Race to the Sky 2016: Part 5

    When we left off, we were sitting in Seeley Lake during our six-hour rest, hoping the rain would stop. Instead, it kept going.
    Perhaps it was just my imagination, but it slowed a bit as I was hooking up and leaving Seeley. But that didn't stop the road from being dirt for the first 1/4 mile and later ice, slush and puddles. The dogs left well but you could tell they were disheartened about the wetness also.

    A couple miles out of Seeley it began to rain harder and although I'd put all my extra great in plastic bags, I realized quickly that I was going to be soaked - it wasn't worth changing gloves. The slush and tattered runners also slowed the team; I knew the mileages well enough to know we weren't moving fast. Part of the problem is because the dogs are always more sluggish after a six-hour rest...part of it is because half the dogs were young or had never completed a 300 mile race before. Determined to stay positive, I turned on a story and tried not to think about how wet I was.
    Off the Seeley trail system we had a couple miles on road again - worse than I've seen it before - but we'd stopped for a snack before this part and with me running the dogs got through the gravel. I realized then my runners desperately needed changed but I wanted to wait for the worst part of dirt was over...the roads into Whitetail.
    A few miles from the road into Whitetail, though, I had to stop for Saxon. He'd been hardly pulling for several miles at this point and I decided to unhook his tugline and let him trot along. Not long after, he decided it was too much. But he didn't want to ride either...

    We went back and forth a few times and then had some close calls around corners. Saxon did not calm down - bumps and turns frightened him - yet somehow we made it around the worst switchback without tipping! The burms of snow on and off the plowed dirt road were worse, though. Saxon would be struggling and get half off the sled and the remaining dogs would look back asking what was going on, which led to a let-up of pulling power and caused us to keep almost stopping. Add the gravel/dirt road with a few patches of snow (which, it seems, my dogs avoided) and it we bumped and jerked along. I didn't notice until a bit later that the rain had stopped and apparently we were within view of Mark Stamm (he told me later) but I never saw his bright yellow rain suit - maybe I'd have done something differently if I had. In any event, I was thankful for the guy who was at the road crossings to help us - although the dogs knew where they were going, there was not much control in slush and dirt to stop or hold a team.

    Coming towards the intersection where we turned towards Huckleberry, one of the race marshal's had a truck. He was handing out water and I've never been so glad for a bottle of water - I had lots of food and water in the sled but getting to it was a problem now that Saxon had settled down to sleep and because I dreaded getting everything wet.

    We moved well past Whitetail, no balking or looking back, and started up Huckleberry as the sun came out. I'd been debating for hours about whether to break this last leg (72 miles) up into two legs for the young dogs or push on. With Saxon in the sled and the sunshine out, I decided to stop at the base of the mountain for a mini-rest to get some food in them and dry out. The dogs ate relatively well and sprawled out in the snow. However, with Bella in heat a couple were more interested in her than resting. This break also gave me the chance to change runners. Boy, did my sled glide with the new plastic! My old runners were shredded and notched - looking back I think I should've changed them in Seeley and again at the base of Huckleberry. We probably would've moved a bit faster because the change was drastic!

    After about 30-40 minutes, I got them up (rotated dogs, including my leaders) and we took off. I tried Saxon in team but he wanted none of it and settled back down in the sled - lazing in a comfortable ball with his eyes on me.

    Although it'd been raining down low, there was heavy, wet snow and wind at the higher elevations. Thanks to those who'd been over before us, including a snowmobile, we didn't have to break trail completely, but towards the top it was almost completely blown in. On the other side it kept balling up under the sled and I've never had to push a sled down the mountain before! It seemed to take forever to get below snow-line.

     Still, it took a lot less time going down than coming up and we soon hit the trail into Lincoln (there's bridge you cross). Now the trail was fast because there wasn't really snow but it wasn't down to dirt...it was ice and slush. We also saw a herd of deer and they helped cheer the dogs on!

    As we came across the fields I was pretty emotional talking with the dogs. The end of a race is amazing - you are so proud of the dogs and thankful for the team (dogs and humans) who've helped you get there. You also don't want it to end...you don't want to go back to normal life!

    But soon we came across people at the road crossing and I had to push the sled up the steep, short dirt hill. Then it was down the other side on grass to the dirt finish...where my handlers and everyone waited. The dogs were super happy and I was thrilled to see all of them dive into their food. I had a couple sore dogs - as one would expect after running 270+ miles - but no injuries. We got everything loaded up - piling the wet gear in the wet sled bag and leaving it for later - and went back to our host family in Helena. They had one of the best meals ready for us: lasagna and garlic bread. It tasted soooo good, now that I was warm and dry.

    The next day was a time to rest and recuperate and I can't say how much I appreciate our host family because not only did the dogs have a lot of time to run free and stretch out, but we got to enjoy a hot tub and relax. The sun and wind also helped dry out some gear as I unpacked and repacked everything. The trash bags actually worked quite well keeping my sleeping back and other gear dry - despite having rips and a wet dog on top of them.

    Montana is laid back and the awards banquet was too...but the honor of receiving the Best Cared for Team award for the Race to the Sky will remain with me for a long time. As a musher it can be hard to accurately judge how nice your team is looking when you are weary and have been watching the dogs for thousands of miles, so it is very special (as well as very rewarding) to have a third party compliment you on the team's condition. It's the highest honor a musher can receive.