MUSH! Beargrease!

[Nanook]

Re: MUSH! Beargrease!

Hey Nylah,maybe some year you and your brother can make it down for the marathon. I thought of you on Sunday when I stood out there in the so so cold and wondered how you'd like it if you came down and the wicked cold happened. But then on Wednesday I ran into 2 couples from Illinois who drive all the way up here to follow the whole race from start to finish! They said they do it every year and get hotel rooms each night on the trail. How fun for them, it's a dream I have to do that.

TSmall, come on up! Is a wicked set of cold but with enough clothes on, it is not that noticeable. Any piece of skin open will frostbite in 10 minutes so you must even cover your face. I don't recall a race start as cold though. Years ago I used to follow the race, then it ended up the same week as Uncle Sam's donkey races so I missed a bunch of years. I saw Susan Butcher come in a during neck and neck race with another musher at 4:30 in the morning back in 1991. I'm so glad I got to see her in person and congratulate her, she is my all time favorite hero. (RIP Susan).

Hey Seveen! Come on up. We can have a boardie party on the tundra! I have to giggle. I never could put Florida and furnace in the same sentence, but I know it gets chilly once in a while down that way too!

Roots, are those little Scottie dogs ever cute! Can you just see about 20 of those pulling a sled, lol...

Ok, got more pics. little more...

[Nanook]

Re: MUSH! Beargrease!

I refer to the rest of the day as "Chasin Jason". That's what I ended up doing and so did all the other mushers since Jason Barron from Montana was in the lead at the last checkpoint by about a half an hour. Jason pretty much had the race sewn up but then again, until they cross the finish line anything can happen. Dogs have been known to stop on the trail and just sit there and not move an inch for long periods of time. I bet that would be a sinking feeling if there ever was one.

I arrived around 9am. Jason still had two hours to rest himself and his dogs and you think he would be doing just that after 30 some hours on the trail. Not so, though...but the dogs got a good rest. Jason was a happy guy and I'm sure was operating on pure adrenaline by now.

Jason's trailer. In the trailer are the dropped dogs from the race, and all of the equipment and everything needed for 3 days and nights on the trail in temps as cold 50 below. Jason has run Iditarod a few times and his best finish was 8th. That is very impressive as there is over 50 mushers at the start.



I have a stunning photo of Jason at the finish line winning last years race. When I took the shot he asked me to send it to him. Well, I wanted to send it to him but there was no email address listed on the Beargrease roster. Here was my chance to get his information so I can send him the photo.

It was fun getting to listen to a local high school girl interview Jason. She had two pages of well thought out questions and a friend to take pics. I stood and listened to the interview and got a few laughs at Jason's witty answers. Then I got to talk with him for short while and obtained his contact info so I could send him the pics. Then the media got a hold of him and he gave them an animated interview.



Meanwhile...the dogs slept.



I asked Jason who was the dog tied to the front of the truck. Jason laughed and said that is a pet, and he keeps bears away. "Do you see any bears?" he said. Ha ha ha..nope, not a bear in sight. Never mind that they're all hibernating!

He does look like a good watch dog though, and I didn't go any closer to him as you can see he looked ready to jump up.




Two buss loads of school children pulled into the parking lot. We don't let a little bit of below zero stop our kids in school from going outside to play! They were all dressed warmly enough and they were so well behaved I was astonished.

What a wonderful thing the school did to bring the children to the marathon so they could see the whole operation! The children were not permitted to wander around. They all stayed together and hunkered down on the sidelines and watched quietly. I never heard a peep.

[SistahD]

Re: MUSH! Beargrease!

Very cool! LOVE the shot with the little kids lined up...




(BTW I did not get to go see the JA team yesterday - moved the location too far away -next year we will have to arrange a bus)

[Nanook]

Re: MUSH! Beargrease!

Hi SistahD! Sorry you missed the Jamaican sled dog team yesterday! They move Beargrease trail areas according to conditions here, I wonder if that is what happened to yesterday? I will get some pics for you in early march when they come here. It will be warmer too!

More soon come.

[Nanook]

Re: MUSH! Beargrease!

Jason and his wife Harmony became very busy folding blankets and feeding and and watering their dogs and dressing them in the booties and harnesses. Little baby daughter Oksana stayed warm inside the truck while mom and dad were busy. Jason had 10 dogs left of the 14 he started with which is pretty good. The dropped dogs get to ride in the big trailer. I believe you have to have 8 or more to finish. When a dog can no longer continue on the trail, the mushers can carry up to two dogs in their sled baskets.




They work like a well oiled machine. They have done this so much that it is not long before the dogs are brought out and hitched to the sled. Harmony is riding in the sled and a handler leads the way to the start of the last leg of the race,which is 4 hours long. Jason is waving to the school kids who are still quiet as a church mouse but you can see their excitement as they all wave goodbye to Jason.




Jason and his team await the go ahead to start, while a few of us try to find a spot to hopefully get a good photograph.



To the exact minute that he is free from his mandatory 6 hour lay over at the last checkpoint, he is off and running this last leg



See you at Billy's Jason!!! Most of us that were at Two Harbors checkpoint were also at the finish line. This is the last some would see of him until then



I saw him once more on the trail though, and gave directions to the Illinois people to the spot where there is easy trail access about an hour and a half from the finish. I saw them there so they found it!

There is no place I'd rather go at this point although it wasn't in my original plans. I haven't had an affinity for any musher in particular since Susan Butcher passed away but I do now. I can see this is a truly remarkable family man who treats everyone around him with respect. He has mine.

[Nylah]

Re: MUSH! Beargrease!


<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Hey Nylah,maybe some year you and your brother can make it down for the marathon. I thought of you on Sunday when I stood out there in the so so cold and wondered how you'd like it if you came down and the wicked cold happened. But then on Wednesday I ran into 2 couples from Illinois who drive all the way up here to follow the whole race from start to finish! They said they do it every year and get hotel rooms each night on the trail. How fun for them, it's a dream I have to do that.
</div></div>

Nanook, you have no idea how cold it cna get up North here so a little windchill factor cant scare me off...the dogs on the other hand
Funny, I did ask my lil bro if he would be game this year (no I dont forget) but since they bought a new house and added a new furnace, they are scared to part with anymore cash! I told him I would keep reminding him each year cause I would love to check it out.



<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> &quot;Do you see any bears?&quot; he said. Ha ha ha..nope, not a bear in sight. Never mind that they're all hibernating! </div></div>


diss mekk mi laff

So, I still cannot ascertain from your report just how long (in miles) the course is?

[Nanook]

Re: MUSH! Beargrease!

Oh good then Nylah, then you and brother must come on up here and chase the mushers with me! I'm not sure when ever I could get away for the 3 nights but I can always do the start and Two Harbors and the finish and the Illinois people told me which towns they found motels for the nights while chasing the trail.

I didn't think you sounded like the cold would bother you!

The race was 371 miles but I think they brought it closer to 400 with the new changes this year. Somewhere in there. Jason finished in 42:36:05 with all of the mandatory rest times.

I'll be back later or in the morning with more. I have handfuls of new jewelry I just photographed and have to get that uploaded too.

[R00TS]

Re: MUSH! Beargrease!

fun!
you right well nanook

[mountaingal]

Re: MUSH! Beargrease!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Nanook</div><div class="ubbcode-body">some days the high temp was -5F. That's -20.5 for you on the other side of the border! </div></div>

thanks for that translation, Nan, cause I was gonna say -5 not too bad (didn't even notice the F).

it's an interesting report, thanks for the peek into a different way of handling winter, lol!

[Nanook]

Re: MUSH! Beargrease!

Hi MGee! Yes there is quite the difference between weather numbers when it comes to F and C until we get to 40 below which is the same. crazy isn't it! This day was 50 below wind chill most of it. It was damn cold but I've been out chasing the mushers when it was in the 20's below too so this wasn't really that bad!

Now how these people stay out on the trail for so long,especially in Iditarod which lasts over a week in 40 and 50 below is beyond me.

[SistahD]

Re: MUSH! Beargrease!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Nylah</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Hey Nylah,maybe some year you and your brother can make it down for the marathon. I thought of you on Sunday when I stood out there in the so so cold and wondered how you'd like it if you came down and the wicked cold happened. But then on Wednesday I ran into 2 couples from Illinois who drive all the way up here to follow the whole race from start to finish! They said they do it every year and get hotel rooms each night on the trail. How fun for them, it's a dream I have to do that.
</div></div>

Nanook, you have no idea how cold it cna get up North here so a little windchill factor cant scare me off...the dogs on the other hand
Funny, I did ask my lil bro if he would be game this year (no I dont forget) but since they bought a new house and added a new furnace, they are scared to part with anymore cash! I told him I would keep reminding him each year cause I would love to check it out.



<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> &quot;Do you see any bears?&quot; he said. Ha ha ha..nope, not a bear in sight. Never mind that they're all hibernating! </div></div>


diss mekk mi laff

So, I still cannot ascertain from your report just how long (in miles) the course is? </div></div>



Perhaps you could join Nanook in early March when the Jamaican Team is there?

[schultz]

Re: MUSH! Beargrease!

Nooks, I love, love, love, reading these reports and looking at the beautiful pictures. One day when I retire I'm coming up to see this!

It is amazing that the dogs would lay on that hay and let their owners cover them with those blankets! Dem must exhausted from their journey! And that man laying on the hay....him must real tuff!

[Nylah]

Re: MUSH! Beargrease!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> Perhaps you could join Nanook in early March when the Jamaican Team is there?</div></div>

que? for real?

I dont know about this, please do expand


Jason and team seem super organized and committed to the whole adventure! I am glad he won

And those are some seriously good children That is cute how patient and well behaved they were thru it all.

I knew the race was long, but lord in heaven, I didnt think it was that long

[SistahD]

Re: MUSH! Beargrease!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Nylah</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> Perhaps you could join Nanook in early March when the Jamaican Team is there?</div></div>

que? for real?

I dont know about this, please do expand
</div></div>


For Real!!


One of the teams - under Newton Marshall- is currently competing in the Yukon 1000 mile (or KM??) (after qualifying for it last year and being the first team to register)

The second team -under Damian Robb- is using a team of dogs from Minnesota (for some reason the JA dogs were not allowed into Canada this time) competing through Ontario and Quebec, and in March will be in Duluth etc... see thread in SPORTS FORUM for more details.

[Nylah]

Re: MUSH! Beargrease!



Thanks SistahD This will be my first time in the Sports forum...ever