Changes in the wind

It seems fairly certain that Lance Mackey will not be racing long distance again. He dropped out of the Iditarod entry last year and now has been selling off some of his dogs and equipment. Although it is not definite yet, there are some rumors he may be doing some stage races or even sprints. Unconfirmed is a possible entry into the John Beargrease race in the lower 48. He is also getting much more involved in racing cars. Since he is not one to sit around, I am sure he will stay busy, and you can never write him off although his health issues cannot be ignored or, in many cases, worked around.

There has been a recent announcement from the iconic Deedee Jonrowe as well. 2018 will be her final Iditarod. She is now 63 and also has the chemo treatment  circulation issues that Lance suffers from. It is inevitable but a little sad for she has been a fixture for over thirty years and although never winning has been second a few times and in the top ten for about half the races she has run. She never attempted the Yukon Quest, but I would never hold that against her! She has been Ms. Iditarod for longer than I have been really following the race and is a legend in her own time. I hope she will still keep some dogs and perhaps run them just for fun and also maybe mentor and support some of the young up and coming female mushers since she has a world of know-how and experience to share.

The Lady in Pink will be a big hero of mine until the day I die.She has been a great inspiration to many over the long years of competition and rose above many problems and tragedies such as her and her mother's cancers, loss of her home and most possessions in the tragic 2015 fire and her mother's death just a few weeks later. I certainly ask divine protection for her in this upcoming final race and wish her a happy and comfortable retirement after it is over.

I'm going to be away from home for a week in Arizona  so will probably not post again until I get home, so I ask your patience. I can assure you that Aliy and Allen are both signed up for both the Iditarod and the Yukon Quest and are now well into fall training. There has been no word of any new litters this year but I would not rule the possibility out completely. However the old champs are getting late in their lifespans to endure the strain of pregnancy and whelping and the younger dogs are mostly still in the stage of proving their merit, so perhaps are not to the point where their traits are deemed special enough to try to pass along. The Surfivers are now three and fully grown so I expect we will see a lot more of them this season and the two 2015 litters are ready to start showing their stuff in the shorter competitions. Quito's Olympic Medal three are yearlings and will be starting to learn the business of running in harness but will have to wait for another year or two to see if they are their mother's equals. I'm for little Prata who is still almost the image of her amazing mom. I hope that is true inside as well!

The fan and support season for SPK begins about October 1 and I'll be jumping in to put my money behind several faves of the last three years' pups. More on that and other news shortly. Last count there were about 65 registered for the Iditarod. I'll give you the scoop on that in about a week.

Meanwhile let's musher up and do what we need to do!

A Quick Update

I did not get to make my usual June trip to the North 49th this year and there was not much to say here. The efforts on Women Who Run With the Dogs move on slowly. Right now I feel like I am on that very long and cold stretch along the Yukon when it is -50 or maybe over that treacherous highest summit on the Yukon Quest--head down and hood forward, plodding and wondering when it will ever end as my dogs strain into the harness and fight inch by inch into the wind.

Yes, as time goes by I realize just what a humongous project I have taken on, perhaps a much bigger bite than I can properly chew, but I still intend to musher up and press on. A year ago I was almost ready to depart for my great stay at Slow Rush Kennels just out of Fairbanks. That still remains a stellar experience and a great source of much needed reality with boots to the ground (not much snow yet) behind the dogs and in the muck of the dog yard!

From her FB page I know Kyia Bouchard has gotten her rustic camp B&B up and running and I am very glad to learn that. She has gone through many tough times but that lady is a fighter and a survivor--in her way an epitome of what I see in most of the women mushers I've become acquainted with. Here is a link to Kyia's page--https://www.facebook.com/slowrushmountainview/?fref=tsit
It is not real busy but interesting. Below is an aerial view of the site. The slant roof behind a big evergreen in the middle right is the handler's cabin where I stayed; I see lots of changes since then in this shot. I did help clear the flats for the white tents you can see, so I have a tiny stake in this new project.  I may well return there in time.

More soon on what is going on with some of the mushers and looking ahead to the 2017-18 racing season. I do plan to be a volunteer again next spring; I was hoping to try to make it to Nome but it is getting almost too late to attempt that now so we'll see. But I can't resist the lure of the magical mythical north and those dogs...! Like the general said, in the Philippines as I recall, "I shall return."
About half of this desert rat is a born again Alaskan!