Mushers' Banquet

Mike Williams Sr.

 My Rock Stars!

These are people that I have heard and read about for years, so I was very happy that we were able to attend. The banquet is a community event. People come in and pick up frozen lasagnas to take home and cook. While we were there the local store donated fresh salad fixings. The girls, Ross, and I chopped away and got it done in time.

Dinner was eaten and awards began. Each musher, starting with the Akiak Dash, was called up and awarded a small then larger amount of money. Some mushers quietly accepted, others had stories to share about the trail.

When the K300 race began, the checks became much larger. It was very fun to hear the on-the-trail stories from these veterans. They have competed against each other a number of times and had a great time ribbing each other.

Martin Buser

Ramey Smith

Aaron Burmeister

Lance Mackey

Paul Gebhardt

John Baker

Rhone Buser-Champion and teen heart throb

Goofy (could she be star struck?) with Lance Mackey

Musher #2 Comes In

30 minutes later, here comes John Baker! He was on Rhone's tail, but just couldn't catch him the last 25 miles. He won this race in 2010.

 John is an incredibly gracious man from Nome. He is soft spoken and had wonderfully kind and humorous words for young Rohn. Zack, the K300 organizer, is interviewing John for the local radio station KYUK. A quote from the musher, "Today was his day (Rohn). He and his dad and his mom put together a wonderful dog team and a wonderful effort. They deserve all the credit in the world. Rohn worked really hard and he deserves the win that he's got."

Trying to get the infamous shot of the lead dogs after the race.

 We were so cold we stayed in the car waiting for the third place winner. My camera battery froze so I have no photos of Paul Gebhardt coming across the line. He was the 2011 K300 champ.

This is a great shot to show what was really happening with the wind. This race is a tough one known for its wind.....

Champion of 2012 K300!

 Holy cow it is cold! We drove down to the finish line. The local radio show broadcasted that the winner was on his way in. The wind was fierce, and had been for much of the race. Earlier, Jen Peeks won the Bogus Creek 150 (first woman) in less than 18 hours, and Ray Nose took the Akiak Dash in less than six.

 Winner Rhone Buser, age 22, beat the pack in 41 hours and about 12 minutes.

 It was so cold. Lily's glasses are not fogged up, but frosted over.

 Pretty impressive how gracious these mushers are after having had no sleep for 40 hours, in 30 to 50 below plus, winds not letting up. He looked like he had a ball!

Race Headquarters

 There are big names here and the field was very competitive. The K300 is a prequalifier for the Iditarod Sled Dog race. Most of these racers are veterans of the Iditarod, and/or the Canadian Yukon Quest.  We signed up to volunteer at the headquarters which was located in the LongHouse motel. Two other races were going on at the same time, the Aniak Dash a 50 miler, and the Bogus Creek was 150.

 People came and went all day and night checking in on the racers. At one point Tuluksuk lost all contact, electricity, and we never did get results from there. At each of the checkpoints there were volunteers to help take dropped dogs, provide warm food, mark charts as to mushers' time in and out, and the number of dogs that came and went. There were vets in three different locations to keep track of teams' health.

 Gwen's time was spent updating the site's Facebook page. She was all over it, able to take liberty with some of her posting.

Lily and Bruce spent their time selling merchandise. Since our shift was 8AM to noon, they didn't have a lot of business until it was time to leave. I spent my time keeping the food area organized, as people from the community brought in food, not only for the volunteers, but for anyone who came through to check on the mushers.

K300 Weekend! Bogus Creek 150 and Akiak Dash

 What a night! We made it into Bethel by snowmobile, Jan had a great dinner waiting, we inhaled it, and then all jumped into her blazer to get to the start line. Dogs, people, trucks and cars all were on the frozen Kuskokwim River.

It was crazy, dogs barking and leaping waiting to go. We almost got to be handlers for one of the teams, but because of the weather, we couldn't guarantee that we'd make it in. Rats!

 Handlers hold dogs, hold sleds, hold anything the musher needs. This is John Baker's sled with extra long runners holding his gear and it's a way for him to take a sit break. Baker was the Iditarod champ last year.

 Rhone Buser getting ready. His gear is tied down to a snowmobile as the dogs are so strong. His father is a multi-champion of the Iditarod, Martin Buser. Father and son competed and this time Rhone came out on top!

 The race start was set for 6:30 PM. Racers pull into the two chutes. As the countdown begins handlers are trying to line out the dogs. Mushers are walking up and down checking lines. When it's time to go dogs jam into harnesses trying to get sled, gear, and musher on the move. Both teams go, but eventually one moves ahead.

The K300 veteran and 2011 champ,  Paul Gebhart, with his pink booty team.

 Martin Buser (in white) checking his team. Handler's having a tough time lining dogs out.

 Off they go! The far team is taking off at the same time.

 John Baker's team getting ready to go.

 There were 16 teams at this year's race. Within 10 minutes of the last mushers out the chute, the fireworks began. They were incredible as we could walk up to where they were being shot off, if we wanted. After watching one shoot sideways and watching the fellow have to dive out of the way, we kept our distance.