Spring has come to Alaska, it really is the best time of year here. The sun is reflecting on the winter’s snow making it so bright you gotta wear shades! The dogs are miled up and all the trails are in. Every village in the North takes their turn in celebrating. Fiddle dances, potlatches, ice fishing contests, and the crowning of the Village Princess all make up each community’s Annual Spring Carnival.
Of course at the center of all of the festivities are the dog races. Almost every community features a Sprint Race. Some add women’s, children’s, and some add longer distance races. Thanks to an idea contrived by Hugh Neff and Josh Cadzow, lots of hard work by families such as the Cadzows and the Carrolls, and some greats sponsors, the villages of Circle, Fort Yukon, Chalkyitsik, and Birch Creek get to add a World Class 300 Mile Race too.
This was the second running of the Chief David Salmon Memorial Yukon Flats 300 Sled Dog Race, and it was the second time the Cosmic Canines made the roster. Actually there was a little bit of déjà vu for us, it was our second run, both times with bib#7 and both times finishing 2nd place.
That made us something rare in this race, veterans. Hugh Neff and double rookie (the first. rookie finisher in both the 2011 Yukon Quest and Iditarod) Jodi Bailey came back to make their way around the land of the Gwich’in. Everyone else was attracted to the race for the first time for different reasons. Some to train pups, some for money, some to see new country. They all went home with all of that, and more.
There was a 12 dog limit, but I only had 10. Thanks to some recruits from Dew Claw and Iron Pearl Kennels. It was my goal to finish with all of those dogs. Sure enough the whole team made it around the track. The only other team to manage that was Ben Peter, running Chester Fields team. Not a race experienced musher but growing up in the Yukon Flats he was no stranger to driving dogs. Ben said he didn’t realize you could drop a dog. I guess one way to finish with all of your dogs!
The best thing was my team got stronger, as we went farther. By the end, we posted the fastest times on the last two runs. This is a good thing, keep in mind we are training for the 1,000 mile Yukon Quest. We still had 700 miles left in us, for sure!
What do I attribute this to? Training for fast recovery. Learning when to take your time and letting the dogs call the speed, even if it is slow. Knowing when to drive. Keeping your sled light. And reading dogs to know when to feed, when to let them rest first. Great breeding helps, but ya gotta run ‘em right too.
