Alaska. I'm planning to breed her to Luke this summer. To say I'm excited about that breeding is an understatement. It should be fantastic.

This is Lucy.

Christmas

2007-12-27T19:07:00.000-08:00

Here are a few Christmas pictures. We went to Mid-Night Mass at 8:30 (I know that sounds strange) and to bed by 10:00 on the 24th. We got up around 8:00 and opened presents. The kids played with their new toys for a while, we went on a short mush, and friends came over for dinner. A wonderful Christmas. Was hoping to get some mushing pictures, but the camera got too cold. Should have taken them when we started.

Here is Jacob and Alethia packing Jacob's new Hummer. They can get a bunch of Barbies in there with the driver. They had a blond manning the .50 cal most of the morning. Jacob is wearing new pants and a shirt from Nana Mary.

Here's Jake with his new piano from his Grandma Vera.

Alethia and her fancy new hat from Uncle Buck.

No Denali Highway Around Here

2007-12-24T23:10:00.000-08:00

Read an interesting article in the Fairbanks News Miner. It can be found at the following link, http://newsminer.com/2007/12/20/10498/ . From here on I'm assuming you've read the article.

The major challenge I've had training my team this winter has been finding a long trail. You've read in this blog that I've done laps and on a few occasions have been able to run my dogs on a 45 mile trail (round-trip). Folks don't realize how far 50, 30, or even 20 miles actually is. In Rural Alaska all trails are essentially snow machine trails. Snow machine trails are made as people travel between communities or by folks just out having fun. The trails made by those having fun don't make for good dog trails. Trails made by those traveling between villages require frozen rivers. We are just now starting to get a good ice layer on one small river. The larger river isn't frozen solid yet.

It's really not something to complain about, you can only do what you can do. But clearly mushing in Rural Alaska is different. The fact that we don't have 100's of miles of road connecting us to different areas of the state can be seen as a disadvantage. When it comes to finding long trails to run the dogs on it may be, but our dogs are used to a variety of trails. My dogs only have one run on what most would consider a good trial. I'm not worried about deep snow, slush and slop, glare ice, anything really. The dogs are used to tough trails.

When the rivers are frozen and trails between communities well traveled, we have more trails then a musher would know what to do with. Problem is, that usually doesn't happen until February or March. I think a professional distance musher would probably have a difficult time consistently preparing for races. There would be years where they would have lots of trails and could condition the dogs well and others where they would struggle mightily to get miles on the dogs. I wouldn't say I've struggled mightily, but it's been a challenge. Just last year there were many more trails established by this time.

So we don't have anything like the Denali Highway near Dillingham. There are no 135 mile trails constantly being packed down by snowmachines. That's fine. If all mushing consisted of was running dogs on a road, I probably wouldn't mush anyway. I prefer the wild, true wilderness where a musher and a good team of dogs can travel the way they always have. We use a trail when we have it and make our own when we don't. That's mushing.

On the Air

2007-12-22T11:31:00.000-08:00

Last Sunday I took Anne and Tricia for a dogsled ride. It was a beautiful day with nicely packed trails. Anne is our local radio reporter and Tricia a tallented young photographer. KDLG ran the story yesterday. It can be found at http://kdlg.org//news/archive.php?year=07&month=12&numrecs=10 . Tricia took some great photos that can be viewed at http://www.triciaward.com/essays.html . Just click on the mushing links.

Half Moon Run

2007-12-17T23:47:00.000-08:00

Mushers use powerful headlamps when running at night. The strong lights are made even better with a cord attaching them to battery packs holding 4 D batteries. My powerful headlamp is a nice LED. Lately it's been giving me fits. It went out just as I was about to head out of the yard. I fiddled with it a little, but gave up and went to my back-up. My back-up light is a very simple LED and isn't nearly as bright as the other. Looking to the sky I saw a bright half moon, plenty of light. I cut the dogs loose and off we went.

The run was only a 20 miler, another "fun run" before we do our 70 milers later this week. Before long I realized the small headlamp wasn't giving off as much light as the glowing moon so I turned it off. We ran under the light of the moon.

It's been a while since I've mushed by moonlight and I'd forgotten how mystical is seems. You can hear the dogs feet lightly and quickly touching the snow, but you can't see their feet moving. They appear to float across the snow and they love it. You feel as a guest in their natural element.

In this moment it also dawned on me that I hadn't prayed on the runners in a long time. I often pray while mushing. Mostly I thank God for the day, my family, the dogs in front of me, and other gifts recently given. So there in the half glow of the moon I thanked the Lord for all my blessings and reflected on many things. Just as Jesus went to deserts, mountains, and gardens to be with God, I feel closer to God when in the midst of his original creation.

The dogs continued to float effortlessly across the snow until we reached home. They stopped. I turned on my light to see wagging tails and happy eyes. All of us renewed by our half moon run.

Shooting Games

2007-12-16T11:56:00.000-08:00

Basketball was my sport in high school. Dad was a coach and I grew up learning about the game. I even coached a team myself one season. Like most sports, basketball practices can be hard and demanding. Coaches ask a tremendous amount from their players. It's the only way to succeed. A team must constantly push their limits to reach new heights.

It doesn't matter if it's the Utah Jazz or in a YMCA summer league. The successful teams push and push hard. But every coach knows that you can't simply keep pushing. At some point the team must relax, have a little fun. In basketball they play shooting games. They're different simple competitive games focusing on shooting (every players favorite thing to do). The mood in the gym lightens considerably. Most leave smiling.

We are playing shooting games at Nushagak Kennels this weekend. It's been tough with the weather and trail conditions lately. I saw it on our last run on Snake Lake road. Some of the dogs were feeling it. The runs this weekend are short, fun, and the trails perfect.

Johanna, Alethia, and I put in a simple trail behind our property. It twists and turns 10 miles then makes a big loop and comes back, 20 miles total. The cherry on top is the snow conditions. We had lots of wet heavy snow and now the temps have dropped to zero degrees. It is hard and fast with enough give to set a hook and provide a little cushion for each step.

The dogs took off and loped/fast trotted the whole way. They ran the 20 miles at 10 - 12 mph and came home with wagging tails. Everyone had fun. Everyone was happy.

I'm planning to hit it pretty hard these next 7 days. The goal is to get 250 miles this week. 250 miles would keep us on track to hit our 1000 mile mark by January 1st.

You can't just drive a team to exhaustion. Sometimes you've got to play some shooting games.

They Can't All Be Lead Dogs

2007-12-14T19:35:00.000-08:00

Some dogs just pull. Charlie and Olaf are two such dogs. Olaf is Charlie's nephew and best buddy. They typically work in the wheel or back of the team. Neither dog has the slightest inclination to lead and they work best hitched up next to each other.

Honestly, they're not my favorite dogs. They don't display the determined power of Bernard or Lucy's quick trot. Neither is very bright and they don't even pull all the time. So why do I have them you ask? Well, they eat well, have good coats and feet, and don't cause any problems. They just keep moving along.

They pull as hard as they need to. They really lean into their harnesses with a big load of wood, but are content to just trot along with a light load and a fast trail. Distance racers don't necessarily wanting their dogs pulling too hard and wearing themselves out. There's a good chance both of these dogs will see the finish line of the Kusko 300. I hope they do finish the race and I hope they do it together.

Charlie is closest to the camera and is darker brown then Olaf who is more of a tan color.
Olaf is nearer the camera in this picture. They're almost exactly the same size.

Pictures

2007-12-14T18:44:00.000-08:00

Finally borrowed a cord for our digital camera. Most of the pictures below were taken in November the first time we had snow. The snowed disapeared shortly after. We were sledding behind our new property. The first picture was taken at Alethia's 5th birthday party. She had 7 friends over for pizza, cake, and plenty of play time. Enjoy the pictures.

Alethia and her cake

Jake and Rebel

Johanna and Alethia

I'd like to introduce the 2038 Yukon Quest Champion, Alethia Belleque

A solid 8 dog team

Breaking trail

Status Report - December 10th

2007-12-10T19:50:00.000-08:00

Things have been less then ideal on the mushing front. Last week we had a run in the driving rain. We've been running back and forth on Waskey Road. Temperatures haven't been below freezing much. Snow has been falling in recent days, but it's been warm and the creeks are open and the tundra is still wet - no base at all. We're scheduled to start dropping into the teens late this week. That would help a lot.

My next move is to start doing laps on Snake Lake Road. This road is different from Waskey Road. It's small and not maintained during the winter. It's further North and usually has more snow and colder temperatures. The dogs will be loaded into the truck and driven to where it begins. Some snow machines trailered up there and hopefully packed down a decent trail. Folks have said it is 7-8 miles long (I'll check it with the GPS) so we'll still be doing laps, but it will be in a new place, on a trail, in front of a sled. Hopefully the dogs will respond well to it.

As far as the dogs go - Chester has had a tough time of it lately. I think it's a combination of things. He's going through an adolescent phase. His littermates have gone through it also. They live with Swanny in Two Rivers. Swanny maintains a blog at http://oldschoolak.blogspot.com/ . It's fun to check his blog and see how Nells and Rose are doing. Chester's got a few other issues going on as well I suspect. For one, it's been warm. Very warm. Chester has got an enormous thick coat. The warm temperatures have got to be hard on him. Also, the longer miles just aren't for him right now. He's still young and not fully developed. I've still got high hopes for him as a great working dog and don't want to ruin him for a race where his participation won't make a bit of difference anyway. We're going to let Chester lay low and get him hauling wood and pulling weight for a living after the Kusko.

Sadly, I think Arctic has got hip displasia. We don't have a veterinarian out here so I'm not certain, but I think that's what he's got. Arctic is 7 years old. I bought him from a reputable breeder when he was 4. He's always been a great working dog and I couldn't figure out why he was having trouble after about 25 miles. He'd start hopping on his back feet instead of using his solid trot. He's always had boundless energy and he'd come back from easy runs totally worn out. The back feet would sort of splay out with the ankles close together. Did some reading on the internet and I'm pretty sure that's what he's got. Will make an apointment with Dr. Hagee when he returns.

Hagar on the other hand has been recovering from his injury nicely. No signs of pain or discomfort although I check his hind leg often. We worked him back into the runs slowly. He'd ride in the truck until the run was half over and then finish the run in harness (one nice thing about running with the truck, plenty of room). This weekend he completed a 50 mile run with shining colors. I still don't think he can run the entire Kusko 300, but am starting to wonder if he could at least go with us to the first or second checkpoint. He's one of the only mature experienced dogs I've got and the starting line scene won't bother him any. I'll talk it over with the vet.

So where does this leave us? We've got 11 dogs in the running for the Kusko including Hagar. Even if Hagar didn't start the race we'd have 10 (assuming no one gets hurt - cross your fingers!). Kusko 300 rules state that a person may start the race with no more then 14 and no fewer then 7. A team must have no fewer then 5 dogs in harness and attached to the gangline at all times. Teams regularly finish the race with 7 or 8 dogs still in harness, many are still running 10 dogs. So where 10 dogs is still a workable number, there is not the room for error I would like to have. Dogs are dropped during a distance race for any number of reasons - injury, dehydration, loss of appetite, or just running out of steam and not wanting to go any more. My dogs have plenty of muscle so using 7, 6, or 5 dogs to pull a light load on a broken trail isn't a problem. My biggest fear is injuries. If certain dogs get hurt, I'm in big trouble. I've mainly been running Luke, Bing, and Lucky in lead. I'm going to do some more work with Felix as he has been leading well lately. Lucy has run some lead, but isn't ready for a race. Phoebe may be able to run some lead, but she's iffy. Hagar is a lead dog, but is very out of practice. Hasn't run lead all year. We have always been a small pack and know each other well. The numbers don't bother me. The 10 dogs I do have look solid. I know them well and they trust me. We should be fine together.

We haven't gotten as many miles on the dogs as I was hoping. This lousy weather has seen to that. Luke has got 588 and the others fall in behind that. The goal is to get 1000 miles on the dogs by January 1st. Since the runs are much longer now, this is a realistic goal. The dogs haven't been anywhere near exhaustion. They had plenty of spunk after the 50 miler so we need to push them a little. The Kusko is a whole lot more then one 50 mile run though. It's a series of runs with relatively short rests between them. That's the hardest part of distance mushing as I understand it. It's not the running, but the resting. The competitive musher's will run the 300 mile race while resting their dogs 10-13 hours. They'll also enter the race with 2000 plus miles. We'll enter the race with 1200-1500 miles and will rest a minimum of 20 hours. The rest is planned for the front side of the race. If they need it on the back side, they'll get it then too. The Kusko is not the Iditarod or Yukon Quest, but 300 miles is a long way to run. No question about it.

I honestly don't know how we're going to do in this race. There is no way to be certain. That fact is both exciting and nerve racking at the same time. I will prepare them, and myself, to the best of my ability and let the cards fall where they may. I believe the key is rest. If I give the dogs enough rest they should be fine.

My dad was a successful basketball and volleyball coach for many years winning many championships. He always told us if you weren't nervous before a game you just weren't ready. Well, I'm feeling more ready every day.

Bing Bong

2007-12-04T22:51:00.001-08:00

Many of our dogs get longer names then origingally planned; Luke the Duke, Lucky Dog, Hagar the Horible, Olaf the Olaffer (that's probably the dumbest one). Alethia calls Bing the Bing Bonger. Bing is a son of Lucky and Hagar and brother or uncle to most of the dogs in the kennel.

He's one of my top dogs, but most people don't get to see him at his best. At 75 pounds, he is a monster in harness. Bing can move some serious weight. Also one of my best trail breaking leaders, he enjoys plowing through snow, blazing his own trail, and seeing new country. Usually I'm the only one on the sled when we're doing that though. During races or mushing on a road, he is shy around people and aggressive around strange dogs. He's easily distracted.

If I were mushing this country 50 years ago, I'd want a few dogs like Bing. He's most at home in the wilderness. Hard packed trails don't do him justice. You don't realize how good of a dog he is until your knee deep in snow with a heavy load. He's got the long legs, deep chest, solid coat, and iron feet that all working dogs should have.

Bing, being the way he is, will start the Kusko 300 in the middle of the team. The starting line chaos won't be his thing. Once we get out on the trail, he'll take his turn in lead and keep us moving forward. And if, just if, we get 2 feet of snow dumped on us, I'll be glad Bing's on my team.

Bing with his bad ear. It's not a naturally floppy ear. I think he got in a fight when he was young because the little band that holds a dog's ear up is broken. So his ear doesn't flop down, it just leans to the side. One of the only ways to tell him from his brothers.

Wanna know what a true working sled dog looks like? That's it. He loves his job and does it well.

July 5th...

2007-12-04T18:21:00.000-08:00

these guys get a new partner. Jacob is potty training. He looks like a little Hulk Hogan in his underwear.

Johanna had an ultrasound today. She's 9 weeks along. The little nipper is 2 cm long and scheduled to arrive July 5th. They couldn't hear the heart beat with the external microphone, but they could hear and see it beat on the ultrasound. Hearing that little heart beat makes it all so real.

-Notes from Jo: It was so exciting to actually hear the baby's heartbeat and see the little dot. It looked so tiny. It was worth it to have my bladder feel like it was about to burst toward the end of my ultrasound. Like Kyle said, it made it all seem so real. Other then feeling bouts of nausea when I smell certain things and extreme fatigue, I am doing great. Kyle jokes that my new bedtime is 8:30. Most of the time, it is. It shouldn't be so bad during the second tri-mester. Alethia is practicing too. So far she's put her doll in her tummy and has pretended to nurse it, burp it and change its diaper. Jacob, on the other hand, will probably be in for a shock.

Dog Sled Rides - A K300 Fundraiser

2007-12-02T00:05:00.000-08:00

We've been fortunate enough to get sponsors for air travel, straw, food, and medication (thanks Ocean Beauty, Happy Tails, AC, and Tall Eric), but there are plenty of expenses left to cover. The dogs will be giving sled dog rides from December 26th to January 1st. Money raised from the rides will help cover the costs of additional vet bills, dog booties, and specialized dog food, gear and equipment.

Rides will begin at 10:00 each day with the last ride starting at 4:00. Each group will get an hour to meet the dogs, learn about mushing, and get a ride on the trail. Ryan and/or Eric will be helping out on the 26th, 29th, 30th, and 1st so we'll be running two sleds those days. The cost will be $40.00 for adults and $20.00 for children under 12. We can get a couple adults, or more children, on each sled. Also, local outdoor photographer James "Izzy" Isdell will be available for professional photography at an additional charge. He's photographed mushing before and his shots are outstanding. Like nothing I've seen before. Participants can get shots of them in the sled or put their arms around Old Hagar for a portrait.

I'll be at the annual Christmas Bazzaar tommorw to start booking rides. Anyone interested can also give me a call at 842-5374. If I'm not home Johanna can put your name in a slot and I'll call you back as soon as possible. We're asking for a 50% non-refundable deposit to hold the slot.

The renewed road work is coming along pretty well and it looks like we've got colder temps on the horizon. Keep your fingers crossed. Mileage is listed below.

Hagar - 204 Lucky - 365 Luke - 409 Bing - 399 Bernard - 363
Charlie - 374 Felix - 303 Olaf - 386 Lucy - 278 Phoebe - 353
Ginger - 379 Chester - 388

The Winding Trail

2007-11-30T10:08:00.000-08:00

It's been a while since the last post. First, thank you to Lisa for recording our fall training and to Ryan for posting it on the blog. Our internet has been down and we can't find the cord to download pictures. We are back on-line now and we'll keep looking for the cord.

On the mushing front, I did some runs with the sled behind our property. Put in a trail geeing and hawing through virgin snow on a beautiful day. Ran that trail a few more times maxing out with two 40 mile runs. Recently, as can happen, all the snow melted. We're back on the road. Putting on miles with long runs won't be easy on Waskey Road, but it can be done. We don't really have a choice. The dogs are running in front of the truck. Don't want them pulling hard at this point, they just need miles. The truck moves along at 10 mph in second gear, a perfect pace. Feet, wrists, ankles, everything seems fine right now. With no significantly cold weather in the horizon, we may be on the road for a while.

I also lost a friend last week. Andy worked in the office next to me and was a musher. Him and I were keeping the local dog mushing organization afloat. He gave me my first dogs and provided tons of great information. He leaves behind a wife, three children, two grandchildren, brothers, sisters, and other family. I helped with the funeral yesterday and am taking leave today to regroup. Deaths have never affected me like this. He was 49 years old sitting at the table with his wife, stood up, and fell over. Just like that. It's made me reflect on my own family and ask the questions we would rather not ask.

Andy and I had many conversations in recent years, mostly about dogs and mushing. He always encouraged me and suggested I do now and not wait too long. My dreams of running a trapline out of the Harris Creek cabin, mushing across country to the Kuskokwim River, running the Yukon Quest have all been kept in dream status. Perhaps I'll get to it when the kids are grown, when I retire. Maybe it doesn't always work like that. Could be that it's never too early to live this life well, to actually do what you only dare dream. Andy just stood up...

On the other hand, family should always come before the wants of one man. Family was a constant theme at the funeral and potluck yesterday. Andy was very committed to caring for his wife and children, and is also a part of a close network of brothers and sisters.

I'm not a big fan of dedicating individual endeavors to others, but Andy's passing has made me want to run the Kusko 300 all the more. He ran the race himself and held it in high regard.

So I decided to stay home with Jake today, light a fire, drink some coffee, wind down. It's also Alethia's birthday. She's 5 years old. She had some things planned at her childcare center so she went there today. I'll pick her up early.

3 months ago I thought I'd start a blog to chronicle this Kusko quest and share pictures of our kids and such with friends. If life we're only so simple. Things are never that easy.

We never know what lies around the bend of a winding trail.

2007-11-19T20:11:00.000-08:00

Here is a video of road training November 1st. The dogs are inbound about a half mile away from the home after an 8 mile run.

Looking Back Down the Road

2007-11-16T22:08:00.000-08:00

It's 15 degrees in Dillingham at 9:10 PM and getting colder. We've got a little snow on the ground. The 10 foot birch basket sled is all fixed up (thanks Roger) and we're taking it out tomorrow. Lucky, Luke, Bing, Bernard, Charlie, Felix, Olaf, Chester, and I are heading out to the flats to put in a trail. This will be their first time pulling a sled since last winter. Also my first time standing on the runner since last winter and I can't wait!

If the weather turns bad we may wind up back on Waskey Road, but hopefully we're done until next fall. As the road work comes to an end we've got Luke with the most miles at 219 and Lucy who just hit 100. Most of the rest are in the 170/190 range. This was my first experience with semi-aggressive fall training and I thought I'd share the major lessons learned.

It's all about the feet - My dogs have genetically good feet, but a gravel road isn't easy to run on bare footed. We had a number of blisters, sore, cuts, broken nails, etc. Some times it was pretty frustrating. But I've got to say, their feet look great right now. Every one of them has a nice solid firm foot. Their feet have never looked so good. It appears the road work was good for their feet generally speaking. But when we went more then 10 miles, or the gravel on the road was wet, we had trouble. In the future I would boot anything over 10 miles or on a wet gravel road. Also, once a dog hit 100 miles, they seemed to start getting blisters and such and should be watched carefully and booted as needed.

They need recovery time - This being my first attempt at road work, I wasn't too sure on a schedule. We ran Saturday, Sunday and then Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday in the beginning. We soon dropped the Tuesday and ran four days per week. After we were almost done with the road work I learned from a few experienced distance mushers that they ran every other day in the fall. Thinking back to some of the foot issues and such, every other day would have been best.

Learn to work through the injuries - We had some of the silliest injuries this fall, dogs biting each others legs, foot problems, even one serious sprained ankle. Hagar sprained his ankle last week and won't be running the Kusko in January. Dr. Hagee (the vet who comes to Dillingham every other month) examined him and said he would recover, but suggested not running an old dog in a 300 mile race after that injury. He's moving around better on it now and I'm looking forward to getting him back in harness in December. When it comes to any injury, you've got to have a veterinarian willing to work with you. That vet had better understand mushing or you're just wasting your time. Also, you've got to be ready with the creams, lotions, and potions. There's a balm or cream for just about anything. Find out about these products. Figure out how and when to use them. The right stuff really can help.

It's much easier (and more fun) with help - Eric or Ryan ran all but two of the runs with me this fall. They were great. Both of them said they would help me out and they weren't just blowing smoke. Having two guys on the 4-wheeler made running along side a public road a very safe endeavor. It was also nice driving to the dog yard at 7:45 on a Saturday morning knowing someone else would be there. And if that someone was Eric he'd probably have a thermos of coffee (thanks Tall Eric!).

We went on 26 runs this fall. Now we find out what it did for us. I'm hoping to be able to take off on 20 to 30 mile runs and work up to 40 miles by the end of the month. That's pretty quick, but the dogs look great. Their muscles are tight and firm, weight is just right, and they've got that confident edge about them. That sense of knowing what it's all about. Plus, pulling one guy on a 100 pound sled over the snow has got to be easier then pulling 2 or 3 full grown men on a 300 pound 4-wheeler. I'm guessing the sled will be more fun too. I can't wait to see their reactions when I hitch them up in front of a sled tomorrow. I'll let you know how it goes.

These are the dogs still available to run the Kusko 300. We're down to 12. Hope we don't get hit with injuries. Keep your fingers crossed. (dog's name and mileage below)

Luke-219 Lucky-175 Bing-209 Bernard-173 Charlie-182 Felix-183
Olaf-196 Lucy-100 Phoebe-175 Ginger-191 Arctic-112 Chester-198

My Buddy Bernard

2007-11-14T00:10:00.000-08:00

I often find myself analyzing the dogs. Studying their nuances. Deciding where they're at and how they're coming along. Then I see Barnard pulling hard in harness and smile. Things are never that complicated with Bernard.

He seemed to be leaderish when he was young. Thought for sure he would be leading my team for the next 10 years. His desire to lead died down while his desire to pull continued to grow. Bernard doesn't want to lead a team. I try him up there every now and again to see if he's changed his mind. He hasn't yet. He'll happily run any position from wheel to swing, but not lead.

What Bernard does do is pull. He pulls harder then any animal I've ever seen in my short life. He pulls so hard I'm afraid something is going to pop. If we're moving a 1000 pound load up a hill and all the dogs have quit to catch their breath, I have to call Bernard's name and tell him WOAH or he'll keep driving forward kicking up snow behind him. It's really something to see.

He looks just like his 3 brothers minus the long legs. He's got all the body, just not the legs. One of the shortest dogs on the team, Bernard is compact and powerful.

What he lacks in leading ability he makes up for in pulling and kindness. It's not so much that he likes everyone. He likes everyone he likes. Johanna, the kids, and I are his favorite people. Strangers had better be willing to spend some time with him. He won't love you just because you ask him to. They've got to earn it. Bernard is often the dog I take berry picking or hiking in the off season. He's a mellow guy and a pleasure to be around...as long as he likes you.

He likes me and I'm happy to introduce my buddy Bernard.

Bernard (eyes open) on left next to his brother Bing. Difficult to tell them apart. Bernard is shorter and Bing has a bad ear.

Bernard and his pulk on a family berry picking trip. He looks so different without his big dark coat. He can easily pull 50 pounds across the bare ground. That's equal to 10 gallons of berries and a pack with water and snacks.

Ocean Beauty Seafoods

2007-11-11T22:21:00.000-08:00

Ocean Beauty Seafoods has graciously offered to sponsor the entire cost of our airtravel for the Kuskokwim 300 Sled Dog Race. This is the largest financial component of the endeavor. Their sponsorship will allow us to bring the dogs, gear, and humans from Dillingham straight to Bethel in an IFR aircraft. This is a huge deal and by far the best for the dogs. A big thanks to Ocean Beauty Seafoods for their generous sponsorship!

Ocean Beauty Seafoods produces all types of delicious seafood products. As a proud Bristol Bay man, I particularly enjoy their Echo Falls brand smoked sockeye and spreads. The lox and cajun spread are particularly good.

Learn more about Ocean Beauty Seafoods and their brands and products at http://www.oceanbeauty.com/

Thanks again Ocean Beauty!

Then and Now

2007-11-06T21:30:00.000-08:00

My team. Spring 2007.

Roger Skogen's team (my father-in-law). Koliganek, Alaska Fall 1992.

Keeping in mind the picture of Roger's team is before they are muscled up from hard work and their coats have been shedding all summer, the two teams don't look too different.

Roger's was one of the last teams of working sled dogs on the Nushagak River. They are all gone now. Friendly, the lead dog, was an old dog when Johanna and I married. I tried breeding him to Lucky, but it didn't take. That entire line of working dogs is gone.

These last 6 years I've been trying to import dogs and breed litters that are representative of a team like Roger's. His were not the biggest dogs he had seen, but they hauled wood, went ice fishing and hunting, and generally took him where he wanted to go to do what he wanted to do. I know I've come close because as they say, "The proof is in the pudding." My dogs haul wood and do all the things Roger did with his dogs.

He didn't race them, but enjoyed them every weekend and evening he could spend with them. Roger learned about sled dogs from the old mushers on the Nushagak River. He helped me get started with dogs. I still contact him often for advice. His advice is often different, and more correct, then I get from racers when it comes to working with sled dogs. What racer has taken his team to the woods and truly put them to work? The knowledge of what working dogs are capable of, and how to use them to survive in our corner of the earth, is held in the minds of our old mushers. From the start my goal has been to discover that knowledge and put it to practice with my team of working sled dogs.

Shift on the Fly

2007-11-04T23:25:00.000-08:00

The foot thing became a bit of an issue last week. The road had been rather wet and the little pieces of gravel were getting in between the dog's pads causing those sores. Runs have been cut back a little to keep everyone in good enough shape to get going once the snow arrives...hope that happens soon.

Hagar seems to have injured his rear ankle, he's having a heck of a time putting weight on it. Don't know when or how it happened. The vet should be coming back to town soon. If it doesn't get better I'll take him in.

Eric bought some doggy medicine that we were in need of. It's your standard foot/leg ointments and creams. With all this road work, it began helping a few of the dogs immediately. A few of the dogs who were injured early are now back in harness and looking good. We've been monitoring their old injuries and they seem to be fine.

All-in-all, things are going along pretty well. A training schedule was drafted, but I wasn't naive enough to think it would be followed exactly. Actually, we're not that far off it. Working with dogs never gets old. You just can't tell what's going to happen next. You don't second guess or spend time worrying about what's already been done. It's just like a ball game. You go in with a plan, but things change as the game unfolds. The best teams make the right adjustments at the right times. Feels like I'm back on the bench calling the shots. It's a lot of fun.

We've got a nice group of young healthy sled dogs pulling well in harness and loving every minute of it. Now where's the snow?!?!

Hagar = 104 Lucky = 131 Luke = 175 Bing = 129 Bernard = 129
Charlie = 138 Felix = 69 Olaf = 151 Lucy = 56 Phoebe = 131
Ginger = 147 Arctic = 68 Louie = 138 Pete = 154 Chester = 154
Gus = 33 Junior = 91

Bun in the Oven! Yahoo!

2007-11-04T23:15:00.000-08:00

Johanna is with child. Found out last week. The little nipper should be making his/her appearance this summer.

We're all very excited. Alethia is beside herself. She can't wait to be an ulla again. Jake doesn't know what to make of it all, but he's not too happy hearing about his Mama with a new baby. We had been thinking about another kid, but were going to wait a little while. A delightful suprise to be sure.

You'll definately be seeing some more posts about this. Stay tuned!

Training Update 10/27/07

2007-10-27T23:22:00.000-07:00

Things are starting to get interesting. The mileage has increased and the dogs are getting into the groove. We're up to 17 dogs with the addition 2 more of Harold's yearlings. It's 17 dogs, but ranging in age from 18 months to 9 years. Dogs with hardly any experience to dogs who have been mushing longer then I have. It's definately getting fun now!

We're basically doing laps on Waskey Road as the mileage increases. Any time spent with dogs is time well spent, but I'll be happy to get on a sled. The scenery hasn't changed for almost a month now.

Luke is still doing most of the leading. He's a great finished leader at the age of 3. His brother Bing has been running with him almost exclusively for the past week. I need another young finished leader and Bing is the best prospect. He's got all the drive and natural ability in the world. Bing just needs some polishing, he should be nice and shiny by February. In a pleasant turn of events, it looks like Chester (see post in September Archive) wants to be a lead dog. He struck me as "leaderish" from the beginning. I've had yearlings eager to charge ahead before, but it appears that Chester already knows his commands for the most part. Could he be a "Natural Leader"? The Holy Grail of dog mushing is what we call a Natural Leader. They are dogs that seem to know just how to lead a team from the very beginning with little or no instruction. I've never had one of these so I don't exactly know if Chester is one, but let's hope he is. Regardless, he's been running in swing where he can pick up more leading commands without the stress of leading.

Running on gravel toughens up a dogs feet, but only to a point. The dogs have been running without booties to this point, we haven't needed them. I knew that at some point we would cross the threshold of helping the feet and beging hurting them. That threshold was crossed at about 100 miles. I wonder if that's normal? I usually don't run much in the fall, just enough to get the rust off before we take off on the sled. A number of dogs today had the beginnings of raw tender feet. We're going to start running them with booties tomorrow. They need to get used to running with booties anyway, may as well start now.

The dogs are getting used the routine. The old dogs walk calmly to the line and patiently wait to be hitched up. Even the young dogs have mellowed out. I'm sure their spunk will come back when I pull out the sled. Need some cold weather before that happens. Since I began mushing 6 years ago, I always begin with a sled in mid-November. There isn't always snow, but the tundra is hard enough. Let's hope this year is the same.

Mileage:
Hagar = 104 Lucky = 109 Luke = 130 Bing = 120 Bernard = 99
Charlie = 109 Felix = 46 Olaf = 106 Lucy = 19 Phoebe = 109
Ginger = 109 Arctic = 53 Louie = 93 Pete = 109 Chester = 109
Gus = 18 Junior = 46

Sponsors and Support

2007-10-26T22:38:00.000-07:00

It's not always easy talking about money. I'd much rather engage in a good religous coversation, but just about everything we do these days requires money. Running the Kuskokwim 300 Sled Dog Race this January in Bethel will be no different.

Before asking businesses to help fund this endeavor I had to ask the question, "Why would anyone give me money to go run a dog race?" After some serious thought I came up with a few good answers to that question and sent out letters requesting sponsorship. A few generous business have already decided to help sponsor this effort, many said no, and a few are still thinking about it. Our official sponsors have been listed on the left. Hopefully we'll be adding others before January.

I decided there are a few different reasons businesses and individuals offer financial support to dog mushers. The primary reason is that dog mushers may help you sell something. The year after Jeff King won the Iditarod for the 4th time a good number of mushers switched to his particular style of harness, bought the snowsuit he uses, and gave his favorite dog food an opportunity. Even small town mushers can help advertise for a business in a given area.

There are also those businesses that market Alaska. Every Iditarod musher last year had their picture taken with a bottle of Alaskan Amber. Alaskan Amber is a quality beer that has been well marketed as THE Alaskan beer. Some businesses market within Alaska and we see their products and services being advertised by Iditarod mushers every winter. After all, mushing is our state sport and these men and women are our Alaskan heros. However, many businesses market Alaska to the rest of the world. I've always thought these businesses could benefit from an exchange of money for a weekend's photo shoot with a dog team. I once met a Brazillian who knew absolutely nothing about Alaska except that there was a big sled dog race up here that started with an "I". America, and a good portion of the world, associate mushing with Alaska. There could be potential for small unknown mushers like myself. Where I may not be able to sell tacos, lumber, or snowsuits on a state or national level, I've got a few dogs that would make a heck of a poster hanging in a travel agency in Orange County.

I've not yet struck a sponsorship like this though. My financial support so far has been local. I grew up here and always felt support from this small town. I haven't asked the businesses why they chose to sponsor me, they each probably have their own reasons. We'll be doing things to thank them and promote their businesses. Their generosity is greatly appreciated. They run good businesses I'm happy to support in return.

Not all support is financial of course. One of the things I never tire of is the positive reactions I get when people see me running my dogs. Snowmachines pull way off the trail to give me room to pass. Some give me a thumbs up, everyone smiles and waves, others turn off their machines and watch and hear the team go by. Once a man stood up on his snowmachine and applauded as we passed. There is something about seeing a team of sled dogs traveling across our land. It fits. It's part of our heritage. The dogs evoke memories of a different time, maybe a better time. Regardless, the dogs make people smile and they thank me for that memory, that thought. This is support too. Every one of those poeple has helped me keep these dogs and motivated me to continue on. Their support will help send me to Bethel too.

Nushagak Kennels is traveling to Bethel to run the 2008 Kuskokwim 300. That much is certain. How well we finish remains to be seen. It's been years since a Nushagak team has entered the race and I'm proud to represent our region and its mushing heritage. So whether you have chosen to support me financially or encourage me through word or deed, I thank you. It all makes a difference and without it this dog team would not be headed to Bethel.

Thanks.

My Beautiful Wife

2007-10-24T23:46:00.000-07:00

Johanna and Jake last winter.

You haven't seen many pictures of Johanna on this blog because she's usually the one behind the camera. Under the title of this blog reads, "The comings and goings of a Rural Alaskan family and their team of working sled dogs." The truth is we wouldn't be coming or going anywhere with out her. She's the backbone of our small family. Modern women wear many hats, but we are her first priority. Anyone who knows her would agree. She is "Mama" to our children and the love of my life.

I know, I know, this is a deviation from the more masculine posts of hard working dogs, dead moose, and such. But let's give credit where credit is do. Johanna is a musher's daughter and first suggested that I get sled dogs. It was always clear they would be my responsibility, but she does feed and care for them on ocassion. Johanna knows how much these dogs mean to me. When times got tough and I wanted to get rid of the dogs, she talked me out of it. With Johanna it's not about dollars and cents, it's about family. Our dogs are a part of who we are as a unit and she embraces them just as she embraces the rest of us.

Before this Kusko 300 quest began, Johanna and I had a talk. I showed her a training schedule and different fund raising options. I asked if I could give it a try and she agreed. So the entire reason I am able to prepare for and run this race in Bethel is because Johanna is willing to sacrifice while I pursue a dream. I definately owe her something big when this is all over...maybe a new house would do the trick.

I don't know why God blessed me with this beautiful woman, but I'm sure glad he did.

Our "Lucky" Dog

2007-10-24T22:59:00.000-07:00

If Hagar is my foundation stud, Lucky is the Grand Matron of Nushagak Kennels. She came from Will Forsberg in Healy and has been a joy from day one. Most of the dogs I've ever owned have been her direct decendents. She is everything a working sled dog should be.

Lucky is a rangy 65 pound brown dog with a short to medium coat. Mushers refer to dogs with long legs and a long body as "rangy". This is a quality to look for in working dogs. She is what is termed a trail leader. Not every leader works the same way. The best ones will follow a trail when they are on one, but will also turn and adjust their travel on command. Some dogs prefer not to listen to the driver, but will willingly follow a trail as long as it continues. Lucky is such a leader. She knows gee from haw. However, she would rather choose her own path. It is a misconception that all dogs can follow a covered trail by scent. Dogs can loose a trail and some have a difficult time following a broken trail. Lucky on the other hand will follow an old trail to the footstep even a year after she has traveled it. More then once I've had the weather close in and the trail quickly disapearing behind me. I turn the team around, put Lucky in lead, and enjoy the ride home.

This is going to sound corny, but I think Lucky and Hagar are in love. Seriously, they seem to have a relationship. Right now they are in a kennel where Lucky is attached to a chain and Hagar is loose. He won't leaver her, not a chance. Also, both dogs are rather dominant around other dogs, but they share the food in their dog dishes and genuinely seem to like being together. Hopefully they will give me another litter before the winter's over. Lucky has very long heat cycles. She will allow a male to breed her for two weeks, most will only allow it for a few days. The problem is determining when the breeding will result in pups. The last time they bred successfully, I put them in a kennel together until it happened. Hagar's getting a little older and I'm not sure how this will go. I know one thing, the world could use more of Lucky and Hagar's pups.

This is the "Lucky" dog:

Lucky chilling out on her dog house - a very easy going gal.

Lucky looking back at me. She spends a lot of time in swing (position directly behind the leaders). Although she doesn't listen too well in lead, she knows the commands and willingly performs them in the swing position.

Lucky and her outstanding litter of 11 pups. One of the pups was very small and didn't survive, another died of an accident, the rest are owned by myself and another local musher. Of the 9 surviving, the four males are rangy 70 pounders and the females are considerably smaller 55 pounders. More then half of these pups became leaders. Let's hope for more!

It Ain't all Good Times and High Fives

2007-10-18T12:12:00.000-07:00

For the most part, mushing is tons of fun and very fulfulling. But when working with living things, bad things can happen.

Right now, we have three dogs out of commission due to fighting. Dogs get in a scrap and one dog gets bitten on the foot or leg. A bite just about anywhere else is no big deal, but a car just won't run without good tires. In six years, this has happened once before and now it's happened three times in two weeks.

We think we have it figured out. It's happening during feeding time, some of the bowls needed to be moved. Dogs are in contact with their neighbors in the new dog yard. That allows for good socialization, but it also allows for this kind of thing to happen. But too, they are just more "edgy" then I've seen them before. There are a few new recruits in the yard, but they've been there almost a month. My dogs are some of the sweetest I know and I've never seen this much aggression in the yard. I know they don't like strange dogs, but this is their team - their pack. They've also never been in harness five days per week, maybe their energy levels are up.

One way or another, we need to deal with this. It's an incredible responsibility to bring an animal into the world. Most of my dogs are here because I wished it and made it happen. When I see my dogs hurt...it's just not easy to take. Once a great young dog of mine died because of my actions. Johanna and others wouldn't let me get out of dogs although it was what I wanted to do then. This sense of responsibility helps create the bond that connects us all. It's not about preparing for races or optimal team performance. These are my dogs and they deserve to be well cared for. It always hurts to see them in pain.

The good news is that they are dogs and dogs heal well. I gave them antibiotics to fight off infection and let them mend. These aren't life threatening injuries and each of the dogs will be back in harness before long.

Even though it ain't all good times and high fives, I wouldn't trade this life for anything.

Fall Training

2007-10-13T21:41:00.000-07:00

Fall training is more about getting the dogs in harness then anything else. It's not nearly as enjoyable as mushing across the snow while standing on the runners. Leaders need to remember their jobs, young dogs need time in harness, and everyone needs to start building miles.

Our land is on one end of Waskey Road so we can pull out of our driveway and mush down the road. The dogs learn to stay on the right hand shoulder. Waskey is a working road and cars drive by slowly and happy to see dogs in harness.

Lately we've been harnessing 13 dogs in front of a 4-wheeler with 2 guys riding it. The 4-wheeler is not running, just in neutral. Having 2 guys on the 4-wheeler works well. One guy can steer and work the brakes and the other can run up the line if need be. It's a very safe system and works well.

Eric and Ryan have been a huge help. It's a lot easier, and more fun, mushing with others. They even scoop poop. I could get used to this!

The kids come along for about 2/3 of the runs. Here Alethia is loaded up and ready to go home.

Mileage:

Hagar = 34 Lucky = 31 Luke = 50 Bing = 44 Bernard = 31

Charlie = 31 Felix = 40 Olaf = 28 Lucy = 19 Phoebe = 31

Ginger = 31 Arctic = 9 Louie = 31 Pete = 31 Chester = 31

Uppa Hagar

2007-10-12T20:28:00.000-07:00

All but 3 of my dogs are direct decendents of this beautiful 70 pound gray. I bought Hagar from Mitch Seavey the December before Mitch won the Iditarod. Hagar was a wheel dog when I bought him, but soon became a solid gee/haw leader.

Hagar is getting older now, a bit slower and sagging a little in the belly. I learned what sled dogs could really be when I first hitched Hagar in with the team. He pulls and pulls and pulls, there's just no quit in him. No matter the weather, no matter the load, no matter the trail, he pulls with all his strength and all his heart. These vital traits have been passed on to his kids and grandkids. Hagar's determination is the backbone of my dog team.

I'm pretty contected to Hagar. In a lot of ways he taught me what mushing was all about, what it could be. Johanna and the kids love him too. He's the grand old gentleman of our kennel.

It's not as easy for Hagar to stay in front of the younger dogs anymore. One of the reasons I wanted to run the Kusko this year was to do it with Hagar and Lucky (you'll meet Lucky later) while they're still able. I'm not sure if Hagar can put in the miles and finish a 300 mile race at his age. But I know that if he's able, he'll do it. He always has.

This is Hagar.

Training Update 10/07

2007-10-07T21:11:00.000-07:00

We've been mushing the dogs for a week now and things are coming along nicely. The leaders are remembering their duties and young dogs are shaping up quickly. Runs have been limited to 3 miles this week, but the dogs look ready to stretch it out some. They're coming home with plenty of gas still in the tank. We'll probably stretch them out to 4 and 5 miles next week. The idea here is not to push them too hard, but allow them to determine the distance. If they are ready for 4 miles, that's what we do. When they're ready for eight miles, we'll do that. These athletic dogs take a little while to shake off the cob webs, but once they get going, their runs can get longer quicker. It always seems like they stay around 3 to 5 miles for a while, but before you know it they're doing 8, then 10, then 12 miles. The cooler temperatures have definately been helping out as well.

The goal is to work up to 20 or 30 mile runs before we hit the trails with a sled (depends on when the snow comes). If they can muster a 20 or 30 mile run pulling a 4-wheeler with one or two people on it, they can definately pull a sled with one person and a bag of gear on a 40 mile run. December will be a busy month taking the dogs on some very long runs. They'll need to come into December already in pretty good condition to work them into racing shape. There's a lot of work to do between now and January 18th when we start the Kusko 300, but we're off to a good start.

Arctic injured his hind foot this weekend. He's always had good feet and I can't find any specific injury. It's already healing. I've started the fall with 15 dogs in hope of begin the Kusko with 12. Just like any team sport, you've got to have subs. Having only 3 extra dogs may be cutting it a bit close, but we can start the race with 10 and still run a sound race. These aren't 40 pound wimps in our dog yard. These are honest 70 pound working dogs. We should be fine.

Nushagak Kennels is no longer a one-man-show. Johanna and the kids have always run dogs with me, but I've done all the training, feeding, etc. by myself. This year Eric and Ryan (the guy who shot the moose) have offered to help with the dogs. Ryan is a very athletic young guy with plenty of good questions and a nack for handling dogs. Eric has mushed before and has already been a big help. He's run many of my dogs in the past. Eric may write some posts for this blog as well in the future. If you notice that everything is spelled correctly and the punctuation is uncharacteristically correct, don't be alarmed. It's probably just Eric.

Mileage:
Hagar = 18 Lucky = 15 Luke = 30 Bing = 24 Bernard = 15
Charlie = 15 Felix = 24 Olaf = 12 Lucy = 15 Phoebe = 15
Ginger = 15 Arctic = 9 Blackie = 15 Pete = 15 Chester = 15

New Lead Dog?

2007-10-06T22:40:00.000-07:00

Not even close!

For about a year now Alethia has been asking for a "little brown dog". Recently such a dog became available and we now have Sammy as the newest member of Nushagak Kennels. He's small, fluffy, very cute, and doesn't fit any of my harnesses. His duty will consist of laying around looking cute and keeping us all entertained.

A lot of mushers have pets other then their sled dogs. Sled dogs don't make the best pets by most standards until they are pretty old when they finally mellow out. Sammy should be with us until Alethia leaves for college...That's a strange thought.

Here's Sammy.

Big Moose

2007-10-02T22:07:00.000-07:00

Here's the moose I mentioned in my first post. Below are pictures of Ryan and the moose. We found him when paddling back into a slough. The big fella was with a cow and refused to leave her side no matter what types of calls we used. How did we handle this you ask. We challenged him! I put the canoe paddles above my head and Ryan followed hunkered down behind me. We walked up to him slowly saying bwa, bwa, bwa and stopping to "thrash" some bushes with my wooden antlers. He was about to run away from us, but we struck a cord with his lady friend. I don't know if it was my handsome headpiece or Ryan's work in the back, but she was definately interested. He came out to meet us, showing us his big antlers and massive size. We began circling each other until until he was broad side at about 50 yards. Ryan shot him through the lungs with his 30-06. He took three steps and fell dead. Talk about exciting! Now that's moose hunting!

He measured out at 61 inches. Being a rather old beast, we let him hang for a few days before cutting him up and sticking him in the freezer. He tastes great!

And in case your wondering about that cow moose, she was pretty into us. We kept having to run her off while we butchered up the old boy.

Ready! HIKE!

2007-09-30T22:49:00.000-07:00

It's been 6 months since I've said those words. Nushagak Kennels if off and running!

We made our first two runs this weekend. I had hoped to start fall training earlier, but we've been working on the land. The pole barn is just about done so the dogs are finally getting some attention in the evenings.

Fall training consists of hitching up the dogs in front of a 4-wheeler and mushing down the right hand side of the road. One of the reasons we bought our property on Waskey Road is its great mushing location. It's really the only road you can safely mush dogs on in Dillingham.

The goals for fall training are: 1. Get your leaders tuned up 2. Build their muscles back up 3. Begin putting miles on the dogs. Alethia and I made the maiden voyage Saturday night. I hitched up a solid team of 8 easy going dogs, Luke and Lucky in lead. They were a delight, standing in place quietly during hitch up and then pulling hard the whole way. Tonight, Johanna, Jacob, and Alethia came along so I hitched up some of the more "wild" dogs. Wild by my standards would include, jumping and screaming in harness when stopped. This is normal behavior for most sled dogs, but I don't prefer it. The team did very well tonight. The three newcomers (the "wild" dogs) did jump and scream, but they also pulled very well. We're going to work on the jumping and screaming with them, see if we can't get them to mellow out a little.

Distance mushers keep close track of each dog's "mileage". Basically it's a tally of the number of miles the dogs have run. Most mushers enter the Iditarod these days with 2,000 to 3,000 miles on their dogs. I've been told that 1,000 miles should be a minimum goal for running the Kusko 300. My goal is between 1,200 and 1,700. I'll be posting each dogs mileage on this blog. You can see how well we're doing that way. So the mileage total as of September 30, 2007 is...

Lucky = 2 Hagar = 4 Luke = 4
Bing = 4 Bernard = 2 Charlie = 2
Ginger = 2 Phoebe = 2 Felix = 2
Olaf = 0 Chester = 2 Lucy = 2
Pete = 2 Blacky = 2 Arctic = 2

We ran two miles each day. You can see that most of the dogs ran on one of the days and a few ran both days. I now see that Olaf didn't get to run at all. Poor Olaf!

Chester

2007-09-24T22:37:00.000-07:00

The formatting was a little off on that last post, still figuring this stuff out. Hope this one turns out a little better. I now see that I can preview the post before I publish it, better start doing that.

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One of my plans for this blog is to slowly introduce you to all of my dogs. I've got 15 of them so it will take a little while, but be thankful I don't have 100!

I'd like to introduce Chester. He is from a breeding that I planned between Lucky and McKenzie. Lucky is a 7 year old female I bought from Will Forsberg. She is mother, or grandmother, to all but two of my dogs. McKenzie is a Hedlund Husky I had two winters ago. He is now back in Knik where I orignally got him. Chester has a sister and two brothers who have moved to Two Rivers where they are doing very well.

At one year of age, Chester is already my largest dog. He's got the height of my tallest dogs, but is especially wide in the chest. The last time I checked he weighed in at 75 pounds. Just for reference, most distance mushers run 40 to 55 pound dogs. I've found dogs usually put on another 5 to 10 pounds of muscle after their first year until their growing is complete at 2 1/2. That logic would have Chester weighing in at 80 to 85 pounds by this time next year. That's a whole lotta sled dog! Keep in mind that in weighing a sled dog, you can still feel their ribs, the tops of their spine, and the bones on their rump. This is lean weight we're talking about. Most musher's agree that athleticism begins to suffer once a dog hits 80 pounds. The big dogs are strong, but can become painfully slow when they get too big.

Chester put in some good working miles last spring before the snow melted. He hauled some wood and even went smelting one day. He seemed to do fine keeping up with the team once they settled into their trot, hopefully he'll keep pace just fine this winter.

He's got most of what I look for in a dog. He's calm, well mannered, and loves to pull! A dog showing these characteristics (especially early in life as Chester did) is welcomed to a long working life in my dog yard. The big question now is, will he lead!

Only lead dogs are allowed to pass on their genetics in my dog yard. The pullers are spayed or neutered. I take my time with young dogs before altering them. They get until their third winter to prove they have the desire to lead. Chester will get a few shots in front with an experienced lead dog this winter. If he takes off I know he MAY have something. If he isn't too eager to go and keeps looking back I know he MAY not have anything, but it takes some dogs an entire winter to show interest in leading. Once a dog shows the desire to lead, I run them in swing (right behind the leaders) for the majority of the winter. Then in their third season, if everything has gone to plan, they are ready to run lead next to an experienced dog and learn the commands and finer points of leading a team of working dogs. Some leaders progress faster, some slower, but this is the method that has worked well for my particular line of dogs.

Chester has a long season of learning ahead of him. It will be his first full season in harness. I know he loves to pull and is calm and level headed, but he has put on 20 pounds since the snow melted. Just how hard will he pull? And of course the big question, will he become a lead dog?

Not sure if Chester's large build (and age) will allow him to keep up with the team and make it to the starting chute at the Kusko 300 in Bethel. It would be great to have such a big tough working dog like Chester running a race like the Kusko. We'll see how the season shapes up for Chester. Seeing a dog like Chester would bring back a lot of memories for folks on the Kuskokwim River.

Chateau Belleque - 2008 Vintage

2007-09-24T21:23:00.001-07:00

After graduating with a microbiology degree and a chemistry minor, I figured fermenting things would be a great way to make a living. I did work at a winery in Oregon's Willamette Valley for a short stint before returning home. It was the only job I've had where the boss opened a bottle of wine to share with lunch.

The summer I came home Mom asked if we could turn her currants on the bush by the stairs into wine. We got some yeast and brewed a few gallons of currant wine. It wasn't very good at first, but settled into a very nice dessert wine after a few years.

We finished that wine last winter so it was time to brew up another batch. I made a few modifications to the methodology this time around, we'll see how it turns out. This vintage is a meritage combining currents from Chateau Belleque and Armstrong Vineyards.

I'm most pleased with its bright red color. It was allowed to ferment with the must and given some time with the lees to draw out as much of that bright current red as possible. Now the trick is to keep our hands off it for a couple of years until it really gets good.

I told you this blog wasn't just about dogs, but I will get to that. I promise.

Nushagak Fall

2007-09-19T22:19:00.000-07:00

This is my first real post and I've struggled a little with where to begin. I guess purpose is a logical place to start. At 31, most of my friends and family have chosen to leave Rural Alaska while I've come back to stay. We live a different sort of life out here. I've seen a little of what the rest of the world has to offer and quite frankly, I don't care for it. Johanna and I have chosen to raise our family in this very small place living a semi-subsistence lifestyle, filling the freezer with fish and meat, and of course mushing dogs. I'd like to continue to share this lifestyle with those we love and think about often. Others are always welcome of course, but this blog is mainly written for our family and friends in Minnesota, California, Arizona, urban Alaska, and where ever else they may be. There will be plenty of discussion about dogs to come. After all this is the Nushagak Kennels blog. But lets start where the season finds us, just finishing filling the freezer. Enjoy the blog.

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Summers are busy in Bristol Bay, the sockeye salmon capitol of the world. But after the "outside" commercial salmon fishermen and cannery workers have left and we get our towns and villages back to ourselves the real work begins. Families scurry about picking berries in their favorite spots and searching for new ones. All the salmon have been put away and many focus their energies on moose.

Moose are enormous. A big moose will give a family 500+ pounds of red meat. Some couples and small families choose to share a moose. Moose are fun to hunt, but require a huge amount of physical labor once they have been killed. Finding a good moose hunting partner is no small task.

In Koliganek I hunted with my father-in-law Roger most of the time. We got along well and enjoyed our time together. He's a very healthy man in his mid-50's and we didn't have too much trouble handling moose we shot. I flew to Koliganek to hunt with him early in the season this year hoping to give him a hand with his moose. He wound up shooting one a week after I left. He cleaned the entire moose by himself in 5 hours! That's a lot of work! Like I said, he's a very healthy 50 year old. I hadn't found a good moose hunting partner like Roger in Dillingham until this year partly because of the way I prefer to hunt.

Like I said, moose are big and heavy. This leads most local hunters on the Nushagak River to hunt from their boats. I've done plenty of it myself, but it does get boring spending day after day sitting in an open skiff. It just so happens that my co-worker Ryan had some of the same thoughts about moose hunting. We both wanted to get off the river and "call in" a moose. We hiked into some beautiful areas on the lower Nushagak River the last three days of the season. It's amazing what a person sees when they sit quietly in the wilderness. We saw osprey diving for pike, cow moose grazing in a meadow, beaver, mink, and otter swimming in back water sloughs, porcupine waddling by, and a mouse scurried over my boot. Despite the frequent rain showers, we enjoyed ourselves.

We were able to trick one moose and took a few nice pictures of the animal. When Ryan gets them to me I'll post them and talk about how we got the moose and other hunting techniques we employed. But at this point the freezer is stocked for the winter and I'm chomping at the bit to get my dogs in harness for some fall training. Once we finish our pole-shed, I'm going to do just that.

2007-09-06T17:59:00.000-07:00

Bloggin!

2007-09-06T17:34:00.000-07:00

That was easy. Nushagak Kennels is now Bloggin!