Tidbits from the Trail
FRANKLY: After running every Yukon Quest in the race’s history, winning once and setting the all-time course record, Yukon musher Frank Turner is on the sidelines for this one while his son, Saul, runs it.
The view from the “other side” is very different. During the handler’s meeting, Frank asked whether he could drive to the North Pole dog drop. We all laughed, but realized that Frank has only seen it from the river.
Saturday night, I asked him how he felt and he said he felt wonderful. “My back doesn’t hurt, my shoulders don’t hurt.” He was keeping a close eye on his son, but wasn’t hovering over him offering advice.
I don’t know that Saul necessarily needs the advice. When he pulled into Angel Creek and Frank moved–too slowly, apparently–to lead the team into their parking spot, Saul hollered, “Keep up, old man!”
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LESSONS LEARNED: While watching a vigorous discussion between one musher and race officials over whether a dog should be dropped, the handler — an Iditarod finisher — sitting next to me leaned over and whispered, “Mushing teaches you a lot about yourself, and sometimes you don’t like what you find.”
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STORM CLOUDS: I live along Chena Hot Springs Road, so when Rod left Angel Creek, I drove home to take a nap before heading over Mile 101 Steese Highway dog drop and the road over Eagle Summit to Central. I just looked at the weather forecast, which is calling for 30 to 40 mph winds and blowing snow over the summit tonight. I’m heading out the door and hope to beat the storm. I hope Rod does, too.