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Mark & Mary Black
P.O. Box 282
Grand Marais, MN 55604

Phone: 218-349-7960

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The 2010 Beargrease Story: Part I

Now that I can type on a computer without security and anti-virus warnings popping up every 30 seconds I’ll try to get part of the Beargrease story out today. (Our computer tower is with me waiting to see the IT doctor this afternoon to get rid of that nasty virus…I guess he has something like Tamaflu for computers).

The race start was a bit congested as usual but after getting Mark’s sled packed, runners changed and dogs harnessed and bootied, Mark left the starting chute at about 1:45 on Sunday afternoon. Temps were a bit chilly for the spectators, but great for running dogs. Since the Two Habors checkpoint on the way up is a congested mess, Mark decided that he wasn’t going to take any rest there and just “blow through”. Since he wasn’t planning on stopping we sent a couple of the handlers to Two Harbors “just in case” he needed booties or to drop a dog while myself, handler Jess and dog truck driver, Corey headed straight for the next checkpoint, Beaver Bay. Beaver Bay is the burial site of John Beargrease and the mushers stop to pay respects at the site. While the historic factor of Beaver Bay is significant, the logistics of having 30 14-dog teams resting in the corral area are less than ideal. Since we were the first truck there, we had pick of the corral and got a sweet spot behind a gravel burm. Corey, Jess and I got everything situated at the resting spot and waited for the arrival of the other handlers.

Upon their arrival they said that Mark literally “blew through” Two Harbors. I guess he told the judges he was going on through but needed to stop on the trail to untangle a dog just beyond the turn to the checkpoint. He set both snow hooks, ran up to take care of the dog and just as he was walking back to the sled, the dogs popped both hooks and he had to grab his sled as it went by! A couple hours later we had heard that Mark had gone through a couple of the road crossings coming into the checkpoint so we stationed ourselves at the check-in line. While there we heard he had gone through the last crossing and should be there in about 10 minutes. Well, ten usually means twenty but when close to a half hour passed and no Mark I started to get worried. We heard someone had some trouble at the last crossing, but the checker said it couldn’t be Mark as he had already passed through. Not two minutes later the checker got a phone call that is was Mark that was having trouble but he was back on the trail and on his way in.

When he came in, I could tell by his voice he was pretty shook up as he told the story about the last crossing. Apparently the last crossing involves crossing a set of rail road tracks, a 90+ degree turn, a 45 degree downhill another 90 degree turn and a bridge crossing with a steep enbankment, all within a short distance. I’m not quite sure how it happened but Mark lost control on one of the turns and his sled and his body slid into the trees on the side of the trail. Fortunately, his snowhooks popped loose from his sled and hooked a tree, as the dogs ended up on the other side of the enbankment with six of them heading straight down. Thankfully there was the person at the railroad tracks to help get everything straightened out as once Mark got his sled back on the trail, his snowhooks were five feet down the enbankment and the dogs were crazy to go. At first Mark thought he may have broken his sled or worse, his hip or back, but after a five hour rest (and two doses of Advil) Mark and the dogs were back on the trail, headed for Sawbill…

…to be continued

Daylight Watch: Tomorrow will be 3 minutes and 6 seconds longer than today!!!

Beargrease Hangover

Not only are Mark, I and the dogs suffering from the Beargrease Hangover, so is our computer. While checking Facebook yesterday all kinds of security windows started popping up asking me to run antivirus software. Fortunately I didn’t say “yes” to any of them and called one of the IT guys from work and he said it’s a malware virus that can more than likely only be removed by someone more tech-savvy than me. Why do people get their jollies from attacking other people’s computers? Unfortunately I can’t upload photos or even view them for that matter.

Since I can only pretty much get on-line and type, I’ll have to start the Beargrease re-cap tomorrow after I get into town and use a different computer. Enjoy your Sunday everyone and we’re hoping that we don’t get buried under another two feet of snow. There is a lake effect snow warning for up to 10″ with higher amounts in the higher elevations. Last time they predicted that, we got two feet! Ugh.

Daylight Watch: Tomorrow will be 3 minutes and 5 seconds longer than today!!!

Home Feels Good

It’s hard to believe that it has been less than three days when Mark crossed the finish line of the 2010 Beargrease, it feels like years ago.  It’s also hard to believe that we won’t have to go through the pain and agony of not much sleep for four days. It was nice to get home yesterday afternoon and have the dogs tucked into their own houses so we didn’t have to get up in the middle of the night to let them out of the truck to stretch their legs and do their “business”.

I’m still a bit groggy this morning so tomorrow will be the race recap. I do have to say a huge thank you to our handling crew who were just awesome this year. Thank you, thank you, thank you to Jess Allen who came all the way from Winnipeg to help out,  Michelle Ethun AKA Sleeping Beauty who kept me laughing during the week, Corey Hulst our dog truck driver, Mark Luttinen whose slept witht the dogs every chance he could get and David Demmer for jumping into the mix at Trail Center and helping us through the end. These people were just what was needed for the last marathon…great with the dogs and great senses of humor. Mark and I were honored to have you with us! You were awesome.

We’re slowly recovering…and Mark’s leg is too, meaning it’s getting blacker and bluer. I have a couple pics posted of it on Facebook, but of course the photos don’t do the bruises justice.

Have a great day everyone and look forward to tomorrow’s post.

Daylight Watch: Tomorrow will be 3 minutes and 4 seconds longer than today!!!

373.7

Mark finished his 16th and final Beargrease today at 6:39pm.  After 373.3 miles and 47 hours of running Mark must be exhausted, but Tuscan and I heard that Denali wanted to keep going!

Mark and his team of 8 dogs (6 dogs were dropped during the grueling race) crossed the finish line in 10th place.  Out of the 30 teams that begun this years marathon 15 teams scratched!  All of us here at the Kennel can relax and start celebrating now that we know they’ve made it.  And we are all anticipating some great stories from the musher, handlers and doggy athletes. I hope the race rookies have plenty of wise woofs and good advice for the youngens when they arrive home. Maggie, Moon and Caribou and especially proud of their sister Bree who finished the entire race at age two!

Congratulations Mark on a long and successful career as a Beargrease musher.  I’m going to have to get your autograph!

Princess Tuscan and I can’t wait until the crew is back safe and sound (so don’t party too hard guys!).

The End is in Sight

Mark Black is about to jump on the runners one last time for the Beargrease Marathon.  Any minute now Mark and the dogs will head out of the last checkpoint and head to the finish line.  I hope they aren’t too sore and have some good spirits left to enjoy their last run and go out with smiles and barks.

Princess Tuscan and I are so proud!