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!!!