Well, we left Tanana and the plan was to run for 60 miles and then camp. I no longer have a snowmachine partner, as one of the machiners stuck in Manley was Hal. So, some of my stuff is also stuck in Manley. The trail was a bit slow going, but my team never ceases to amaze me. They are traveling well, and strong. I am so proud of them.
The beauty is astounding. I saw ptarmigans flying and also could sense that the dogs were aware of something along the river banks. I later heard of the humongous wolf prints that were seen on the trail.
At one point, as I came around a turn in the river, I was the largest bull moose that I have ever seen in my life. He was traveling with another good size moose. They crossed my trail well in front of me. I decided that this would be a photo op and I dug for my camera. I took one picture and then I turned it on video...and then I realized that they were heading back to my trail in front of me. OH MY GOSH ! ! ! They crossed my team just about 20 feet in front of them. I just thought..."just passing by" ...I was never so glad to see them continue across the trail and back up onto the other river bank. At that point, I could breath. I kept looking behind me and was glad that they were gone.
There was not another sign of any musher behind me for a long time. I was really pretty much just traveling by myself.
When I pulled into camp, the dogs were running strong. I bedded them down, and fed and watered them. I joined Bill and Von in their arctic oven tent...it was quite crowded...but it was shelter.
Next morning we got up and traveled another 60 miles into Ruby. Again, the dogs did GREAT !!! However, I arrived after dark and both of my headlamps were pathetic. I couldn't see trail markers until we were right on them. I had replaced both headlamps with fresh lithium batteries. I don't understand why each had failed me. It was not a good feeling. It was neat arriving in Ruby as I had been there in 2008, volunteering for Iditarod. I saw Billy Honea. It was in Ruby that I saw my first Northern Lights and it was a memory...spectacular, spiraling green and purple and village kids whistling so that they would dance. No northern lights this trip.
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Sounds like things are going relatively smoothly Jan! No more reports of body slams or getting dragged, so that's great to hear. Those mooses sound cool! I get the impression they are very peaceful. - Jamen
ReplyDeleteoh...the moose are a musher's nightmare...they have been known to tromple teams...usually they just pass on by or startle and run. I was just drug once and it was uneventful. LOL I had to chuckle when I read Ricky's update. Sounded quite like an ordeal. My sled seems to be a bit tippy in the deep snow and when it goes over, it is like a slow motion event. Very soft landing in the deep snow.
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