SPK Dog Log

Congratulations to Becky Pacas who has won this week’s draw. Becky is a fan of CHICA.

Chica, like all of us, is getting older. Can you believe it? She’s 9?! She is back in harness and still loves to zip down the trail. We don’t know what exactly we’ll expect from her or her siblings this season. Today Chica is running in the Two Rivers 100 with the youngest five of her kids, which is very exciting on both counts!

All we can say is… Chica is a Super Star!

As today we have three teams running in the Two Rivers 100/200 Becky’s packet will include some TRDMA merchandise and other kennel goodies.

The first Yukon Quest themed fan club draw is will be 5 February and the winner will get a Yukon Quest poster signed by both Aliy and Allen along with a few other kennel goodies. If you haven’t already won this season or if you are a new member your name will be in the next draw. NOTE: you can win more than once if you are a fan of more than one dog!

Click the button below for instructions on how to join:

Click this button below to take you directly to the Dog Fan Page.

Wes and the “Red & Black 100” youngsters drew bib number 8 (actually 38 but the bibs start at 30 for the 100 miles) and will head out at 1.14pm. He will be running 11 dogs. His team is a combination of the most experienced and the least experienced dogs in the yard! Quito and Olivia will lead out with Chica and Boondocks in swing, Nacho and Biscuit then Ernie, Five, Rodney, Ginger and Scooby.

Can you believe these little ones are ready to race? Biscuit is the most experienced of all!

Chris drew bib number 27 and his “Red & Black 200” team will leave the start chute at 12.52pm. His team will be led out by Lester and Chena, Chemo and Woody in swing, Wedgy and Coal, Hotshot and Daisy, Pepe and Violet with Amber and Cayenne in wheel.

Lester and Chena lead the R&B200 Team

Aliy and the Red Team have bib 8 and will leave at 12.14pm. Dutch and Izzy will lead out followed by Spark and Commando, Lydia and Mac, Sissy and Nomex, Chipper and Iron, Champ and Sandy (configuration may change a little).

Izzy and Dutch lead the Red Team

See the Race Roster page for more details about each athlete.

Tomorrow SP Kennel has teams entered in both the The Two Rivers Dog Mushers Association Two Rivers 100 and 200 mile races.

We normally don’t get to race this one as it generally clashes with the Iditarod so this year we are excited to race it! We have great trails here in Two Rivers and the committee have worked hard to put this race on.

Wes will be taking a team of yearlings and some (very) experienced adults in the 100 mile race. This will be two approx 50 mile legs with a long rest in between. The race starts at the Chatanika Lodge with a four hour mandatory stop at Two Rivers Lodge then finishing at the Pleasant Valley Store. Wes has been training the team all season to be ready for their first foray into racing so we are excited to see them strut their stuff!

This is also the first race back for Olivia and Quito since they had their puppies earlier in the season so this is a big deal for them also. Wes will intentionally run this race at a slower pace than the leading bunch and will stop often to rest and snack and make it a happy, positive experience for them all.

Ernie, Rodney, Ginger, Scooby (back) about to set off on a training run; Five is excited for his first race

The 200 mile race also starts at Chatanika Lodge with checkpoints at the Two Rivers Lodge, Pleasant Valley Store and Angel Creek Lodge, finishing back at the Store. Chris will take a team of mostly two and three year olds with some experience to back them up. This will be a good run for these dogs as some will be in contention to make Aliy’s Yukon Quest 300 team.

Chris takes a team on their final stretch out (this team is not finalised so may be mixed around a bit)

Aliy will also take a bunch of youngsters, potential Quest 300 dogs and a few possible Quest 1000 dogs that need just a few more miles on them. Most of the Yukon Quest tagged dogs will sit this one out as a “sprint” 100 or 200 mile race is not in their training plan. Allen’s focus will be to continue building up their endurance and strength to switch gears into 1000 mile mode.

Handling for the crew will be Wendy, Padee and Mark.

We are still finalising the make-up of the teams so will let you know race rosters and bib numbers in the morning.

Keep an eye on the TRDMA Facebook page for race updates!

Along with everything else going on at the kennel this week, the major matter of Yukon Quest 1000 and 300 drop bags had to be attended to!

Each time we run a race we do a “debrief” about not only the dogs and the race plan but also logistics including handling, travelling and drop bags. We took the plan from 2014 (the last time the race started in Fairbanks), made some tweaks identified in the debrief, then with the help of lots of good friends and neighbors, we packed the bags ready to be dropped off on Saturday afternoon. It is a major undertaking.

The drop bags include:

• 6-8lb packs of two different kinds of kibble
• packs of 14 (12 for YQ300) meat snacks including salmon, turkey skins, beef and tripe (yummy)
• packs of 14 (12 for YQ30) booties
• extra dog jackets and blankets (extra to what Allen and Aliy will be carrying with them in case they get damp)
• packs of vet supplies to refresh the kit in the sled including Algyval, foot ointment and vet-wrap
• human food including freeze-dried meals, oatmeal bars, nuts, bacon and some “proper” seam-sealed meals to drop in the cook pot
• sled runner plastics
• spare equipment and clothing for dogs and humans (and anything else they might need along the way!)

We then have to do an inventory of each bag so the ones that have to cross the border over into Canada can get through Customs smoothly.

Sincere thanks to the whole team who have been working hard to get these done, along with Two Rivers 100/200 preparation this week!! We couldn’t have done it without you. Y’all free again next week for Iditarod bags???

Labelling comes first; Wendy is the Booty Queen!

Chris cuts salmon into snack sized slices; Madi crumbles turkey skins for use as a meal additive

Mykena bags salmon and Padee bags beef for snacks along the trail

Tami bags kibble for meals; Wes has kibble ready for meal time

Moira makes more oatmeal bars than you can shake a stick at; Allen packs it all in

Saturday was a bit out of the ordinary for SP Kennel. Instead of being on the frozen Kusko River racing sled dogs (which wasn’t on the SP Kennel racing calendar this season), Aliy and Moira flew to Anchorage early in the morning. Allen and Chris stayed home to train dogs.

With amazing assistance (and lots of encouragement) from our good friend Barbara, Aliy and Moira were whisked straight from the airport to an evening gown store to choose their ball gowns. Then it was off to Kyle at 119 @ 4th Avenue Hair Salon for their “up-do’s” and makeup. After finding appropriate dress shoes, evening clutches and jewelry… they were ready for the ‘Fire and Ice Ball’, the annual major fundraiser for Covenant House Alaska.

That’s right! A dog musher can dress up once in a while.

Strike a pose!

SP Kennel and Matson (SPK’s lead sponsor) have a great history with Covenant House. For many years, Aliy and Allen would travel to Anchorage, visit with kids and do an evening sled dog presentation. Horizon Lines, now Matson, was the sponsor of the Covenent House for those presentation days. Aliy kept in contact with several kids and even had one young woman help the SP Kennel Red Team on 4th Avenue at the Iditarod start. Aliy and Allen have always tried to stay in touch with Alison Kear, Executive Director, a big dog mushing fan. We enjoy the relationship and the link between the kids of Covenent House and SP Kennel.

The evening was a spetacular event with a Rio Carnival theme and a great deal of money was raised. There were silent auctions with amazing items up for grabs. Matson shipping sponsored a table at the ball and Aliy and Moira were very happy to join Matson’s Alaska Vice President, Kenny Gill and his wife, Michele, (right) at the special event.

What a fantastic evening for a stupendous cause!

The Covenant House has a Vision to Help Homeless Kids.

“Our job is to protect the rights of young people … to fight for these rights … to speak for those who have no voice of their own.

Covenant House doesn’t forget about all the kids who are no longer here because no one cared – we hold their memory in our hearts while moving forward in our efforts to help all the scared and lonely kids who are still out there waiting.“

The strangest part of the evening was how people who knew Aliy very well just didn’t recognise her in a gown and “up-do”. She sat down with several long-time supporters who looked at her in a daze simply saying “It’s good to see you…” Aliy had to say… “Hey… it’s me… Aliy.” The response was usually “Oh my Gosh! Where’s your red beanie?”

Schmoe will be taking part in a live Twitter chat: #BLMIditaChat on Wednesday, January 20th. The Alaska Bureau of Land Management is hosting the event “Sled Dog Tales: Talk with Alaska Sled Dogs” for students to ask Schmoe and other sled dogs from around the state about the Iditarod and their life as a sled dog.

Of course, as Schmoe doesn’t have opposable thumbs and can’t touch type, he will get some human help to answer the questions.

Teachers, students and families of all grade levels are invited to take part. The flyer, above, has details about how you can join in the fun.

My team and I had a lot of fun on the Copper Basin. We thought that the Red Team wasn’t quite as fast as the Black Team. But, we also knew that it could be a close race — which it turned out to be!

We always want the Copper Basin 300 Red Team to be as competitive as possible. But, we also want to put some unproven dogs on the team to see how they do. This year we had Spark — completely unproven — and Lydia who has never finished a mid distance race. The remainder of the team was a combo of inexperienced dogs and extremely veteran dogs.

I’ll start with the rookies.

Spark – was the least experienced dog by far and his learning curve was exponential. At the first three checkpoints, I had to physically lay him down in the straw to rest because he was far too excited. He wanted to watch all the teams come and go around him. At the final checkpoint, he actually sat down on his own but never laid down. Understandably, by mile 290 he was a tiny bit tired but still finished the race in fine form. I’m super happy about Spark’s inaugural mid-distance race.

Lydia – she is by no means a rookie but she had never finished a race for us. Not only did she finish Copper Basin 300, but she was one of the main leaders from mile 31 to mile 290. Of course, Lydia is tiny but her desire to be in charge is large! I really liked having Lydia and Waylon in front because they set an incredibly fast pace that kept us in the thick of the race.

Nomex – Nomex is comfortable with his very awkward gait. Obviously it works for him because he just accomplished an amazing feat by finishing a competitive 300 mile race but… by golly, he is somewhat ugly to watch! Other than that, Nomex is strong, powerful and a fun faced dog. I could tell the power that he puts into his harness as the team pulled me up and over some very tall mountains.

Driver– I ran Driver and Nomex together all the time because they were my two big powerhouses. As opposed to Nomex, Driver’s long-legged gait is slow gaited and lumbering – the complete opposite of his partner’s fast paced pitter-patter. When I glanced back and forth between dogs, I could almost get dizzy! Driver can keep a very speedy pace however. He has a little bit of race experience under his belt, so at checkpoints he was savvy enough to rest appropriately. He came through with flying colors.

Dutch – I’d say I had two All-Stars and Dutch was definitely one of them. He never got a little bit tired – not even the last few miles. He was even doing his silly little “chatter” talk whenever we stopped, even after we finished. He started the race in lead, and finished the race in lead but he missed a few hundred miles in between. I really see how he is an educated “big dog” now. Dutch is going to be an important dog for us this season.

Sandy – I never saw her not pulling. She was in wheel, right in front of the sled so I was able to watch her adorable little fanny go as fast as possible. Whenever the team sped up, she never let up. At times, she is too excited and would wind her tug-lines in circles. If that was her only fault, then I can live with it. Sandy will be on some of the main teams from now on.

Chemo – at 5 years old he is as veteran of a race dog as they get. He still gets giddy at the starting line, but then curls up in the straw ASAP and snores as quickly as he should at checkpoints. He travels down the trail like a pro. He was spot-on during the Copper Basin. I have zero complaints.

Boondocks – It was fun to have four siblings one the team: Boonie and her three brothers Scruggs, Willie and Waylon. They are seven years old and could easily keep up with the fast pace of this race. It was a little bit surprising to me. Boondocks is the queen of sassy and is showed through out the CB300. She is smart enough to know when to rest so that she easily has the stamina to crank out the miles. It is fun to see her continue to succeed.

Willie – is a fast dog so the pace wasn’t that hard on him, he has always been able to fly over the trail with very little effort and this race was no different. I think 300 miles is still just the tip of the iceberg for ole Silly Willie.

Scruggs – is slower than both Willie and Boonie but he’s a smart boy who knows how to managed the trail and what the team needs from him. He is never too stressed about any situation and never overworks himself. Therefore, he is always there in the end. Scruggs is an even better 1,000 mile dog than a mid distance racer… so that’s exciting!

Waylon – is just so cocky and proud of himself that it is fun to watch him running down he trail with a gleam in his eye. I know he’s thinking “Yup, I’m going to win this race!” For that reason he was my other All Star this race. He liked running with Lydia as she has the same kind of confidence and character as he does. In reality, he’s the closest thing SP Kennel has to a whippet. So I guess the fast pace shouldn’t be hard on him (perhaps he needs a rabbit out in front!?!)

Scout – I can ask Scout to do anything and he will. When I needed someone in challenging situations he’s the man. He’ll easily pass around barking, crazy, rookie dog teams by dragging the team through deep snow and off the trail. Obviously he’s still fast enough to compete.
SIDENOTE: One of the biggest obstacles on the CB300 is always the Gakona River crossing. During the mushers meeting prior to the race start, the trail breaker said “the first dog team that goes over my trail on the Gakona better follow my trail markers exactly or you and the rest of the 46 dog teams will go swimming.” The braided river is actually several miles wide and has many spots with no ice and flowing deep water. The trail breakers have to zig and zag 180 degree turns on the ice in order to put in a safe trail and avoid water holes. Sometimes the trail that a snow machine puts in is not necessarily logical to a dog. I remembered this comment as we were the first dog team to cross the the Gakona River. Needless to say, I had Scout in lead. And – as far as I know – none of the 47 racing dog teams got wet in the Gakona River this year. Thank you Scout!

Both Allen and I want to thank the Copper Basin committee and all the volunteers for putting on one of our most favorite races. The start was drama-free, the checkpoints well organized and the trail fantastic.

This race also relies a LOT on a good handler team. A good result is more than just a good dog team and a good musher so we wish to thank our handler team of Wes, Chris and Mark for their hard work and getting us to the finish line. Thanks guys!

Chris (with Junior), Mark and Wes

Overall, our expectations were very high for the Black Team. These twelve dogs were selected to try and win the Copper Basin for SP Kennel. The team did have great energy and speed. However, the front end experience was somewhat lacking. A team needs to be able to confidently pass many other dog teams during a competition with 46 other competitors. This team definitely needs more experience to shine in this area. Once we practice and gain confidence, this team will be fantastic.

The Black Team resting at the Sourdough Checkpoint.

Allen sat down after the race and chatted about his team and how each team member did.

Junior – my expectations for her were very high. She’s a great leader. She was just coming-out of heat which always adds a complication. She was in lead the first run and lots of boys were interested!! We had a few mishaps so I moved her to a different spot. After that she ran great until just after Meiers Lake Checkpoint. We where going down a hill where the trail was very fast and she must have stepped wrong because her bicep became slightly sore. I left her with the handlers at Sourdough Checkpoint. She was happily wagging her tails as she walked away with the Crew.

Chipper – has a great and appropriate name. We named her after a golf club but she’s such a spirited, little dog and she was always “chipper” throughout the race. She left the last checkpoint while jumping, bounding, and twirling. That dog has literally endless energy. I am very happy with her finish. She needs more experience and education in lead and could be a main leader.

Mismo – there were two dogs that I thought were superstars in this team and Mismo was one of them. He was in lead 90% of the race and I can see him doing very well on the Quest team. No matter where you put him in the team, he does well: lead, team or wheel. He just doesn’t really care where I put him, he wants to run. I’m very impressed with Mismo.

Tinder – a young dog. I very seldom bring two year olds to try to win the Copper Basin. But, Tinder was doing so well that we decided to give him a chance. He did well for 3/4 of the race. He may have stepped in hole or on some slick ice near the finish, because he slightly stretched his right leg. He never complained about his leg and was in the team until the finish line. We only noticed his leg the morning after the race. Tinder’s going to be a superstar.

Nelson – another one of the Biscuit pups with a whole lot of extra energy. It seems endless sometimes. He’s been on many of the main teams last year but he seems prone to get a sore wrist when the trails are hard packed. So his wrist started haunting us mid-way and we decided to drop him at the last checkpoint as a precaution. Without Nelson, we slowed down.

Kodiak – was a main leader in the race. But, whenever you have a leader who has never raced on a competitive team as the “main man”, then you need to have patience. He is one of the best dogs at the kennel and is one of the main reasons we finished as high as we did. Kodiak has never any quit in him and is always perky. More than likely, he will be one of the main leaders on the Quest team. That probably says it all.

Mismo, Kodiak and Allen take a nap in the straw.

Schmoe – one of the more mature dogs in the team. He has run all the big races in the past. He’s steady, he eats well, he knows what to do and always does it. You don’t have to worry about all the little things with Schmoe. He’s always working hard in the team. When it gets really, really tough and we’re going up steep hills, he’s always barking and he is able to pep up the team. He’s a great cheerleader to have.

Scooter – is similar to Schmoe and has been on the last three Copper Basin winning teams. She’s another happy, cheerleader. Whenever I stop, everyone close to us will hear that Scooter is ready and wants to GO! You can’t have too many cheerleaders on your team. Scooter’s a great dog that has finished in all the wins that I’ve had.

Outlaw – good, steady dog. He’s not as fast as the race pace was – the racecourse this year was faster than ever. He’s not used to traveling quite that fast. Outlaw is a fantastic 1000 mile dog and not a 300 mile sprint dog – which is what this CB win demanded. So, he got a little tired towards the end, especially when we were going down some hills pretty fast. I carried him in my sled the last 11 miles.

Commando – is definitely an up and coming superstar. He finished Iditarod with me at 17 months old and now at the age of 2 he finished the CB competitively. He never wanted to do anything but race. He always had drive and being this young in a race of this speed means a lot. I’m very proud of Commando. Good boy!

Clyde – Outlaw’s brother and they are similar. He has a little bit more drive and eats a little better. He has raced a lot of 1000 mile races, so he’s a very mature dog for his years and it showed in this race. He’s a little bit slower than the speeds we went. But, like his brother, he always had good drive and helped tremendously to come in 3rd place.

Felix – I thought he was the other superstar standout in this team. If I could have had a team of Mismos and Felixes… it would be a hard team to beat! Felix likes to go fast and lopes most of the time. He did an excellent job. Any musher would love to have Felix on their team.