Husky Homestead

A Win at Sheep Mountain!

2011-12-23T13:05:00.000-09:00

Race weekend went great for the Husky Homestead Crew! Jeff pulled off a First Place finish with super star leaders Coltrane and Spider at the Sheep Mountain 150! Handler Kristin Knight finished her very first race ever with a great looking team in 40th place. A big congrats to both!

Here's a few pictures for you.... enjoy!


Check out that moose!

Jeff at the Start - Coltrane (front, right) is ready to go!

Jeff and team - Start of the Sheep Mountain 150.

Jeff - Sheep Mountain Start


Jeff and team at the Finish Line!

Kristin getting ready to go...

Deets & Brennan are ready to go! And can you see that BIG smile on Kristin's face?? :)

Getting closer to the start...

Kristin on the trail during sunset.

A smile and a wave!

Some frosty dogs!

The entire team had a great time at Sheep Mountain over the weekend. Congratulations to all the mushers who took part and a huge kudos to Sheep Mountain for hosting such a fun and well organized event (as usual!). Also, a big thank you to all the volunteers - couldn't be done without you!

To all of you a very Merry Christmas!!

Cheers,

HH Crew

2011-12-16T13:09:00.002-09:00

Greetings Folks!

It's RACE time! We have two teams headed down for the Sheep Mountain 150 this weekend. The race will begin on Saturday, December 17, 2011. With a full field of 60 teams signed up this should be a fun one to watch.

Jeff will be running the following team of 12:
Booth, Burglar, Butch, Coltrane, Guilder, Kroner, Menace, Merlot, Norton, Spider, Stewart & Suspect.

Kristin Knight will be running team #2 from the Homestead, with the following 10:
Bailey, Barnum, Brennan, Brooks, Clipper, Deets, Rebel, Skeeter, Solo & Vespa.

We wish all teams GOOD LUCK and we will be following Jeff and Kristin on their progress over the weekend. You can too! Click here to follow the race and get updates at gomush.com, or click here for a link to the Sheep Mountain 150 event page on Facebook.

We know we've been absent on the blog circuit for a while... but we've been busy on Facebook! Head on over to our Husky Homestead Tours page and give us a 'like'. You can see what we've been up to! We've got pics posted of the puppies from the summer, and if you would like to, feel free to drop us a note and tell us about your visit at Husky Homestead! We always welcome pictures too. :)

Have a great weekend all and we hope to have a recap of the first race of the season on Monday!

Happy Trails,
HH Crew

Iditarod Time!

2011-03-04T10:30:00.002-09:00

Hey Race Fans!

Iditarod 39 will begin tomorrow with the Ceremonial Start in Anchorage!! Are you going to be there to cheer on the 62 teams as they head down 4th Avenue? Will you make it to the restart on Sunday as the teams depart for Nome?

If you can't make it to the start... FEAR NOT! You can watch it from the comfort (& warmth!) of your own home! The Iditarod Insider will be streaming live video of the Ceremonial Start in Anchorage, the race Restart in Willow, as well as the Finish in Nome. Honestly, I don't know what we did without the Insider videos and the GPS trackers - they both definitely make the race a lot more fun for those of us that are not on the trail.

And speaking of not being on the trail.... most of you already know that Jeff is not running the race this year. After 35+ years of battling the elements on trails around the state every winter, he decided he was 'tired of being cold'. [To this I replied "$5 please." :) That's our 'whining' fee...] Jeff has spent the winter in the Lower 48, and he is currently poised to follow another great race.... although the one he will be watching first hand is in Norway - the Finnmarksløpet! The Finnmarksløpet is the northernmost sled dog race in the world. Click on the link to check out their homepage and find out more about this great race that begins next week!

While Jeff is checking out Norway and waiting for the Finnamrksløpet to begin, I know he will be checking out the Iditarod. If you were looking for a list of nearly every possible link there is for anything Iditarod related - check out Iditarod Race Talk. They have posted a list of Websites, Blogs, Webcams, FB and Twitter links that is bound to keep you up until all hours of the night!

We would like to wish all of the Iditarod mushers GOOD LUCK! Safe travels to Nome, and may everyone - both two-legged & four-legged - arrive happy and health under the Burled Arch in Nome.

Happy Trails,
HH Crew

Happy Valentine's Day!

2011-02-14T11:55:00.002-09:00

It's a beautiful (& chilly) morning here at Husky Homestead! We wanted to take a moment to say "Happy Valentine's Day" to all of you out there, and to update you a bit on that Jeff guy. :)

Jeff reported that he had a GREAT time at the John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon in Minnesota! He commentated on the race for the iFan Sports Network. You can check out the link and watch the archived webcast to hear Jeff. While at the race Jeff saw a few dogs that he recognized.... "Iceman" (from the Top Gun litter and sibling to Viper & Maverick), "Clumber" and "Hertz" who was in one of the mid-distance teams. He helped our friend and former Denali Doubles musher Shaynee Siepke to the start of the race, and he ran into a number of other friends while there as well: our long-time friend/co-worker from Husky Homestead, Robyn Schmidt, as well as Mark Nordman, Will Steger and Arleigh Jorgensen! When you add in the two cousins of Jeff's that showed up to join the festivities as well, it sounds like Jeff had one heck of a reunion down there! It seems Jeff hasn't been hurting when it comes to meals either, he was invited to join Jamie Nelson for the 1/2 way dinner award and reported that it was delicious. Several past Husky Homestead visitors surprised him as well, bringing their photos to the start for Jeff to autograph. It definitely sounded like it was a fun time!

A big congratulations to Dave Turner for his win in the Mid-Distance race, and to Ryan Anderson for his win in the Marathon! Great job!

After the culmination of the Beargrease, Jeff headed over to Bayfield, Wisconsin (way to go Packers!) for the Apostle Island Sled Dog Race. Jeff borrowed some dogs from friend Mike Bestgen and signed up to run the 6-dog 60 mile (30 miles/day) race! Jeff placed 7th out of 15 teams, while Mike came in 6th in the 8-dog 80 mile race (40 miles/day). Way to go gentlemen! For a complete list of finishers check out Sled Dog Central.

While in Wisconsin, Jeff also had the opportunity to do a little ice fishing with his cousins. Walleye was on the menu!! Oh, and I guess a bit of Sauger was too.

Jeff is now back on the west coast soaking up a bit of sunshine before he jets off to Norway for the 30th anniversary running of the 1,000km Finnmarkslopet! He will not be running the race, but will be following along.... check out the promotional video for the race by clicking here.

Until next time.... Happy Trails!

HH Crew

A Skijoring Win!

2011-01-19T14:01:00.006-09:00

Jeff had an eventful weekend down in Chemult, OR last weekend!

He took first place in his first skijoring race! It was a 2 dog, 2.5 mile race. His first place team consisted of "Texas" and "Tin" - a few 'retirees' that now live with our good friends Jeanne & Bob down in Bend, OR. Woot woot POTUS!

Jeff also competed in the 4 dog, 4 mile race that was made up of 15 teams. It was a dual start race and wouldn't it figure that he was paired with a guy named Lance! Haha! Well, Lance went on to win the race and Jeff and team (Salem, Deets, Houston & Call) placed 6th with a very happy team. Jeff holds no hard feelings towards this Lance either, comparing him with 'Alaska Lance' and saying that it was hard to be pissed at either one since they are both really nice guys and have such beautiful dogs.

A few pics of some dogs that made up Jeff's team.... :)
It seems that the weekend was a fun time down there, filled with all kinds of mid-distance races, kids races and skijoring races.

After Jeff's weekend on the trails he decided to head back to his alma mater - Shasta College and spend a bit of time running around the football field and the track. He did say that it became clear to him that the low hurdles are higher now than they were a while back. (Ah... perhaps it has been a little more than a 'while back' since he now gets the AARP magazine and dislikes it so when I put that one on his desk....shhh!)

Jeff was hoping for another race this weekend in Weed, OR but it seems that one turned out to be a no-go. So if you're feeling a bit deprived of dog racing or skijoring, take a look at the Kuskokwim 300 race that starts this Friday evening up in Bethel, AK. This race has always been a favorite of Jeff's - in fact he is a 7 time champion! Click on the link and check out their website. There are 20 teams signed up and you may recognize some of them! We wish all of the mushers a great race, as well as a happy and healthy team at the finish line! Good Luck!

A big congratulations to Jake Berkowitz for his win at the Copper Basin a couple of weeks ago! Jake finished with a great time - breaking the all time race record! This young man may be someone to keep an eye on... and I hear he's got some great dogs that came from Jeff King and Jon Little. ;) Check out their website for some more information on how the race turned out - complete photos, interviews and final musher standings.

Alright! That's gonna be it for now.... keep checking back with us here at Husky Homestead! We hope to be posting more information on Jeff's adventures - including his participation in an upcoming race in Wisconsin!! :)

Happy Trails,
The HH Crew

Happy New Year!

2011-01-07T11:59:00.003-09:00

Greetings and Happy 2011!

The New Year has started out pretty quiet here at Husky Homestead.... perhaps that is because nobody is home! Yup, you got it. The Homestead is empty this winter. Jeff decided he was 'tired of being cold' all the time, and after 30+ years of spending the winter and spring in Alaska running dogs, he has headed for the warmer weather of the Lower 48. Where are the dogs?? Well, all of the dogs have made the trek down to Willow where they are residing, training and racing with musher Matt Hayashida and family for the winter season. Matt is an accomplished musher and Iditarod veteran, and he will be running the Copper Basin 300 race this weekend. There are 42 mushers signed up for this race this year and Jeff was the 2010 champion. Check out the race and see if you can spot any dogs that you know!! We wish Matt a safe and successful run!!

Although Jeff is 'tired of being cold' that does not mean that he is basking in the sunshine on a beach somewhere with his toes in the sand. In fact, he has been spending some time skijoring! Indeed, it seems he may have given up the sled for a bit and hopped on some skis! We kind of saw this coming though, didn't we? What with the Gee-Pole sled that he's used in the Iditarod start the last two years? :) If you happen to be near Chemult, OR next weekend (January 15 & 16th) you can stop by the 17th Annual Chemult Sled Dog Races. Jeff will be there as a participant in the skijoring race! Good luck POTUS! :)

If you live in Minnesota..... Jeff will be at the John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon! Jeff will be the Keynote Speaker for this years race. Reservations are still available to the Beargrease Gala and Silent Auction that is scheduled to take place on January 28th, 2011 from 6pm - 10pm. Click the link above for more information on Jeff's speaking engagement as well as the Race itself!
In addition to speaking at the dinner, Jeff will also be a commentator for the race on a local news channel and he will travel along the entire race route providing updates! How fun is that?!?

So, as one of Jeff's favorite t-shirts says... "Life without dogs? I don't think so!"

We will continue to keep you updated as best we can on any fun things that may be taking place out and about!

In the mean time, we hope this finds you all doing well, keeping up with those New Year's Resolutions and otherwise enjoying all that the New Year has to offer!

Happy Trails,
The Husky Homestead Crew

Modern Marvels:Dogs - Watch it ONLINE!

2010-12-01T15:33:00.003-09:00

For anyone who may have missed the Modern Marvels episode from last Friday (November 26th) you can watch it online at the Modern Marvels website, or by clicking here!

We've had a number e-mails from people that really enjoyed it - thanks for sharing! So if you missed it... or just want to see it again - it's available! (This actually works great for us up here in Denali - we have no TV channels! This will be our first opportunity to catch the show!)

Again, thanks for following!

Cheers,
Husky Homestead Crew

Modern Marvels TV Show

2010-11-23T11:27:00.002-09:00

Greetings All!

We wanted to let you know that coming up this weekend is the Modern Marvels episode that will showcase some of our dogs! The Modern Marvels crew was here at Husky Homestead this summer shooting footage of our dogs swimming for a portion of this episode. We were very excited to have them here and we are anxious to see the episode in it's entirety. It should be an interesting one, so check it out!!

The History Channel
Friday, November 26th
9pm Eastern/8pm Central

Click here for a link to the Modern Marvels website.

After you watch, let us know what you thought!

Warm wishes to you and yours for a Happy Thanksgiving!!

-The HH Crew

'Ringlet' for Sale

2010-07-31T10:07:00.002-08:00

Update October 4th 2010: All dogs are SOLD.
If any more become available we will keep you posted - otherwise we do not have any more dogs available for sale.
Thanks!!

Another dog available....

Ringlet (F) - Shannon x Solomon (Little)
DOB: June 27, 2008
Feisty female, runs anywhere in the team and eats like a pig.
$650
**SOLD**

There are also a few left from our last posting as well: Beamer, Buzz & Pilfer are all still looking for a new home! Check out our last blog for their information.

Please direct all inquiries to us at 907-683-2904 or by e-mail at info@huskyhomestead.com.

Cheers!

Dogs for Sale!!

2010-07-05T08:18:00.001-08:00

More dogs up for sale! Got some great ones in this batch - check them out!!

Beamer (F) - Shannon X Solomon (Little)
DOB: July 31, 2009
Good leader potential.
$750

**SOLD**

Kayak (M) - Dollar x Solomon (Little)
DOB: July 30, 2009
Intact.
Well-furred, athletic and very friendly.
$750
**SOLD**

Treason (F) - Berkeley x Solomon (Little)
DOB: June 13, 2008

Intact & currently bred to Salem. Due mid-August.
Great little leader.
$2000 includes puppies
**SOLD**

Corker(M) - Gypsy x UConn
DOB: November 20, 2008
Intact.
Timid, hard-driving and athletic.
$750

**SOLD**

Florence (F) - Gypsy x UConn
DOB: November 20, 2008
Intact & currently pregnant by Sprout (great young leader).
Small leader. Due July 12.
$1000 includes puppies
**SOLD**

Dover (M) - Gypsy x UConn
DOB: November 20, 2008
Intact
Smooth, fast, friendly, leader potential & good attitude.
$1000
**SOLD**

London (F) - Gypsy x UConn
DOB: November 20, 2008
Intact
Hard working, big female, gorgeous gait.
$750
**SOLD**

Buzz (F) - Shannon X Solomon (Little)
DOB: June 27, 2008
Intact.
Very friendly with leader potential. Tessa's favorite!
$500
**SOLD**

Nix (M) - Cricket x UConn

DOB: April 29, 2009
Intact.
Very friendly, well furred, young stud.
$500
**SOLD**

Pilfer (F) - Berkeley X Solomon (Little)

DOB: June 13, 2008
Intact
Cross-eyed, hard-working, super star.
$750
**SOLD**

Pinto (F) - Claire x Rhumba/Maverick/Ross

DOB: March 18, 2008
Excellent leader potential with many miles in lead '09/'10.
$1000
**SOLD**

Direct all inquiries to our e-mail at info@huskyhomestead.com or by telephone to 907-683-2904.

Snoopy - For Sale

2010-04-19T17:13:00.001-08:00

Snoopy (Spaniel x Salem)

Top twenty in the kennel. Great 3 year old neutered male. Loves to lead. 46 pounds. Never hurt. Light coat.

$3,000

**SOLD**

Dogs For Sale

2010-03-28T10:50:00.000-08:00

Alright - here you go! For questions and inquiries - please drop us an e-mail to info@huskyhomestead.com or call our office at 907-683-2904.

Thank You!

Iditarod Team 2010

Call (M) - Jenna X Yuksi
6.5 Years; 55 lbs.; Neutered
Jeff's "A" Team Iditarod Finisher
$2000
**sold**

Beetle (M) - Shannon X Zorro (Mackey)
2 Years; 48 lbs; Neutered
Dave's "B" Team Iditarod Finisher
Turning 3 years old this summer, Beetle and Cricket are two of the 12 puppies we got when we bred Lance's "Zorro" to "Shannon". Wow - did we hit the jackpot on that one! Several in this litter already leading other race teams as well as our own. Beetle was neutered to help him hold his weight. According to Chief Dog Trainer Dave DeCaro 'he showed a lot of promise as a leader during training and he turned on his performance on the coast [of Iditarod] and had a very strong finish. Motivated on the tow line.'
$1000
**sold**

Cricket (F) - Shannon X Zorro (Mackey)
2 Years; 38 lbs; Spayed

Dave's "B" Team Iditarod Finisher
Turning 3 years old this summer, Beetle and Cricket are two of the 12 puppies we got when we bred Lance's "Zorro" to "Shannon". Wow - did we hit the jackpot on that one! Several in this litter already leading other race teams as well as our own. According to Dave's post-race report card 'somewhat picky eater, would skip every 4th meal or so. Knows gee-haw commands well and was a good help to the leaders as she ran in swing most of the race.'
$1000
**sold**

Dave (M) - Demi X Yuksi
2 Years; 48 lbs; Neutered
Dave's "B" Team Iditarod Finisher
A preferred gait pacer, Dave strikes me as bigger than 48 lbs. Tall and leggy. Dave's post-race report: 'A quiet dog that didn't really stand out, but did a great job. Happy to run next anyone, always ate and always had a tight tug. Did better towards the back of the team.'
$750
**sold**

Schilling (F) - Dollar X Solomon (J. Little)
1 Year; 46 lbs; Intact & currently pregnant - bred by 'Coltrane'
Dave's "B" Team Iditarod Finisher
I just ran this beauty 40 miles this morning. Gorgeous gait, beautiful coat, calm disposition. Awesome, fast trotter and according to Dave "seemed completely at home on the race trail. Ate a ton and was always looked like a playful pup. Never once did I see a slack tug-line on Schilling."
Her pups are due in early May and are part of the deal. All the pups born by this pregnancy are included in the purchase price. However I would like to keep her and the pups at no charge to the buyer until approximately July 1st.
Price bred including pups $1500.
**sold**

Opel (F) - Berkeley X Viper
2 Years; 43 lbs; Intact & currently pregnant - by 'Suspect'
Dave's "B" Team Iditarod
Dropped in Shaktoolik, Opel has been a stand-out from early on. She finished the Kusko 300 in 2009 with Dave and ran on my team in the 2009 Stage Stop Race. According to Dave "she ate great and was a happy dog. She was coming out of heat and had been bred a few days before the race, and it seemed to affect her performance. I would have expected her to do a lot of leading had she been up to par for the Iditarod."
Her pups are due in early May and are part of the deal. All the pups born by this pregnancy are included in the purchase price. However I would like to keep her and the pups at no charge to the buyer until approximately July 1st.
Price bred including pups $1500.
**sold**

Baker (M) - Spaniel X Salem
1 Year; 41 lbs; Intact
Dave's "B" Team Iditarod
Definitely one of Dave's favorite dogs in training, Baker was #17 for the race roster. However, his performance throughout training surpassed most all other team members. we were unable to get Baker to pack on the extra pounds we thought prudent for the start of the Iditarod. Tremendous personality, tremendous sled-dog. So far energy output has exceeded energy input. This dog needs to be fed a lot and often.
$500
**sold**

The following are 12-18 month old harness-broke pups. Unless noted, all have been more than satisfactory to date. $500/each

'European Cities' Littermates

Vienna (F) - Gypsy X UConn
1 Year
$500
**sold**

Venice (F) - Gypsy X UConn
1 Year
**sold**

Dijon (F) - Gypsy X UConn
1 Year
**sold**

Oslo (M) - Gypsy X UConn
1 Year
**sold**

'Crimes & Misdemeanors' Littermates

Treason (F) - Berkeley X Solomon(J. Little)
1.5 Years
$500

Pilfer (F) - Berkeley X Solomon(J. Little)
1.5 Years
$500

'Wine' Litter

Rose (F) - Klarney X Solomon(J. Little)
<1years
**sold**

Ringer (a.k.a. Snowflake) (M) - Ruble X Suspect
1 Year
Ringer really is a family favorite. Donna trained Ringer with her Border Collies at 10 weeks old and he has a remarkable resume of talents. Weave poles, pee poles, and puppy wheel star. He has tremendous personality and is going to be a big boy.
**sold**

'Motorcycles' Litter
Harley (M) - Shannon X Solomon(J. Little)
8 months
FREE - to GOOD home.
This guy received poor marks in a sled dog structural evaluation that was performed by Pat Hastings.
**found a home!**

From Jeff in Nome

2010-03-20T13:11:00.000-08:00

As I sit in an overstuffed chair, full as a tick and clean as a whistle, it is hard to imagine that 29 years has passed since my first Iditarod finish. Nome looks much the same as I remember it in March of 1981--crowded tangles of power lines --cheering Nome residents and visitors, some walking a straight and narrow line and others staggering from doorway to doorway. Iditarod week here is truly unlike any other place I have ever been. With our friend and colleague, Dave DeCaro, crossing the finish line just an hour ago with a team of Husky Homestead protegees I feel like it is safe to say that Iditarod 2010 is now over. My race team has long since departed Nome, back to the kennel where they are enjoying TLC in a familiar bed with familiar hands caressing them and filling their food dish over and over. My third place finish in this year's race ironically included my fastest time ever from Anchorage to Nome. The team was a joy to drive and consisted of many of the best sled dogs that I have ever had the pleasure of racing. Litter mates Dublin and Shannon, in particular, had a spectacular race and charged down the street in Nome for the burled arch reminiscent of my Streeper Steakers in the Fur Rendezvous. They will both be going on to race in another team and I look forward to staying in touch with all of the dogs who are not retiring. Viper and Deets, long time sentimental favorites, have accepted an early retirement package and will spend their next years by my side reminiscing about the good old days on the trail. Titan, Sussex, Ross and Alamo are headed to Northern Sweden to no doubt learn a few new words in a different language as they join a top Scandinavian race team. Berkeley is headed into the maternity ward for a young musher here in Alaska who has plans to raise Husky Homestead puppies for his future racing team. Young musher Pete Kaiser from Bethel, Alaska has made a huge commitment to acquire Dollar, Shannon and Snoopy for his young race team. As always it will be fun to follow the lives of the dogs as they move on. Back at the homestead we look forward to puppies to be born out of Dave's adolescent team. We have found over the years that dogs conceived during the Iditarod always bring a special character to the pups as they grow up.

Donna's new print, "A Fork in the Trail" proved madly popular. Released just two days before the race start, it is now sold out. The image commemorates by first and last Iditarod races. Donna will soon be headed to Tulsa, OK where a week from today she will be competing in the AKC National Agility Championships while I expect to be enjoying the spring sunshine back in Denali.

So, to all of our loyal fans, friends, family and fellow racers, thank you to each and every one of you for the support and enthusiasm that has made my Iditarod career so rewarding. I am not exactly sure what is going to happen next, but I assure you that it will be done with gusto, enthusiasm and compassion influenced by thousands of miles on the Iditarod Trails.

Check back soon for personal race photos.

Happy trails.

POTUS

Wednesday 3/17/10 Update

2010-03-17T07:35:00.000-08:00

7:36 am and Jeff is still asleep... clocking in almost twelve hours of the well-needed zzzz's. He had a brilliant finish yesterday! The weather was picture-perfect, the dogs sprinted up the chute and under the arch like a Streeper sprint team, all in front of a welcoming crowd shouting and cheering. The bright sunshine was truly a gift that set the happy scene on Front Street. Many of our dear, long-time friends and supporters flew in to Nome and were there to greet Jeff and the team. It couldn't have been a more storybook ending to Jeff's Iditarod career.

Diane and Jerry from Aurora Fine Art in Anchorage were here and wisked me away in a helicopter yesterday afternoon for a flight to Safety Roadhouse to catch Jeff passing through. A spectacular trip over the sea ice and Cape Nome landed us in Safety as Jeff and the team were arriving at the checkpoint. We watched as Jeff checked in and moved some dogs around in the team. The dogs were incredible! Shannon was screaming to go when they arrived and as they left off down the trail for the 22 mile run to Nome. Diane, Jerry and I were given the grand tour of the roadhouse by its intrepid host, Tom. A short history lesson and we were back in the bird off in search of a few more photo opportunities of our team, musk ox and seals. Absolutely a fantastic ride!!

After Jeff's official welcome into Nome, he headed the team to the Nome Dog Lot where they are evaluated by a team of veterinarians, judges for the Humanitarian Award. Lots of food and TLC and into the boxes for some well-earned rest. Three hours later the "Pee Team" arrived to collect urine samples for drug testing. Still haven't heard if Jeff contributed or not.... something new this year is the drug testing of the mushers as well.

The siren blew throughout the night announcing the arrival of another team off the trail. The teams continue to come in and will now for days. Dave left UNK this morning and is still moving at an impressive speed toward Nome. His family is here patiently waiting for his arrival along with additional members of the Dave DeCaro Fan Club! I wouldn't be surprised if a trip down the trail was in our future.

One more tidbit of information before I bring Jeff his triple-shot latte: We remained blissfully ignorant of the cold temperatures folks and dogs were experiencing in the last third of the race. Speaking with Bruce Lee, Iditarod Insider Correspondent and long time neighbor and friend, yesterday, he filled me in while lamenting his own level of discomfort on the trail. "I feel like I just ran the race myself!" he said referring to the toll the temperatures and wind took. Jeff said that if he had an hesitations about retiring, those hesitations are long gone!

More later!

Tuesday 3/16/10 Update

2010-03-16T08:21:00.000-08:00

I am sitting in the back room of Mary's shop, Arctic Trading Post, the gathering spot of all who desperately need that morning latte. The hiss of the active espresso machine in the background, KNOM radio station giving us race updates and a couple of well-loved boxers at our feet are just a few of the comforting sounds of our Nome home.

I arrived in town via Alaska Airlines last night and after some wonderful catching up time with Mary and Howie, I headed the two blocks down the street around 11:00pm to the Mini Convention Center, the Iditarod Headquarters here in Nome. A computer and updates along with an uncharacteristically quiet building greeted me. I arrived just in time to watch Jeff's little icon arrive into White Mountain! The Breakers Bar was next with dear friends... a photo was taken to prove that I actually DID walk into a Nome bar (peer pressure....). However, the Wet Buns Contest was already completed with the happy winner carting away enough prize money to instill courage. Nome is a special place abounding with Alaskan traditions, a few of which are best left right here in Nome : )

Out on the trail, Jeff and the dogs are watching the sunrise as they make their last run toward the Burled Arch and the possibilities that a new future holds. When we experience familiar things for what may be the last time, our awareness is sharpened, details become powerful and our reactions to these moments take on a deeper meaning. I imagine Jeff on the runner tails taking it all in. Thinking about his last 30 years of mushing experiences; the dogs, the people, the competition, the successes and the challenges. He is a rich man holding these moments and memories securely in his vault.

Just one of the cherished connections that have come to us through Jeff's racing career is our affiliation with our incredible sponsor, CABELAS. They came on board with Jeff 17 years ago. An amazing company and now wonderful, life-long friends. Last night while visiting with friends (in the bar, I might add), I looked up (way up) into a familiar and unexpected face. A soft, "Hi, Donna." was enough to activate my brain and check the catalog.... Jeff Smith from Cabelas, or Smitty in the familiar. Jeff has not only been representing Cabelas for years here around Iditarod time but was also brave enough to take a crash course (very apropos...) in mushing and then hop on the runner tails and race the Knik 200 Mile Race, and on paper, beating his teacher/coach!

So, back to the race: Jeff is only 26 minutes behind Hans. That amount of time can be made up in this last run and Jeff's run time was a bit faster than Hans' coming into White Mountain last night.... time will tell!! He always has a way of keeping this exciting!!!

By the time I blog tomorrow, Jeff will be here and showered, rested, hugging a hot latte and maybe ready to talk about the trail. Stay tuned....

Monday 3/15/10 Update

2010-03-15T07:57:00.000-08:00

What is going on??

The Race Tracker is on the fritz and I now realize to what extent I have been addicted to the darn thing!

In haste, my observations from the stats and Iditarod Inside: Jeff looks great; happy and relatively lively. The dogs look fantastic! Lance’s team looks great as well. He is posting slightly faster run times than Jeff and our gang. I don’t have an OUT time for Jeff from Koyuk yet…. And as I said, the TRACKER is momentarily taking a break (is that legal??), so I can only surmise that the two teams are resting and moving similarly. The interesting development is that crafty Hans. He is continuing to close the gap and could very well change things up soon.

OK, the TRACKER is back and it appears as though Jeff has not left Koyuk as of 7:00 am but my guess is that he is about ready to depart soon. The temperatures are something to complain about now and let’s keep our fingers crossed that the wind has a lazy day today.

The TRACKER is also showing us that the trail into Koyuk has been diverted from the common route. It would be interesting to know why….

Off to Nome! A two hour drive to Fairbanks to catch my flight to Anchorage for a four and a half hour layover there before catching the flight to Nome. Arriving at 8:15 tonight! Yahoo!

I would expect the first team over the finish line tomorrow, late afternoon.

Sunday 3/14/10 Update

2010-03-14T09:36:00.000-08:00

Wow.

It's another nail-biter! I think each one of these races takes years off my life.... : )

So, a predicted, the first team into UNK (Unalakleet), the first checkpoint on the coast, arrived at 3:30 am (including the "Spring ahead" adjustment for Daylight Savings Time). However, as unpredicted, it wasn't Jeff! Lance made a bold move running through Kaltag (his typical move, actually, but usually he stops on the trail somewhere along the way) AND NOT stopping to camp along the way to the coast. That truly may be a first. The amazing and notable aspect of this "cutting rest" scenario, is that his team is still moving very well and looked excellent arriving into the village, as viewed on the Iditarod Insider video. We have discussions regularly wondering if these incredible athletes have limits..... A well trained and physically and mentally well-maintained team has all of the appearance of being bionic. We all agree that the mushers are the weakest links in the team. It is absolutely amazing and thrilling to see what these sled dogs are capable of!

Jeff, Lance and Hugh had very similar run times on this long trek to the coast. Hans opted to take his rest on the trail but otherwise appears to be moving very well with comparable speed (if not faster). My old adage was that the sequence in which the teams arrived into UNK was typically how they crossed the finish line in Nome. That has been proven wrong too many times these past few years to put any stock in it this year. A three-hour advantage at this point in the race is truly significant, however. The ability of the teams to try to cut rest this far into the event, at least of any true significance, dwindles rapidly as the miles swish under the runner tails. Depending on the time differential, the speed at which a team is moving must be considerably faster than its competition to alter the outcome with so few trail miles left. That is all assuming that the trail and weather conditions remain friendly. Last year was a great reminder of how Mother Nature can shake things up!

I would be remiss without mentioning a bit about human nature at this point. Most of us have grown up in the black hat/white hat theatre of competition. Guard yourself from creating imagined foes. The people that are on the trail with Jeff are some of the most talented, knowledgeable and intuitive dog folks on the planet. Over the decades of the Iditarod, there have been giant leaps in knowledge and experience surrounding the science of dog care, training, race strategy, and most importantly, reverence for these Alaskan Huskies. Winning this prestigious event is a well-earned award and believe me, without trying to sound too "Pollyanna", these competitors are all winners and should be held in the highest regard for their talents, drive, expertise and love of the sport and of the dogs. They are examples of the very best that is put forward on the 1100 miles of Iditarod trail.

So, what happens now? It would be typical for the teams to rest at least 4 hours and up to 6 hours here before headed to Shaktoolik, the coastal checkpoint known for extreme winds. The Alaska Coast can dole out some bitter challenges to the teams as they make their way along the last 200 miles to Front Street and the burled arch in Nome. Managing the team will be like trying to balance a fine, crystal goblet on the end of your finger. It takes intense focus, impeccable attention to detail and an ability to predict what will happen with the simplest of adjustments. A move too far this way, or that, could cause the cherished crystal to tumble earthward. Have no fear! That is what Jeff just happens to be outstanding at!

I am packing up today for the trip to Nome tomorrow. I think that I am most looking forward to a big, warm, "your-home" hug from our beloved friend and host of many years, Mary Knodel. She is family. And of course, our Nome experience will hold many memories and reminiscences of the past 20 years of race finishes, friends, celebrations and Iditarod life that have become such a part of who we are.

I will continue to post updates! Cheers!

Saturday 3/13/10 Update

2010-03-13T09:48:00.000-09:00

YAHOO!!! Jeff is having a brilliant race!!

But, believe me, it is a stressful position to be in; leading the race with several of the best, most experienced, determined and very motivated dog drivers on the planet hot on his heels. Jeff and his team definitely have command of the event right now as he is leaving Nulato and headed for Kaltag, a pivotal checkpoint in this Last Great Race. From what I can see of Lance and his team however, they are scary. The team looks great, had a similar run time to Nulato and Lance is fired up and on the hunt. This is reminiscent of the 2008 race only the team positions are switched.

Mitch Seavey and Hans Gatt also look like they are moving well down the Yukon. Three hours tends to be a safe lead, but barely. That constitutes one rest and if a team is willing and able to forego one rest break and still remain on their game.... well, as we know, "It ain't over 'til its over." There are only seven more runs for the teams to make until they reach Nome. Hans made up 20 minutes on Jeff in the last run. If he can do that seven more times.... well, you do the math. It definitely adds some excitement to our speculations.

I have not heard how the wind is on the Yukon. The weather in the videos has looked perfect and the temperatures seem to be remaining very manageable. Looking forward to weather on the coast, it appears like it should hold up well with mild winds and temperatures as well. As we perennial spectators know, the coast can really shake things up and has provided many an Iditarod tale of man against nature and race-altering events. My best guess is that this year the teams will be granted a reprieve.

As for the dropped dogs, Jeff left Alamo in Ruby and Colonel in Ophir to be chauffeured home. We don't have them here yet so no story to tell there. Dave left young Stewart in McGrath.

We are approaching the most exciting portion of the race as the teams make their way to Kaltag and then overland to the coast. They are definitely on a record pace. I usually figure they will be in Unalakleet by noon on Sunday. They are likely to be there around 2:00 am. which is well ahead of the past years. Hold on to your hats!

My prediction: this is going to be another fabulous King-Mackey Show!

Friday 3/12/10 Update

2010-03-12T09:18:00.000-09:00

Well, Jeff kept his promise.

I just watched the Insider video of the gourmet meal in Ruby. Our dear friend, neighbor and summer Husky Homestead team member, Jamie Kohn, was enjoying the 8 course meal right along side of Jeff. Jamie is volunteering for the Iditarod and has been helping the race for many years now. She knew that she would be working
in Ruby and made Jeff promise to share the meal with her. Always thinking ahead.... : )

Jeff's team looked incredible in the video as they were parking in Ruby. Titan and Viper in lead as Jeff situated the team for their well-earned warm meal and rest. They will be staying in Ruby to complete the mandatory 8 hour rest. Each team must take an 8 hour break at one of the checkpoints along the Yukon River: Ruby, Galena, Nulato or Kaltag. At this point in the race, Jeff and the team are in command. I received an e-mail from Jeff's sister this morning, "What's the pro think, is he going to win?". My response, " Looking great but too early to tell." Lance and his team both looked strong coming into Ruby this morning as well and he is a scary guy to have on your tail. Having that said, Jeff is having a brilliant race. I know that he is having a blast, is very excited and will be wearing a big smile all the way to Front Street and beyond. It has been a dream-come-true ride for him so far.

It is likely he may find the phone in Ruby this morning and have time for a quick call home. If that happens, I will be sure to report back!

It looks like Dave is boosting up on his rest in Ophir. An excellent move at this point in the race for him and his team. It is a long way to Nome!

Thursday 3/11/10 Update

2010-03-11T09:23:00.000-09:00

This is the point in the race where you need to get out your pencil, paper and abacus to figure out "Who's in first?". Clearly at this point, Jeff has a good handle on the race but there are so many great teams on the trail, each with its individual, and sometimes hidden, strengths. It is not unusual for a not-so-flashy team to really come on in the second half, or even last quarter, of the event. That is truly what keeps us all (unreasonably) glued to our computers in anticipation of the next gripping moment. Jeff has not had the opportunity to see many other teams moving so, when we chatted yesterday, he could not give me any reports on the competition.

Do not be fooled into thinking that the number of dogs in the team has more significance than it actually has. I remember one of the years that Martin Buser won, he was down to ten dogs in McGrath and finished with nine. Certainly, there is likely some comfort to the musher when looking at a big string of dogs, but remember, each of those amazing athletes requires lots of TLC and that means TIME. At some point, efficiency prevails. If the trail is fast, the number of dogs in the team can reach a point of maximum efficiency (or inefficiency!). Which dog is dropped is usually way more significant; your best leader? your best buddy? The dog count is a way for us spectators to compare teams and contemplate their competitive edge, but again, it is just one of many factors that contribute to the winning ingredients of the team.

There is some confusion over the mileage from Ophir to Cripple. The Cripple checkpoint does tend to move from year to year. It is only a tent camp set up for the race each year. Once we get a gander at some more run times we will be able to calculate the mileage a bit more accurately. Jeff will likely be making his run from Takotna to Cripple in one run. It was his winning move in one of his recent victories. That was the point where his team really turned on and it was very exciting! He should be arriving in to Cripple today around noon.

Dave and Jeff were able to compare notes in Takotna last night before Jeff left from his 24-hour break. Would have loved to be a fly on the wall..... : )

Wednesday 3/10/10 Update #2

2010-03-11T08:08:00.000-09:00

Jeff is enjoying his day in beautiful Takotna. I spoke with him several times and he sounded great, getting plenty of great food and rest. He reported that this has been the most fun and cleanest dogsled ride/race he has ever had. He had no problems to speak of and the only thing that kept the moments in Takotna from being the perfect dream, "It could be a little warmer." It was 20 below this morning when he made that comment but it had warmed up to zero tonight..... so, I guess it is the perfect dream! He was able to park his team in his favorite parking spot right outside the doors of the checkpoint. He had a steak dinner last night after feeding the dogs (they all ate great!) and then savored a 7 hour sleep. The dogs are in excellent condition; no soreness or lameness, eating like tigers and perfect stools (a Musher's dream). Several of the dogs, notably Titan and Alamo, were standing and barking for breakfast this morning after their peaceful night's rest.

Cadet has been a total blast and Jeff said that he will never forget her name again : ) Dollar, Viper and Sussex ("He is one of the best dogs I've ever driven in my life.") have been outstanding. Ross has been letter perfect and could not get any better. Colonel is a special needs guy (and quite fat) with somewhat of a lack-luster performance unless there is a crowd nearby. He was screaming to leave Nikolai and garnered much attention from impressed spectators. Titan has been spectacular; happy, trotting smoothly, effortlessly leading, eating great. Berkeley is her usual growly, feisty self but moving beautifully. Charger will lead but gets too excited in that position and moves into a driving lope which then gets the rest of the team a bit too amped, so she has been staying back in the team for now.

Two inches of new snow on the Burn provided a trail for the dogs to follow, though still quite tussocky and bumpy. He had to ride the drag all the way from Nikolai to Takotna to keep the team's speed down. A nice problem to have! The trail should be good for the next day or so as the teams travel to Ruby.

Dave arrived in Takotna tonight with his speedy pups. His is one of the only teams that has been traveling faster than Jeff's! Jeff and Dave will have some time to compare notes before Jeff and the team leave at 12:48 am.

There are a bunch of experienced, great teams on the trail this year. Each are making the best decisions for their race and their dogs. We see these different styles of racing emerging now as the teams move into their 24-hour breaks. Jeff's team is very strong at this point in the race and it will be a daunting task for someone to upset their magic carpet ride. It is very exciting! But remember, the race is not even half way over! There is plenty of story still to be told......

Wednesday 3/10/10 Update

2010-03-10T09:02:00.001-09:00

I am hesitant to leave the house today..... Jeff is taking his 24 hour break in Takotna and this is the time I can expect a phone call and update on his race and the dogs. It appears as though all's well on the trail for Jeff and the team: great position and run times. The folks in Takotna will take good care of him., as usual! I counted 22 teams in Takotna this morning with five teams going through. I know they all look forward to getting a steak personally prepared just for them at this homey and accommodating checkpoint. Jeff was thinking about his long-time friends and this welcoming village well before the race even began! A special thanks to them for all that they do for the Iditarod and the teams!

I believe Jeff's 24-hour break will be about 25 hours and 52 minutes meaning that he will be able to leave at about 12:40 am. You may remember that it is during this long break where the time differential of the race starting positions is equalized. Therefore the only team actually taking a 24 hour break is Judy Currier wearing bid number 72.

Some observations from yesterday's runs: the run across the Burn was more forgiving than predicted. Jeff stated in the Iditarod Insider video that he had a problem-free run. He didn't pick up his second sled in McGrath either, indicating no major structural issues with his starting sled. His team was screaming as they went through McGrath. That is a sound that warms a musher's heart!

I have not heard a trail report for the trail ahead but expect that it should be good going. We were surprised with 8 inches of fresh snow here in Denali yesterday. Fabulous!

I will send along another update after I speak with Jeff today : )

Meanwhile, Dave DeCaro and our full team of 16, crazy puppies arrive into Nikolai early this morning. Dave is staying right on track for a perfect race!

Tuesday 3/9/10 Update

2010-03-09T08:55:00.000-09:00

Thank Heaven and the Iditarod Trail Committee for the LIVE TRACKER!!

You may have noticed that for some reason Jeff's GPS does not update as frequently as the rest of the Musher's. I simply add a few miles.... I usually figure about four miles in a 30 minute period of time is fairly close. And this morning it looks like Jeff is just where he wants to be! The teams are moving toward Nikolai and most will likely arrive around noon. I know that they are breathing a sigh of relief knowing that the worst of the trail and demanding sled handling is behind them. Leaving Rohn there is about 20 miles of nasty trail before it levels off on the Burn. The Burn is a wide open, treeless area known for the lack of snow. This year in particular the teams were warned about the significant lack of any fluffy, white stuff to ease those trail miles. You will notice that the teams are running close together still and that is most likely due to the deep snow conditions up until this point. I also suspect that the experienced teams have been running a relatively conservative attack of the race due to the trail conditions. Some shuffling around will begin soon as the teams hit Nikolai and Takotna and their choices for their mandatory 24 hour breaks.

Jeff will be staying in Takotna for his long break. It is his favorite spot on the trail and he was looking forward to taking "a vacation" there. As I previously mentioned, he had a second sled flown in to McGrath just in case the rough trail took its toll on his equipment. If he needs to switch sleds, he will likely drag the "new" sled with him from McGrath to Takotna so that he can work on getting everything switched out without being rushed.

For many years, Jeff has worked at having all 16 dogs in the team leaving Nikolai. It looks like that may very well be the case this year. I know it will put a smile on his face : )

Down the trail in Rainy Pass rests our puppy team and Dave DeCaro. He is running a brilliant race at this point, showing off his calm reserve and ability and knowledge of managing his team perfectly. Our pups could be in no better hands than Dave's. Here is his team of future champions:

Hopper, Spider, Cricket, Beetle, and Skeeter (Insects)
Shilling, Guilder, and Kroner (Currency)
Opal (Cars)
Snoopy (Famous dogs)
Coltrane (Jazz musicians)
Dave (His namesake)
Eraser (Office supplies ala Carrie)
Stewart (Talk show hosts)
Suspect and Burglar (Crimes)

Stay tuned!

Monday 3/8/10 Update

2010-03-08T12:31:00.000-09:00

A quiet Monday morning here at Goose Lake; the only sound being the murmurs of the Iditarod Insider video playing on Carrie's office computer. Tessa, our exceptional crew and I arrived home last night around 8:00 after the Restart in Willow, unpacked and immediately fired up our Insider. The 2010 Iditarod Sled Dog Race has begun!

This Iditarod start weekend had a very different flavor than any other year. With Jeff announcing that this will be his last competitive attempt at The Last Great Race, the air was scented with so many varied feelings: surprise, relief, a bit of melancholy, but mostly excitement and apprehension on the winds of change. Jeff carried an overall calm about him as he also tried to savor the smorgasbord of emotions. Our Iditarod Start festivities have become so familiar, like the traditions of a family Christmas. We look forward to seeing all of our Iditarod friends and family and the comforts of settling into the warm embrace of the race routines. This year brought a heightened sense of awareness of all of these precious moments knowing that they will soon be placed in that special catalogue of cherished memories.

Friday was a full day; the Cabela’s Travel Group breakfast, a presentation following, book signings, Meet and Greet at the Inlet Tower and the off to Aurora Fine Art Gallery downtown. Twenty years of send-off parties at Aurora Fine Art were celebrated that night. I produced a commemorative print in honor of Jeff's Iditarod career that were available that evening and once again our hearts were warmed by the people and support who shared the evening with us.

The ceremonial start in Anchorage could not have been more perfect. Jeff's Make-A-Wish Iditarider, Darian Stengrim from Wasilla, was a very fun addition to our team. Jeff made an extra effort in celebrating the start by bringing his very traditional Alaskan freight sled complete with Gee skis, adorned with his most recent black bear disguised as a rug. Darian tucked himself under the rug in the basket of the sled well before departure time and entertained his fans from his regal perch. His smile never faded. As the team slogged its way down 4th Avenue to the start line, we were joined by the "cherry on the top", Buddy Streeper, five-time Champion of the Fur Rendezvous World Championship Sled Dog Race, who jumped on the runner tails of the sled, strapped his GPS onto the handle bow out of sheer habit, and proceeded to learn how to wave like a Distance Musher as Team King traveled the nine mile trail through Anchorage.

Jeff quietly puttered the rest of the day Saturday getting ready for the next day and getting some time to relax and reflect.

The Restart on Sunday, though the excitement level had definitely increased, was still filled with a feeling of calm. The dogs, of course, were not! Another thrilling send off and a sigh.

This year's team:

Charles and brother, Sussex (Types of spaniels)
Deets and brother, Call (Lonesome Dove)
Shannon and brother, Dublin (Irish cites)
Berkeley (Universities)
Alamo and sister, Dollar (Rental cars)
Charger and brother, Titan (Football teams)
Colonel and sister, Cadet (Military ranks)
Viper (Top Gun)
Teddy (Types of bears)
Ross (Friends TV)

Viper and Alamo are the only intact males and Charger the only spayed female. Dollar began the race in heat (could be good, could be bad!). Viper and Berkeley are the oldest with the most Iditarod experience and both will be retiring from competitive racing after this year. All of the team is now sold with the exception of Viper and Deets, who will remain at Goose Lake. This year's rookies are Alamo, Teddy, Cadet, Charger, Titan and Colonel.

As I complete this, Jeff and the team are out of Finger Lake. He was planning to try to get through the Dalzell Gorge in the light. The trail did get some significant new snow to Rohn but the other side of the range is rough and snowless which makes for a tough go for the mushers trying to hang on the back of the sleds. Jeff was hoping to be very conservative until he can get the team safely to Nikolai. He has a second sled that he had shipped out to McGrath in anticipation of some fallout from the rough trail.

Be sure to sign up for the Iditarod Insider for the very best coverage of the race! I will get an update out each morning here at www.huskyhomestead.com.

Also make sure to check out the blog of our very own Dave DeCaro as he makes his rookie run to Nome with the puppy team!

Meanwhile, enjoy the race!

Donna

Here are a few pictures for you to check out:

The team heads up to the starting line.

Jeff takes a moment to talk to the press.

Jeff and his gee pole sled.

Jeff's Iditarider Darian Stengrim from Wasilla, AK.

'Salem' is ready to lead the way for he and Jeff's final fun down 5th Avenue...

And they're off!

Rondy Wrap-Up & Iditarod Excitement!

2010-03-02T10:27:00.000-09:00

A fairy tale ending to my first Open World Championship Sled Dog Sprint Race, Fur Rondy 2010! What a privilege it was to have the opportunity to drive some of the finest sprint dogs in the world. My team consisted of 18 “Steeper Streakers” from the kennel of Terry and Bud Streeper from Fort Nelson, BC. Read about my race in the Anchorage Daily News by clicking here.

In light of a particularly wonderful weekend, the Husky Homestead Team invited 5-time World Champion Sprint Racer Bud Streeper to ride with me during the Ceremonial Start! I hope he can stand the pace!

As much fun as I had this past weekend averaging over 17 mph for 75 miles in three days of racing, I would be lying if I told you it was any more fun than I had yesterday driving 19 of my Nome bound Iditarod super stars at 9.5 mph for 50 miles. Truly one of the best teams I have ever brought to the starting line of Iditarod. I hope that I can do the team justice.

Keep an eye out for the young team of Dave DeCaro from Husky Homestead, driving 16 future champions in their rookie run. Best of luck to Dave!

Want to know how to follow the race? Start with a subscription to the Iditarod Insider! Click here for a link. Videos from the start, the trail and of course the finish! Also - get your GPS tracker here!

Another great way to get some 'insider' information is right here on our blog. Donna will once again be putting together her take on the race, the mushers, the trail and everything in between. Stay tuned for her updates!

Alright! Off for another run....

See you in Anchorage!

Cheers,

Jeff

Iditarod Pre-Race Schedule

2010-03-02T08:35:00.000-09:00

Heading to Anchorage for the start of Iditarod? Wondering if you’ll get to meet your favorite musher? Here is Jeff’s appearance schedule for the big race!

Thursday, March 4^th

- 6 pm: 2010 Iditarod Mushers Banquet - Dena'ina Center, Anchorage

Friday, March 5^th

- 10:15 am: Iditarod Speaker – Millennium Alaskan Hotel, Anchorage. (This is a ticketed event – click here for information.)

- 11:30 am – 1:00 pm: Book Sale & Author Event – Millennium Hotel, Anchorage (3^rd Floor)

- 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm: “Meet & Greet” – Inlet Tower Hotel & Suites, Anchorage (1200 L Street)

- 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm: Send off party – Aurora Fine Art, Anchorage (737 West 5^th Ave)

Saturday, March 6^th

- 10:00 am: 2010 Iditarod Race Start (4^th Ave. & D St.)

Sunday, March 7^th

- 2:00 pm: 2010 Iditarod Race Re-Start (Willow Community Center, Willow)

Sunday, March 21^st

- 3:30 pm: 2010 Iditarod Awards Banquet (Nome Rec Center, Nome)

Denali Doubles - Photos!

2010-02-19T11:09:00.000-09:00

Hey, it took all week... but here are some photos of the Denali Doubles Race!! Click on the pics to enlarge...

A view of the start... nice and sunny! A beautiful day for a race!

Sebastian Schnuelle makes some final preparations at the start.

Aliy Zirkle poses for a quick picture with a few dogs from her "Red SP" team at the start.

Instead of running double sleds, Zoya DeNure and her Doubles partner Ania Chojnacka had a 'double wide' sled made for the race. One of a kind for sure!

Christy Berington takes a moment to smile for the camera while harnessing dogs at the race start.

Allan Moore and daughter Bridgette Watkins depart from the start.

Dan Kaduce and Jodi Bailey head to the starting line with their team of 20 dogs.

Dallas Seavey and Benedikt Beisch depart from the start on one single sled. They told us that they took turns sleeping in the basket - and it was sooo comfortable!

Collen Robertia takes a look at their team while her husband Joseph waits on the runner tails of the second sled to depart from the start.

Allen Moore and Bridgette Watkins sign in at the Alpine Creek checkpoint.

Shaynee Siepke waits patiently for partner Dean Osmar to sign in at the Alpine Creek checkpoint.

Jeff and Tracey take a moment to smile for a picture while waiting for teams to arrive at Alpine Creek. This was the one time that Tracey had the camera turned on her! She took most of the pics over the weekend - along with keeping busy and getting the job done.

Sebastian Schnuelle and his partner Klaus Klein give a heads up as they're passed by the camera wielding snow machiners.

Teams bed down on the river at the Maclaren Lodge checkpoint.

Mike Santos turns cameraman as he takes over duties for Benedikt - momentarily at least. Benedikt had that camera running a lot over the weekend. Make sure to check out his videos and interviews from the trail at mushing.tv!

Enjoying the sunshine at Maclaren Lodge checkpoint.

A few aerial views of teams... this one appears to be Zoya/Ania.

Dan Kaduce and Jodi Bailey.

Bill Cotter and partner Andy Hutten.

First place goes to two of our very own.... Dave DeCaro and Caroline Sheftel!! They were ALL smiles at the finish.

The race was on for third place between Cim Smyth/Mattie Schmidt and Allen Moore/Bridgette Watkins! Cim/Mattie beat them to the finish line by 4 seconds!!

Allen & Bridgette pose with their lead dogs at the finish of the race.

Scott Smith & Clint Warnke hit the finish line in 5th place on Saturday afternoon.

Hope you enjoy the pictures! It was a great time!

We'll be in touch!

Denali Doubles - Final Standings

2010-02-16T16:23:00.000-09:00

Guess we kind of overlooked sharing this information with you...! Sorry!

1^st Dave DeCaro/Caroline Sheftel -- $10,000

2^nd Dan Kaduce/Jodi Bailey -- $2,200

3^rd Cim Smyth/Mattie Schmidt -- $1,200

4^th Allen Moore/Bridgette Watkins -- $850

5^th Clint Warnke/Scott Smith -- $600

6^th Mitch Seavey/Tekla Seavey -- $500

7^th Dallas Seavey/Benedikt Beisch -- $300

8^th Paul Gebhardt/Christy Berington -- $200

9^th Jim Lanier/Anna Bondarenko -- $150

10^th Michelle Phillips/Ed Hopkins -- $100

11^th Aliy Zirkle/Tamara Rose

12^th Sabastian Schnuelle/Klaus Klein

13^th Dean Osmar/Shayne Seipke

14^th Bill Cotter/Andy Heutten

15^th Robertia/Robertia

16^th Travis Beals/Wade Marrs

17^th Zoya DeNure/Ania Chojnacka

Look for pictures tomorrow!! :)

Denali Doubles... A Success!

2010-02-15T09:34:00.000-09:00

Hey Race Fans!

What a GREAT race! We could not be happier with the way the entire weekend turned out! The weather was beautiful, the trail had snow, a top-notch line up of mushers... and a showdown for 3rd place at the finish line!

We will be posting pics from the race all week long on the blog... but here are a few to tide you over!

Maclaren Lodge checkpoint.

Teams parked on the river at Maclaren checkpoint.

Aerial view of Maclaren checkpoint - you can see the straw from dog teams on the river.

If videos are what you may be looking for... we have a few spots to check those out too!

Benedikt Beish may have been running in the race as partner to Dallas Seavey, but this guy is never without his camera. He's posted some great videos on his webpage at http://mushing.tv/. He also has videos and interviews from earlier races this season - Copper Basin, Tustumena 200 and the Kusko! Check them out!

Remember that close finish? Check out the video of Cim Smyth/Mattie Schmidt and Allen Moore/Bridgette Watkins by clicking here! You're going to love this one!

Alright folks - that's all for now... make sure to check back for more pics!!

Carrie

Race Tracker Update

2010-02-12T18:28:00.001-09:00

Hey Folks! Some ducks are out of Paxson!! :)

and a few other ducks are spending some time resting in Paxson...

In other news: Make sure to check out our new race leaderboard by clicking here. I'm pretty sure that if you leave it 'open' it will update on your screen as I update the information from here.
I am entering information as it comes in from Paxson.

The weather here at Maclaren is a balmy 13 degrees; 75% humidity; partly cloudy; winds NNW at 2 mph.

We expect the first teams to be coming back through Maclaren here pretty shortly - so keep an eye on that leaderboard!

Cheers!

Leaderboard Update

2010-02-12T11:02:00.000-09:00

Hi All!

We're trying a new way to post you the information that we have coming in....

Click here for a link to our new online Google spreadsheet!

We'll keep updating from here at Maclaren as teams depart for Paxson, and as we hear news of teams arriving in Paxson. Currently it is a beautiful morning here with hardly a cloud in the sky - the temperature outside is quite warm at minus 1. :)

Thanks for following along!!

Race Tracker - Post #2

2010-02-12T05:59:00.000-09:00

it's a new day & a new duck is in the lead... :)

Teams are stacking up here a bit while they work on their mandatory 8 hour rest and catch a couple of zzzz's. Two teams have gone through Maclaren (Gebhardt/Berington and Beals/Marrs) and the earliest team out of here can leave at 9:56am.

Oh, and noone has quacked up yet! :)

(ok - at this point we may just be a bit sleep deprived..... )

Race Stats Photo Update

2010-02-12T03:56:00.000-09:00

Hey gang!

We're taking pics of our 'board' and we're posting them to share with you so you can get a little update as to what is going on with teams. Information is a bit sparse out here but we are doing what we can to keep you in the loop!!

Jeff strikes a pose in front of our wonderful leaderboard!

(Clicking on the picture will enlarge the photo)

Denali Doubles - Maclaren River Update

2010-02-12T01:30:00.000-09:00

As you can see.... Duck #1 is ahead of all the rest.

Nuff said.

That's all your're going to get. :P

Just kiddin'!!

Hello Race Fans!

The start of the Denali Doubles went off without a hitch! After a fantastic cup of chili at the Cantwell Lodge the crew headed out to the race start approximately 5 miles out of Cantwell where we were happy to find many mushers all neatly parked according to their starting positions.

Eighteen teams left the starting line beginning at 5pm sharp and all teams were on the trail by 5:34pm.

Allen Moore and daughter Bridgett Watkins leave the start line.

Dave DeCaro and Caroline Sheftel leave the starting line with a full team of 20 dogs.

We traveled the trail via snowmachine to Alpine Creek where we were greeted by smiling faces and volunteers ready to get the job done. Dinner was wonderful there as well! A cheesy pasta casserole with halibut!

Team Kaduce/Bailey were the first into Alpine Creek, and they were the first to make it to Maclaren. Teams seem to be travelling at a pretty good speed and so far the trail has been great. We spotted all kinds of wildlife on the way out: Caribou, Moose, Fox, Lynx and then a dreaded porcupine....

ok - gotta get this one to print!

Teams are arriving in Maclaren as I write this so we'll be in touch again soon!

Denali Doubles Race Begins Tomorrow!

2010-02-10T16:36:00.000-09:00

Hey Folks!

We have had a fun day here at the Homestead and we are all geared up for a fgreat weekend at the Denali Doubles!!

Today we updated our fantabulous Race Tracker!! It will help to keep viewers up to date on the whereabouts of their favorite teams!

Fur Ruff donated to the Denali Doubles Race by Alaska Range Creations - Brenda Mowery.

A set of two beautiful knives donated to the Denali Doubles by our friend Kurt Hellweg.

In fact, we were so on top of things today that the guys had enough time for some Ping Pong action....

Tyler & Jason battle it out!

Action shot of Tyler...

And then there is the King himself... taking names and adding to his list of wins at Ping Pong!

So tomorrow morning we're off to Cantwell! Keep an eye on our blog as I will be posting updates on the Denali Doubles race here.

Good luck to all the teams that are heading out on the highway!

We'll be in touch!

Carrie

Denali Doubles Trail Update

2010-02-07T12:19:00.000-09:00

Fresh snow cover over asphalt. Approximately 10 miles from Paxson.

Approximately 60 miles from Cantwell. The vast majority of the trail looks like this.

Susitna River Bridge 50 miles from Cantwell.

Susitna River Bridge approach.

Glacier hazard 18 miles from Cantwell. Currently the trail avoids that hazard by detouring to the right side of the road.

Growing slanted glacier 15 miles from Cantwell.

Hiatus Pics... and more!

2010-02-05T12:33:00.000-09:00

Thought that you all may enjoy a few more pics from winter hiatus in Florida...

Jeff and his big Barracuda catch!

Fish on!

Donna ready for take-off!

In other news...

You may recall Jeff talking about the beautiful sled that he had made by David Klumb? Well the crew finally got the gee-pole on it and took it out for a spin on the lake yesterday!

A gorgeous day for a spin 'round the lake! Don't let the sunshine fool you - a bit chilly at more than 20 below.

Jeff rides the sled, Tracey is skiing and figuring out the gee-pole, while Tyler pulls them in circles around the lake.

After a quick lunch of Donna's homemade mac & cheese (yum!) and some of Jeff's excellent coffee the entire crew headed off to the Denali Highway today. Jason & Tracey will be running double sleds with Dave's yearling/Iditarod team while Dave & Caroline get some more time on double sleds with Jeff's race dogs in preparation for next weeks Denali Doubles. (My money is on them!) Jeff & Tyler will be headed across the highway on snow machines to scope out the race trail and make a stop at Maclaren for a visit (and most likely some of Suzi's great cooking!)

We'll be in touch again soon!

Happy Trails,
Carrie

Donna's Winter Hiatus Update!

2010-02-04T15:36:00.000-09:00

An update on the other lives at Husky Homestead:

As the Alaskan sun streams in the windows (gotta clean those....), the blue sky brilliant above us and the thermometer reporting -26 degrees (-38 degrees at Carrie's cabin this morning!), my heart is filled with the beauty and wonder of home. Our "empty nest" status provided the opportunity for me to hop in our Husky Homestead van (sans seats and outfitted with a bed, kennels for my four dogs and storage bins) and head down the Alcan Highway on October 5th for an adventure. I finally returned home to Alaska on January 27th with wonderful new memories of places, friends, time with family, new knowledge and even some competitive success. I spent the first month of the trip in the Seattle area competing in Agility on weekends with Peg and Q, and taking classes throughout the weeks in between with all four of my four-footed traveling companions. It was exciting to be learning something new and then having the opportunity to test my new knowledge right away. Also, being in the Seattle area gave me the opportunity to see and spend time with Cali and Matt regularly.

'Hoot' at 8 months.

'Tack' at one year.

Donna with Peg - Yakima, WA.

A new Agility move - don't try this one at home.... :)

On November 15th, my dogs and I headed south through Oregon and most of California, visiting friends along the way, with our destination of Idyllwild in mind. I dropped off Peg, Q, Tack and Hoot at Nancy Gyse (AKC Agility World Team Coach) and Jim Basic's in San Jose for boarding for the next month while I galavanted with family. After watching Ellen's Fall Dance Performance 5 times, off we went to the East Coast for a big family Thanksgiving. Then Jeff and I visited some wonderful new friends, Mike, Kim and Faith Gorton who run the Good News River Fishing Lodge (put that one on your Bucket List!), at their home on the Florida Keys. 10 days of fishing for all kinds of fish, from all kinds of boats, day and night... lobstering, crabbing, shrimping, eating.... It was awesome! Then back to California to enjoy Idyllwild and pick up Ellen, and then Tessa, for the road trip to Northern California for the Holidays and more family time. Jeff sailed home on the silver bird and I stayed another three weeks with the kids and to participate in more agility trials.

King Family Christmas!!

My agility team is slowly improving and we were able to reach some fulfilling competitive achievements during our last month of trials. Our last weekend was spent in Portland at the Rose City Expo Center at the 2nd largest AKC dog event in the Nation. Two, indoor, matted agility rings with mobs of spectators, Animal Planet filming and over 6,000 dogs competing in conformation, obedience and agility made the excitement palpable. The highlight of the 4-day event was the International Agility Course competition that attracts some of the strongest and most competitive teams in the sport. Q and I brought home a 3rd place ribbon from the first day, a Standard course, missing 2nd place by only .05 seconds! The second day on the Jumpers With Weaves course, we captured 4th place just over one second off the time of the first place team. Not bad for some country hicks from the frozen North! I was thrilled! Tessa was my good luck charm and "handler" throughout my January trials. What fun it is to share this part of my life with my family and friends.... now I know how Jeff has felt all of these years!

Check out this link for some up close Agility:
Q and I at the Rose City Cluster 2010

Now, we are tucked in at home. My dogs are quickly acclimating to the Alaskan snow and temperatures as the sport of dogmushing takes over the spotlight. Working dogs of all kinds are a thrill to behold and truly a gift to share our lives with. How lucky we are.

More news from HH soon...

~Donna

A WIN at the Tustumena 200!

2010-01-26T16:04:00.000-09:00

"I MAY NOT BE AS GOOD AS I ONCE WAS, BUT I'M AS GOOD TWICE AS I EVER WAS." ~ Jeff King

Yee Ha! Victory #2!! And our third win in four tries at the Tustumena 200.

Just got back from a great weekend on the Kenai Peninsula where the Tustumena 200 committee put on a fantastic event. I was particularly excited to bring the dogs to this race due to a recent run out the Denali Highway where the team just seemed to be on fire. Well, they really were. We covered the first 100 miles in 8 hours 8 minutes. A course record and certainly the fastest 100 miles that I've ever done as well (actually by a lot I think).
The team consisted of: Viper, Dollar, Statler, Charger, Titan, Teddy, Call, Sussex, Deets, Snoopy, Panda, Alamo, Cadet and Ross. (I can't believe that I almost sold Ross a month ago, he was awesome! - whew!) If there were any surprises (besides just going so damn fast) it was Snoopy. This short-haired son of Spaniel was the only dog in the team I was worried about, just because I had never raced him before. But he really stepped up to the plate and I was tempted to stop and put him in lead near the final checkpoint. I'm pretty sure he just carved out a spot on the 2010 Iditarod team.

Team #2 run by Dave DeCaro had a stunning first half and chose to scratch in a conservative move to facilitate the upcoming Iditarod. All the dogs in his team, except one, are just 18 months old. They learned a ton and Dave thought it was in their best interest to not do the entire return trip. The team still ran a nice 150 miles and had their first camp out at a checkpoint with other dog teams - all of that excitement kept them awake for part of the night, but they're catching on!

Check out the JibJab of Dave and I on my Facebook page! (Thanks to Melinda Smith) Pretty sure you'll get a chuckle out of it....

I'd like to thank my stellar crew of dog handlers and strategists. CC Skinner, Dave 'Dog Care' DeCaro, Jason '9-toe' Reppart, and newbie Caroline Sheftel (whose mother keeps FB-ing me). Kiwi Tracy kept the home fires burning and the entire team is getting together tonight to watch 'The Hangover'.

Here are just a few pictures from the weekend....

Harnessed, bootied and ready!

A pre-race meeting of the minds - Jeff & Dave.

Jeff's team heading to the starting chute!

Panda & Snoopy ready to go at the start!!

We will upload some more pictures to share with you from the weekend very soon!

The Denali Doubles is the next event on the roster. We currently have one empty spot and are hopeful that the race will fill by the February 11 start.

Stay tuned!!

Jeff

A WIN at the Copper Basin 300!

2010-01-13T11:05:00.000-09:00

"I MAY NOT BE AS GOOD AS I ONCE WAS, BUT I'M AS GOOD ONCE AS I EVER WAS." ~ Toby Keith

Back home safe & sound from the Copper Basin 300. What a great weekend to start the race season! Good snow, lots of friendly competitive mushers, well-trained teams, and 300 miles of some of the most beautiful trail in the world.

Our 12 dog team performed flawlessly, and our race plan included a new twist that I am convinced helped with our victory. Race rules required that we take an 8 hour mandatory layover at one of the checkpoints - and 10 hours additional layover at any of the checkpoints (in 30 minute increments).
In hopes of calming the dogs' inevitable early race enthusiasm I chose to take my first required rest just 22 miles after starting the race in Glenallen. I stopped 30 minutes that would count towards this mandatory rest as I watched the teams sail by and cock their head wondering what the heck I was up to. My experiences have taught me that getting the dogs in a good routine at the beginning of the race is imperative to a top performance - but I have never stopped so soon after a race start. The dogs actually were pretty well behaved and they all ate. This is a big deal.
After the 30 minutes of unorthodox race rest we took off for the Wolverine checkpoint another 25 miles away and took another 90 minute rest break. The dogs ate again, booties were replaced and I had a burger. Definitely "bankers mushing". From there we headed to the Sourdough checkpoint where I shut the team down for the full 9 hours and 15 minutes that were required of my mandatory rest. A good nights sleep for me and the dogs and off we went into one of the more difficult sections of the trail enroute to Myers Lake.
As the sun began to brighten the horizon, I could tell that many mushers had had trouble by the confused tracks in the snow. I was really glad to be there with a little daylight to help. This run pretty much cinched my chance for victory. The dogs were so great! Steering left and right around obstacles that could certainly have caused tremendous delay. Stumps, trucks, pipeline pilings and 180 degree turns in the trail. The dogs were sailing and I was smiling from ear to ear.
We continued on taking two more short rests: one at Myers Lake and one at Paxson - where again the dogs packed away some groceries. After having a pretty much flawless race to the Chistochina race checkpoint, the predicted good weather for the Copper Basin pretty much went to crap. High winds started blowing snow in swirling, gusting tornadoes erasing virtually any sign of the trail for which I now had to negotiate. Three time Copper Basin 300 champion Allen Moore used the situation to his advantage and chipped away at my lead. By the time we got to the last checkpoint in Glenallen, just 23 miles from the finish line, I could see Allen and his championship team a quarter mile behind me and gaining. It all felt very reminiscent of the All Alaska Sweepstakes.
But alas, this outcome would fall in my favor. Again my leaders were flawless - with some complicated turns and obstacles as we wound through the communtiy of Glenallen. They didn't miss a turn, nor hesitate a second. I'm pretty sure I did say a couple bad words when around one corner in the trail one of the race officials had his truck parked smack dab in the middle of the trail while marking a path on each side of the really big truck. He was aghast that we had arrived so quickly and that his vehicle blocked the very path that he was in charge of securing. If he heard what it was I was saying he didn't let on and he quickly negotiated my team around his rear wheels bumper and snowplow and another bullet had been dodged by my race effort. From there the dogs found overdrive and we soon outdistanced Allen's team for a victory at the Tolsona checkpoint, where just 48 hours before I had stopped the dogs for their first snack break of the race.

We've changed our plans and I won't be going to Bethel for the Kusko 300. We are however considering adding a team into the Tustumena 200 next weekend. Stay tuned for more excitement from Husky Homestead!

Happy Trails,
Jeff

PS - Check out some pictures below from the weekend.... More pictures of the race on my Facebook page!

A warm start to the race...

Jeff & Team

Viper

A little doggie love.

Getting cozy in the straw at a checkpoint...

Jeff & Team

Nearly there...!

Jeff & Allen Moore at the Finish.

Off to the Races!

2010-01-07T14:34:00.000-09:00

Today we hit the road to the Copper Basin 300 - my first race of the season! The race is known for its cold temperatures, but the forecast says it is going to be relatively mild. (I've packed my extra warm boots just in case they have it wrong.) It has been a number of years since I participated in the CB300 (a win in 1995) and I'm looking forward to going back, seeing some friendly faces and having a good run with the team. Jason is going along with me as a handler for the race (he's packed his warm boots too) while Dave holds down the fort and continues to train his 'puppy team' for the Iditarod.

We've been keeping busy around the Homestead and thought that you may wonder what we do each day.... this morning was semi-normal - but we took a few pics to share with you what we had going on before we left for the race. Check them out:

8am and the lights go on - time to wake up!

Jason unloads Alamo from his pen in the barn.
If we're not on the trail with the dogs overnight, they enjoy a nice night inside.

Statler peeks out of her pen as Shannon strolls by.

Through the doggie door back to their house in time for breakfast.

Stretch, sniff, pee....

Titan has picked out his house for the morning.

Jeff & Dave load food drops and gear for the Copper Basin 300 into the Dogrig.

Ross oh-so-calmly awaits hookup for a morning run.

Jeff double checks things on his sled as Dave hooks up Ross.

Charles is ready to go!

POTUS.

Jeff has an idea!

and they're off...

for a morning run before heading out to the race!

Check the website for the Copper Basin 300 to follow everyone this weekend - and look for more 'a day in the life of' pics from us here at Husky Homestead.

Best wishes for a wonderful 2010!

Cheers,
Jeff

Denali Doubles Purse Announcement - UPDATED 12/21/09

2009-12-17T09:57:00.001-09:00

Things are looking up for the Denali Doubles! The Denali Highway is snow covered from Cantwell to Paxson. We will be doing our best to pack it down and keep it from blowing away between now and race day – February 11^th.

As promised, purse announcement for December 18^th is as follows:

1^st: $10,000

2^nd: $2,000

3^rd: $1,000

4^th: $750

5th: $500

PLUS more than $1,000 worth of prizes, including custom made knives as well as locally made fur ruffs.

We have every hope that the Purse will increase before race day, but we are at this time guaranteeing this amount.

Five spots are still available… Spread the word!!

Happy Holidays!

Jeff

Too much fun!

2009-12-03T12:04:00.000-09:00

Hey Folks!

Hope that you all had a great Thanksgiving Holiday!

We've been spending a lot of time out on the Denali Highway training and having too much fun! I wanted to share the following pics with you from one of our recent trips. (They've also been posted on my Facebook page - but for those of you that are hard core blog followers...)

The weather outside is blowing and snowing - keep it coming!!

Sure hope that you enjoy!

Happy Trails,
Jeff

Switching things up...

LOTS of caribou this trip.

Check out the tow line!

20 dog team with Titan & Dollar in lead.

2009-11-20T11:54:00.000-09:00

Hello Race Fans!

-35 here at the Homestead this morning. My goodness I'm glad we have a dog barn. Just gave the race team their vaccinations and their soaking up the 45 degree ABOVE warmth of the barn.

Near mutiny ensued at the discussions of selling Colonel and Ross. So, heeding the recommendations of the staff here at Husky Homestead, Ross and Colonel will remain in training with the A-Team.

A new sled has been added to the fleet. A masterpiece G-Pole sled built by David Klumb. Get a load of his work... Thanks Dave!

Sign-ups are going well for the Denali Doubles. Our most recent addition - and no doubt an 'up and comer' - is Dallas Seavey. He will be competing against the 'down-and-going' Mitch Seavey (sorry Mitch - I couldn't resist!) as well as many other top competitors .
Teri Simmons, manager of First National Bank of Alaska here in Healy, dropped of their contribution of $500 for the Denali Doubles this chilly morning....

First National joins a growing list of contributors who share our desire to see that mushers in the race are generously rewarded. We will be working on purse contributions until the bitter end. There will be cash purses at least for places 1st, 2nd and 3rd, with 1st Place guaranteed at $10,000.

Fur Rondy race preparations are not going near as well. A picture is worth a thousand words. Maybe another day you'll get 'the rest of the story'....

[pic] Fur Rondy Sprint Sled... salvageable?

Dave DeCaro from here at Husky Homestead is signed up for the Denali Doubles. I have gotten my entry in for the K-300, and have every intention of signing up for the 2010 Fur Rondy. It's been several years since I went to Kotzebue for the 440 - and it's certainly on my radar. You'll find more pictures of our training and preparations on my Facebook page.

I'd also like to put feelers out for a cabin and dog yard that may be available for Pete Kaiser of Bethel for the month of February as he prepares for his first Iditarod. I can vouch for Pete and his family as being 'top shelf'. You won't be sorry for helping him out. Any ideas, let us know here at the Homestead.

In other randomness around the Homestead...

[pic] Tessa modeling my Cabela's Walking Sleeping Bag a.k.a. The Pickle! I'm sick of being cold!!

[pic] Virgil and his 'Charlie's Angels'... if you don't see him at his wood cutting pile, you may find him hanging out just like this. :) L-R: Carrie, Virgil, Caroline & Ellen.

Winter is here!

2009-11-11T13:08:00.001-09:00

We have been waiting to start our fall blog until winter arrived. Well guess what? She's a blowin' and a stormin' right now! And it sure looks like winter to me.

Virgil, Jason, Dave & Carrie are back at their posts and together with their fearless leader we're like a fine-tuned team of Navy Seals. Two of those Navy Seals (who have 19 toes between them) are out on the Denali Highway today with the awesome puppy team that Dave will be driving to Nome. Jason and I have been out on the highway with the race dogs on several occasions - exercising them in front of the truck, or the fancy little track rig that Aaron Burmeister loaned us - and have managed to train several 95 mile runs. We had a wonderful anniversary dinner with Alan & Susie at the Maclaren River Lodge - steak and crab legs!

Big kennel news is the Denali Doubles Race! Lots of entries locked in and several more on the way. That is happening the weekend after the Yukon Quest start, and just before Iditarod food drops. Then on to the Fur Rondy where I have the privilege of running some of the fastest sprint dogs in the world thanks to Buddy & Terry Streeper.

I have two really good dogs for sale. Trained up and ready to rock-n-roll.

Ross (Jodi x Yuksi) has been a finisher in my team for quite a while. Last years Iditarod, Kusko, Percy - I don't know that I've ever dropped him. Turning 4 years old. Fast & smooth and very comfortable in lead.

Colonel (Spaniel x Salem) is a three year old knuckle-head. A body sculpted of soapstone - he is hard as a rock. Carries the most fat on his bones out of any dog in the yard. Fairly light coat, but hard working and really picking up leadership skills (the other day I yelled "Gee" too soon and he crashed out into the brush headed to God knows where). About 60 lbs and neutered this dog is all muscle.
$2500/each or $5000 for both. (Nope, that wasn't a mistake - they're worth every penny.)
Questions about these two can no longer be directed to Carrie at info@huskyhomestead.com as they are actually staying with us for a while! [Yay! (This from Carrie)]

Retired Dogs - Pumba

2009-08-13T13:55:00.001-08:00

PUMBA
Person: Robyn Schmidt

Pumba (aka Mr. P) is still an amazing man after all these years; he is now 14 but you would never know it, he still looks 8! After running 6 Iditarods with the King, he now has the life of luxury hangin' on the couch at night while his mom studies to become a veterinarian. During the day, the ole man gets to sit on his dog house, watching the world go by. He loves to be outside watching the squirrels and birds, and taking naps in the sun. He walks with his mom everyday in the morning before she goes to school and at night before they go to bed. Their favorite part of the day is when their together walking out in the woods or around the neighborhood by the mighty Mississippi River. Even though the two country souls are in the city, they are making the most of it. Mr. P has even been to school with his mom. He has gotten the chance to meet her classmates, and they are all thrilled to hang with such an amazing athlete who is so accomplished. He may even know as much as his mother in Organology, Neurology, and Immunology, after being in the lab with her while she crammed her little brain full of information. He does love his walks though, and he has gotten to know the neighbors quite well. He even has a little girlfriend named Sally, she's a little black and white Cocker Spaniel who lives down the road. Mr. Pumba has made a lot of human friends in the neighborhood as well. Many people stop to say hello because he is so handsome, others have to ask what kind of dog he is, and the best is when he stops people. Every so often he walks up to people and startles people by sniffing their hands. They stop look down and always give him a pet. He just has that friendly face of curiousness and and wanting to say hello. The best is how patient he is with the little neighbor girl who is almost 3. She has learned how to behave around dogs and he is so patient with her. Whenever Audry is out with her mother or father, they have to stop by and say hello to Pumba. She giggles and Pumba sniffs. It's awesome to see such an amazing man be so gentle and patient with little children.
So in a nutshell, that's the life of Pumba. He and his mom miss Alaska, but they are happy where they are in Minnesota, and they do love their time together. He is momma's little man. They love each other and they are so happy that Jeff King brought them together to live out their lives. Thanks Jeff!

Retired Dogs - Jodi

2009-07-19T17:20:00.000-08:00

We told you a while back (please don't check the date for exactly how long ago that was!! ) that we would dedicate a blog to some of our retired dogs. Why not start close to home???

JODI
Person: Nicole Torre

Jodi has spent the last couple of years in pampered bliss as she resides with me and JJ in our quaint little cabin on the hill in Fairbanks. Content to lay on the couch or her bed all day long, she must sometimes be forced outside to "do her business" Easygoing as ever, she is still the ultimate "mother", she puts up with the antics of our new puppy with the utmost patience. Though her poor shoulders and elbows still give her a great deal of trouble and we have to be careful not to let her do anything too strenuous, she still loves our daily walks through the woods and looks quite sharp in her bright red coat, which she prefers when the temperatures plunge below 10 degrees(I'm not sure how she ever survived multiple Iditarods!) Still an eager eater as always, we do have to keep her on a diet, or else I think she might eat herself into oblivian, though it is always hard to resist those deep brown pitiful cow eyes and forlorn "Jodi" expression, that we all know, when she is begging for table scraps. She did have a scare with a cancerous tumor on her foot last year, though they were able to remove it and we've seen no signs of it returning since. All in all, she is the most wonderful, happy, well behaved dog that anyone could ask for. She is an absolute joy to us and we do love her dearly and feel quite privileged to be able to care for such a wonderfully important and famous dog.

Nicole is currently spending her fourth summer here with us at Husky Homestead. If one of the retirees in the lot is missing... check Nicole's cabin! She's known for spreading love - and maybe an extra biscuit or two... :)

Keep an eye out for more 'retired' dog blogs!!

Happy Trails!!

Agility Update

2009-07-19T11:59:00.000-08:00

Time for the Goose Lake Agility Update!

So, World Team Tryouts was a total BLAST! The place, the people, the dogs were all amazing! Peg and Q did a great job handling the scene but were a bit challenged with the running surface. (I'll have to find a place to train before next year that has the same surface.) We didn't embarrass ourselves.... well, except maybe when adorned with the fake mustache and sideburns purchased from the little vending machine : ) We look forward to returning with more competitive goals next time.

Meanwhile, back in hot and sunny Denali, we are back at the tours and summer training. The big news is that Q won his MACH (Master Agility Championship) this past weekend at a trial in Soldotna, AK. Quite an accomplishment for a guy just barely over three years old! He's an awesome dog.

QC, Donna, and their MACH!

We have another new addition to our agility crew. Hidden Valley's Call of the Wild (Hoot) arrived last week at 8 weeks old and has settled into the Goose Lake scene with aplomb. She is a little, blue merle from Grant's Pass, Oregon. She has already won her way into all of our hearts... Jeff's included!

Hoot!

Summer swimming in Goose Lake!

Throughout the summer, I use the paddle boat to take the dogs for a swim. QC (3 yrs) is the tri-color and Peg (6 yrs) has the white face. Tack (almost 8 months) is the black and white, and the white pup is Ringer (4 months), one of our husky pups. Hoot, our new addition, is in my arms. The lake is just 30-40 feet from our deck and is especially appreciated on these hot summer days.

We look forward to a few more trials here in Alaska over the summer and then off to the Seattle/West Coast for more trials/training and family visits this fall. Daisy Peel, a World Team Member, will be presenting a 4-day agility seminar here at Goose Lake in August as well, so we have a lot of fun ahead! Enjoy your summer!

Dogs for Sale

2009-06-24T15:47:00.000-08:00

Greetings from Denali! A bumper crop of pups and yearlings has promoted a summer sale of some of our top breedings from the last couple of years. All are harness broke, and the two year olds must have over a 1,000 miles in harness. There are some real champions in here I am sure. Priced from $250 - $1200. E-mail me at info@huskyhomestead.com for specific prices and details.

The following are for sale:

Zermatt
(m) 6 months old
Gypsy (Demi X Yuksi) X UCONN

Zeppelin - SOLD!
(m) 1 year old
Adidas (Jon Little) X Tater (Maverick X Holstein)

VENICE

(F) 6 months old
Gypsy (Demi x Yuksi) X UCONN

TERMITE - Sold!
(M) 2 years old
Shannon (Spaniel X Salem) X Zorro

Rouble - Sold!
(F) 1 year old
Dollar X Solomon (Jon Little)

PINTO
(M) 1 year old
Claire X Rumba

PILFER
(F) 1 year old
Berkeley X Solomon (Jon Little)

PENCIL - SOLD!
(M) 1 year old
Gale (Guinness (Jon Little) / Maverick) X Yuksi

OSBOURNE
(M) 1 year old
Adidas (Jon Little) X Tater (Maverick X Holstein)

MILES - Sold!
(M) 1 year old
Spaniel X Salem

JENNIFER - Sold!
(F) 2 years old
Demi X Yuksi

HUDSON - Sold!
(M) 2 years old
Tahoe X Zorro

FLORENCE
(F) 6 months old
Gypsy (Demi X Yuksi) X UCONN

ERASER
(M) 1 year old
Gale (Guinness (Jon Little) / Maverick) X Yuksi

DIXIE
(F) 6 months old
Demi X Yuksi

BUMBLE
(F) 2 years old
Shannon (Spaniel/Salem) X Zorro

BONZO
(M) 1 year old
Claire X Rumba

Please direct inquiries to: info@huskyhomestead.com.

Donna's Agility Update

2009-04-22T09:22:00.000-08:00

I am in my last minute preparations for my ten day trip culminating in the AKC World Team Try-outs in Minneapolis on May 2nd and 3rd. Peg, Q and I will leave very early tomorrow morning to catch our 7:00am flight out of Fairbanks to Seattle. We will compete in a three-day trial at the Argus Ranch Facility for Dogs just outside of Seattle as a warm-up and shake down for the competition the following weekend. We will fit in some time to train at It's a Dog's World training facility in Sumner and get some last minute tips from top Agility Competitor and past World Team member, Daisy Peel. This facility offers the same surface that we will be competing on in Minnesota, called Sprint Turf, which is used for indoor soccer arenas.

We have spent the past year and a half with this goal in mind. My goal last year was to get to a trial at least once a month; an easy thing to do if you live in the Lower 48 but a very big challenge for those of us in the Upper 1. Both Peg and Q successfully qualified for not only the AKC Agility Championships held last month in Concord, North Carolina, but also for the upcoming World Team Try-outs. THAT was a BLAST!! Tessa joined us as my Dog Handler :) but she mostly took care of me! The dogs were brilliant and we had some great runs; both dogs finishing in the top ten of the ISC Jumpers Competition. The event was well organized and very exciting. Peg and I were the very first competitors on the line on Friday morning starting the weekend off. It was thrilling to be amidst so many incredible dogs and trainers/handlers. The competition was very positive and friendly and I felt very supported by all of my new agility friends. As I tell my close friends... I have so much fun it should be illegal!

This past weekend, Mary Ellen Barry, another top competitor and USDAA World Team Member, braved a trip to Alaska for a two-day seminar here at Goose Lake. 19 Alaskan Agility enthusiasts convened for a spectacular weekend of training. Here's a few pics:

Mary Ellen Barry talks with the group on day two of the seminar.

Mary Ellen's dog 'EZ'' is doing just that - taking it easy. :)

Peg takes a jump in the beginning of a course run....

...and another. Don't blink or you may miss "The White Flash"!

'Blush' takes a turn in the course.

'Q' takes a run on Sunday - wrapping up the days events.

Mary Ellen was fantastic and suffered no frostbite or gaping wounds inflicted by passing grizzlies, so she considered the trip a blazing success! She even tried her hand at Mushing and anointed herself with the prestigious title of the Champion of Goose Lake after several successful rounds on the runner tails around the lake. Though spring break-up is well underway, Alaska was still able to provide plenty of breath-taking views and bright, sunny skies to keep us all in awe of the unending beauty of this spectacular land.

World Team Try-outs also provided the catalyst for a small Gates family reunion. Cali, Tessa, Jeff, my parents, two sisters and a niece will all be there to cheer us on. I requested that they paint their bellies with "GO DONNA!" so we'll see... :) Our goal for the competition is to try to finish mid-field, not an easy task but worthy of an attempt. I'll let you know...

If you are avidly interested, check out www.agilityvision.com for event coverage.

Donna