Aliy Cam Iditarod 2020: Episode 6

These Aliy Cams are a fun and interactive way I try to share my team’s experiences on the Iditarod Trail. In the 10 days, 7 hours, 28 minutes and 30 seconds that we traveled the trail I tried to capture the real images from the wilderness, the weather and the trail.

My dogs are the center of the videos. The race revolves around them. Their individual positioning in the team varies throughout the race. I moved them around depending upon their moods and energy. Their positioning also depended upon the trail and weather conditions or other random influences. The dogs on the team are: Amber, Bruno, Chevie, Cloud, Dutch, Decaf, Five, Jefe, Junior, Kodiak, QT, Rodney, Spark, and Violet. If you watch closely, you’ll get to know their gaits or their ear “bobs” or their little quirks.

2020 Aliy Cam Episode 6 – “Roller Coaster Ride”

While on back of a dog sled, I find it the perfect time to whistle. Actually, if I’m being honest, I whistle a lot whenever I’m outdoors. I’ve actually been chastised by a halibut boat charter captain who told me that my whistling would bring bad winds. (Yikes! Maybe that’s what happened before the Safety Checkpoint during Iditarod 2014.) Anyhow, I like to whistle, stay upbeat and have some fun with my dogs. The line up of the team in this video is: Q.T. and Spark in lead, then Junior and Dutch, then Decaf by himself, then Five and Rodney, then Jefe and Chevie, then Kodiak and Cloud then Violet and Amber in the rear.

I originally turned on my video camera in this section because I thought the incredibly thick spruce tree forest was amazing. I also was enjoying the sunrise and thought you might like it as well. This section of trail has very large moguls. You’ll see my sled bounce hard up and down. Whenever we go over the moguls the mainline (the line to which all of the individual dog leashes are attached) is rapidly pulled upward, as the nose of the sled crests the mogul, and then immediately falls to the ground, when the sled nose dives. In the split second that the line is dragging along the ground, a dog could easily step on it or over it. That’s what happens to Five in the beginning of this clip. His right hind leg goes over the line just before it pops up again. That leaves him running with the line in between his legs instead of over his haunches. Can you say uncomfortable? You can see him hop around and try to fix his situation. Sometimes a dog can jump around or twist its leg so that they untangle themselves, even while trotting down the trail. In the video, I ask Five if he can fix it. He can’t. The solution is to stop the team and then the tangled dog can simply lift their leg and detangle them self. So that’s what we do. 

I immediately ask everyone “Ready?!” But, dogs are dogs. Everyone decides it’s a perfect time for a pee break. Immediately upon stopping, you’ll see Five, Jefe, Rodney and Dutch lift their legs. Soon after Violet, Decaf and QT follow suit. As any dog owner knows, sometimes a dog will pee simply because they “have to go”. Other times, dogs like to “mark their territory”. Whatever the case, I feel it is no use to get frustrated at a dog for doing his or her duty. I often think about one of the most legendary SPK “pee markers”: Biscuit. He raced the Iditarod eight times and nearly marked every bush in Alaska. In terms of “mark your territory”, Biscuit was the King Pee Man. 

The second part of the video is 20 miles farther down the trail and closer to the Ruby Checkpoint. The trail runs along the top of the mountain ridges here. It is often windblown. You can tell that the sun has climbed into the sky and it’s a beautiful afternoon.

Please Note: when I turn on my video camera it’s like bringing another person onto the team. I often talk like there is someone else present and will explain where we are or what’s happening. From a dog’s perspective this doesn’t make sense. They hear me talking to “someone” and often look back to see who’s there. I sometimes had to use my ‘cheerleader voice’ to keep them focused ahead instead of wondering what the heck I was doing behind them.

The race took my dogs and I over 10 days to complete. In total, I recorded only one hour of video. So these Aliy Cams are only a tiny segment of that experience. I also did not video during the most challenging trail or the worst blizzard conditions. I was too busy clinging my handlebars or navigating hazards. I also never recorded a video when I felt like it would intrude in our personal space.

Here is a map so that you can follow along.