ASK THE MUSHER Vol 13: Mike Jayne

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Re: Coming Soon "Ask the Musher" MIKE JAYNE Mon 1/19/09

Postby Mike Jayne » Tue Jan 20, 2009 3:45 pm

sc-race-fan wrote:Thanks for joining us. Sometimes we act RABID, but we're harmless. We are just a bunch of folks around the world who love mushing and the Iditarod. My question is Do you think the minimum race requirements are enough? Should a musher have more minimum races before the BIG ONE? hope you get things in order and are back racing soon.

Thanks, glad to be here. I think they are enough but I think they should be completed the year before. That's what I did and it gives you more time for things to sink in. But also, some 200 milers are very easy, and I didn't really learn much from that experience as my qualifier as far as racing goes. Hopefully in a few years I'll get back into.
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Re: Coming Soon "Ask the Musher" MIKE JAYNE Mon 1/19/09

Postby Mike Jayne » Tue Jan 20, 2009 3:55 pm

emwcee wrote:Hi Mike,

Thanks so much for agreeing to join us here. I'm Marcia Claesson, one of your Facebook friends.

What races are you doing this year, and do you have plans to do the Iditarod again?

When you moved to Alaska from Iowa, what was the transition like? What are some differences between the two places, besides just the weather? (I'm from Nebraska.)

I'm curious about your experiences in commercial fishing, especially since I read the book Nights of Ice, Stories of Disaster and Survival on Alaska's High Seas ( a very good book, for anyone who is interested.) Have you had any scary situations/close calls while fishing? Any exciting stories?

Thanks, Marcia,
I might do the Kobuk 440 again this year, but we'll see. For now I want a break and do other things for awhile.
Moving up here was a big change. Not so much the cold, since it does get pretty cold in the midwest as well. Everything is almost the opposite of Iowa here. Mountains, trees, wildlife etc. It was a hard concept at first to think I can walk over that hill, go 500 miles and not cross a road or see a person until I get to the ocean. But it grows on you quickly and it's hard to live anywhere else once you come here.
Commercial fishing is a lot of fun, I love doing it. We drift net and set net. In a lot of ways it's like mushing. Very little sleep and your always cold and hungry! There have been lots of minor things, such as storms and getting over loaded, but for the most part we are very safe. There have been times when our nets have snagged and we've almost flipped or running aground in the middle of the bay. One time while the period was closed, we had our boat anchored up by our house and when it was opening we got all ready and stuff, get down there and the boat was gone! Someone had cut the anchor but luckily enough it was on the flood and it drifed upriver a few miles instead of out into the ocean never to be seen again.
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Re: ASK THE MUSHER Vol 13: Mike Jayne 1/19-1/25

Postby Mike Jayne » Tue Jan 20, 2009 4:02 pm

MelanieGouldFanBrian wrote:Hey Mike, Brian again.
Moose asks a good question about Rick Swenson that leads me to this question I have been wondering about for some time. How do the Veteran mushers treat rookies? Are they supportive and open to giving suggestions and advice to rookies?

MGF Brian

Hey Brian, That's a good question. Most mushers are very supportive and will help you out a lot, but not during the race. I had a lot of help from people like Ramy Brooks, the Reddingtons, and several others when I was getting ready. But for the most part once the race is on, don't expect any help unless you know them very well. And even then you shouldn't expect it. It's all part of the game though. There are a lot of people trying to psych each other out and you can't trust what anyone says. It can be very cutthroat, but I don't think it's malicious, just strategy. I kind of learned that the hard way. It's probably one of the most over looked aspects of racing. You just have to learn to ignore and focus on yourself. But for the most part, mushers are very open with sharing what they know and helping you out.
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Re: ASK THE MUSHER Vol 13: Mike Jayne 1/19-1/25

Postby Di* » Tue Jan 20, 2009 6:07 pm

I've got a ton of questions Mike :lol:

Do you have any regrets about running the Iditarod, woulda, coulda, shoulda? What do you think about the increase in the entry fee?

Did you get a chance to watch the Discovery series on Iditarod? If so, what did you think of it, was it fun to see the same trail again? :)
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Re: ASK THE MUSHER Vol 13: Mike Jayne 1/19-1/25

Postby Moose » Wed Jan 21, 2009 10:52 am

Here's a topic that just might bring my Maine-Guide Old-Man-of-the-River Paddling-Fool DH to the forum, Mike. Tell us a bit about your paddling adventures. 8-)
Wag more, bark less.
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Re: ASK THE MUSHER Vol 13: Mike Jayne 1/19-1/25

Postby txbennett » Wed Jan 21, 2009 12:11 pm

YES -- paddling adventures! My Nephew paddles in the Texas Water Safari ("The World's Toughest Canoe Race") and I have volunteered to run the river banks a number of times in support of the race. Compared to a 10+ day dog sledding adventure, the water safari is "easy" -- only paddling non-stop 260 miles for 36 or so hours for the racers, and up to 100 or so hours for the "red lantern" paddlers. No bears or moose or buffalos; but snakes and alligators and fire ants. No blizzards and frost bite; but floods and sun strokes.

Paddle On :) ;) :)
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Re: ASK THE MUSHER Vol 13: Mike Jayne 1/19-1/25

Postby Mike Jayne » Wed Jan 21, 2009 2:10 pm

Di* wrote:I've got a ton of questions Mike :lol:

Do you have any regrets about running the Iditarod, woulda, coulda, shoulda? What do you think about the increase in the entry fee?

Did you get a chance to watch the Discovery series on Iditarod? If so, what did you think of it, was it fun to see the same trail again? :)


I did have a lot of things like that when the race was over, but I have since forgotten most of them. I should've written them down, lol. There are a few things like maybe pushing a little harder here or there, but for the most part I did what I wanted to do.

I've seen a few little parts of the show but have never had time to watch a whole episode.
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Re: ASK THE MUSHER Vol 13: Mike Jayne 1/19-1/25

Postby Mike Jayne » Wed Jan 21, 2009 2:28 pm

Moose wrote:Here's a topic that just might bring my Maine-Guide Old-Man-of-the-River Paddling-Fool DH to the forum, Mike. Tell us a bit about your paddling adventures. 8-)


I don't have many paddling adventures. Lot's of little small trips. The only thing I'd call an adventure really is canoeing the Yukon River with my dad and siblings when I was 12 years old. We started in Dawson City and finished in Mountain Village, near the mouth but before the delta. I think the whole thing took about a month or 5 weeks. We had never been to Alaska before, so it was a real eye opener, even at 12 years of age. And none of us had ever really canoed much, but my dad was crazy like that, lol! Saw a lot of really cool things and met a lot of great people in the villages along the way. Lots of bears, and I remember my dad had purchased this little pen flare thing to scare them away if they ever got close. We never had to use it thankfully because I doubt it would've worked.

My dad and little sister Liz did the Yukon River Quest when she was 14 years old in 2002 placing 13th out of 17th in the canoe class, and my dad and and little brother Pete did it again in 2005 placing 5th out of 25 in the canoe class.

A friend and I are planning on doing the Yukon 1000 this summer in August in the tandem Kayak class.
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Re: ASK THE MUSHER Vol 13: Mike Jayne 1/19-1/25

Postby Heidi » Wed Jan 21, 2009 10:06 pm

Hi Mike. Thanks for joining us. I have a few random questions. :mrgreen:

What was it like living off the grid and would you ever want to do it again?

You mentioned taking off a few years from racing. Do you still run dogs year-round?

Were all the dogs on your Iditarod and Quest teams your dogs?

Did you have a fav checkpoint on the Iditarod?

What is your opinion about the use of GPS on the Iditarod?

Thanks and good luck with whatever you pursue! :)
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Re: ASK THE MUSHER Vol 13: Mike Jayne 1/19-1/25

Postby CynCyn37 » Thu Jan 22, 2009 6:45 pm

Thanks for being here Mike!

Sorry about the mislabling of your Gracie. I'm Cynthia on facebook.

I have been working so much that I am fresh out of good questions.....so thanks for being here!
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