He's off to the Races!!!

March 14, 2011

He's off to the Races!!!

Nibb's worried about what the vet is going to do
© Sarah M. Waterman

After a somewhat stress-free few days after the Iditarod start, Scott decided to sign up for the Two Rivers 200 race in Two Rivers, which is just outside of Fairbanks. Here we go. Let me just tell you this, although it was just a 200 mile race and you don't need all the shenanigans that you need for the Iditarod, damn wasn't it smooth sailing getting ready for it. Sleep wasn't really an option the night before we headed up to Two Rivers for the Race meeting. We got the drop bags and some last minute things ready on and for the truck and got about 3 hours of sleep. Then a 5 hour drive, dropping a dog off in Cantwell and continuing out trip to Two Rivers. Remember how when I was saying how Russ and I stopped and got a Snicker-doodle latte, whatever the hell it was... well Scott and I did the same thing. Same thing happened. We laughed and carried on the way up, which was a great thing in my book the day before a race. Laughing and carrying on that is. Well, we got to the meeting later on, went to Devan and Judy Currier's house, got the dogs all fed and situated and got some shut eye. I was pretty tired from not getting much sleep the night before, coming down from the crack caffeine high and from driving part way to Fairbanks. My ass was taking chunks out of that seat, while Scott was in the back, napping with Oz. Those roads were glare ice and the truck was in 2 wheel drive and I wasn't sure how the tires were. I was praying that Scott wouldn't wake up, as my eyes were the size of half dollars and I was driving like an old blue hair. I did ok and we lived. Thank you Jesus!

Scott getting his booties on
© Sarah M. Waterman

By morning, those dogs knew what was up! We drove on up to Chatanika Lodge, where the race started off from. Now this is my first time ever going or being part of a dog sled race. There are a lot of things that you need to know. I learned what to do and what not to do, that's for sure! You can help, as a handler... that's me, in the beginning and the end, that's it! You CAN'T touch the dogs or help the musher in any way in between. Do you know how hard that is for me... to not touch the dogs! The mushers can be docked time if you are caught. I think that this race the people where pretty laid back. Scott and Mike, Sue Ellis's husband, she ran the race too, both had to REMIND me to stop touching the dogs. They were cool about it, I thought they were joking at first, damn rookie handlers... good help is hard to find these days, HA!

Oz, Scott's son, he was my co-pilot the whole race
© Sarah M. Waterman

Anywho... Scott took off from the Chatanika Lodge at 1214 and I wouldn't see him till later that night. He had 100 miles ahead of him. Next stop for him was Pleasant Valley Store, which was about a mile down the road from Judy and Devan's house. Very convenient, but Mike had told me that it wasn't a true 100 miles, more like 85. So after having a beer with Mike and Meesha, Judy and Devan's handler, I headed back to the house, where I passed out face down for an hour or two. I talked to Devan a little about the race and how I heard that it was more like 85 miles, well I know Scott and I know his dogs, and when the sun goes down, their speed goes up. I figured they would be done by 1930ish. So I got there about 1900 and shot the shit with the locals and some handlers. Mike and I ended up playing a game of cribbage, had to teach him a thing or two, we all walked around, then finally a little after 2200, Scott was the first in! I was grinning ear to ear. I felt like I just won the race, I was jumping up and down, God only knows what Mike was thinking watching the ding-bat girl, act like she's 5. I didn't care.
Now that he was in I could rest a little, well not really, I watched a few more teams come in, watched Sue come in with her Siberians. She and Mike have a beautiful team! All that run the race have to take a mandatory 10 hours of rest, they can split it up however they want. Scott took his 6 hours and told me to wake him at 0300. He went off to sleep and I thought to myself, "If I sleep, I am afraid I won't wake up!" So I drank lots of coffee, made friends with Holly, she works at the PVS, shot the breeze with Clint, Mike and some others, and ended up passing out in the store. I set my alarm and when I finally woke at 0245, there was Scott, not gonna lie, I freaked a little, Clint said to me in a frantic voice," What are you doing!" thinking my time was off, I looked again and wanted to slap the man. He's a good man, a riot, jokester most defiantly!

Dope, trying to melt your heart
© Sarah M. Waterman

The cool part was when Scott came in and when he left at 0430, the Northern Lights put on a wicked show! Those were the only times I saw them, that night. Scott took off, I cleaned up the straw, then headed back to the house, slept for about an hour, started the truck, fed the remaining dogs, and headed to Angel Creek. That was the next checkpoint. I left in what I thought was a good amount of time, but once again, I was wrong. The roads where glare ice, with the sun reflecting off of them. I was kicking myself for leaving my sunglasses on the kitchen table, and to top it all off, I saw 6-7 moose. Kind of scary when you are on an ice highway! So... anyway, I got to Angel Creek and the Vet came running out to me. Not really a good feeling. He said that Scott was there and needed straw. I couldn't believe it, but at the same time I could that Scott went 50 miles in a little over 4 hours... I even gave myself extra time thinking that he was going to be in early. Story of my life...
Long story, somewhat shortened. Scott won the race in good time, 17hrs 08min 12sec!!! I knew he would, the dogs are amazing working machines and wanted to bring Scott his first win... ever! Even though it was a small race, a win is a win! I was proud!

Hats off to you Scottie! You can keep yours on if you want though...