Alaska 2015

[crashdive123]

Ice on the barge? How about that. I've heard of ice in the drink or ice in the cooler, but barge?

[1stimestar]

Yea, the newest shipment of Head and Shoulders got stuck in the ice on the barge.

Hahha yea that really wasn't worded very well was it? Ahhh another example of posting when I should be sleeping.

[1stimestar]

I love my crew and am starting to get excited for the start of the race. This year it starts in Whitehorse, Yukon Territories, Canada on Feb. 7. I'm going out to Mile 101 (our checkpoint) on Thurs. 2/12 as we expect mushers to start arriving by early Sunday morning. But we will start to get race officials, vets, media, and handlers before the mushers show up.

A short essay from the Checkpoint Manager:

Yesterday we had our second Checkpoint meeting.
You know, .... when things simply click between crew members, you have to lean back and try to stop talking, a challenge I have rarely succeeded in.
There was Chris, brought in by Mike Bowman. Mike is now Mile 101 Checkpoint Manager whenever I am not available. His title used to be 'dog lot manager' (a title that should exist at every checkpoint), which pretty much takes care of everything except communication or cooking. Honestly, ... what is more important than the dog lot ? Mike is still a bit hesitant about race judges and rule interpretations in the absence of judges, but he has worked the race at 101 for over 8 years now.
Chris is his neighbor; a sturdy, tall bright eyed and calm Alaskan guy who simply looks like he knows s...t. I liked his dress code. Warm, clean and worn. That tells a lot about a person living in Fairbanks, Alaska.
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Before I continue the story, I would like to thank race manager Alex Olesen and his second in command Ryan for coming to our checkpoint meeting. They listened patiently to our necessary requests and gave us good input.
Alex is still one of the best organized YQ race managers I ever worked with over the last 20 years and I easily give him an A+ for checkpoint meeting attendance.
Nathan Brisboise also showed up. He was head of the crew which made updates at YQ headquarters in Fairbanks last year. Back then he got quickly but quietly disillusioned with the rather random way checkpoints transfer information... or maybe don't. I am sure that there were many reasons out there along the trail, one maybe being a lack of coffee.
I have no idea if or how many asprin he might have swallowed during the race due to understandable headaches, but when he asked to join the '101 crew' as com-manager for the 2015 race instead of staying in Fairbanks, our crew responded with a sound 'yes' !
As a YQ volunteer who has overseen internet updates at YQ headquarters in Fairbanks with all the quirks and shambles that occur, he was the perfect choice for us, after loosing our longest serving member, Kevin Abnett. Nathan will not only understand all the faults checkpoints make (thereby teaching us), all the mistakes 'headquarters' makes, but also part of his old 2014 crew will still be in Fairbanks to communicate with him. The perfect choice.
The final big question about Nate was: Would he fit into our rather ragged renegade crew ?
"So how do dogs get counted ? We sometimes got dog counts at head quarters last year that were simply wrong," he asked.
I waved that question to Mike Bowman. Mike laughed:" You get the wrong count, because some checkers don't count the dogs in the bag. We'll do that for you. No worries."
That statement did put a smile on Nate's face.
He relaxed and began to talk to Mike about times and how to relay them inside a checkpoint. I quietly leaned back when they talked about similar army backgrounds and strayed off the topic.
Yes, ... Nathan fits in perfectly into our crew and choosing him as YQ com-manager will keep us on our toes.
It is good to see a crew come together.
Georganne and Kelly talked on the other side of the table about food lists. They are actually a crew in themselves. They run the cook shack, keep the peace in the only public cabin at 101, feed the mushers and ration food as well as chairs to handlers or media. More for the mushers, less for everybody else. Those are basic rules.
They honestly once did mange to kick me - by all means, me being the Checkpoint Manger - out of the cook shack. So please don't come to me and complain about them. They are wonderful ladies ... or dragons.... depending how you behave. [LOVE IT!]
If you get kicked out of the cook shack, you must have a very good reason for me as Checkpoint Manager to reinstate you. Chances are quite slim. My tile is not what it sounds like. I have to behave too!
A long time ago, when I got personally got kicked out of the cook shack because I tried to tell them how to cook (stupid, stupid, stupid) for mushers, I ended up quietly walking out into the dog lot to realize under a starry darn cold sky, that I had created an almost perfect team, and that ...... at a certain point.... I just had to shut up and let things be.
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The point of it all is, that at the checkpoint meeting, I saw how easily the 2015 crew came together. There was a good feeling in the air; something that would most likely hold under duress if storms, bitter cold or emergencies would come our way....
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In the end I finally come to the understanding that a Checkpoint Manager's job is not to rule a team of people who are at your disposal. Her or his main job is, to put together a diverse team for all kinds of weather or occasions who work well together as individuals who have pride in what they do.
If you bring the perfect team together, you as Checkpoint Manager might find yourself standing around and feeling useless during the race. But....
Mike Bowman's comment in 2014 puts it best: "You look tired, Peter. Go to bed. Everything is taken care of. Unless something goes wrong. Then we'll blame you."
Yeah well, ... with lucky me being with the excellent crew we got, I think I'll be able to afford that nap.

[dkr]

Another race that doesn't get into the news is the Iron Dog race. If you like snow machines and going really fast - this is your race.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4c9DCKcUao

This year, with the poor snow conditions, race organizers for both the Iron Dog and the IDITAROD haven't announced the route that will be used. I suspect both will start in Fairbanks. Could be an interesting year.

[1stimestar]

I would love for the Iditarod to start in Fairbanks again. After the no snow fiasco of last year, they are sure to do something different if this year also has so little snow.

[1stimestar]

So, a neighbors dog got lose out here. It's been missing for a couple of weeks with local sightings here and there in the area. She would go walk the trails and power lines, set out a live trap, followed up on any sightings. You know, actively searching. We have a community Facebook page for our little area outside of Fairbanks. Then the a couple of days ago she got a call from a trapper saying he found the dog's collar with her number on it and that the dog had been taken by wolves. She was a bit suspicious that the dog had got caught in a trap as that happens around here to lose dogs pretty regularly (unfortunately). So she went to check out the area herself. "Thank you all for your condolences. The trapper was legit, happened on the other side of the Parks from us. I checked it out for myself and there were wolf tracks everywhere. They took Zoomer down 3 times over half a mile before it was done and he took some chunks of wolf fur out of them. At 13 years old. Zoomer was truly an incredible animal." Normally the only time we have problems with wolves are in low snow years, like this one. This is because the low amount of snow allows the prey to get away more often. At least they aren't taking dogs off their chain like was happening a few years ago with one pack. But yea, this is why we don't allow our dog to run free. Life in Alaska.

[dkr]

So, a neighbors dog got lose out here. It's been missing for a couple of weeks with local sightings here and there in the area. She would go walk the trails and power lines, set out a live trap, followed up on any sightings. You know, actively searching. We have a community Facebook page for our little area outside of Fairbanks. Then the a couple of days ago she got a call from a trapper saying he found the dog's collar with her number on it and that the dog had been taken by wolves. She was a bit suspicious that the dog had got caught in a trap as that happens around here to lose dogs pretty regularly (unfortunately). So she went to check out the area herself. "Thank you all for your condolences. The trapper was legit, happened on the other side of the Parks from us. I checked it out for myself and there were wolf tracks everywhere. They took Zoomer down 3 times over half a mile before it was done and he took some chunks of wolf fur out of them. At 13 years old. Zoomer was truly an incredible animal." Normally the only time we have problems with wolves are in low snow years, like this one. This is because the low amount of snow allows the prey to get away more often. At least they aren't taking dogs off their chain like was happening a few years ago with one pack. But yea, this is why we don't allow our dog to run free. Life in Alaska.

And folks wonder why I carry when walking around. We have an active wolf pack on the edge of town/JBER - just North of the base.

Had a woman attacked this summer in the open area on the border with Eagle River. And the d*** fish and fur toads refuse to do anything. I guess it will take a couple of school kids getting killed...then they might do something. Pets have been getting killed in larger numbers every year.

[1stimestar]

Yea I think I posted about it in the last year's Alaska thread.

[1stimestar]

Our remote villages do not have police. Some of them have VPSO (Village Public Safety Officers) which is like a police light. Anyways, a lot of villages don't even have one of those. Exile is the way many villages handle problematic people. They put them on a plane to Anchorage then put them on the list to not be allowed to fly back. Looks like some people in Huslia just got da boot.

Huslia school placed on lockdown as residents exiled
POSTED: 07:45 AM AKST Jan 21, 2015

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Austin Baird / KTUU-TV
FAIRBANKS -

Alaska State Troopers say the school in the village of Huslia was placed in lockdown this week as local residents were exiled from the community.

The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reports the brief lockdown occurred Tuesday.

Troopers spokeswoman Megan Peters says the people who were asked to leave are no longer in the Koyukuk River community.

Peters said she couldn't elaborate on why the residents were exiled, or how many were asked to leave. Peters says troopers are still investigating, and no one has been charged with any crime.

The community of about 275 people is located nearly 260 miles northwest of Fairbanks.

http://www.ktuu.com/news/news/huslia...xiled/30839876

[1stimestar]

I'm Georganne.

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Some information about Mile 101 ...
Checkpoint Mile 101 is a conglomerate of old cabins which are often used in the summer as a goldmining camp. The cabins are owned by gold miner Steve Olson, who has quite a few claims up there but lets us use the cabins during the winter as a checkpoint. Thank you, Steve. We would have no clue where to go if you wouldn't let us stay in that windy part of the country !
By the way, all cabins are heated with wood.

Here are some explanations of how the checkpoint works.
=======
For visitors, handlers and media:

Arriving at '101' and the cook shack:
Coming from Fairbanks you will find the easily recognizable driveway to the checkpoint roughly at Milepost 102 of the Steese Highway on the right. Parking space should be available at the beginning of the driveway. This also goes for handlers ! Please do not drive up to the cabins. Running cars can create smog in the rest area for dogs and only officials are allowed to park close to the cabins.
In the cook shack you will be able to get the newest information on the progress of the race. This is where mushers sit down for a meal and -only if willing to do so- will conduct interviews.
It is also a place where you might be able to charge batteries if you bring a multiple outlet and want to warm up.
The cook shack is the only cabin allowing public access at Mile 101. Even so our hospitality seems to be somewhat famous, we are ordered by the YQ race marshal to clear the small cook shack of visitors, handlers and media (in that order) if the mushers are bothered or don't find enough room to sit down on the musher table to enjoy a semi-quiet meal. After all, we are there foremost for dogs and their mushers, so please keep this in mind.
Kelly and Georganne, who are our cook shack managers for many long years, have after the race marshal and his judges absolute say in the cook shack. Arguing with them will only bring you face to face with a grumpy checkpoint manager. You don't want that, especially because it won't change the outcome of your argument.
We will try to give accredited media as much access to the mushers - if those do agree - as possible. Really, ... we are on your side as much as we can. Talk to us and we will try to help you with what you need, including at times internet access.
Any point past the cook shack towards the communication cabin (com shack) and the rest area is restricted. If media or visitors want to go past the cook shack into the dog yard or to the com shack, they have to be approved by a race judge or the checkpoint manager. If approved, a Mile 101 crew member will be assigned to you as a guide.
As for handlers, you know the checkpoint rules. About anything else concerning 101, ask a veteran YQ handler at the race start about Mile 101. If this does not work out, ask for the checkpoint manager Peter Kamper, or for the assistant checkpoint manager Mike Bowman when you arrive at our place. We gladly help.

For mushers:
If you look to the right side of the attached picture, you will see 'check in'. This is where you will be signed into the checkpoint. The area will be lit by a light with a quiet generator. Assistant checkpoint manager Mike Bowman or crew will be on the lookout for your headlamp at a window in that cabin. You will be informed of the best rest spot available at that time and a crew member will help you lead the team to that spot if you wish.
After signing in and parking your team, we will have a bale of straw and hot or at least very warm water in a barrel for your dogs. They can then lay down in the quiet rest area, where you will also receive your drop bags.
Musher sleeping areas will be in the two designated cabins inside the 'off limits' rest area. The dog water barrel will be conveniently situated next to the musher cabins.
After taking care of your dogs, you can walk up to the cook shack to get a decent meal. Usually it's bacon and eggs with toast, maybe a beef and moose stew, a salmon stew or maybe deep fried halibut, most of it courtesy of the Ivory Jack's Restaurant and Bar in Fairbanks who supports us since 2001. Thank you, Dick and Joni !!
We will also have hot water for your thermos, coffee, Gatorade or tea. If you are on a run and don't want to stop much longer than it takes to go through your food bags at our place and simply want to order an egg and bacon sandwich, please do so as soon as you sign in. Even if you are in a hurry, we will try to have one of those ready for your fist when you sign out.
The sign-out could be easily done by informing checkpoint personell. We then will bring the sign-out sheet to you. Otherwise stop your team between the cook shack and the com shack on your way out. Go in there and sign out. We provide a well lit area right there for visitors and media to shoot photos while they remain in the 'public' area and all of them appreciate if you stop your team for a short moment.
Even so veterinarians, judges and checkpoint crew will most often be available in the dog lot, the com shack is not only available for sign-out but also the best place to find judges, veterinarians or information. Make sure that you visit the com shack for trail reports or any other info/ help/ advice you might be interested in concerning the last part of your teams long trail towards Fairbanks.
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We hope this helps.
If anybody needs more information, please message us. We'll answer as best as we can.
Happy Trails,
Checkpoint Mile 101
The crew smile emoticon

[Rick]

If they'd straighten out the route it would be a lot shorter....just sayin'.

[1stimestar]

Har har.



My friend is the one that pushes the button so to speak to set these rockets off. He was our communications manager out at the checkpoint for years but then we had to get some one else for the full race as he couldn't stay. He had to take off to play with rockets and such. Darn.

Published on Jan 27, 2015


On January 26th just after midnight the University of Alaska, Fairbanks launched 4 sounding rockets to study the interaction of solar winds and Earth’s atmosphere. Using different gasses they were able to make a glowing cloud of sorts that would allow them to study this interaction with imagery. Learn more here. http://www.nasa.gov/content/m-tex-and...

The temperature at the time of this video was around -43ºF

This was filmed with a Sony a7S and a Atomos Shogun.
The fluid head tripod wasn't very fluid at these temps, thus some of the camera shake.

We documented most of the event but have cut it down to a few digestible clips. We may produce a full video later from this event.

[Rick]

That's crazy. I'll bet he had a lot of fun doing it. Ron takes some amazing vids.

[Grizz123]

these Alaska threads are killing me, I gotta get out of the city!!!!!

[1stimestar]

Spent a great Sat. night having dinner with friends, listening to violining friends and basically enjoying a nice place. Moose stew, caribou ribs, home made yeast rolls.

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[1stimestar]

[1stimestar]

I woke up early this morning because I was cold. I was afraid that I had run out of heating fuel in the night so got up to check it out. Nope, my little Toyo stove was still plugging away, it was just really cold out. Whew. Time to hang a blanket over the door!

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[Rick]

Okay. Let's set the record straight on this. That is not a cold wave. A cold wave is, oh ... say 17 F. If your thermometer reads -44F that's a "colder than Billy he!!" wave. That's a "if I ever get out of this alive I'm not coming back" wave. Maybe even a "God never intended for a man to have to endure this and I have not intentions of ever doing it again so I'm moving to South America" wave. It is most definately a "sorry, honey. Gotta pee but I am not getting out from under the covers" wave.

[1stimestar]

Lol we got spoiled with our "warm" temps so far this winter.

Yukon Quest mushers head down frigid trail

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Yukon Quest start line

Musher Brent Sass of Eureka, Alaska, pets his leaders in the starting chute of the 2015 Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race in Whitehorse, Yukon, on Saturday. Erin Corneliussen/News-Miner

Posted: Saturday, February 7, 2015 10:00 am | Updated: 10:25 am, Sat Feb 7, 2015.

Jeff Richardson, jrichardson@newsminer.com

WHITEHORSE, Yukon — Defending champion Allen Moore left the chute to cheers from a hardy crowd this morning, launching the 32nd Yukon Quest.

Thousands of spectators crowded the trail starting in Shipyards Park near the Yukon River, braving temperatures approaching minus 40 degrees. They came to watch an international field of 26 mushers begin a 1,000-mile sled dog journey from Whitehorse to Fairbanks.
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Mushers began assembling before dawn in Shipyards Park in downtown Whitehorse, spending the morning tinkering with gear and mingling with race fans.

Moore, who is seeking his third consecutive victory in the Quest, was the first on the trail. He leads an impressive group that includes participants from five countries and four Quest champions — Moore, Hugh Neff, Lance Mackey and Jeff King.

Sixteen veterans and 10 rookies are running the Quest this year. The 2015 purse includes more than $130,000, which will be distributed among the top 15 finishers.

This story will be updated.

Follow staff writer Jeff Richardson on Twitter: @FDNMquest.

http://www.newsminer.com/mushing/yuk...A0G2A.facebook


Follow it live with the live race tracker. http://yukonquest.com/race-central/c.../live-tracking

[1stimestar]

So I went and done some shopping for my friends that live on the Yukon River. You know, the ones I go visit every summer? Turns out they just got filmed for one of the Alaska reality shows too lol. I sware, half the people I know are on tv. Be watching in April....

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