Prep
/We were pretty speedy on our last run, so I’ve decided that we’ll just kick it on the couch until the race.
Kalyn Team Recap
/I asked Kalyn to write up a bit about her team, and here it is——————
The race this year was a cold one, if you hadn’t heard. But the Ryno crew hardly seemed to notice. Everybody was absolutely amazing and the 7 that I finished with absolutely blew me away. I’m confident that they could have rested and continued on. Everybody ate everything I threw at them, a few of them maybe even came back a little heavier than when we left.
Sweet Dolly is unassuming when you first meet her - she’s tiny! But she is mighty. Dolly led the entire race with King Louie. She charged though open water without hesitation, blasted past teams when passing without a second look, harness banged if she thought we were stopped too long, and chased rabbits on the last leg with vigor. She was also a champion at resting during checkpoints, she’d curl up in her straw so fast that I had to convince her to reveal her paws to remove booties.
King Louie led the entire Copper Basin race this year. I’m so incredibly amazed and impressed with how much this guy has grown over the last few seasons. Coming into the finish, at checkpoints, or photographers on the trail, Louie gets a big swishy circle tail and a big grin on his face. He LOVES people. He is a very hard worker and rested very well at checkpoints. In moments of underconfidence, such as crossing open water (we had a couple open leads of water to cross) and passing teams, Louie still has some growing to do, but with Dolly by his side giving him pointers, he led an incredible race.
Katy ran in swing with Smoky for the first 74 miles of the race. She looked great during the run and came into the checkpoint happy and ready for a warm meal. I ended up dropping Katy at the first checkpoint due to some pad issues, however, I think she heard the rumored -60F for Sourdough (the next checkpoint) and was quite happy to nestle into a box full a straw.
Smoky spent 4 legs of the race in swing and one with his brother Otis who he ADORES. This was his first 300 mile race and I have to say, FLAWLESS. He ran beautifully, worked hard and was always ready to go.
Lefty is one of those dogs that has an extra special bond with Ryne, which means he’s generally not on my team. However, he also feels much more comfortable running at a slower pace and since my plan was to run the race slower than Ryne, he would be joining me on Copper Basin. I felt honored to have Lefty along with me in the race this year. Watching those ears flop back and forth kept me endlessly entertained on those straight stretches of trail. Lefty had a flawless race. He’s a seasoned champ and knew exactly where we were going and what to do.
Badger had a great run into Point Lodge. As he cooled down from the run into Point Lodge, his right tricep started to bother him a bit. I massaged, stretched, and put some heat on him and let him rest. We were staying our 6 hours plus differential here so I had hopes that we could work it out and keep him running. Getting ready to leave, Badger was perky and felt good, an okay from the vets and we took off. The next run was just over 40 miles. I made sure to stop and stretch him as we warmed into the run. However, with about 15 miles left in the run I ended up giving him a ride in the sled to Sourdough - which he wasn’t too happy about. I left Badger in Sourdough with the handler team. Next time, Badger!
This was Bull’s first 300 mile race. Like Lefty, Bull likes a slower pace, so he ran on my team for this Copper Basin. Aside from being the most restless at checkpoints, Bull did an amazing job. He pulled hard and always had a great attitude!
This was also Otis’ first 300 mile race. He was our team cheerleader throughout the race. Leaving checkpoints and after snacking on the trail he would start with a slow whine and then escalate to harness banging and barking if we didn’t start moving fast enough! He was an exceptional rester at checkpoints and had a flawless race.
Faff had amazing, smooth runs up until she misstepped off the packed trail and sprained her wrist coming into Sourdough. I left her in Sourdough with the handler team where I heard she snuggled up with Badger for awhile.
Yuker did an amazing job on this race. He was an exceptionally hard worker and rested very well in checkpoints. I ended up leaving him in Meier’s Lake checkpoint with the handler team due to a swollen hock. Which I was pretty bummed about because he is a powerhouse.
Amelia is another powerhouse, tiny but strong. She gives 200% every run. And because of this, she often can get quite sore. I stretched her and massaged her at every checkpoint, however at Meier’s Lake I noticed she was a bit stiff on her right side. The next leg coming up was going to be difficult (big ups and downs and a long run) so I decided to play it safe and leave her with the handlers in Meier’s.
I have to say, Mario really surprised me on this race. It was his first 300 mile race and he absolutely crushed it. He got a slightly sore wrist coming into the last checkpoint. But after a good massage and some rest, he was good to go.
Story
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Photo Credit- Black Spruce Dog Mushing
Point Lodge was the first checkpoint on the 2020 Copper Basin. We left the starting line in Glennallen all bundled up and ready for the cold. The dogs wore jackets, fox tails (to protect their bellies), and booties. I wore two pairs of long johns, a cotton sweatshirt, a wool sweater, a synthetic puff jacket, my Dogwood Design parka with a wolf and wolverine ruff, Northern Outfitter Bibs, two pairs of socks, Cabela’s Trans Alaska boots, two sets of toe warmers, two sets of handwarmers, beaver fur wristies, Heatlock chore gloves, Boundary Fur Sewing beaver mitts, Boundary Fur Sewing beaver hat, fleece neckgaitor….you can tell who’s the weakest team member. Looking at the weather forecast, Saturday night was predicted to be the coldest time, so I told myself, if I can make it to Sunday midday, then I’ll be set! It only gets warmer from there! Saturday proved to be warmer than expected. I found myself mushing without my mitts on, pulling my neckgaitor down to drink tea from my thermos, and enjoying the glorious sunshine that normally accompanies extreme cold (it’s coldest when there are no clouds to trap the heat). This isn’t too bad, I told myself.
We arrived at Point Lodge, and I bedded down the team. They were so strong on the 75 mile run from Glennallen. I was excited to get back on the trail to Sourdough but opted to take my six hour mandatory rest. In previous years, I’ve taken the rest at the second checkpoint, but since we ran our longest leg right off the bat, I took it at Point Lodge. Allen always took large portions of rest at the beginning of the race, and you could say he does alright in Copper Basin, so I took a page from his book.
While the dogs slept on the lake, I carried my thermos and red bag up the bank to Point Lodge. Inside, the Lodge was swarming with people. Families had snowmachined out to watch the race and were merrily eating and drinking. Handlers were milling about, waiting for the their teams. A long bar wrapped around two sides of the front room. Several tables filled the middle. To the back was a fireplace that not only heated this main room, but also opened up to a room in the back, which is where the mushers would sleep. After eating a delicious meal of pulled pork sandwich and soup, I walked to the back room. It was dark with only a couple mushers bundled in their sleeping bags and snoring. I’d been too lazy to haul my sleeping bag up from my sled, so I looked around the room for somewhere warm to curl up for a few hours of sleep. There, hidden under extra tables, was a plush ottoman about 3.5-4 ft long. Perfect. I grabbed the ottoman and drug it right up to the glass of the fireplace. The warmth radiated from hot coals and glowing logs. It didn’t occur to me that I was hogging all the warmth until I woke up after an hour to a full room of napping mushers and two people huddled on the ground next to the ottoman, trying to feel even the slightest warmth from the fireplace. One of those mushers was Aliy. She was leaning against the ottoman with her head rested on the back wall. As I took in my surroundings, I heard from the bar It’s 60 below in Sourdough! There was an immediate murmur and concern expressed by the people in the front room. Did I hear that right? Sixty below zero? Could we survive? Aliy…..Aliy…..hey Aliy….did you hear that? Sixty below? Aliy sat up, said yes, then went hmmmm and draped more of her body across the ottoman. Well, apparently she wasn’t fazed.
Shortly after, Aliy’s alarm went off, indicating it was time for her to get up. I napped another thirty minutes or so, then went out into the front room to see what everyone was thinking in regards to the temperatures. As I got up off the ottoman, another musher enthusiastically asked if I was leaving and swooped in to take my spot. It was until then that I truly realized how I’d completely corked the heat….oops. I’m sorry to all the mushers!
Brent and Nic had already left. I heard of mushers scratching. Aliy said, it can’t really be that cold. And she geared up to head outside. I asked Derek if he’d heard anything, and he looked on his phone at the weather stations close to the Sourdough checkpoint. Look he said. It says -47F at the river. It’s not sixty below. Immediately I was relieved. Only -47F. That’s no big deal. I’ve been in -50s and -40s before. Phew. Alright, we’ll get booted up.
Looking back, I realize the absurdity of my thought process. Normally, -47F would cause me to complain and stay indoors, but when confronted with either -47F or -60F, well, I’ll gladly take -47F! We later came to find it was in fact -60F at times. It was probably even colder on the swamps leading up to the Sourdough checkpoints. And wouldn’t you know, we were just fine. The dogs motored down the trail with the vapor from their breathes forming an instant trailing cloud. I stayed totally warm, although I later realized I nipped the tips of my fingers doing dog chores and touching objects with my gloves off. And we were all ok. Actually, better than ok. The dogs dominated. The power of perspective is immense. I’ll never go looking for -60F temperatures because anyone who tells you they like extremely cold temperatures is fibbing, but if we come across it, we’ll be just fine.
Home
/The whole RK team arrived home late last night/early this morning, and goodness, does it feel good to be home! What an amazing weekend. A big thank you to Saeward, Bryan, and Tracy for handling for Kalyn! Thank you to Derek for handling for me! Thank you to Tom for holding down the homestead! And thank you to my mom for updating the blog!
I intend to write up a few stories from the race as well as an athlete report in the next few days. While we’d love to relax in the aftermath of the race, Yukon Quest drop bags are due Saturday, so after sleeping in an extra hour this morning, it’s back to the grind!
In the meantime, here are some photos from the banquet and finishes.
The Banquet
The banquet was full of laughs, stories, and DELICIOUS food. One of my favorite parts of the Copper Basin 300 is the incredible Glennallen community who come together to make the race happen. The thousands of volunteer hours, lodges opening up to welcome mushers, 300 unique miles of trail, and volunteers willing to stand outside at -60——YOU’RE AMAZING!
Kalyn and Team’s Finish
Kalyn finished at 1:37 AM on Tuesday in SIXTH place! Wow!! Dolly and Louie led the entire race. Smoky, Otis, Mario, Bull, and Lefty also finished in the team. We’re so proud of Kalyn and team for having an incredibly strong finish, especially on such a challenging Copper Basin. 50 teams entered, 27 showed up to the start, and 14 finished. Way to go Kalyn.
Ryne and Team’s Finish
We arrived at the finish line in THIRD place at 3:19 PM on Monday with Elmer and Goblin in lead followed by Wombat, Thresher, Cooke, Yoshi, Wingman, and Uno. For Yoshi, Thresher, and Elmer, this was their first 300-mile race!
3rd Place Finisher for the 2020 Copper Basin!
/Ryne and pups crossed the finish line at 3:19 PM AKST today behind Nick Petit (#1), and Brent Sass (#2). Listening to the radio announcer, he commented how great the dogs looked, like they were ready to go again! 22 degrees below zero at the finish — the warmest the teams have seen!
Into Chistochina!
/News from the trail is that Meier’s Lake didn’t prove as warm as hoped, about -25 to -30 , but windy. Ryne did state the run from Sourdough to Meier’s had been challenging but she was in good spirits as were the dogs. Jana was dropped off in Meier’s Lake due to a sore triceps. Though Ryne is very competitive, we know she is very conservative when it comes to her team, and with these temperatures, she will want to make sure each pup is in top form to head back out on the trail.
As you read this, Ryne and pups have pulled into Chistochina, where they will have to stay a minimum of 3 hours to complete their 18 hours of checkpoint rest time. And though Ryne “looks” to be in 3rd place, don’t forget the warning from an earlier post: ‘First into a checkpoint’ doesn’t necessarily mean ‘first in the race’ because that team might have not have taken as much rest yet as those that arrive later. “ Nick Petit and Brent Sass (who both have 4 hours left of mandatory rest) were first into the checkpoint this morning, and Aliy Zirkle (who only has 3 hours of mandatory rest time left) is not far behind. This is an exciting race! 50+ miles to the finish!!
I would like to give a shout-out to the photographers of the wonderful photos we are seeing from the trail — thanks to our own handlers, Saeward and Bryan, but also Whitney McLaren Photography (WMPHOTOAK.com) and Last Fronteer Photography. Enjoy!
KALYN!!
Meier’s Lake
Meier's Lake
/Ryne’s handler (Derek) sent out a text message about 1:30PM AKST today saying he had reached Meier’s Lake and briefly had cell service until it was overloaded. The news: Ryne’s pups looked good coming into Sourdough and had a good attitude leaving. Sourdough is typically the coldest checkpoint on the race and has no services. Probably everyone is looking forward to Meier’s Lake in the hills with the warmer temperatures. Of the first four racers, Nicholas Petit and Ryne are the only two who have taken their mandatory 6 hour rest plus differential. Tonight should be interesting as Brent Sass and Aliy Zirkle take their six. The run out of Meier’s is usually the most difficult with a 4,085 foot climb between Meier’s and Chistochina. Looks to be a close race! Since Point Lodge, Ryne has run with 11 dogs since Oryx was benched due to a slightly sore muscle.
From Kalyn’s handler (Saeward) a text early this morning: headed down to Sourdough where a race volunteer said it was -60 there last night! Hoping it will be a bit warmer today, but not planning on lounging there long! The dogs were looking really good and screaming to leave the last checkpoint. Katy was benched at Point Lodge from Kalyn’s team — sore pad issue, but with 5 prior Copper Basin runs, Katy might have remembered how cold Sourdough can be!
Saeward shared that they were hanging out on the ice at Lake Louise, and it kept popping as it contracts in the cold. Made everyone jump, dogs and humans alike, although there was no risk whatsoever of unstable ice. It was a beautiful bright moon and gorgeous for running dogs.
100+ MILES DOWN THE TRAIL!
/Quick recap of yesterday: what a start in -44 degree temps. Yes, you read that right negative 44 degrees! And not everyone was as prepared as Ryno Kennel: #2 racer didn’t make the chutes but Kalyn had her pups ready and out on the course in a burst of joy. Similar start for Ryne with the racer prior to her not ready, and Ryne’s pups pulling hard at the hook to get down the trail. Unfortunately, we didn’t get the pictures at the start like we hoped with such quick starts.
After catching up at Point Lodge (warmed up to -38!), Ryne said the two year olds were looking great. Having started toward the back of the pack with bib #23, Ryne found Elmer was more in the mood of visiting than passing teams, so Cook moved up to lead with Goblin and that pair started cruising down the trail.
Rules for the race: All teams must take at least 18 hours of checkpoint rest during the race. Most of the top teams will take only 18 hours and this can be spread over the checkpoints in any combination, but with one mandatory six-hour stop (plus differential) at any checkpoint. With that, we know Ryne took a six hour break at Point Lodge, plus her differential and declared this her mandatory six-hour stop. She was back on the trail around 1:00 AM.
For the next section of the trail, the Copper Basin website says:
“From the Lake Louise checkpoint on the southern edge of the lake, the race trail crosses over Lake Louise itself for a distance of just over 3 miles to the lake’s eastern edge. The trail through this next section skirts or crosses over numerous lakes including Crosswind Lake (32 miles before Sourdough) and Fish Lake (19 miles before Sourdough) in a northeasterly direction before reaching the second checkpoint at Sourdough Campground on the banks of the Gulkana River. Total distance between the first and second checkpoint is ~ 55 miles.”
Remember: ‘First into a checkpoint’ doesn’t necessarily mean ‘first in the race’ because that team might have not have taken as much rest yet as those that arrive later. The answer to the question “who is winning?” is not so straightforward. The thing to look at overall is the total run time of the teams – the cumulative time since the start.
Kaylan charging down the trail!
Volunteer update! -50 At the Sourdough Checkpoint There is a volunteer team warming up the tents for mushers, handlers, and volunteers! They will be working through the night keeping the stoves going and welcoming volunteers and mushers
Race Day!
/Yesterday: 250+ car travel miles, Musher Registration and Vet Checks, Food Drops, handler and musher pre race meeting with course officials, “Meet the Musher”, Banquet and bib draw, REST time!
TODAY: Ready to rumble! Ryne will start with bib #23 and Kalyn bib #3 — RACE START: 10:00 AM AKST
Where to follow the race: http://trackleaders.com/copper20 (copy and paste!)
Setting the trail
Incredible Volunteers
SPOT Trackers
Carb table! YUM
Race Teams!
/Drum roll……..and Ryne’s 2020 Copper Basin Team is……
Kalyn’s Team will be introduced in two groups. The first six are…..
And the second six are…..
For those of you with slow internet or who want the cliff notes:
Ryne’s CB Team:
Elmer- 3 year old, leader. This will be Elmer’s first big race! He’s run the Two Rivers 100 before, but never anything longer. I’m very excited to see how he performs, and Elmer will most likely be running in lead a fair amount.
Goblin- 6 year old, leader. Goblin will probably start in lead to help Elmer (or a younger dog) navigate the beginning of the course. I’m then hoping to drop him back into the middle of the team and just have him as a reserve leader. Goblin has been a main guy for many years, so it’s hard for me to imagine doing a race without him!
Cooke- 3 year old, leader. Cooke is looking strong and sassy! Keep an eye out for him in the front of the team. He’s not the fastest dog, but he has an enthusiastic attitude and loves to move on down the trail.
Oryx- 3 year old, team. Oryx Beast ran the Yukon Quest with Andy Pace (Hey Moose! Kennel) last year, so she has lots of run/rest/repeat experience. However, this will be the first time we’re on a team together, so I’m looking forward to having her obnoxiously energetic attitude on the race.
Wingman- 4 year old, team. Wingman is the best eater in the kennel, which is an invaluable trait in a sled dog. He has a smooth trot, fiery personality, and LOVES coming into checkpoints. He makes our team look good every time we arrive in a checkpoint by barking and harness-banging.
Ewok- 4 year old, leader. Ewok ran the CB last year with me and is a powerhouse in the hills. She gets intimidated when passing (or being passed by) other teams, so she probably won’t lead until later in the race, but when she is up front, you can expect our speed to increase!
Flash- 3 year old, team. This is Flash’s first big race! Prior to this, she had only raced the Two Rivers 100. She has a super fun attitude and is oftentimes the first one to start harness banging and jumping around. I wouldn’t call her the hardest puller in the team, but I’m hoping her cheerleader attitude will make up for anything her work ethic might lack. Plus, she likes to go fast, seeing as she’s part sprint dog!
Wombat- 4 year old, team. Wombat is one HARD WORKING little dog. She gets pumped up to run, and then just puts her head down and works, works, works. If anything, that’s her fault. She overworks herself and can get a sore muscle. She has mellowed out a bit as she gets older, so I’m hoping that will help her take it easy!
Thresher- 2 year old, leader. This will be Thresher’s first big race! He’s probably the strongest 2 year old right now. He often leads in training, but we might just have him coast in team for his first big race. We’ll see. He’s tiny but powerful.
Yoshi- 2 year old, team. Yoshi is a ballerina sled dog. I think she’s the most graceful athlete in the kennel. She moves beautifully, keeps a tight tug, eats, and gets fired up anytime an animal is around. This will be her first big race, so she’ll most likely run in wheel or farther back in the team.
Jana- 8 year old, leader. Jana is the old girl of the team, but she doesn’t know it! I think this is her 8th Copper Basin! Wow! She finished in lead during our championship run in 2017. She’ll most likely run in team and be on standby as a leader. She doesn’t like passing or being passed by other dog teams (it’s kind of scary), but her nickname is the Closer because she comes through to lead the team to the finishline.
Uno- 4 year old, team. Uno never, ever, ever gets tired. At 1 AM last night, it was -50F and who’s out running in circles and playing- Uno. She’s an energizer bunny. She’s not super fast, but she gets the job done and never seems fatigued.
Kalyn’s Team
Katy- 7 year old, leader. This is Katy’s 6th Copper Basin. She’s a rockstar but doesn’t necessarily want to do the shorter rest of the race team. She’ll be one of Kalyn’s main leaders.
Smoky- 3 year old, leader. This will be Smoky’s first big race. He’s been amazing in training, so I’m hoping he’ll be on the Yukon Quest team. He’s enormous and can run fast but is more comfortable at a moderate speed, hence while he’ll be racing with Kalyn.
Dolly- 6 years old, leader. Dolly has many, many races under her belt, so she’ll be one of Kalyn’s main leaders. She weighs maybe 40 pounds, so Dolly and Katy make a hilarious little duo leading all the monster dogs.
Otis- 3 year old, team. This will be Otis’s first race. Like his brothers, Otis has been very strong in training. He’s not particularly fast, so he’s running with Kalyn, but if he does well in the Copper Basin, he has a very good chance of making the Quest team. His biggest hurdle will be maintaining his weight. Otis is a high burner.
Mario- 2 year old, team. Pretty blue-eyed Mario is about to embark on his first big race! Kalyn was very impressed with Mario on the last couple runs, so we’re hoping he’ll really excel on the CB. As a yearling, Mario would become anxious about almost anything, but now he’s much more confident and driven. He has a smooth trot, tough feet, and holds weight. A perfect little sled dog.
Bull- 2 year old, team. This will be Bull’s (aka pogo stick) first big race! He has a goofy gait but has looked strong in training and has a fantastic, enthusiastic attitude. He has a “sweet spot” as far as speed is concerned, and when the team is going slower or faster than his desired speed, he sometimes gets a little slack. With age, he’s been figuring out how to change his gait to keep pulling at various speeds. We’re excited to see how he does in the race!
King Louie- 3 year old, leader. Louie will be one of Kalyn’s main leaders. He’s been FANTASTIC in training. If he has a strong race, Louie will be on the Quest team.
Badger- 3 year old, team. Badger is fired up and ready. He’s not particularly fast, but his coat is the thickest in the kennel, so I think he’s looking forward to the frigid temperatures that are in the forecast. Like Louie, if Badger has a good race, he’ll be on the Quest team.
Faff- 2 year old, team/leader. Faff allllmmooost made the A Team, but she was the tiniest bit stiff after a long run, so she’ll be traveling at a slower speed on Kalyn’s team. She’s quite the cheerleader and works so hard, so I’ll miss having her on my team!
Amelia- 4 year old, team. Amelia is the hardest worker in the kennel to a fault. Like Wombat, she overdoes it sometimes. She’s a spitfire, eats everything, and gets the team pumped up. If she has a good race with Kalyn, she’s in contention for the Quest.
Yuker- 4 year old, team. This big dude pulls more than his fair share. He prefers a moderate pace (hence Kalyn’s team), but with his work ethic, I’ll definitely miss having Yuker on my team! He’s a powerhouse.
Lefty- 6 year old, leader. This is the first time in a long time that Lefty hasn’t been on my team, and I’ll be honest, it breaks my heart a little bit. BUT I know that he’ll prefer Kalyn’s pace to the pace of my team. Lefty is still an A Team athlete, but he shines in intelligence and leadership not speed.
Adults on the bench:
Rucu- Rucu is strong and has done every training mile. Since he has so much experience, we’re letting a younger dog have a go at Copper Basin. Rucu is still in contention for Quest!
Loretta- Loretta is in the same boat as Rucu. She’s run MANY miles and doesn’t need to prove herself on the CB to make the Quest team.
Vanessa- Vanessa did the majority of the training miles, but a couple different times, she’d have a sore right shoulder. She’d bounce back quickly, but we’re erring on the side of caution. She’s sticking to shorter runs right now to make sure it’s nothing major.
Boone- Boone is amazing. She started training later in the fall to make sure her Achilles was healed (it was slightly swollen after the last Yukon Quest), and it is! She’s doing tours and training puppies and having a grand time. Since she started later in the fall, she never quite built up to race team miles, which is just fine. We’d rather have her sassy and 100% for next season.
Bowser- Bowser is 100% physically, but he has a bit of an anxiety problem. Last year and earlier this season, Bowser would get so excited during training runs that he’d over-dip (meaning he’d habitually bite snow as we were running) to point that he’d vomit. He loves to run and pulls super hard, but his anxious dipping was a real problem. Recently he’s been training with the yearlings in a more mellow environment to try and ease his anxiety and excitement. It’s been working! He rarely overdips any more, so we’re hoping he’ll outgrow the habit.
Supai- Supai has mostly been living the couch life this year. He had a stiff wrist earlier in the season that stubbornly persisted. After acupuncture, laser therapy, and rest, it’s looking better but he’s riding the couch until we make sure it’s 100%.
Crunch- Crunch is in the same boat as Supai. Both of them (along with Kindi, Fire, and Ham) spend every night with Tom in the cabin getting lots of TLC.
Fish, Ham, Fire, Bert, Ernie, Scarpa, and Petzl- They’ve all been doing shorter runs and tours and looking amazing! More about them later!
And there you have it!
Copper Basin!
/It’s RACE TIME!!!
We’re SO excited to embark on the Copper Basin 300 Sled Dog Race on Saturday! We’ve been diligently preparing for the race, exercising the teams, and packing drop bags.
Just like humans, we try to “peak” the dogs at the race. During middle and late December, we trained in earnest. With camp outs and longer runs, we tried to simulate what the dogs will encounter during the races. As race day inched closer, we slowly decreased the miles and rested the athletes so that they’ll be ready to go come Saturday. Since temperatures have been hovering around -30F to -50F at home, Kalyn and I loaded up the truck with 26 canine athletes and headed to the BLM White Mountains to finish off our last training runs in the “warmth” of the hills. The temperature inversion can be extreme in the Interior, so while it was -50F at home, it was a balmy -20F in the hills. The dogs looked AMAZING on their final training runs, making it hard to pick the final athletes for our two teams! We’ll announce the final picks tomorrow!
Kalyn and I made a short video describing the drop bags and some items that we packed, and as you can see from the adjacent photo, the forecast calls for some real winter temperatures! The last few Copper Basin races have been exceptionally warm, so there’s a part of me that’s excited to hit the trail in such frigid temps. Our dogs are well acclimated to the cold, so I think they’ll thrive! Kalyn and I….well…we better toughen up. Ha!
Following the Race
My wonderful mother will be updating the blog from afar throughout the race.
We will also be equipped with GPS trackers, so you can follow all the teams here:
https://cb300.com/trackers/
The Copper Basin will be updating their Facebook page, so if you’re on social media, be sure to check it out!
Schedule
Friday January 10th: The Ryno Teams will drive to Glennallen. We’ll leave our drop bags with the volunteers who will distribute them to the appropriate checkpoints. There will be a Mushers Meeting in the evening, and we’ll draw our bib numbers.
Saturday January 11th: Race Day!
Saturday-Tuesday (or Monday): Run, rest, repeat!
Tuesday: 5 PM Awards Ceremony and Open House
Human Crew
Derek will be handling for Ryne and Team
Saeward, Tracy, and Bryan will handle for Kalyn and Team.
Tom will be holding down the fort and caring for all the dogs at home as well as keeping the house from freezing.
Katy Human (Mom) will be updating the website from afar.
As they say- it takes a village!
Kalyn took a few photos from a fun walk the other day, so of course I had to randomly include them.
