ASK THE MUSHER Vol 3: Paul Gebhardt (& Evy too!)

[flowerpower]

Paul & Evy,

Thank you both for your time and answers! It always makes us armchair mushers feel like we have gotten just a little closer to the action.
In terms of what the Irod will look like in 10 years-more specifically, with the snowmachine accidents this year, do you foresee changes in regulations there? Should there be changes? I know when I watching the end of the race there were a couple of times I thought "oh my!" in regards to all the traffic that seemed very close to the mushers.

Also, there were so many mushers entered this year. I am wondering if there will be more people who will lease a team and enter? Should there be requirements-different requirements about training, experience, etc., than those currently in place? What is the ecological impact of so many dogs and people on the trail? What is the impact on the villages? I had read an article that stated it could be very hard on the villages-stretching the limited resources-and then another that suggested it was an economic boon. I suspect both points of view are correct, but does the balance tip in one direction or the other the more people are entered?

I know there is not a definitive answer, but it is always interesting to hear more informed points of view!

FP (Candy)

[Moose]

A really awesome question came to me at work today, one that would have made me look really bright, one that would have moved you to deep contemplation and an epiphany of self-realization. Alas, I forgot it. So this will have to do:

Did you two come to dogs together, or did you come separately and the dogs brought you together?

[emwcee]

Great question, Moose. Hopefully you'll think of the other question sometime -- if it's even better!

Thanks for answering my question, Paul. I'm glad to hear you'll be racing in 2009.

Paul and Evy, it sounds like you keep busy in the summer, so I can guess what the answer to this question is, but I have to ask it anyway: Do you ever get to the lower 48 and do any public appearances? Do you have any trips planned?

Here's hoping, anyway. (Nebraska is a great place to visit, BTW )

[PaulEvy]

Hi Evy,

I also really enjoy your daily updates; your writing gives us all a window into what goes on behind the scenes, as well as what's happening during the race. Because I think you write especially well, I've been wondering if you have favorite authors -- in my experience, good writers also tend to be readers.

By the way, I think "SO" is "significant other."

Anne

Well thanks for clearing up the lingo for me - my apologies to Moose!
(Oh, Evy here by the way) Ironically, I work for a newspaper - but not in the news department - I am in the advertising end of things. I don't have a specific author I favor. Outside of the daily newspaper, I am usually running in so many directions, sitting down to a book is limited to when I am buckled into an airplane seat. Do you have any recommendations?

[Di*]

Thanks so much for joining us Paul and Evy! What an honor to have you two on here!
Evy your blog is the most indepth and interesting blog I've ever read by a top Iditarod contender's kennel, thanks so much for that!

Here is my question..
I was watching the VS coverage of this year's race when they mentioned some interesting facts about you Paul...seems you can outrun a polar bear and kill a wolverine with your bare hands?!!

I am definitely impressed and definitely want to hear the story behind those facts!

[PaulEvy]

T
So does Lieutenant have any littermates or other teammates that are great leader material? Of course I'm biased, but a team that is 50% leaders would be nice. Just hate to have only one 'driver', altho the great teams are often led by one dog that has that quality of drive and singleness of work ethic. All business.:

Evy here:
Lieutenant and Governor both come from the genetic line of Red Dog - Paul's Golden Harness winner. Red Dog was the same age as Ltnt. when he finished his first Iditarod in a Top Ten team. He went on to lead Paul to 2nd in 2000. Then Governor was also a yearling like Ltnt. in his first Iditarod, another Top Ten, followed later by Governor leading the team to Paul's 2nd second place finish in 2007.
Statistically speaking the pups that come from this line have a high propensity to lead. Thor - who led with Houston into Nome this year is from Red Dog, and Thor's sister Tessa will lead. (she was in season this year during the race so was delegated to 1,100 miles in the wheel) This bloodline has proven true to throw excellent pups and seeing that Governor carried that onto Lieutanant is remarkable. Lieutenant has a litter mate named Hershey, and Paul has another young pup named "Gibson" that he is training one-on-one with Bear this spring - another solid leader. So yeah, 50% sounds good - but why not think big... say 100%! Evy

[PaulEvy]

A really awesome question came to me at work today, one that would have made me look really bright, one that would have moved you to deep contemplation and an epiphany of self-realization. Alas, I forgot it. So this will have to do:

Did you two come to dogs together, or did you come separately and the dogs brought you together?

Evy here - I appreciate your humor. I have one to share with you along that same vein. As you all know, I write about Paul's many adventures. I also put together a "story" to recap all my updates into one consolidated format and to integrate the elements of the race that Paul has to share fresh off the trail. I have envisioned him spending hundreds of hours in the absolute void of unity with his team, crossing breathtaking country as they travel a thousand miles - and thinking he would have seriously contemplated the greater essense of mankind and nature in a Gandi-like trance several times over the course of his journey. So there I sit, pen in hand, eagerly awaiting the TRUE meaning of life to come spilling out.... and WHAT DO I GET when I ask: "so what do you think about when you are out on the trail?" His reply? It is what corporate America is spending millions paying motivational speakers to train their staff on - visualization! He said, "Exactly what I am going to do when I get to the next checkpoint. I go over every step and every move I will make when I get to that checkpoint so that I can be as efficient as possible." It was so incredibly fundamental that it blew me away. It also made me realize how focused those top competitors HAVE to be to reach the upper echelons.
But to answer your question Moose - Paul and I had never even seen a sled dog when we moved to Alaska. We both hail from family dairy farms in Minnesota that our families still pour their heart and souls in to keeping America fed. Consequently, we have a similar work ethic and our religious (and even political!) views are compatible. We met and married in Minnesota 24 years ago. We met Dean Osmar early on when we arrived to Alaska in 1989. Our first sled dogs came from Dean's kennel. The only thing we knew about the sled dogs was from a PBS special we had only happened upon shortly before we moved. Poor Dean - here he was still reveling in the stunning 1984 victory he pulled off in the Iditarod and we couldn't pronounce the word! My how life changes. I always tease Paul that I didn't marry a farmer - but here we are "farming" dogs and horses, and chickens, and pheasants...
For everyone's clarification - Paul is the musher in the family, not Evy. I will scoop, feed, brush, harness, bootie and cheerlead - but when it is all said and done. I prefer not to worry about freezing off my extremities and bruise easily. Evy

[PaulEvy]

Paul and Evy, it sounds like you keep busy in the summer, so I can guess what the answer to this question is, but I have to ask it anyway: Do you ever get to the lower 48 and do any public appearances? Do you have any trips planned? Here's hoping, anyway. (Nebraska is a great place to visit, BTW )

Evy here - we haven't ever done any "circuit" type speaking engagements - although on trips back to his hometown area in Glencoe, Minnesota - Paul did speak to the Christian Men's Group at the church where we were married and also at the Rotary Club there. He has visited schools and universities in Alaska as well as my Soldotna Rotary Club, a couple of Anchorage Rotary Clubs, various Chamber of Commerce's and Senior Citizen Centers too.
Obviously if you have visited our website http://www.aspenhollowlodging.com you recognize that our seasonal lodging business keeps us busy. Paul is also a General Contractor, so between that and mushing - he goes around the clock. One year he traveled down to a mushing symposium in Montana to speak. One of our limiting factors, of course in addition to full time jobs, is that we don't have a big crew of handlers to do our chores. As a matter of fact, it is just Paul and I here now. Our beautiful daughter is grown and gone - and until she left we did not fully appreciate what a great helper she was! So having someone to care for our animals is a huge consideration for us. Would you believe we even have a pet dog and a CAT?! Evy

[ThisSpaceForRent]

Evy or Paul...a few quick ones after a LONG day one the urban trail...

Do your dogs run a tad large than the "typical" AK huskey?

I noticed a small bit of Mackey genes in the kennel...any other lines?, Buser?

What is the fastest number of dogs in a harness? 10?...16?...11?

Thanks for the good insight.

GoPaulGo...

tsfr

[Moose]

I have envisioned him spending hundreds of hours in the absolute void of unity with his team, crossing breathtaking country as they travel a thousand miles - and thinking he would have seriously contemplated the greater essense of mankind and nature in a Gandi-like trance several times over the course of his journey. So there I sit, pen in hand, eagerly awaiting the TRUE meaning of life to come spilling out.... and WHAT DO I GET when I ask: "so what do you think about when you are out on the trail?" ... He said, "Exactly what I am going to do when I get to the next checkpoint. I go over every step and every move I will make when I get to that checkpoint so that I can be as efficient as possible." It was so incredibly fundamental that it blew me away. Evy

Oh, the irony. Traveling through the largest state in the union, across some of the grandest landscape in the world, and Paul looks no further than his team.

Evy and Paul, you've landed smack in the middle of folks who collect All Things Iditarod and who also happen to be a group of voracious readers. You should print and compile those "recaps", slip them into three-ring binders, and offer them for sale. While you won't make millions from this little group, perhaps you'll recoup multiple pallets of dog food. And every bit of kibble helps.

And yes, Evy, SO = Significant Other, to cover all the relationship possibilities. (Was it FlowerPower who clarified that? Thank you.)

Emotionally, physically, the Iditarod must seem to everyone involved as if you're on the longest roller coaster ride in the world. You both have jobs; you have thousands and thousands of miles to run if it was just the challenge and pleasure of a run with a team of dogs that you desired. So, what exactly brings you back to Iditarod year after year?