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

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

Postby PaulEvy » Sat Apr 12, 2008 9:00 pm

aren wrote:Hi Paul and Evy,
I have a question for you. It has to do with the tactics of the race so I totally understand if you don't want to share the information.
You have been an advocate for taking the mandatory 24 further down the trail than most other mushers. Why is this and what are the advantages, as you see them, for applying this tactic?

Paul here:
I would have to say that basically I was looking to take my 24, closer to the halfway point in the race in miles, than in the beginning. And it is also been a fact that a team that gets sufficient amounts of rest on the yukon river seems to do well on the coast. One thing that a musher has to watch is that his team is TRAINED UP well enough to go that far before the long rest and that you supply them with sufficient rest to get there.
PaulEvy
 

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

Postby PaulEvy » Sat Apr 12, 2008 9:05 pm

Heidi wrote:Where was your favorite checkpoint(s) this year and why?

Paul here - I don't know that I really have a favorite checkpoint this year, just because of the logistics of my race changing after the Cripple checkpoint. I didn't stay a long time at any of the checkpoints, but I stayed in all of them.

Heidi wrote:If you could choose 5 things (from the mundane to the ridiculous) for every checkpoint to have, what would they be? :D

1 Hot water
2 soft bed
3 a private room because i have a really hard time sleeping when there is noise
4 a sheltered place out of the wind for the dogs to rest, no matter what direction the winds are blowing from
5 a cold Pepsi
PaulEvy
 

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

Postby sunhusky » Sun Apr 13, 2008 9:30 am

No question. Just wanted to pop in an say, "Hi, Evy!"

June
http://www.sunhuskyproductions.com
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Re: ASK THE MUSHER Vol 3: Paul Gebhardt (& Evy too!)

Postby aren » Mon Apr 14, 2008 1:41 pm

Thanks for the answer on the mandatory 24 question Paul :D I have another couple of questions if you don't mind.
You came second in the Irod, both in the year 2000 and again in 2007. How would you compare and rate your dog teams from these two years against each other?
What is it that you look for when you "compose" a really good dog team and what would you say is the key factor that makes the difference between a good dog team and an excellent one?
aren

BSSD team, you rock !!
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Re: ASK THE MUSHER Vol 3: Paul Gebhardt (& Evy too!)

Postby Moose » Mon Apr 14, 2008 3:12 pm

Paul, last year you were my top Iditarod pick. This year you were my No. 2. (I went with a sentimental favorite, who finished in 6th place. ;)) So, here's my question: Where do you plan on finishing next year? We both placed better last year when I picked you to win. What do you say we do it again?!

Evy, have you got the inside scoop?
Wag more, bark less.
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Re: ASK THE MUSHER Vol 3: Paul Gebhardt (& Evy too!)

Postby ThisSpaceForRent » Mon Apr 14, 2008 9:20 pm

Image
Paul and Evy Gebhardt at Iditarod Race Start

Image
Paul & with Alaskan Husky "Riot"

Image
Evy and Famous Lead Dog "Red Dog"

Image
Paul and GOVERNOR ...rip

Photos from Paul and Evy's website... http://www.aspenhollowlodging.com/

have fun ;)

dsw
Peace,Love and SnowDogsGo...
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Re: ASK THE MUSHER Vol 3: Paul Gebhardt (& Evy too!)

Postby CynCyn37 » Tue Apr 15, 2008 4:05 pm

Paul,
I keep hearing snippets of a polar bear story....care to share???

I SO want to see a real, live polar and grizzly bear in the wild! (far enough away to feel safe, but close enough for my Nikon!)
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Re: ASK THE MUSHER Vol 3: Paul Gebhardt (& Evy too!)

Postby PaulEvy » Tue Apr 15, 2008 10:07 pm

aren wrote:You came second in the Irod, both in the year 2000 and again in 2007. How would you compare and rate your dog teams from these two years against each other?
Paul here: I would have to say that the team I had in 2000 was older, and I had four male leaders that were all over 60 lbs that I relied heavily on. The team I had in 2007 was a much younger team, with one main leader (which was Governor) but the team in 2007 functioned better together as "team". They were both great teams but the 2000 relied heavily on that front four as their power, whereas the team in 2007 relied on Governor to set the pace, and the power came from the team as a unit.

What is it that you look for when you "compose" a really good dog team and what would you say is the key factor that makes the difference between a good dog team and an excellent one?

What I look for is a maintenance free, durable team that eats well and has a fast recovery time. It also needs to be uniform. What i mean by this, is that all the dogs have to be comfortable travelling at the same speed, and resting for the same amount of time. THe team has to function has to more as a unit than as individuals. So there should be no dog fights, and they should rely on ME as their leader.
The difference in the caliber of team is the leaders. That is what makes the difference. Paul
PaulEvy
 

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

Postby PaulEvy » Tue Apr 15, 2008 10:12 pm

Moose wrote:Paul, last year you were my top Iditarod pick. This year you were my No. 2. (I went with a sentimental favorite, who finished in 6th place. ;)) So, here's my question: Where do you plan on finishing next year? We both placed better last year when I picked you to win. What do you say we do it again?!

Evy, have you got the inside scoop?

Evy here: Yeah, I got the scoop... and the bucket...and the ... no really. NOW I know who threw that bad karma onto the trail! It was you Moose! I think first sounds good. But as Paul always says, it is up to the Big Guy Upstairs!
PaulEvy
 

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

Postby PaulEvy » Tue Apr 15, 2008 10:20 pm

CynCyn37 wrote:Paul, keep hearing snippets of a polar bear story....care to share???

Paul here - If you do a little research on the 1996 Iditarod (perhaps through the Anchorage Daily News) you will find a series of articles on this.

Evy here: Gee, now you know how I feel trying to pry "stories" out of Paul. It was in his rookie Iditarod run, and he was in a group of several mushers. On the run from Unalakleet and Shaktoolik, the mushers encountered two polar bears on their night run. At the time, the mushers did not have the opportunity to collaborate stories on the trail, but upon arriving at the checkpoint, all confirmed the same location - so this was not hallucianation. The other mushers who reported were no rookies, one of which was Jerry Austin from that area who was not in this group and also reported seeing the sow.
PaulEvy
 

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