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Hardcore Huskies Newsletter 08 Race Edition.pdf [ Archive ] |
| Their Off! | Fri, Jan. 30th, 2009 | |
All eighteen teams are on their way. Heather and her 12 member Hardcore Team left on time at 12:45 PM AKST. The weather at the start was reported to be 19°F, flurries/snow. There has been about 6 inches of fresh snow over the last 24 hours. There has been heavier snow reported north near Trapper Creek.
A minor mishap occurred at the start on the 200, with one team leaving early. Times will be adjusted by that offset at Joe May’s. Earliest ETA for teams at Oilewell is probably around 10pm this evening (2 AM EST).
One of the race officials, Jim “Fearless” Kershner, described the trail at last night’s mushers meeting. Due to some rerouting, the “tent” checkpoint at Oilwell Road is now the guest cabin on Hal Morgans. This increases the distance to that checkpoint (around 79 miles) and the total for a 100 leg to around 105 miles. The trail was in excellent condition several days ago but
recent snows may have changed that. Jim and the trail crew will mark and drag the trail ahead of teams leaving the Willow start.
The race area had heavy snow in December, −38°F temperatures in early January, followed by 35°F temperatures, rain and a Chinook wind. Odds were 10–1 against having the race a week ago, with open creeks, glare ice and overflow along the race route. All fixed now thanks to Jim, Hal, Joe and the rest of the crew.
The only fear now is that the Redoubt volcano doesn’t erupt! The volcano is located about 200 miles southwest of the race area. Seismicity has declined greatly over the past 90 minutes before this posting, although activity is still well above normal background levels.
Clouds continue to obscure the webcam view, and the sun will be setting soon. Alaska Volcano Observatory or AVO continues to observe potential activity with satellite and radar data.
An AVO observation flight this afternoon reported no sign of ash emission, but observed significant steaming from a new melt depression at the mouth of the summit crater near the vent area of the 1989-90 eruption.
We`ll continue to post arce updates as they become available.
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| On Your Mark, Get Set, GO! | Fri, Jan. 30th, 2009 | |
It`s race day in Alaska!
Heather and the Hardcore Team are part of the 2009 edition of the Don Bowers Memorial Dog Sled Race. The race is named for its founder Don Bowers¡ªauthor, airman, dog driver who started a combined 200/300 mile dog race in Willow, Alaska in 2000.
Following his death that year, a group of volunteers continued that race, now renamed in his memory. The race is a qualifier for both the Iditarod and the Yukon Quest. Sponsored by the Montana Creek Dog Mushers, Mile 94.2 Parks Highway Alaska.
Heather and the 12 dog Hardcore Team of Snogo, Lyra, Kitty, Wyatt, Earp, Minnie, Sharp, Cal, Gavin, Casey, Fast Eddie and Deacon leave the Willow Community Center at 12:45 AKST (4:45 ET) and drop down onto the Big Su using the Corral Hill trail. From there they enter the Deshka River and proceed to Deshka River and then proceed up the Deshka River several miles then overland to the tent checkpoint near Oil Well Rd (road access). This leg is approximately 50 miles.
From Oil Well they`ll take the "106" trail back to the Parks, cross the Parks at (under) Susitna Bridge and continue up the river several miles, then through the swamps to Joe May`s (road access) and an 8 hour layover. This leg is approximately 34 miles.
Following the layover its back to the Willow Community Center
From the initial dismal prospect the weather has cooperated enough to give The Hardcore Team a trail "safe for dogs and safe for humans."
"It`s come together in the last few days," says Heather. "I hope to have a safe and fun run with the dogs and we`ll do the best we can and see where we shakes out."
Organizers say much of the trail is best ever and the short re-route sections are acceptable by Iditarod and Quest standards. They say there are a couple places to stay alert and drag a foot¡or both feet. Recent light snow has covered the last week`s ice and will be kind to dogs feet. +98% of the trail will have positive holding. As of today there is scant overflow and no open water. 1500 markers for 105 miles will assure a minimum average of 10 per mile. Weather forecast for the entire event is favorable.
Stay tuned to for race updates.""
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| Preparations for Don Bowers Race Continue | Sat, Jan. 10th, 2009 | |
Heather says she and her Hardcore Team are excited to race in the 2009 Don Bowers Memorial Dog Sled Race.
“The team and I are looking at it as a preliminary race for the Iditarod,” says Heather. “We are entering the race to compete, but if we get out there and the trail is rough on the dogs, I will have to slow the team down and finish safely.”
Heather reminds us her kennel is a smaller kennel compared to others who compete in the Iditarod year after year. While some teams may train 50 to 75 dogs and pick the best 16 for the race, she trains a minimal amount of dogs and does her best to keep them all sound for the Iditarod each year.
Training is going smooth so far. Heather says the Hardcore Team has consistently been running 5 to 6 hour runs and are gearing up for a week long run. During this week long time Heather will be alternating teams for 6 consecutive days, gong out for 6 hours and camping for another 6 hours and then running another 6 hours, then switching to the other team and so on.
Heather says she has some new additions to the Hardcore Team and you can see them in the Bio’s section. Chewy and Lyra come from Julie DeLoach. Chewy actually ran with the Hardcore Team last year and made it all the way to Nome.
Four other dogs were purchased from Iditarod musher John Baker from Kotzebue AK. These dogs have added the strength and new spirit the Hardcore Team has needed.
Heather says her pups born in 2007 are named after movie stars from black and white movies of the past because the little was mostly black and white. They are training and should be ready to race in 2010.
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| The Hardcore Team to Run the Don Bowers 200 Race | Tue, Jan. 6th, 2009 | |
Heather and the Hardcore Team have entered the 2009 Don Bowers Memorial 200 Dog Sled Race which begins January 30, 2009.
Heather and the Hardcore Team recently added some new members to the team and Heather is
excited to see what the new team members can do.
"They have trained great so far and now we’ll see how well they race," said Heather.
The 2009 race is expected to follow the same course as last year. Mushers will leave Willow
Community Center and drop down onto the Big Su using the Corral Hill trail. They will then
enter the Deshka River and proceed to Deshka River [15 miles]; proceed up the Deshka River
several miles then overland to the tent checkpoint near Oil Well Rd (road access). This leg
is approximately 50 miles.
From Oil Well mushers will then take the "106" trail back to the Parks, cross the Parks at
(under) Susitna Bridge [16] and continue up the river several miles, then through the swamps
to Joe May’s (road access) and an 8 hour layover. This leg is approximately 34 miles.
Mushers in the 200 will return along the same course to the Willow Community Center.
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| Iditarod on Discovery Channel moves to Fridays | Thu, Nov. 6th, 2008 | |
The next episode of the Discovery Channels Iditarod series, Chase on the Yukon, will air Friday, Nov. 7 at 8 p.m. ET/PT.
In this episode, with most teams now in their 24-hour break, Lance Mackey and Jeff King make up for time lost. Mackey is the first to Checkpoint: Ruby, leaving King both confused and frustrated. King devises a plan to win the race: He will let the returning champ lead and thus expend precious energy breaking trail.
Eskimo Darin Nelson becomes the latest musher to withdraw from the race -- a sick dog team breaks his will to continue, and he chooses to scratch. Meanwhile a tired DeeDee Jonrowe is accosted by a drunken fan, and the Buser family separates to allow former champion, Martin, a shot at the gold. It`s now a race to the coast along the mighty Yukon.
Watch the series as it continues with an in-debth look at the 2008 Iditarod, Friday`s on the Discovery Channel.
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