ASK THE MUSHER Vol 17: Libby Riddles

[libbyriddles]

Well, hello everyone, I think I have this figured out & will try to start answering questions.
Brian: Thanks for the invite to do this! Yes, that first day of the 85 race a lot of things went wrong, but I think we all go out there knowing a lot of things will go wrong, you just have to keep going as best you can & keep your eye on the goal.
As far as did I cut the alders, alas, no.

Helen: Nice to see you, wondering what you've been up to!
There have been a number of people who inspired me, from my parents to mushers like Patty Friend, Shelley Gill, Varona Thompson, Lolly Medly, Mary Shields...... authors have inspired me, survival stories of the arctic, some good dogs have inspired me as well!
Race changes: most beneficial: breeding more atomic dogs all the time, learning better care, better trail
least beneficial: no longer able to stay with locals at checkpoints. I understand the necessity of it, but you lost the cultural exchange.
I love stage racing, sprint & distnace mushers meet on equal ground, lots of opportunities for sponsors & spectators, dogs get a nice cushy sleep in the truck after a stage.
Yes, I need to write another book, but hmmm, run dogs or sit at the computer, which do you think wins? HI to the boys!

TX: Hello, I should be doing an evening show that monday on your ship, I'm on every Princess ships that docks in Juneau. Those Seaveys don't have to read my book, they were mostly born on sleds!

sc fan: favorite trail snack: Croissants with nutella! Iditarod shrinks and grows sometimes with the economy. I like the tracking devices, I followed last year!

Em: I have 37 dogs, I don't race anymore, did 22 yrs, now just go for fun, like to go everyday in the winter whenever possible. I've enjoyed going especially to new races the first year they start, I loved the crazy Alpirod. The Beargrease was quite an adventure getting to, flying to Chicago with FLying Tigers, 3 days at D Bertkes parnets cattle ranch running dogs around the pasture with a truck, then another flight to Duluth. Pretty trail nice people, Robin Jacobson beat all of us high rolling Alaskans that year! You need a good pit crew & a good truck. Won the Humanitarian Award there (thanks, pit crew!)

Jeanien B: of course try the muktuk, but it tastes the best after you've been playing out at below zero for several hours!
As far as potential greats in the sport, Merissa Osmar seems to be a very level headed, competent racer, grew up with it of course.....that Micah Degerlund has been doing great too.

Hmmm what not to miss in Nome? Nothing! Do it all if you can! Take Bering Air to WHite Mt for the day?

JP Keeping a lower profile these days, working in the summer, running dogs all winter, life is good!


Fladogfan: The Serum Run with Norman & Caroline was an amazing trip, I enjoyed how relaxed it was compared to racing, & it was great training for my 14 young dogs I brought. It was incredible to see Norman in action, what an amazing man. It was also pretty profound to meet a gal who had been saved by the serum, we had our pic taken with her at the finish line. We carried ceremonial serum from Providence Hospital & presented it in Nome. Norman did talks at the schools as well. Mary Lou Whitney helped sponsor the first one, & I flew to Galena with her to join the group, as I had had a committment to do the radio coverage of the Rondy that year.

Thanks everyone, will check back again tomorrow, happy mushing!

[Red_Husky]

Nice to see you, wondering what you've been up to!

Sorry it’s been an age since I was last in contact, don't know where the time goes really!

authors have inspired me, survival stories of the arctic

Did any of those survival stories go through your mind when you were hunkered in your sled bag during ‘the’ storm?

some good dogs have inspired me as well!

Who were some of your best dogs, and what made them so?
A defiant Sister finding the lost trail markers on the ice was amazing - stuff legend is made of. I’d like to think Navarre doesn’t follow some commands for the same sort of noble reason too …

most beneficial: breeding more atomic dogs all the time

On one of the recent Iditarod dvds they were showing the dogs are getting bred with lower tail sets for better reach, do you see this as becoming a weak point in their structure? Having German Shepherds in the past and knowing they can get hip problems due to their lower back ends, I wondered if there was any similarity.

better trail

Do you think some mushers tend not to be as trail savvy these days because there is more help on the trail?
So is there a specific area of the Iditarod trail that you liked above the rest?

least beneficial: no longer able to stay with locals at checkpoints. I understand the necessity of it, but you lost the cultural exchange.

There were some lovely references to this in your book. It’s a shame mushers are missing out on that now.

I love stage racing, sprint & distance mushers meet on equal ground, lots of opportunities for sponsors & spectators, dogs get a nice cushy sleep in the truck after a stage.

Does stage racing require a bigger support crew following the musher and team then?

Yes, I need to write another book, but hmmm, run dogs or sit at the computer, which do you think wins?

Haha, yes, I'd pick running dogs over pretty much anything too!
Hopefully one day though …

HI to the boys!

Thanks, they aren’t doing much now it is so hot here. How’s everyone doing in harness this winter at yours? Been camping much yet?
So who is your money on for this years Iditarod?
Bye for now
HH&N

[MelanieGouldFanBrian]

Another couple of questions for you Miss Libby.
What do you think of the new edict on mandatory drug testing that will start with this year's race?

It's been too long since a woman has won the Iditarod. Even too long since Dee Dee finished 2nd in 1998. Are there any up and coming female mushers who you see that you feel are possible future Iditarod winners?

Brian

[fladogfan]

Miss Libby, me too with more questions, please.
Will you be at the Denali Doubles Race?
Why aren't the mushers staying at locals homes? What is the necessity of it?
Are you going to be in Nome for the banquets?

Thanks, fladogfan/gretchen

[CynCyn37]

Hi Libby!

Welcome to the Forum. I am so excited that you have joined us!! I have three main questions for you....

1. I am a former Elementary Teacher and I love your children's books! We bought them on our first cruise. What was your inspiration for writing those books?

2. Where did you get your parka? What is it made of? How long did it take to make it? (I have SERIOUS coat envy over that one!)

3. Will you give it to me when you get tired of it? (just kidding!!)

Thanks again for joining us. I fell in love with mushing on an Alaskan Cruise. In fact, we watched you on the cruise channel talking about mushing. If I had known then, what I know now, we would have been at the talk. I can't remember why we didn't go. Anyway, we bought one of your books on the cruise and I just loved it!

[Di*]

Hello Libby!
Again thanks so much for visiting this forum and hanging with us for a while I love your story and the gutsy move you made! When I think of legendary Iditarod women I always think of you and Susan Butcher. Which leads me to my first question...

~Did you know Susan well & if so, what is your favorite memory of her?

Could you share a few memories from the Rose Bowl Parade that you were in last year?

I feel honored to have you as my Facebook friend and would like to know what you think of using Facebook as a tool for learning from the top mushers?
Do you get a lot of questions from rookies/fans on there & what do you feel is the prevailing attitude among mushers toward us "fans" and rookies?


Thanks for your reply

[BB Backer]

Libby, thank you so much for joining us on the forum!

I was lucky enough to hear you speak at an event at UW-GB some time ago. I was so impressed with your history, your tales, and your approach to life.

As a teacher, I loved using you as a positive role model. Storm Run was one of our favorite books, but the kids loved Danger too. Do you have any Danger descendants in your dog yard these days?

Also from your books, I understand Joe Garnie played an important role in your Iditarod training. Can you tell us more about his influence? Do you still keep in contact with him? And what do you think about his attempt to run the Iditarod a few years back?

Thanks so much for sharing your time...especially when you'd rather be out with the dogs.
BB Backer

[sarsmile]

Welcome to the forum Libby, and thanks so much for answering our questions.

Like many of us here, I was following the race online last spring when the storm blew in and the mushers had to make tough decisions about whether to head out along the coast or wait for the winds to die down. Your name came up in some of those conversations as people remembered 'your' storm. It sounds like you were following the race as well, so I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on it.

How did the events of this year compare to the year you won? What were your thoughts as you were watching it unfold in real time, and are they the same as your thoughts today?

As someone who had to make a similar decision to this year's mushers, I would also be interested to hear more about how you (or mushers in general) make those calls. How do you balance the potential risks to both dogs and mushers with the opportunity to make progress in the race?

Are there any changes you would like to see in the race to better protect mushers and dogs in these types of conditions? Or do you think the current rules are sufficient?

[libbyriddles]

Nice to see you, wondering what you've been up to!

Sorry it’s been an age since I was last in contact, don't know where the time goes really!

authors have inspired me, survival stories of the arctic

Did any of those survival stories go through your mind when you were hunkered in your sled bag during ‘the’ storm?

some good dogs have inspired me as well!

Who were some of your best dogs, and what made them so?
A defiant Sister finding the lost trail markers on the ice was amazing - stuff legend is made of. I’d like to think Navarre doesn’t follow some commands for the same sort of noble reason too …

most beneficial: breeding more atomic dogs all the time

On one of the recent Iditarod dvds they were showing the dogs are getting bred with lower tail sets for better reach, do you see this as becoming a weak point in their structure? Having German Shepherds in the past and knowing they can get hip problems due to their lower back ends, I wondered if there was any similarity.

better trail

Do you think some mushers tend not to be as trail savvy these days because there is more help on the trail?
So is there a specific area of the Iditarod trail that you liked above the rest?

least beneficial: no longer able to stay with locals at checkpoints. I understand the necessity of it, but you lost the cultural exchange.

There were some lovely references to this in your book. It’s a shame mushers are missing out on that now.

I love stage racing, sprint & distance mushers meet on equal ground, lots of opportunities for sponsors & spectators, dogs get a nice cushy sleep in the truck after a stage.

Does stage racing require a bigger support crew following the musher and team then?

Yes, I need to write another book, but hmmm, run dogs or sit at the computer, which do you think wins?

Haha, yes, I'd pick running dogs over pretty much anything too!
Hopefully one day though …

HI to the boys!

Thanks, they aren’t doing much now it is so hot here. How’s everyone doing in harness this winter at yours? Been camping much yet?
So who is your money on for this years Iditarod?
Bye for now
HH&N

Hi again,hope everyone saw the one in all replies the other night, let me answer questions again. As far as did any of those survival stories go through my head that night out in the storm, no, they did not. To think was to be in the abstract, and I had to be totally aware of my surrounding & situation, thinking too much would have been a distraction, if that makes sense.

My best dogs? Gee, I could write a book! I guess my favorites are the ones that are naturals, Dugan and many of his pups and grandpups that have been my leaders for years. Plus I like the ones that just have the winning personalities to match, and have bred for that as well. Tiger, Mouse, and Meadow are 3 grandpups to Dugan that are running lead in now. They've been in lead almost every run they go.

The senses of the leaders are amazing, and I always wondered how Sister figured out where the trail was that time. I just finished reading " A Wolf in the Parlor" about our symbiotic relationship with dogs. No one knows that like a musher, eh?

The breeding of the lower end dogs, what I think they're talking about is many of the purebreds have a tail that will go up over the back, which to most people signifies happy dog, mushers wanting any kind of speed like a more angled rear end that puts the tail down more, and looks to some as if the dog is cowering, but it's really just the build for efficient running. The sheps have a whole different thing going on, the super laid back back end always looks really unbalanced and odd to me, no wonder they get displasia. With huskies, it's still usually the ones that prove that their confirmation can get the job done, that are bred, so I don't think there's much chance of them having displasia type problems.

I do think there are a lot more inexperienced mushers on the trail, for sure, and as far as favorite parts of the trail? It's all good, but love Rainy Pass, Old Woman area, Elim and of course, Nome!

Stage racing: yes, it has different requirements, one handler could do it though. A specialized dog truck or trailer with an area for working on dogs, a small freezer, that sort of thing is nice. Never had it myself, but....

who's my $$ on? whoever gets there first! haha! see you, thanks for the good questions!

[libbyriddles]

Another couple of questions for you Miss Libby.
What do you think of the new edict on mandatory drug testing that will start with this year's race?

It's been too long since a woman has won the Iditarod. Even too long since Dee Dee finished 2nd in 1998. Are there any up and coming female mushers who you see that you feel are possible future Iditarod winners?

Brian

Hi Brian, thanks for helping me with the "quote" thing!
As far as the drug testing, I think it's a bit redundant, as I think the rules already state that you have to follow state & federal regs anyway.

I think it's good that no one really notices the difference much between the mushers now, it would be cool if a woman won it, but no one would be as surprised, as the gals really do great, of course. Lots of young up and coming mushers, glad to see the sport growing, there are a lot of those mushers I don't know anything about. I think if we see another woman champ it might be more like an Aliy-DD, Jessie, YQ Michelle...... the more experienced mushers. Of course, I'm a fan of Melissa Owens from Nome too, give her time.....